Evergreen Line leads BC`s 2014 projects

News
Evergreen Line
leads BC’s 2014
projects
March 2014
www.iuoe115.com
IUOE News is the official
publication of the International
Union of Operating Engineers
Local 115.
Local Executive Board
Business Manager
Brian Cochrane
Features
News Updates 4
Evergreen Line goes full steam ahead
15
Temporary Foreign Workers surge outside urban areas 30
Reports
President
Wayne E. Mills
Business Manager
Careful strategy and planning will make us industry leaders 1
Vice-President
Brad Randall
Recording Secretary
Brian Lefebvre
Financial Secretary
Don Swerdan
Treasurer
Frank Carr
Guard
Bob Higgs
Conductor
Dave Hannis
President
Project Labour Agreements are key for success
Auditors
Chip Dhaliwal
Goretti Guibault
Craig McIntosh
District Executive Board
1 - Al Cooper
2 - Tim Cullen
3 - Brad Gerow
4 - Herb Conat
5 - Mike Spiruda
6 - Brian Lefebvre
Publication Committee
Brian Cochrane
Wayne Mills
Lynda Arland
Don Swerdan
Editorial Services
Susan Armstrong, COPE 378
Contact Details
4333 Ledger Avenue,
Burnaby, B.C., V5G 3T3
Telephone: 604-291-8831
Fax: 604-473-5235
Website: www.iuoe115.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Please
Recycle
News March 2014
3
District 1
Our economy depends on ongoing development
5
Keep your details up to date for new work opportunities
6
Bargaining and agreements are already in full swing
7
Let’s speed up bargaining and ensure our agreements are up to date
8
With projects coming, everyone should be working union
9
We’re already off to a busy and successful start for 201410
Steady growth and our industry influence will move us forward11
“Tireless effort” is what makes us the best at what we do
13
Union Organizing
With hard work, we’ve had a great start to organizing
Trustees
Brett Chapman
Brian Moore
Curtis Wright
2
On the cover: (Photo courtesy Grant Mattice Photography)
TransLink’s Evergreen Line expansion project has settled into its construction peak, which will
continue throughout 2014/15, and is scheduled to be operational by the summer of 2016.
The project has created a lot of work for many IUOE Local 115 signatory companies and our
members across the Lower Mainland.
One of the many engineering and construction highlights of the project is the drilling of a
2km underground tunnel from Port Moody, leading into Coquitlam. A state-of-the-art 10
metre wide boring machine (shown on the cover) has been assembled and lowered in Port
Moody, and will commence its underground work this summer, and emerge a year later.
14
Dispatcher’s Report
New year brings new dispatch systems and new member possibilities
14
District 2
Local 115 goes from strength to strength as Tim Cullen bids farewell
18
District 3
Contractors and members are keeping busy
19
District 4
New premises, new challenges, and new opportunities await us all20
District 5
A long winter shows the importance of our natural resources
21
District 6
Work outlook is steady as we gear up for a busy summer
22
Benefit Plans
Planning for your retirement should never be a game of chance
24
Training Association
Strategic planning and responding to industry demand will grow our ranks
26
Regular Features
Welcome to our new members31
Pensions Awarded
32
Deceased Members32
Contact Information and District Meetings33
Business Manager
Careful strategy and
planning will make us
industry leaders
Brian Cochrane,
Business Manager
The province of British Columbia is on the verge of having
several capital projects which could employ hundreds, if not
thousands of Operating Engineers over the next decade.
While most of these projects have been controversial in
nature, British Columbia is a resource-based province and our
economic ability to support greater health care and education
services directly relies on these private sector investments.
The challenges in meeting all of the regulatory obligations,
providing adequate stakeholder engagement, coordinating
the financial support, and ensuring there will be enough
skilled trades to ultimately build these projects cannot be
overstated.
Recognizing that many of these projects will be in Northern B.C., your Executive Board has mandated that the Local
Union work on a Northern Engagement Strategy to maximize
opportunities for Operating Engineers.
There are many issues that we must review as an organization in order to capture these opportunities. We are focusing
on three key areas: securing Project Labour Agreements,
providing skills training closer to the local workforce in the
north, and how Local 115 can best engage and support First Business Manager Brian Cochrane and President Wayne Mills with
Kaitlyn Herbst from GlobalTV BC during the 48th Variety Show of
Nations people as key stakeholders in all of these projects.
Hearts Telethon. IUOE Local 115 donated $10,000 of raised funds to
We are currently reviewing best practices in industry to Variety Charity.
ensure that our membership will be well positioned to maxiBargaining Committee has been meeting regularly with
mize all of the opportunities created by these large projects.
Some of these initiatives may change the way we engage Construction Labour Relations to secure a process for this
industry in order to be successful in these projects. I can year’s round of negotiations.
At the time of writing, some of the
assure you that your Executive
Board and Local 115 Staff are British Columbia is a resource-based Building Trades unions have also
province and our economic ability
made application to the Labour Relacommitted to looking to the future
to support greater health care and
tions Board to break away from the
and undertaking a comprehensive
larger bargaining council. This may
review of new ideas in order to
education directly relies on these
slow down the process, but we need
lead the necessary changes to
private sector investments.
to get on with the job of securing a
create good opportunities.
One of the issues important to the owners of these major longer term agreement and creating stability for our members
projects is ensuring a secure labour supply of skilled trades and industry.
In the crane industry, a couple of recent initiatives which
with a Collective Agreement that covers the scope of their
projects. While specific Project Labour Agreements may be have been undertaken by the Industry Training Authority
negotiated for each proposed job, they all tie in to our Heavy (ITA) and the Canadian Council of Directors of ApprenticeConstruction and Crane Rental Agreements, and your ship (CCDA). One of them is an accelerated learning process,
News March 2014 1
Business Manager
and the other is an apprenticeship harmonization project.
President was the IUOE reaffiliation to the National Building
The accelerated learning process is designed to look at Trades in the USA. This initiative has brought back several
ways to move apprentices through the system faster and use old alliances with other trades with a view to strengthen our
new technologies such as simulators to enhance apprentice- markets.
ship training. With the projected demand for crane operators,
On a sad note, Brother Jack Munro, retired President of the
there may be some opportunities in this review to provide old IWA (International Woodworkers of America, now Steelsafety standards which can be maintained and will produce workers), passed away in December. A tribute to Jack was held
well-rounded journeypersons.
on January 4th at the Vancouver Trade and Convention
The CCDA apprenticeship harmonization project will be Center.
challenging as no two provinces are identical when it comes to
It was a well-attended event and many of the highlights of
how crane apprenticeships and certiJack’s career were presented. Some old
With the projected demand for
fications are issued. Combined with
video and historical news clips highcrane
operators,
there
may
be
the fact that not all provinces have a
lighting the battles of the B.C. Labour
opportunities to provide safety
mandatory requirement for operatMovement were shown. Clearly that
standards
which
will
produce
ing cranes, it will take a lot of
period in our history certainly created
cooperation between each province’s
many of the benefits working British
well-rounded journey persons
regulators and training providers to
Columbians enjoy today.
make this happen.
After 25 years of service to Local 115, Brother Tim Cullen
At the end of the day, it makes a lot of sense to find a solu- (Members’ Representative, District 2 Representative on the
tion to create better mobility for apprentices and for the Executive Board, and Pension and Benefits Trustee) is retiring
industry, but it is going to take some time and effort to achieve at the end of March. Tim has been engaged in many activities
this goal.
representing Operating Engineers and we wish him and his
Brother Wayne Mills and I had the opportunity to attend wife Wanda a very long and happy retirement.
the General Executive Board winter meeting in January and
To close, I would like to thank all of the staff and members
were updated on many of the initiatives taking place within for their support of the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon on
the International Union. General President Callahan rein- January 26th, where we had the opportunity to assist in raising
forced his commitment to training and organizing which will over $60,000 dollars for special needs children in B.C. during
no doubt be key to our success going forward.
the time our team answered the phones!
The other major announcement from our General
AGI Foundation Contractors Ltd. working on the Evergreen Line with Brothers Travis Riese, Chris Raffin, Anecito Sogocio, Paul Doherty, Robert
Bogusz, and Xavier Rojas. AGI also hosted HEO students from the IUOE Training Association on the Evergreen Line project site.
2
News March 2014
President’s Message
Project Labour
Agreements are key
for success
prepared specifically for this project, and is different to our
standard agreement; and yet the rats still came in, continuing
to eat up our jobs on the site prep on this big project, much as
they have been doing for years.
We started negotiating that PLA in April of 2011 and the
Wayne E. Mills,
trades
signed off on it in September of the same year. But this
President
PLA did not specifically include the site prep; that portion
went to a contractor of an “alternative” union, and the main
construction has not started yet. It is a long process for a PLA
to come to realization.
Safety
Over the past several months, the Building Trades CoaliI hope everyone came through the winter safely.
tion
has been working on a number of PLA’s for LNG plants in
I will ask a question: who is responsible for your safety?
Prince Rupert. If our signatory contractors are successful,
The cliché answer is: “you.”
Your employer is responsible for establishing safe work their first project would start the end of 2015 and the second
practices and providing training to meet those standards, but one in the summer of 2017.
These dates are a long way off, and we do not know if they
in the end, you are the best judge of your own safety both at
will be done union or not at this point.
work and at home. You are responWith the project’s schedule
Between four and five thousand direct
sible for using the safe work
planning
to
deliver
“Hot
Metal”
by
hire construction jobs are called for on
practices presented to you by your
early
winter,
that
job
will
be
all
but
each of these major projects, so we are
employer.
all trying our best to work with all
wound up during 2014
If a task seems unsafe, speak up.
parties involved to corral this work
Often a simple change can make
your work safer, for you and everyone else on the job. We all under PLA’s. Meanwhile, there have been preliminary talks
share the responsibility to create safety awareness and action with the owners of LNG plants in Kitimat, and they seem to
be waiting to see what happens with the PLA’s in Prince Rupert
both on the job and at home.
before making any moves.
Reality
With the work scheduled for the North in the next decade,
“What is the work picture going to be in 2014?” is the ques- it will be an exciting time—but only if we can secure it for our
tion I am currently being asked by members.
unionized contractors!
When we look at the Union work up in the North West area
Dispatch System
(the Kitimat Modernization Project, or KMP), we see that the
Over the past several months the Local has been working
earth works are winding down while the structural portion is
running flat-out. Cranes are the main call for Operating Engi- with our UnionWare software vendors to upgrade our dispatch
neers, and with the project’s schedule planning to deliver “Hot system, and that is about to come to fruition.
The District 1 Dispatcher, Brother Jim Flynn, Member
Metal” by early winter, that job will be all but wound up during
Representative
Everett Cummings, and myself have been
the course of 2014.
That KMP job is one of the best Canada has seen, mainly working with the software developers and we should have the
for being a “full meal deal.” The reason behind this is simply new system “up and live” during the first part of April.
There will be a few weeks during which we will run both
because the customer was committed to having it completed
systems
together for testing and to iron out any bugs. Now
using Building Trades workers only.
In the Fraser Valley, Surrey’s South Fraser Perimeter Road would be a good time for those of you that are booked in to
is now open, and the Port Mann Highway 1 portion, which call and make sure all of your information (address, phone
provided a good deal of steady work for our contractors, is numbers, e-mails and other contact points) is up to date, as
well as do your 30 day check-in, as per the dispatch rules.
almost complete.
In signing off, I would like to say a special thank you to the
The John Hart Dam on the Island is still in the negotiation
Shop
Stewards up at the Kitimat Modernization Project for
stages to try to ensure all work is done under a Building Trades
Project Labour Agreement (PLA); keep your fingers crossed the hard work they continue to do, as some of the contractors
are a bit of a handful to say the least.
on that one!
Take care everyone. Have a good spring, and may the frost
PLA’s and LNG work in the North
get out of the ground quickly so that everyone can get back to
The KBR Kitimat LNG Project Labour Agreement was work soon.
News March 2014 3
News Updates
News Updates
IUOE District 4 office
relocated
Local 115’s District 4
office has been relocated to
Unit B, 3339 8th Avenue in
Prince George. All the office
contact numbers will remain
the same.
If you’re in the area, drop
by to say hello and see how
our new premises will help
us better assist members.
South Fraser Perimeter
Road opens
Members and representatives from Local 115 joined
dignitaries in late December
to celebrate the opening of
Highway 17, more commonly known as Surrey’s South
Fraser Perimeter Road.
Local
115
Business
Manager Brian Cochrane
and President Wayne Mills
were joined by MP for DeltaRichmond East Kerry-Lynne
Findlay, and B.C. Transportation and Infrastructure
Minister Todd Stone at the
official opening ceremony.
The four-lane highway
connects to all five major
Fraser River crossings, and
will relieve traffic between
Port Mann, Pattullo and Alex
Fraser bridges.
Construction of the 40km,
$1.26bn project took almost
five years to complete and
provided valuable work to
many Local 115 signatory
contractors and members in
the both the paving and HEO
industries.
Local 115 continues
support at Show of
Hearts Telethon
On Sunday, January 26,
IUOE Local 115 staff took
part in the 48th annual
Variety Show of Hearts
Telethon.
This year $6,671,138 was
raised for children with
special needs in B.C. through
the telethon, which hosts live
performances and guest
Sisters Sarita Stad and Kim Monfee joined IUOE Local 115 staff in taking in over $60,000 in pledges during Variety’s 48th Annual Show of
Hearts Telethon.
celebrity appearances.
Local 115 staff personally
took in pledges of over
$60,000 in just three hours of
manning the telephones.
Local 115 also made a
donation of $10,000 to
Variety, which was obtained
from fund raising events
during 2013.
As part of the show’s live
broadcast, Business Manager
Brian Cochrane and President Wayne Mills were
interviewed on Global TV to
congratulate and thank our
Union and its members for
our ongoing support and
contributions to Variety.
First GMM of 2014
IUOE President Wayne Mills and Business Manager Brian Cochrane
are joined by Member Representative Brett Chapman and BC Minister
of Transportation and Infrastructure, Todd Stone, to celebrate the
opening of the South Fraser Perimeter Road in Surrey.
4
News March 2014
Members are reminded
that a General Membership
Meeting will take place on
Saturday, March 15, at 9:30
a.m. at the Union Hall in
Burnaby.
Local 115 members are
encouraged to participate,
and to bring a fellow Brother
or Sister to learn about the
progress of your Union.
Tim Cullen retires after
25 years of service
IUOE District 2 Member
Representative Tim Cullen
will be retiring at the end of
March after 25 years of dedicated service to the Local
and the membership.
Tim has been an asset to
our Union and key to many
of its successes. We wish him
all the best in all his future
plans, and extend thanks for
his service. Curtis Harold
will head up the District 2
office from April 2014.
Pacific Blue Cross
planned downtime
PBC’s software systems
will be undergoing significant upgrades during the
second half of March, 2014
to improve their member
service levels and features.
Some online and offline
member services may be
delayed during this time, but
PBC’s online help desk and
call centre will be available
for any member queries.
District One
Our economy
depends on ongoing
development
construction jobs, along with security and training opportunities for our members. Their improved income and buying
power is returned as an investment into the local and provincial economy. These companies they work for pay taxes and
royalties to our government for the natural resources they
Craig McIntosh,
profit from, and many are publicly traded on the stock market.
Member Representative
Stock in these companies is held by pension funds, such as the
Canada Pension Plan, which working Canadians are part of
and will one day benefit from.
When we look at this economic circle, it’s self-defeating to
2014 is going to be an important year for the Operating challenge every development proposal. Our economy will
Engineers and the B.C. economy—if we get the green light for suffer when investors cancel projects not only because of the
construction on some of the long talked about and studied costs of the project itself, but the ongoing, never-ending costs
they have to incur during legal proceedmajor projects across our province.
These
days,
it
takes
ings, consultation efforts, and study after
The Site C Dam in Fort St. John, the
longer to approve a
study after study.
Northern Gateway Pipeline, and an LNG
project
than
construct
it!
On January 7th every year the Building
plant in Kitimat or Prince Rupert are all
Trades meet at the Bentall Memorial Plaque
multi-billion dollar projects that will
provide many years of work for Operating Engineers. The to remember the Bentall Tower IV construction tragedy,
which took the lives of four carpenters on January 7th, 1981.
projected construction time for Site C alone is seven years.
These projects, and in fact all projects that get proposed The fly form they were working on (which was years later
these days, go through intense scrutiny from environmental- found to be defective) broke away from the building and these
ists, special interest groups, and affected people and their workers fell 36 storeys to their tragic death.
This year a video produced by WorkSafeBC and the Labour
communities—it takes longer to approve the project than it
Heritage Centre was shown to the public for the first time.
does to construct it!
An example of this is the Jumbo Glacier Resort in southeast This 10 minute video can also now be seen on the Local 115
B.C. which has been talked about and studied for 20 years website, and talks about the tragedy through the eyes of
now. In 2012 approval was given by the B.C. government to surviving family members, and the inquest that followed.
It is a moving documentary well worth watching. Remembuild a $450 million year-round ski resort; a local First Nation
is now challenging the approval of the resort in B.C.’s Supreme bering this tragedy reminds us that workers’ safety must
always be our first priority when balanced against pressures to
Court.
In B.C. we depend on our natural resources to generate rush completion or beat budget projections.
Work safe.
wealth. The mining, oil and gas sectors provide good paying
On January 7, 2014, the 33rd anniversary of the Bentall 4 tragedy memorial service hosted representatives from industry
and government to speak on workplace safety challenges. A
moving video was also shown, commemorating the lives lost,
which can be viewed at www.iuoe115.com
Brother Dave Krauter working on the Evergreen Line.
News March 2014 5
District One
Keep your details up
to date for new work
opportunities
and formal training for certifications, you should start ensuring you are aware of these new requirements, and getting the
new tickets that are currently required in order to be placed in
a job. If you don’t, you could be left with limited options for
being dispatched.
Everett Cummings,
Also, when you book in to dispatch, you need to let dispatch
Member Representative
know as soon as you are called back to work. While we are
happy to hear our members are back out working, it’s time
consuming to keep calling booked-in members only to find
out that they are unavailable for the jobs that come up.
The dry start to this year should make for a great start for
Whenever someone gets placed, the employer should call
those in construction not getting the rain-out days we see in
dispatch, then dispatch calls them onto the job. This allows us
typical years.
to track your work and match jobs to members, but not everyNow that some of the big projects have wound up on the
one follows this procedure. Similarly, many people don’t book
South Fraser Perimeter Road and Hwy 1, the paving industry
in when they stop working. They often wait for a few days (or
has not had many people booking in; but I believe this year
even weeks) to see if there is going to be a
will be just as busy as 2013 for the member- I believe this year will be
job coming their way, or if they will be
ship, even with those big projects completed,
just as busy as 2013 for
recalled. Often this doesn’t happen, and
or winding down.
meanwhile they have missed other potenthe membership
By the time you read this a few of the
tial work opportunities from dispatch, or
cities and municipalities will have released their paving
several people now are booked in ahead of them. On a layoff,
contracts for the year, and with the level of non-union work
don’t waste any time—call in that same day, there might even
that gets completed in this industry, it’s not always our signabe a job that needs to be filled waiting for you!
tory contractors getting these valuable contracts.
I will soon be working on another Project Labour AgreeThat doesn’t mean we (the Union and members) cannot
ment with Aecon for an LNG plant project in Delta. This will
take action. If you are working non-union at any time, you
be the 3rd PLA I have worked on with Aecon; they know that
should give me or the organizing department a call to give us
they get the skilled workers they need by doing business with
any information that you may have about your working condithis Union, which is encouraging. So, by the time you read
tions. Even if you think it’s a small idea and may not matter
this, there should hopefully be a deal to celebrate.
much, it all makes a difference in the end.
Work Safe!
More union contractors mean more work for all our
members and more market share, which ultimately means a
more level playing field across all our industries.
The Local is currently implementing an upgraded computer system to link dispatch with member information. This
new system will be great for the membership and the dispatcher who will be able to search out members with the
classifications and skills that employers come to us looking to
fill. With this in mind, members need to make sure they keep
all their dispatch information current. If you don’t, you may
be losing out on a job! It’s your responsibility to keep all your
information current and to keep in touch when you are
booked in.
Not only this, if you have received any new certifications
(fork lift, telehandler, first aid, CSTS, the list goes on), you
need to ensure you get this information to dispatch as soon as
possible. These are all important pieces of information which
go a long way towards making you more employable, and our
XXX
new system will be better equipped to nominate you for a
position if your data is fully updated and correct.
As the construction industry evolves with regards to safety Brother Bob McWilliams clears snow from the Local 115 parking lot.
6
News March 2014
District One
Bargaining and
agreements are
already in full swing
and since then it has been full steam ahead, with us negotiating a first Collective Agreement.
It took more than two months to put together an agreement in principle—something we could take to the table that
resembles the long-standing agreements we are all used to.
Bob Higgs,
After building a document that represented and defined the
Member Representative
type of work and the needs of the workers, we were ready to
take it to the table and present it to the company.
Between Brothers Frank Carr, Don Swerdan and myself,
we put together a document that did not need a lot of adjustments to any of its language or body. This greatly reduced the
Welcome new members at Lafarge Asphalt Technologies!
The first quarter of the year has already been rather event- time needed to complete bargaining and made the negotiaful. I started my year with a full calendar of bargaining that tions easier to manage and conclude.
The new members at Lafarge Asphalt Technologies voted
began in early January and kept me at the table for most of the
100% in favour of their new agreement and are now enjoying
month.
I assisted Brother Frank Carr in bargaining with Pitt River the benefits of working Union. So again, welcome to all the
new Local 115 members from Lafarge
Quarries; this was an agreement we
The new members at Lafarge
Asphalt Technologies.
have had in place for a long time, so
Asphalt
Technologies
voted
100%
It looks like the aggregate mines are
bargaining fortunately went rather
fast. Brother Carr expertly maneu- in favour of their new agreement set for a busy year. All operations are
in full swing and set to increase
vered around the table, finding an
and are now enjoying the
production as the year unfolds.
agreement in a matter of days that
benefits of working Union
This is good news for the concrete
included a successful ratification vote.
Also in January, I led the bargaining with Lafarge Asphalt and asphalt industries. As I drive around the North Shore and
Technologies. With the assistance of Brother Carr we had witness all the new job sites springing up almost daily, it is safe
great success in bargaining a first Collective Agreement for to say the concrete industry will be using the lion’s share of the
aggregate the mines will be producing in 2014.
our newest members.
Rumour has it that some of the municipalities have held
Lafarge Asphalt Technologies maintains a tank farm in
Columbia Bitulithic’s yard on Leeder Avenue for most of the back on portions of their roadwork programs until the
year, and when they are not supplying asphalt oil they are Highway 1 and SFPR road work has been completed. If this
supplying salt for road de-icing. This part of production is proves to be true we should see the road crews working steady
through the year as this work is released.
conducted from across the street in Lafarge’s yard.
All in all the year will likely not be as busy as the last few
The bargaining unit consists of seven members in
Coquitlam and one in Nanaimo, working out of Hub City have been, but we should see a steady flow of work throughPaving’s pit on Nanaimo River Road. The new members voted out most of the sectors.
Have a great year and work safe!
to join the Operating Engineers in mid November of 2013,
Many Local 115 members have
been kept busy by Brentwood
Enterprises Ltd. from Kamloops in the Interior, building Highway 1 east through
Pritchard. See the next page
for more pictures taken from
this project.
News March 2014 7
District One
Let’s speed up
bargaining and ensure
our agreements are
up to date
outdated (or soon to be outdated) apprenticeship language, or
the current practices of the Union and the company aren’t
reflected in the agreement.
The last time the Williams Machinery Collective Agreement was bargained it took over eight months. I am hopeful
that bargaining this year will be more efficient. Canadian
Chip Dhaliwal,
Heating Products will be a challenge as the company and the
Member Representative
Union have quite a few changes they would like to see documented; but these challenges are not insurmountable.
A few shops have voted in new or additional Shop StewHello Brothers and Sisters.
ards, and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome
It looks like it’s going to be another busy year for the Oper- these new stewards, as I know they will do a fine job. There is
ating Engineers. Right now I am bargaining with Catalys, a Shop Steward course coming shortly, taught by Brother Don
Wastech, Carney’s, Canadian Heating Products, Atlas Copco Swerdan, that will help them perform their duties at the
Compressors, Williams Machinery and BC Conveying.
highest levels.
I have completed bargaining with
I recently attended a course put
I felt proud to represent the
Harrigan Rentals and it was ratified
on by the Canadian Labour Congress
on January 21, 2014. The crew felt the Operating Engineers in some of the on Union Activism for a Green
agreement reached was a fair one for discussions regarding the jobs that Economy. I gained some knowledge
both sides. Wastech bargaining is in
about the ‘Green Jobs’ that have
pipelines would bring to B.C.
its final stages; if we do not have an
been created and about how we can
agreement on the bargaining round in Kamloops in February, all do our part, big or small, to help protect the earth.
we will probably go to mediation/arbitration.
I also felt proud to have represented the Operating EngiCatalys (formally a numbered company, Chevron, Texaco, neers in some of the discussions regarding the jobs that
Laidlaw Environmental and Vinoco Oil) is looking to clean pipelines would bring to this province. While I gained insight
up the Collective Agreement and have it reflect the current into the views of some who oppose the proposed pipelines, I
practices of the company and the OE members. This house- was also able to convince them of how valuable these jobs are
keeping is something that I will be looking to achieve along to us and the province. Sometimes you can effect more change
with all the bargaining I have this year; there are some Collec- working from within the system (e.g. setting the conditions
tive Agreements that have quite a bit of outdated language.
for approval) rather than an all-or-nothing stance which, if it
For example, there are Collective Agreements that still refer fails, leaves you on the outside looking in. Overall a great
to an “Arbitration Board”. Arbitration Boards do not exist course was put on by knowledgeable instructors, and attended
anymore, and there are more cost effective ways to settle by passionate and intelligent Union Brothers and Sisters.
differences if the Union and the company can mutually agree
Until the next Newsletter, Please be safe out there. Your
on where to take their differences. Some agreements also have loved ones need you to make it home in one piece.
Crews building Highway 1 through Pritchard.
XXX
8
News March 2014
District One
With projects coming,
everyone should be
working union
billion invested into it.
Two huge projects—exciting times and invaluable opportunities lie ahead for the Local, and for any members that
want to work up north.
Our organizing department has been very busy for the past
Stewart Miller,
few
months, and succeeded in the certification of another
Member Representative
division of Harvest Power, called Urban Wood Waste. Myself
and Brother Don Swerdan put out notice to commence
bargaining with the company in late January, and we look
forward to working with this new company. Welcome the new
Wow! Into another year, and what do we look forward to? Brothers and Sisters to the Local.
Hopefully, more work!
Recently a new member (who was unsure of the Unions’
Things started to slow down at the tail end of last year for function and history) from Urban Wood Waste asked me
some of our contractors, and others managed to keep it going. “why union?” My answer was simple, and one that we all
I know in our aggregate pits, things are a little slower in getting should know and share:.
started, but our grain contractors are
“Having a union means more fairOne question asked of me
going flat out just trying to keep up
ness in your job and your workplace. It
recently from a new member
with demand, while our fuel haulers
means having a voice in the decisions
was “why Union?” My answer
are running at a steady pace at the
that affect you at work. It means safer
moment.
was simple, and one that we all jobs. And, of course, it means better
I recently attended a staff meeting
pay and benefits.”
should know and share
where we hosted some notable guest
The IUOE Local 115 works with
speakers. Norm Rinne from Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain you to build that better future at work. Working with the
pipe line project explained the challenges they face as they IUOE, you can improve your personal job satisfaction and
move forward with the expansion project, which they hope to build pride in your workplace. You can end unfair treatment,
start building in 2015 and complete by 2017. Mr. Rinne says inconsistent rules, favouritism and intimidation. In today’s
that at the peak of construction the project will provide jobs economy, having a union on your side is a real advantage.
for around 4,500 workers (all trades), and represent an investA new study by the Canadian Labour Congress reveals the
ment of $5.4 billion.
pay impact of the union advantage—both nationally and in 29
It’s a huge project and represents some very exciting times communities across the country. It shows that on average, in
ahead for our members.
Canada, employees with unions earn $5.11 more per hour
Another massive project that was talked about was BC compared to those who choose not to.
Hydro’s Site C Dam. Hopefully starting in 2015, this will be a
So, with all of these benefits, my question back to new
seven year long construction project that will add another members is “what took you so long to become union?”
1,700 trades jobs at the peak of construction, with almost $8
Welcome to the Local, Brothers and Sisters.
News March 2014 9
District One
We’re already off to
a busy and successful
start for 2014
look forward to leading or assisting the bargaining teams to
secure these locations a deal on behalf of their members that
will satisfy all. In between negotiations I will be dedicating a
fair amount of time to one of my most passionate jobs in the
local: organizing. This is what keeps our Union ticking along
Brett Chapman,
like a well-oiled machine.
Member Representative
I would like to thank all the Shop Stewards for their hard
work during the past year, and I look forward to another year
of working together to resolve grievances or other issues you
encounter and resolve on the job.
Hello Brothers and Sisters, and I hope you all had a great
To wrap up, I want to discuss a topic some workers and
Christmas and a Happy New Year.
managers are starting to take notice of: bullying and harass2014 has already started out as a great year with respect to ment in the workplace. Some of you may know that as of
organizing. The Local has been successful in three organizing November 1, 2013, WorkSafeBC has put together a dedicated
drives, and with several more targeted, this could be one of department to handle any workplace bullying or harassment
the best years the Local has ever seen
reported by employees.
when it comes to bringing in new This could be one of the best
This is a very real and serious issue.
years the Local has seen
members.
We should all be aware that these offencCongratulations to Brothers Bryan
es (at work, at schools, or in the lunch
Railton, Rob Duff, and Todd Jones in bringing in around 85 room) are identified as a leading cause of suicide in Canada,
new members since the beginning of the year though Urban and need to be treated with close scrutiny and quick action.
Wood Waste (also known as Harvest Power), Hyland Precast,
Also, if you witness a case of bullying, you are obligated to
and McTar. This has triggered plenty of extra rounds of report it, or you could be held accountable for the possible
bargaining that have kept the reps in those areas busy. I outcomes for the person being bullied or unfairly harassed—
currently have five rounds to complete myself this year as which is almost as bad as being the bully yourself!
well, so it looks to be a super busy year for bargaining.
In the Union spirit, we must help and protect our fellow
For starters, negotiations to be completed include Trimac’s workers to ensure we are protected ourselves one day. So help
(HM Trimble & Sons) maintenance department, Cummins fight back against this newly recognized workplace problem,
Western Canada, Great West Equipment (Marcel’s), Harbour and “rise above.”
International Trucks, and Peace River Coal in the North. I
Take care, work safe and we will see you in the field.
Brothers Rylan McKimm, Ryan
Bergeron, and Rob Severinski on
Fraser River Pile & Dredge’s Hopper Suction Dredge.
XXX
Fraser River Pile & Dredge’s latest acquisition, the FRPD 309.
10
News March 2014
District One
Steady growth and our
industry influence will
move us forward
In Tsawwassen and Richmond, Geopac have six crews
working. Five of these are working on the Tsawwassen First
Nations Project (TFN), working 12 hours a day, six to seven
days per week. On the Fraser River, Vancouver Pile Driving is
keeping busy with the maintenance dredging of the BC Ferries
Frank Carr,
storage basin (Dease Slough) with the No. 2 and No. 4 derricks.
Member Representative
We held a Pile Driving Industry meeting at the end of
February to discuss the industry’s various changes and challenges, as part of our efforts to improve it for all involved.
With your support we were able to secure a solid Collective
I hope you all had a great holiday season! The outlook for Agreement in this industry last year, and we will continue to
work in the Lower Mainland for the coming months is prom- build on that success. These meetings give us an opportunity
ising, with many of our contractors working on the Evergreen to meet as a unified group to discuss our challenges for the
Line Project. The project is quickly taking shape, with the coming years, and how we plan to organize and educate the
elevated guide way at Como Lake and North Road now being non-union workers competing with us in the industry.
constructed with its massive launching truss.
Fraser River Pile and Dredge Ltd’s new ‘FRPD 309’ (a 4,600
In Port Moody, GWIL Crane has
With any big renovation there are cubic metre trailing suction hopper
nearly completed the construction of
dredge replacing the Fraser Titan) is
many
obstacles
and
challenges
the tunnel boring machine. It really is
now in service, and has been contractto overcome­­, but their skills,
something to see, as many of the
ed for 10 years to perform maintenance
passion
and
persistence
readied
pictures in this magazine show.
dredging throughout the Fraser River.
Following the line east to
I recently had the opportunity to
the ship for operation
Coquitlam we have many members
board the vessel with Tino Isola, Vice
working on the Evergreen joint venture for our Road Build- President, Dredging & Surveys to observe the machinery in
ing, Crane Rental, and Pile Driving Contractors.
action and meet with our members on board.
I’m happy to report Local 115 recently signed BFI ConstrucThe FRPD 309 was purchased and sailed from South
tors Ltd. to the Pile Driving Agreement via a Project Labour America a year ago. Since then there have been crew changes,
Agreement. They are scheduled to begin work mid-February and the ship has had to be extensively retrofitted and renothrough to June, and their requisitions to dispatch have vated. The company and the crew explained that it hasn’t been
already started to come in.
all smooth sailing (pardon the pun)—with any big renovation
Member Representative Frank
Carr and Brother Lu Veneziano
from FRPD.
The FRPD 309 doing duty on the Fraser River.
News March 2014 11
District One
there are many obstacles and challenges to overcome­­—but in
spite of these challenges, their skills, passion and persistence
readied the ship for operation.
Local 115 currently has six members working on the FRPD
309 full time, and not only is everyone new to the ship, many
have taken on new duties and responsibilities. Brother Dennis
Whitford is the Dredging Superintendent, Brother Lu Veneziano is working as the full time welder keeping the
maintenance up and the ship in operation, while Brothers
Malcolm Whitford, Rylan McKimm, Ryan Bergeron and Mike
Enever are the ‘Drag Tenders’ (pipe operators).
Primarily they are assigned to fill the hopper with sand;
this may sound easy, but is very technical, with the operators
working on the bridge surrounded by computer screens,
switches and gauges providing critical information.
Although each person has a specific task on board, if the
vessel breaks down for any reason it’s ‘all hands on deck’ with
the entire crew working together to solve the problem and get
the ship back into operation as quickly and safely as possible.
The ‘pump ashore’ capability adds a new aspect to the operation (the old Fraser Titan simply dumped the sand). While
this new process is more efficient for moving the sand from
the hopper to the depots on shore for sand sales, this was originally the work of the Columbia.
Dredging for the season will be coming to an end (due to
the annual fisheries’ closure of the Fraser River) from March
15 to June 15; the shutdown gives the crew an opportunity to
get caught up on their ships’ maintenance.
As for bargaining, progress has been good. I am currently
in bargaining with Brandt Tractor. Lafarge Asphalt Technologies (McTar) have negotiated and ratified a first Collective
Agreement which includes OE Pension, Benefit, Dispatch,
The crew from WesternOne Equipment in Port Coquitlam.
12
News March 2014
retro activity for the monetary items, and language that the
members never had before. Great job to Brother Bob Higgs
for his determination at the bargaining table, and congratulations to Scott Oswald and all our new Brothers.
Pitt River Quarries & Depots have come to a tentative
settlement as well. The agreement was ratified and represents
the terms and conditions for the Quarry, the Depots, and the
Portable Crushing Crews. Thanks to Shop Stewards Howard
Skinner and Frank Gormly on this one.
Meetings are ongoing with Bantrel/Bechtel, the Building
Trades Coalition, Canadian and BC Trades, and Construction
Labour Relations, regarding the planned BG Gas and Petronas LNG plants on Lelu Island. If Bantrel is awarded the
contract it could provide millions of hours of work over an
estimated six year period, and result in permanent positions
at the plants as well. Rest assured your representatives are
working hard to maintain the standard terms and conditions
of our Heavy Construction Agreement against competitors
who have labour relations with alternative organizations that
allow for working conditions “flexibility”.
The Washington State Crane Operator Mobility Pilot
Project is now underway with employers in British Columbia
and members in Washington State registering with the BC
Association for Crane Safety. The project focuses on streamlining the certification process for Washington State crane
operators to fill the gap if B.C. experiences a shortage of certified crane operators. With the process in place, Operating
Engineers in Washington State will be able to register with the
BCACS, obtain their certification, and be dispatched to our
contractors in the province if no one can be found locally.
See you all at the next General Membership Meeting in
Burnaby on March 15, 2014 at 9:30am.
District One
“Tireless effort” is what
makes us the best at
what we do
Application cards, ensure the application for certification is
exactly as prescribed by law, make the application, contact
legal counsel for their input and guidance...
As I said, the amount of work involved is staggering!
But these steps only get the OE to the point of the accepDon Swerdan,
tance and time stamping of the application for certification.
Member Representative
You might think that the Organizers’ and Members Representatives’ involvement in the organizing drive would be over at
this point; the truth is, however, that nothing could be further
from reality, thanks in no small part to B.C.’s labour legislation
which makes the following 10 days absolutely critical in the
Happy New Year!
overall campaign.
First off, I’d like the membership to be aware of some recent
The Labour Relations Code states that where the Board
organizing successes.
receives an application for certification, that application’s vote
The tireless efforts and hours logged by Brothers Rob Duff, “must be conducted within 10 days from the date the Board
Bryan Railton, Brett Chapman and Stewart Miller have result- receives the application.”
ed in Urban Wood Waste Inc., which has two Lower Mainland
As you can appreciate, this 10 day window allows unscrulocations, being recently certified. Welcome to these soon-to- pulous employers (fortunately, this does not include every
be members, and kudos to all the Brothers involved in this employer) to unduly influence employees­—sometimes on a
campaign! Proposal meetings have been held with the crew daily basis—to reject the OE’s initiative to represent them at
and the negotiation of a standalone Collective Agreement will the ballot box.
commence in the very near future,
In many cases, the Organizers and
with an eye to bettering the wages, This shows the substantial level of Members Reps spend 10 days ‘putting
fear and confusion that can be
working conditions, and benefits the
out fires’ by regularly meeting with
employees currently have.
the crews and answering their quescreated by an unprincipled
The other success was Hyland
tions, addressing any concerns they
employer, and can weigh very
Precast Inc. on Vancouver Island.
may have, clarifying issues, and
heavily on the employee
Once again, as a direct result of the
ensuring they have the correct inforefforts and hours put in by Brothers Rob Duff, Bryan Railton, mation and know where they stand.
Curtis Harold and Todd Jones, Hyland Precast was ultimately
In many cases, unfair labour complaints are filed during all
certified. Welcome to these also soon-to-be members, and to these proceedings, which (in order to be properly heard and
all the Brothers involved in the organizing drive: great job!
await determination) require a great deal of evidence to be
At the time of writing this article, Brother Harold is in the gathered by the Organizers and Members’ Reps, distracting
process of setting up meetings with the crew and discussions them from their organizing goals.
with Hyland Precast.
This shows the substantial levels of fear and confusion that
You’ll notice that in both of these instances I reference the can be created by an unprincipled employer, and can weigh
‘tireless efforts and hours logged’ by the OE Organizers and very heavily on the employee. This also requires innumerable
Members Representatives. This is worth explaining.
additional hours to be logged by the Organizers and Member
The actual hours these Brothers work during the course of Reps in their efforts to ensure the employees enjoy the right to
a campaign is staggering. In most cases, every Organizer or vote in an fair environment, free of undue influence.
Member Rep can easily spend hundreds of hours on a single
Organizing is the lifeblood of this Union and is of such critorganizing drive, with no guarantee of success, thanks to the ical importance to our continued success that we constantly
current legislation of our labour relations code.
ask you, as our membership, to speak to the non-union
The Organizers and Members Reps must make contact or workers you may encounter or work with, and forward any
follow up on a lead, meet the crew sometimes individually at contact information to the OE Organizing department or
various locations, secure a phone or contact list where possi- your Member Representative. Assure them that we are here to
ble, then contact the employees on the list, create and help in every way and we respect the work they do, their career
distribute information on the benefits of OE membership, in goals, and even their confidentiality.
most cases set up and attend many meetings, answer hundreds
At the end of the (very long) day, our Organizers and
of questions, distribute and collect Union Membership Members’ Reps are ‘Simply the Best.’
News March 2014 13
Union Organizing
With hard work, we’ve had a
great start to organizing
Sisters from Urban Wood Waste in both the New Westminster
and Vancouver locations. Here again, we received overwhelming support at the certification vote in favor of the Operating
Rob Duff and Bryan Railton
Engineers, and we have added another strong crew to our
Organizing Representatives
growing ranks.
A number of things the employer did during this campaign
Brothers and Sisters, welcome to 2014.
made it more difficult than it needed to be, but with the
We are off to a good start so far on the organizing front, backing of our legal counsel (John MacTavish) and the hard
and in the past few months have made good headway.
work of our Organizers and Member Reps (Brother Bryan
On behalf of the Local, I would
Railton and Brother Brett Chapman)
The
hard
work
that
goes
on
behind
like to welcome all our new members
we were successful.
the scenes of an organizing
from Hyland Precast on Vancouver
I can’t stress this part enough: the
Island. With their overwhelming campaign, that most people don’t
hard work that goes on behind the
certification vote in favor of the
scenes of an organizing campaign,
ever see, is incredible
Operating Engineers, we can honestthat most people don’t ever see, is
ly say the crew at Hyland is as solid as you can get.
incredible. Everyone from the support staff, reps, legal counsel
This accomplishment was not as easy as it may look; only and training staff, right to the top of this organization, puts a
through the hard work put in by Brother Todd Jones and tremendous amount of time and energy into each organizing
Brother Curtis Harold were we able to prove to the non- campaign, and we would not be as successful as we are without
supporters the benefits of having the Operating Engineers that commitment.
represent them.
Here’s to 2014 being a very successful year on the organizI would also like to welcome all our newest Brothers and ing front!
Dispatcher’s Report
New year brings new
dispatch systems and
new member
possibilities
one place to view and assess when the orders come in.
However, we can only know if you let us know your latest
work and training status.
This includes all jobs you have worked, whether you are
working currently, your updated contact information, and
every qualification or ticket you may have. I know we ask for
Jim Flynn,
this information often, but it’s how we ensure every member
Dispatcher
enjoys a fair opportunity to get the job they want. With our
new system coming in place, view this as an opportunity to
stand out from the pack by sending us your latest details.
Hi all. This year is off to quite a slow start; it seems we are Once we have them in our new software, it could just be what
all waiting for some news on the major projects, and more lands you your dream job!
specifically, their targeted start dates.
As members, we all need to talk to
As members, we all need to
If you are booked in and get called
workers who don’t know about the
talk to workers who don’t
back to work, please make sure that you
many benefits of working union, and
let your dispatch office know immedi- know about the many benefits the best way to educate them is face to
ately. Do not count on your employer to
of working union
face. Our union needs and depends on
keep dispatch up to date, as they tend to
our members to help organize and grow
forget to make the call in favour of getting workers on the job our market share. The bigger the market share for the Local,
as quickly as possible. If we don’t know that you are working the more work for all members, and the better the contracts
again, it makes us difficult to know exactly who is available to will be. These are major benefits and opportunities that are
be sent out to fill orders.
not only enjoyed by our members, but are good for every
This is especially important now, as we are busy migrating worker in B.C.
our dispatch system into the UnionWare program. This means
In closing, please work safe so everyone on the job goes
that all member details will be readily available for dispatch in home at the end of the day.
14
News March 2014
Feature Article
Evergreen Line goes full steam ahead for 2014
BC’s largest current public transit project is pulling out all
the stops to meet its summer 2016 target, using machines and
manpower that represent the best of technology and skills.
Story: Marco Procaccini
Photos: Courtesy of Grant Mattice Photography
The massive underground drilling operation taking place
between Port Moody and Coquitlam for the Evergreen Line
has not only created work for many members, but also stirred
industry and media attention for its scale and complexity.
The advances in drilling equipment technology and
processes show how Local 115 members servicing the tunnelling and related construction trades need to be up to date with
the latest industry developments and equipment operating
skills—some of which are coming at light-speed...
Faster, bigger, more complex machines
For example, researchers at the University of Alberta have
developed a new drilling and tunnelling machine that is
guided by multiple lasers for much more accurate and faster
operation. While the use of lasers to guide deep drilling and
tunnelling equipment has been fairly common for many years,
this is the first effort to use multi-directional lasers to scan
and set the direction for the equipment.
“With the current, single laser beam technology, the tunnelling operations have to be shut down every 10 metres for one
hour so the operators can check the laser direction,” said Ming
Lu, Civil and Environmental Engineer and Professor at U of A
who is leading the research and development of this new
equipment. He told the university`s Faculty of Engineering
Journal that this new technology will reduce tunnelling downtime by over ten per cent.
The new machine uses what is called a Virtual Laser Target
Board that includes a computerized mechanical device which
constantly measures and records multiple laser readings
calculating the exact position and overall direction of the
machine in the tunnel while it is in operation. This allows the
operators to run the machine much more accurately and efficiently, with less down time to check the direction.
“With new technology, the machine operator will no longer
work in darkness, and the quality of the tunnel alignment can
be controlled within a few millimetres” said Professor Lu.
Evergreen Line
This technology is even more advanced than the state of
the art, 10-meter-tall tunnelling machine which recently
started work on the two kilometre Port Moody tunnel project
for the Evergreen Line. This machine is able to drill up to
Concrete sections of the Evergreen Line are lifted into position.
eight meters per day and remove around 150 thousand cubic
metres of dirt over the year it will run for.
Of course, any machine, no matter how advanced or efficient, is worthless without skilled labour to operate it (some
tunnelling machines take up to twelve people to operate,
depending on size and complexity). Currently, OE members
are working on the assembly of the Evergreen tunnelling
machine.
“We’ve got some guys down there at different times,” says
Local 115 Training Plan Coordinator Randy Grisewood.
“There are two operators working now on the two GWIL
Cranes, and about a half dozen others servicing the site.”
While Operating Engineers rarely get involved in the actual
News March 2014 15
Feature Article
Advanced Construction Technology: The Pros and Cons
Technology similar to the laser-guided drilling being developed by Professor Ming Lu at the University of Alberta is
also being developed in Germany—on a much larger scale. New, longer, and wider tunnelling methods and technologies are being investigated as part of large-scale railroad upgrades across Europe. This massive tunnel network
will allow their new generation of high-speed trains (some travelling up to 400km per hour) to carry passengers
across Europe in record time.
The new machine being tested, the TSP303, provides the same three-dimensional scanning technology as Professor Lu’s machine in Edmonton, but for much wider tunnel accommodation. It can also detect fault lines and other
instabilities up to 200 meters ahead of the rock face.
But one possible downside of these advances is that the TSP303 also includes a built-in earth removal system,
consisting of rapid, large-scale conveyor systems that can quickly move huge amounts of excavated soil and rock
directly to trucks or rail cars, which can be drop-loaded from above.
This feat of engineering could therefore reduce or even eliminate the need for loaders and other earth removal
equipment—and their operators.
drilling, members are involved in above-ground construction,
such as building tunnel shafts and elevators, and excavating
the sinks where the tunnelling machine will begin drilling.
In addition, almost all of the installation and crane work, as
well as the operation of the loading and excavation support
equipment—such as front end loaders and bull dozers needed
to remove the soil and rock as the machine tunnels—is being
done by Local 115 members on signatory contractor sites.
This is where increased productivity from technologically
advanced machines may impact Operating Engineers: Professor Lu is predicting that the reduced downtime and faster
pace of new machines could mean a need for faster earth
removal. This means more earth moving equipment and
trucks operating at the same time, or the development of new
equipment able to handle larger loads.
This could end up being good news for Local 115 members,
both in terms of more jobs and new training opportunities.
Professor Lu also insists that these advances will help provide
a safer work environment for all trades.
The question definitely isn’t whether technology, procedures and best practices in construction will leap forward in
the future; but rather, when it does, will you be ready?
A GWIL crane lowers a 30 tonne section of the Evergreen Line tunnel boring machine in Port Moody. The machine starts drilling in March 2014
and will emerge, one year and 2km later, in Coquitlam, leaving behind a 10m wide tunnel for the Skytrain to travel through in 2016.
16
News March 2014
Feature Article
Heavy lifting of concrete sections of the Evergreen Line; massive pillars being lifted to support the new line.
Preparing the 10m tunnel boring machine.
IUOE Local 115 HEO Class students took a tour of Advanced
Geosolutions Inc.’s work site on the Evergreen Line Project. AGI
are performing seismic solutions and ground densification for
the new rapid transit line.
A Grove mobile crane erecting support pillars.
Photos courtesy of Grant Mattice Photography
News March 2014 17
District Two
Local 115 going from strength to strength
as Tim Cullen bids farewell
Curtis Harold and Tim Cullen,
Member Representatives
Note to District 2 Members: There will be a Meeting held for
Black Creek members on Wednesday May 14, 2014 at 6:00p.m.
at the Halbe Hall, 8369 N. Island Highway.
We are hoping that our paving contractors are going to
have another great year. We are currently in bargaining with
the paving companies and the utility contractors on Vancouver Island to try to make this a reality in the coming year.
So here we are at the beginning of another year. Curtis and
Our industrial shops have had a mixed bag of it lately; some
I hope all Brothers and Sisters, and your families, have had a were very busy and others just did ok. But there was work to
great holiday season.
be had, and hopefully everyone will be a bit busier this year.
This is probably the last article that I will write for the
The big news on the Island is the John Hart Dam. The good
magazine as I will be taking early retirement at the end of news is that it looks like it will be built using the Building
March 2014, and it will be Curtis’ turn to write about all the Trades Unions. There will be a slow start to the project and we
news that is happening on the Island.
are not yet sure of the number of Operators
At this point, I cannot
I have worked 25 years for the Local, and
that will be required, but we will find out
over emphasize how
am looking forward to some new challengsoon enough once the project gathers
es, like trying to get my wife’s ‘Honey Do important having a great speed. While the John Hart is getting ready
pension plan like ours is for liftoff, there still has been no finalizaList’ completed! At this point, I cannot
over-emphasize how important having a
tion on who landed the contracts for the
great pension plan like ours is.
hospitals in Comox and Campbell River.
I would like to say welcome to our new Brothers that work
I would like to give my best wishes to everyone I have
at Hyland Precast in the Courtenay area. Brother Todd Jones’ shared my career with over the years, and to say a special
organizing efforts were successful, thanks also to the added thank you to all the Brothers and Sisters I have had the privihard work of Curtis and Rob Duff assisting these members in lege of working with for all the support you have given me
joining our Union. As always, if you know of any other group over these past 25 years.
To say that I will miss everyone is an understatement, but I
of potential members, please call us and we can get Todd (or
another of our Organizers/Member Reps) out to see them and am leaving with full confidence that Brother Curtis Harold is
fully capable of handling things. Please give him and the rest
discuss the many benefits we offer.
It was a rather successful 2013 for our construction compa- of the IUOE Local 115 team the courteous support that you
nies this past year. Upland Excavating Ltd. has been busy with have shown me for all these years.
So long, farewell, and I wish you all the best.
some preliminary work at the John Hart Dam site in Campbell River. Upland also worked at both mine sites again this
past year, and are continuing to do upgrading work to the
downtown core infrastructure in Campbell River.
Hazelwood Construction Services Inc. has been very
involved in run of the river projects. Right now they are
completing one in the Interior, one on Vancouver Island, and
were the successful lowest bidder on one in Toba Inlet as well.
Chew Excavating Ltd. also had a very busy season in the
Victoria area. A large project for them was on the old Producers Pit property in Metchosin.
Advantage Cranes and RKM were very involved with the
first phase of the Cape Scott Wind Farm. It looks like the The mechanical crew at Upland Excavating: Brothers Terry Chomecsecond phase will be out for tender in the summer.
zko, Rick Kilby, Jeff Rogers, Jeff Aydon, Brent Tickell, and Brian Adey.
18
News March 2014
District Three
Contractors and
members are
keeping busy
with the utility crews doing the underground servicing that
they are well known for in the industry.
Members are closing in on the halfway point of the Mica
Dam project. Currently we have three overhead crane operators working for two different contractors, and two operators
Brad Gerow,
at the portable batch plant.
Member Representative
Shops in the area are keeping very busy. This represents a
very good thing for the membership, as it shows industry
strength when the work coming out of these shops is growing;
be it road construction, mining, or any other resource based
Brothers and Sisters,
industry, the need for equipment will continue to increase,
I hope everyone’s holidays were safe and enjoyable.
and the flow of work to the other industries we represent will
As we look into the new year, we see another good year continue to thrive.
ahead for District 3. This year there are a number of projects
Crane work has been steady this past year, even with the
carried over from last year, as well as a few that have already Highland Valley Copper Mill Modernization Project coming
been out to tender and awarded. We look forward to working to an end soon for our contractor, Entrec. Sterling has a
with our contractors on the projects that they have already number of projects coming up, including work on the power
secured and are currently bidding on
lines that are running into Merritt.
Our contractor has been working
this season.
During the holiday season we
very closely with the local
Some projects that are on the go
were able to settle contracts with
Aboriginal Bands and Ministry of
right now are the Highway 1 corridor
Cache Creek Machine Shop,
work, which was started a couple of Highways, ensuring archeological
Premium Truck and Trailer Kelowna,
years ago by Emil Anderson just east sites are treated respectfully while
and IRL International Truck Centres
of the Highway 97 turnoff out of
Ltd. in Vernon.
the project progresses
Kamloops.
These contracts saw gains for our
This work is now being continued, and 672462 B.C. Ltd out members in wages and some pension, benefit and vacation
of Kamloops has been working on this since the middle of last time increases. We have a number of contracts coming up
summer; there are two jobs that were let last season and they again this year, including:
managed to be awarded both projects.
United Rentals (Kamloops and Genelle)
There has been a beehive of activity on this project, with
Cummins Western Canada (Provincial Cert)
everything from fence moving to a full-on scraper show like
Grand Forks Ready Mix
we haven’t seen in the area since E.A.C was at Garcia Lake
Kamloops Augering and Boring
outside of Merritt! Currently the crews are back out on the job
Gable Construction
moving materials that they were able to stockpile through the
A-Mark Rentals
winter months.
R. James Western Star (Kamloops and Kelowna)
When it started, this project had to contend with a number
of archeological sites, and it has also grown exponentially.
On the organizing front we are looking at a number of
Our contractor has been working very closely with the local companies in the area, from shops to construction contracAboriginal Peoples and Ministry of Highways, ensuring the tors; so if you are out there and working non-union, let us
sites are treated respectfully while the project still progresses.
know who you are, and help us help you organize your group
There has been talk of the long-awaited Hoffman’s Bluff with the Operating Engineers.
project being let in April of this year. This would be a very
On a final note we request that everyone take a few minutes
good thing, as this is the most dangerous part of the highway to call their local district office and make sure we have all your
that has seen many accidents in past years.
most up-to-date information. If you have moved, changed
C.G.L has had some great years recently. They managed to phone numbers, have a new cell phone that you did not have
land a contract at Predator Ridge that had the crew working before, or have a new certification, we need that information
through the winter on another phase of housing develop- so that we can place you properly on our dispatch system.
ments in the area. This work is mostly in the rocky area
Good luck to everyone in the upcoming year—we will no
overlooking Vernon at the end of Okanagan Lake. There are a doubt see you out there somewhere!
number of other projects that they are also doing in the area,
News March 2014 19
District Four
New premises, new challenges, and new
opportunities await us all
Herb Conat and Wayne Kemp,
Member Representatives
District 4 is excited to announce that after 33 years at the negotiation. As always, it is a challenge to be the leaders within
513 Ahbau St. location in Prince George, the office has moved! an industry when we have so much competition from the
The new office is located at Unit B, 3339 8th Ave., just down non-union sectors and employer-dominated unions that
the street from where we were, at the corner of 8th and Ahbau. always rear their ugly heads.
Many dedicated people have worked out of that office and
This also means there are great opportunities to organize
have served the membership of Local 115 very well. Reflect- the unorganized. This will ensure greater market share within
ing back on these people over the past years reads like a ‘who’s our industry that will improve our working conditions, our
who’ of Union pride and dedication: Frank Slyman, John voice in industry and political decision-making, and especialPatton, Ken Thom, Gary Crossman,
ly our Collective Agreements.
The new office demonstrates
Frank Harmon, Wayne Mills, Helen
As spring is just around the corner,
the
foresight
of
the
organization
Bealey, and many more.
there are many projects waiting to be
and its leadership
This new office demonstrates the
given the green light. We are anticipatforesight of the organization and the
ing another busy year within the
leadership of Business Manager Brian Cochrane, who is District; as in previous years, Kitimat and Prince Rupert are
preparing for the future growth of the Local, steadily evolving two areas that are employing many Operating Engineers.
the Local, including into the northern half of the province
With the next wave of large projects around the corner,
The Northern B.C. Strategy will increase training opportu- members should ensure that all of their ticket requirements
nities and engagement for local residents and First Nations. It are up to date and current.
is good to see that we, as members and representatives, are
If you have any concerns about the renewal of your tickets
part of this. It will feature in the coming decade which will no or upgrading of your skills to make yourself more employable,
doubt see many shifts in the construction industry, including contact the Training Association.
the opportunity for the members of Operating Engineers to
In closing, we would like to thank our stewards, safety reps,
increase our market share.
and their spouses for the endless hours of hard work they put
This year there are several Collective Agreements up for in on behalf of the membership. Work safe.
Sterling Crane trucks
heading Home From
Zellstoff Pulp Mill in
Castlegar.
20
News March 2014
District Five
A long winter shows
the importance of our
natural resources
Mike Spiruda,
Member Representative
It has been a long winter in the northeast, and we are all thousands of homes and businesses across North America.
This has also helped increase the depressed price of the
looking forward to the greener pastures of spring.
In late January, the joint review panel concluded the hear- commodity—good news for the B.C. economy which has high
ings on the $7.9 billion Site C dam project near Fort St John. hopes pinned on its marketability and value.
As the workload is expected to increase over the coming
The panel heard from an array of stakeholders including First
years, the Provincial government has
Nations, environmentalists, regional
The Joint Review Panel will
begun to cast their eyes on the need for
districts, and community representahave
their
work
cut
out
for
safety and road improvements in many
tives just to name a few. The panel will
them
over
the
coming
weeks
areas where projects are slated for
have their work cut out for them over
construction.
to
reach
a
final
decision
the coming weeks as they start to reach a
Tenders will soon be out for some of
final decision.
Drilling and fracking work has remained fairly active, as these infrastructure projects, and one major improvement
winter weather conditions help them get into the more remote will be the $26 million four-laning of the South Taylor hill,
areas. The frigid temperatures experienced in eastern Canada which is a two-year road works job. Hopefully we will see
and the ‘polar vortex’ sweeping the U.S. have resulted in record some adding of road lanes leading to the Alberta border too.
Work safe!
volume sales of natural gas, which is used to heat hundreds of
wear your Union pride
hats $18
long sleeved shirts $25
hooded sweatshirts $40
microfibre vests $45
golf shirts $48
custom lined hoodies $48
weatherproof bomber jackets $70
custom bomber jackets $115
Plus more to choose from!
Visit www.iuoe115.com to view our full range of
Local 115 merchandise and order online
News March 2014 21
District Six
Work outlook is steady as we gear up for
a busy summer
Brian Lefebvre and Rob Foskett,
Member Representatives
‘Driving full throttle’ into 2014, we expect another busy those who may not know a lot about it will be able to speak
year for our membership.
about these benefits with their friends and fellow workers
The Waneta expansion is coming along nicely. They are who may not understand or appreciate what the coal industry
still in the ‘chunkitus’ stage (where everything that happens is does for every British Columbian.
still very noticeable due to the size of
Selkirk Paving will be in for
We are proud to tell our
the components that are being
another busy year in the east and west
membership that Columbia Power
installed) but as the year moves
Kootenay regions, as they have
has again expressed interest in
forward, those differences, as with
already been awarded several
having
the
Operating
Engineers
on
every project, will become smaller as
contracts and a few that are still out
this important project
the finer (but just as important) pieces
for bid. We can look forward to seeing
continue to move ahead.
our Brothers and Sisters hard at work
In more news on the Waneta Dam expansion and the repairing our roads the summer.
power-producing construction aspect of our District, we met
Drive safe, work safe, and be safe!
with Columbia Power Corporation to discuss their plans to
expand the Elko Dam in the East Kootenays. We are proud, as
always, to tell our membership that Columbia Power has again
expressed interest in having the Operating Engineers on site
to perform the duties of our craft on this important project.
As of this writing, Fernie Contractors have been awarded
several road building projects on the Line Creek Mine Site.
Those projects are a result of the first of two planned project
stages, the expansion to the mine site itself, and they will
create jobs for our members working in construction, as well
as at Line Creek Operations.
The majority of shops in the Elk Valley have held their own
as far as keeping everyone working through an anxious time
in an unsettled coal industry.
It seems the uncertainty of the coal sector has settled down
to a degree, and Teck Coal has started to spend money on
expansion, and acquired some new equipment as well. This is
good news for Line Creek itself, as well as the many 115
contractors that service them.
At this point I would like to remind our members of the
importance of our coal industry, and the benefits that it
provides for the people—not just our members, but all residents of the province of B.C.
A strong coal industry in our province positively affects its
entire population, both directly and indirectly. We need to do
our part in sharing this knowledge of the industry’s contribution to our provincial economy and worker prosperity, so that A tough day at the office for Brother Cameron Miller working for Tall
Crane in Coquitlam.
22
News March 2014
In praise of the Steward
Who’s the one that gets the grief,
Takes abuse beyond belief,
Lends an ear without relief?
It’s the steward.
They try to keep the group intact,
Sift the rumour from the fact,
In a pinch, who has to act?
It’s the steward.
When the opposition’s tough,
And the going’s plenty rough,
Do they say they’ve had enough?
Not the steward.
With a cheer they pick them out,
But let one judgement be in doubt,
Comes the cry, “Let’s kick them out!”
The poor steward.
When they’ve hammered out a raise,
After sweating nights and days,
Do they get a bit of praise?
Not the steward.
When St. Peter swings the gate,
Stand aside and let us wait,
There’s the one who ought to rate...
It’s the steward
Across Canada, April 28 has been designated the
National Day of Mourning, a time when workers,
families, employers, and others come together
to remember those who have lost their lives to
work-related incidents or occupational diseases.
Every year, WorkSafeBC, the B.C. Federation
of Labour, and the Business Council of British
Columbia co-host a public ceremony to honour
the occasion.
This year the Vancouver ceremony will be on
Monday, April 28, at the Vancouver Convention
Centre, Jack Poole Plaza area, at 10:30 a.m.
- LUPA/CALM
WE WANT YOUR
PHOTOS.
If you have a fond memory to share, a recent
shot which shows off your skills, or just want
your crew shown off in the magazine, send us
your pictures for the next OE News!
Digital Images
• Pleaseusethehighestqualitysettingsonyourcamera
whentakingphotos.
• Youcanuploadyourimagesatwww.iuoe115.com/media/
submit [email protected].
• YoucanalsosendCDsorUSBdrivesofphotostoouroffice
address.Don’tworry,we’llgetthembacktoyou!
• Ifyouswingbyyourlocalofficeormeeting,youcanbring
yourpicturesalongandaskthatwequicklydownloadthem.
• Alwaysprovidethelocation,date,nameofperson(s)inthe
photos,andadescriptionofwhatistakingplace.
Outdoor posed and action shots are great. Watch for the flare that
can be reflected on safety vests. Also, look out for hard hats that
can throw harsh shadows on faces. Try to get an IUOE logo in there!
With group photos, have people arranged in a semicircle rather than
a straight line. To avoid harsh shadows, move people a step or two
away from back walls. Please use and send high resolution images.
Printed Photos
Ifyouhaveprintedphotos,theywillbereturned.Sendthemto:
Kevin Willemse, Communications Coordinator
IUOE Local 115
4333 Ledger Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5G 3T3
News March 2014 23
Benefits Plan
Planning for your
retirement should
never be a game of
chance
Shawn Hatch,
Administrator
Avoid the Retirement Lottery
It seems that not a day goes by without a newspaper article
covering the retirement income crisis facing Canadians today.
Case in point: the Guelph Mercury ran an article in its
January 29, 2014 edition entitled “Maybe marry your boss—
and other retirement strategies”.
In this article the author sarcastically suggests that the only
way most Canadians can hope to have enough to live on in
their retirement is to marry their boss. The article goes on to
report that ING Direct has conducted a survey showing over
50% of retirees have had to return to work at inferior jobs
because they do not have enough to survive.
The article goes on to say that the Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplements, and the Canada Pension Plan
“…may keep away hunger or homelessness, but perhaps not
both at the same time. They’re designed to supplement a retiree’s own savings and private pension plan”.
The problem is that only 25 per cent of private sector
employees have any kind of pension plan, and if they do, “it’s
usually a defined contribution plan, where the pension
amount is based on the market at the time of retirement and
the investment risk is borne by the employee. Imagine retiring
in late 2008, when many plans lost 30 per cent of their value.”
On February 3, 2014, the Toronto Star reported that a BMO
Financial group survey found that 40 per cent of those
surveyed were counting on an inheritance to fund their retirement, while 34 per cent reported they were hoping to win the
lottery! As for the Canada Pension Plan, the survey reported
that 31 per cent intend to rely on CPP heavily—even though
the average CPP monthly payout is less than $600.
Waiting for that lottery ticket to pay off is no way to plan
for retirement. This shows just how bad the Canadian retirement system is, and there does not appear to be any real
political solution coming anytime soon.
The Value of Union Membership
With union membership comes the opportunity to enroll
in our defined benefit pension plan.
The Operating Engineers’ Pension Plan is not one of those
unpredictable defined contribution plans the Guelph Mercury
article refers to. We invest for the long term, with the assistance of expert financial advisors and investment managers,
and we strive to provide certainty regarding the benefit you
can expect to receive at retirement.
Moreover, under the current plan rules, 12 continuous
years of union membership immediately prior to your retirement (i.e. without a suspension or withdrawal) will
significantly increase the value of your pension benefit. The
average monthly pension under the Operating Engineers’
Pension Plan, as of April 30, 2012 for members between the
ages of 60 and 64, was over $1,100, and many members receive
pensions far in excess of this average.
District 4 Members’ Representative Herb Conat performing the Oath of Obligation with Brothers Austin Roberts and Jason Hladchuk. Brother
Bohdan Dutka (far left) looks on.
24
News March 2014
Benefits Plan
Union Orientation at the Local 115 Training Facility, with Joshua Watts, Jack Romanchuk, Kody Kokoszka, Nick Tremblay, Sean Nome,
Frank Carr (Member Representative), Kenneth Goy, Francis Jolin, Mitchell Genovese, Franco Baratto, Amber Weismuller, Glen Wesley,
Jonathan Fraser, Robyn Bishop (Instructor), Jacob Osbourne, Steven Rai, Jim Joyal, Rebecca Jackson, Tanner Guraliuk, Kathryn Defouw,
Robert Pavan, and Rick Anderson (Instructor).
The OEBPP is your safe option
No one can guarantee the future with any degree of certainty. Plan rules may change and many factors can influence the
financial position of Operating Engineers’ Pension Plan in the
future, but most well-informed experts in Canada today
would argue that sustained membership in a defined benefit
pension plan offers Canadians the best chance of retiring with
enough to comfortably live on.
Another significant benefit of union membership is the
opportunity to enroll in the Operating Engineers’ Benefits
Plan.
During our working lives, membership in the Benefits Plan
provides our eligible members with Medical Service Plan
coverage as well as a competitive package of other benefits
including extended health, dental, group life, weekly disability
and long term disability benefits.
During down time or layoffs, our members with built up
hour banks enjoy continued coverage, and once the hour bank
is depleted eligible members can elect to self-pay at attractive
rates to extend their coverage.
Under the current Benefits Plan rules, our qualifying
retired members can continue their Benefits Plan coverage
under a number of benefit packages, again at attractive rates.
With ever increasing drug costs and cuts to government
programs, the opportunity to belong to a plan like the Operating Engineers’ Benefits Plan is a growing source of envy for
those who do not have similar coverage available to them.
Again, while plan rules are always subject to change in the
future, membership in our union comes with some long term
attractive and valuable benefits under the Operating Engineers’ Benefits and Pension Plans.
Once eligible, all members would be well advised to enroll
in the pension plan and benefits plan at their first opportunity. Without completed enrollment forms a member does not
accrue any benefit, even if your union membership is in good
standing and your employer is making contributions under
the collective agreement. Please contact the Pension and
Benefits office if you require enrollment forms.
Once enrolled, members should take care to avoid jeopardizing those benefits by a suspension from union membership.
For all these reasons, we urge you to respond promptly to any
notice of arrears you may receive from either the Local or the
Pension and Benefits department.
News March 2014 25
Training Association
Strategic planning
and responding to
industry demand will
grow our ranks
Brad Randall,
Training Administrator
Hello again to all our members in 2014.
Training Courses
The Training Site continues to be busy with our regular
courses for Plant Operator, Asphalt Laydown Technician,
Mobile Crane Common Core, Mobile Crane Lattice Friction,
Road Building Foundation and Heavy Equipment Operator
(HEO).
We have also been providing a great deal of off-site training, in the form of courses for our members and contractors
such as HEO refresher, crane refresher, rigging, forklift,
asphalt laydown, excavator, and grader. We continue to work
with our members and contractors in the road building industry to assist them in obtaining their BC Heavy Equipment
Operator and Asphalt Laydown Technician Certificates of
Qualification.
Work Opportunities in Northern BC
There has been a lot of talk about the projects up north, not
only regarding how they will affect our economy, but also how
they present opportunities to engage local and Aboriginal
peoples in much needed training initiatives.
With the growing demand for skilled operators and trades
HEO class on a field trip to Pitt River
Quarries. Many thanks to the company
for allowing students on site and taking
them for a tour of their facility.
26
News March 2014
workers during the proposed projects, these groups need to be
involved and to benefit from the investments being made in
their back yard. Many organizations and training institutions
are starting to prepare themselves to address the skills gap.
Your Local Union has been heavily involved for the past
few months putting together our “Northern Training Strategy” to meet these challenges. We have engaged with First
Nations groups, attended Aboriginal awareness sessions, and
met with other institutions to propose innovative training
approaches to meet the unique circumstances of the projects
and the local communities.
We have discussed many proactive ideas which address the
issues that usually come with training people in remote and
dispersed areas, who may never have thought of a regular
construction job as a career option. Fortunately, our worldclass courses, broad experience, mobile facilities, flexible
approach, and growing insight into unique Aboriginal work
culture puts us in an enviable position to offer a strategic
solution.
We are developing a strategy for 2014 and beyond which
will see us become a valuable and preferred training provider
to our northern friends. While the actual strategic elements
are still being evaluated, it is an exciting and innovative
approach toward northern training that will ensure we are
able to train local workers quickly and effectively, in a way
that respects and acknowledges the lifestyles, culture and
expectations of both Aboriginal people and the construction
industry.
Currently, we are reviewing many options, some of which
have never considered before. These include the use of mobile
community based training facilities, local theoretical and
practical courses, split and overlapping courses at our Maple
Sister Anna Marie Peterson performing an inspection as part of her telehandler training. All students
at the site receive their telehandler certification, which is compulsory through Worksafe.
Training Association
Mobile Crane Level 2 Lattice Friction class is Brothers Brad Randall
(Administrator), Garrett Ewasiuk, Eric Sykes, Jason Krickan, Gordon
Lindberg (instructor), Jesse Fentie, and Aaron Posnikoff.
Plant Operator class Brothers Chase Regier, Jean-Marc Morin, Brad
Randall (Admin), Kevin Lovas, Billy-Joe Gladue, Ian Railton, Luke Hudgins,
Alex Lomas-Runquist, Steve Carter (instructor), Brad Hoey (instructor).
Left: Jean-Marc Morin
laying out material to
cut during Local 115’s
Plant Operator
training course.
Right: Mobile crane students performing a practical test maneuvering a weight through a
course of delineators with our 30 tonne Grove crane. The students are graded on time, as well as
avoiding knocking off tennis balls placed on top of each delineator.
Below: Brother Dan Loehndorf operating the 60-ton American Crawler digging with the
clamshell bucket.
News March 2014 27
Training Association
HEO class on a field trip to Advanced
Geosolutions on the new Evergreen
Line Skytrain from Lougheed Mall to
Coquitlam Centre.
Mobile Crane class changing lines and putting the leads on our 60 tonne American Crawler to drive
wooden piles.
Heavy Equipment class in the field learning grades and stakes is Glen
Wesley, Sean Nome, Jake Romanchuk, Nick Tremblay, Francis Jolin,
Kathryn Defouw, Kody Kokoszka, Robert Pavan, Frank Baratto, Ken
Goy, and Robyn Bishop (instructor).
HEO class are (top), Tylor Holyoke, Ellen Lorentz, Marshall Durrell,
Ricky Bertrand, (bottom) Robyn Bishop (Instructor), Artem Safronov,
Matt Foley, Claus Schwuchow, Anna-Marie Peterson, Clayton
Demeter, Daren Rosch, Barry Hazelwood, Steve Carter (Instructor),
Garry Jabs (Instructor/Supervisor).
Brother Billy Joe Gladue taking instruction on the cutting torch during
the Plant class from Brother Brad Hoey (instructor).
Mobile Crane Level 2 Lattice Friction Class is Brothers Gordon
Lindberg (instructor), Conan Martel, Mitch Christiansen, Jerred
Carlson, Dan Loehndorf and Justin Mantha.
28
News March 2014
Training Association
Brother Luke Hudgins
learning to weld in the
Plant Operator class.
Ridge facility, as well as joint venture opportunities with other
training institutions.
These would be combined with marketing and outreach
programs to make sure we reach out to as many potential
trainees as possible and to ensure they are supported once
they have completed their training.
Each strategic option carries its own valuable opportunities
and unique challenges. We must look at all the possibilities
while ensuring we maintain our high training standards, so
that we can send new skilled workers onto jobs safely, with the
skills they need to be an asset to the employer and our
membership.
We look forward to finalizing the Local Union’s Northern
Training Strategy and sharing it with our members very soon.
Program Review Committees
Several years ago we established four Program Advisory
Committees. They are Mobile Crane Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator, Asphalt Laydown Technician and Plant
Operator. The purpose of these committees is to review the
program outlines and confirm that the instructors’ qualifications, training materials, and facilities are adequate and that
the training meets or exceeds industry standards.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the
members who participated on these committees, I look
forward to their continued support and participation in the
future.
Staff Changes
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome aboard
Brother Mark McGregor. Mark has been hired as a second
crane instructor to work with Brother Rick Anderson at the
training site. Generally we have between 50 and 60 Mobile
Crane apprentices. Currently we have close to 90 with jobs
available that we cannot supply apprentices for.
We will be increasing our number of Crane Common Core
and Level 2 Lattice Friction courses. This is mostly due to the
increased amount of work in the Lower Mainland and the
north, as well as to replace members who are retiring. We look
forward to working with Mark as part of our team.
Brother Rick Anderson was off work for a period of time. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank Brother Gordon
Lindberg; Gordon came out to instruct several classes for us.
Gordon worked as the Mobile Crane instructor for eight years
at the site and retired in June 2007. Thanks Gordon!
Annual Open House
I look forward to seeing everyone this year at our 19th
Annual Open House and Heavy Equipment Rodeo on Saturday, June 21, 2014 at our Maple Ridge Training Site.
We need close to 80 volunteers to make this great family
event a continuing success in 2014. If you are interested in
volunteering or require more information, please call the
Training Association at 604-299-7764.
See you there.
News March 2014 29
News Article
Temporary Foreign Workers
Numbers surge outside urban areas
While Local 115’s successes in reforming the Temporary
Foreign Worker program have been substantial, statistics
show that there is little slowdown in the continued use of
cheap, imported labour in our province.
Iglika Ivanova, C.C.P.A.
Several high-profile cases of temporary foreign workers beginning of a new trend or an artifact in the dataset for that
being brought in to staff new projects like the Murray River year, the rapid growth of temporary foreign workers outside
coal mine in northeastern B.C. have raised questions about urban areas is something to monitor in the future.
Province-wide, while temporary foreign workers take up a
whether the new jobs created in Canada’s resource sector
(particularly in Western Canada) are actually providing small share of available jobs (just over 3 per cent in December
2012), the net increase in temporary foreign workers (16,000
opportunities for previously unemployed local residents.
workers) between 2008 and 2012 repreCitizenship and Immigration Canada
In
other
words,
only
about
twosents about 29 per cent of the net
reports on the number of temporary
thirds of the net new jobs
increase in jobs (a total of 55,100 jobs)
foreign workers as of December 1 each
year. These statistics inevitably omit created over the last four years over the same time period.
This is a higher share by far than in
foreign seasonal agricultural workers
went to British Columbians”
any other province (the second-highest
who are only in the country during the
growing season, and thus underestimate the total number of is Saskatchewan, where 20 per cent of net new jobs since 2008
have gone to temporary foreign workers), except for Nova
temporary foreign workers in the Canadian labour market.
Nevertheless, the statistics show that the hiring of tempo- Scotia and New Brunswick, which have experienced net job
rary foreign workers has expanded significantly since the losses since the recession but still have more temporary
recession, from about 58,000 in 2008 to 74,000 in 2012. This foreign workers than they used to.
In Canada overall, about 15 per cent of net new jobs created
represents an increase of 28 per cent in just four years, which
is slightly less than the 36 percent increase in temporary from 2008 to 2012 were taken by temporary foreign workers.
In other words, only about two-thirds of the net new jobs
foreign workers Canada-wide.
The data show a notable shift in the location of temporary created over the last four years went to British Columbians.
foreign workers in 2012, away from
Vancouver toward rural areas of the province. Interestingly, BC’s net job creation in
the year between December 2011 and 2012
was concentrated in Vancouver and the
province’s three other census metropolitan
areas (60.4 per cent of all net new jobs).
Only 39.6 per cent of net new jobs in the
province in 2012 were created outside these
four major urban areas, in the regions
where virtually all net new temporary
foreign workers were located.
The net increase in temporary foreign
workers located outside major urban areas
between December 2011 and December
2012 exceeded the net new jobs created in
those parts of the province that year. While
it remains to be seen whether this is the
30
News March 2014
Member Recognition
Welcome to 215 new Local 115 members
Omar Abdel-Al
David Adams
Mark Adams
Cheriza Adano
Michael Adolph
William Akhurst
Joseph Aldcroft
Rebih Al-Hassania
Brent Andersen
Christopher Anderson
Darcy Annis
Franco Apa
Gilles Audet
Allan Aumonier
Harvinder Bahia
Mandeep Bains
Brian Ball
Guy Barker
Mitch Bartley
Shane Batting
Kyle Beaton
Emmanuel Bedard
Dylan Bell
Peter Berson
John Beveridge
Carl Biagioni
Dylan Bilanchuk
Shawn Blackwood
Christopher Blake
Darcy Bloomer
Kaylin Booth
Robert Borrill
Kris Bouma
Dustin Breeden
Lucas Brunner
Bryan Buchan
Ken Buchan
Ken Bunzenmeyer
Aaron Bzdel
Marc Cabaccang
Larry Caherel
Troy Callander
Joel Caplette
Shaun Carlin
Lyn Champagne
Ivan Clark
Jamie Clayton
Sam Cocklin
David Cooper
Jefferson Corrigan
Jordan Cumming
Simon Cyrenne
Aaron Deaton
Ernesto Del Giudice
Tyson Derdau
Mace Desilets
Mathew Desmarais
Cornelius Dieckman
Matthew Dill
Jesus Dio
Lyle Dixon
Micheal Dodgson
Cory Dombrowski
Liam Donnelly
Jamie Donovan
Darcy Douglas
David Dubord
Dezora Duncan
Brad Dyrbye
Logan Easton
Willie Enriquez
Bernard Farrelly
Eric Fearon
Murray Ford
Tyson Forsythe
Derrick Fowler
Chad Francoeur
Mark Fraser
Eric Gagne
James Gagnon
Kyle George
Tyrone George
Brenton Gilbert
Lakhbir Gill
Brandon Goetzinger
Todd Graham
Stephen Green
Rafael Guia
Nathan Guite
Tanner Guraliuk
Daniel Hamson
Clayton Harris
Jason Hayes-Holgate
Chris Heath
Rick Hegge
Ezra Henniger
Michael Hill
Robert Hinksman
Kevin Hitchings
Rick Hogan
Krystal Hoisington
Jonathan Hooker
Cameron Hough
Darlene Hoy
Reid Humphris
Joseph Hunt
Richard John
Iain Johnson
Steven Jones
Robert Joseph
Amritpal Jouhal
Keegan Kaszas
Chris Kay
Kevin Kemp
Brandon Kennedy
Damian Kikals
Tanner King
David Kiwanuka
Alexander Kovachich
Kevin Krusch
Jim Kula
Matthew Lee
Noel Leon
Taylor Lessor
Aaron Lewis
Eric Lipsey
Darcy Littlewood
Alex Lomas-Runquist
Michael Lowe
Matt Macfarlane
Brent Mackenzie
Daniel Mackenzie
Tyler Mackenzie
Aubrey Mcclelland
Cedric Mcdonald
Scott Mcdougall
Kris Mcfarlane
Jeremy Mclean
Graham Mcphalen
Shaldon Mcrae
James Michalcak
Steven Miller
Nelson Miller
Darin Mills
Sydney Moore
Ray Mutas
Avinesh Naidy
Cory Newton
Trevor Nicolas
Lucas Nordenlund
Mitchell Novak
Jacob Olexyn
Sam Oliver
Greg Otsig
Dwane Paddison
Jerome Pappenberger
Joseph Pilnasek
Milan Plesa
Aaron Pol
Harold Poole
Colton Poulin
Cameron Prince
Brad Prothero
Matt Prothero
Dean Puckett
Dallas Quinn
Yamani Rajabu
Gavin Ranahan
Tanino Raschella
Jason Rattell
Brady Reeves
John Rennie
Bradley Rinaldi
Devon Rochon
Christian Rose
Jason Sampson
Mike Schofield
Dhanwant Sidhu
Dharminder Singh
Sukhjinder Singh
Barinder Singh
Ryan Sisson
Bryan Smith
Paul Smith
Shawn Smythe
Marcel St. Amand
Austin Stedeford
Robert Stibbs
Bryce Sutton
Samuel Sztuhar
Eli Tait
Trevor Talarico
Braydn Tapscott
Kyle Taylor
Erik Teigland
Jeremy Thompson
John Thors
William Tsao
Ron Turgeon
Klass Vandenberg
Jeremiah Vanderbeek
Aaron Vereschagin
Simardeep Virk
Wyatt Visser
Brad Wald
Lorne Walter
Adam Waters
Martin Wicks
Gerald Wickson
Kurt Widdershoven
Kevin Willemse
Joseph Wilmot
Timothy Wilson
Frank Wiseman
Steven Wookey
News March 2014 31
Member Recognition
Pensions awarded
October 2013 - December 2013
Remembering members
who recently passed away
December 2013
February 2014
December 2013
Garry Conn
Alfred Kaye
Steve Anderlini
Elwood Bedell
Bernard Bereuter
Dallas Bird
Barry Bratus
Sheldon Clarkson
James Curtis
Nazzareno Franze
Burnem Grant
Malcolm MacLeod
Michael Meechan
Royce Misner
Ronald Murray
John Springthorpe
Zvone Vucetic
Donald Winter
Fenkarek, Jim
Dundas, David
Johnson, Randy M.
Mosterd, Jack
Graydon, Maurice M.
Jewell, Keith S.
Peinhaupt, Joe A.
Scott, Lawrence H.
Smith, Kenneth E.
January 2014
Mike Couto
Leo Douillard
Hugh Fitzpatrick
Ron MacDermott
Jim McWilliams
Jim Nichols
Rodney Robinson
Michael Smith
Norman Sturgess
73
83
59
82
92
55
49
78
67
Dec 7, 2013
Dec 8, 2013
Dec 13, 2013
Dec 15, 2013
Dec 17, 2013
Dec 18, 2013
Dec 22, 2013
Dec 25, 2013
Dec 28, 2013
74
82
34
55
55
64
78
69
58
Jan 4, 2014
Jan 8, 2014
Jan 8, 2014
Jan 8, 2014
Jan 11, 2014
Jan 15, 2014
Jan 16, 2014
Jan 25, 2014
Jan 30, 2014
January 2014
Boldt, Jerry A.
Kachenko, Norman G.
Mayell, Rob C.
Oberle, Gary J.
Albrecht, Peter
Hamilton, Jack A.
Rolfes, Ervin
Dyck, John H.
Downey, Russel
No reported hospitalized members as at
February 18, 2014
These are not
just work boots
Your used work gear may represent another family’s next meal. They are an education they can obtain and provide. They are
an opportunity they may never have. So don’t throw them away. IUOE Local 115 is collecting used construction and work
gear at every district office to donate to the Burnaby Association for the South East Side. This is distributed to workers in
need; people who want to get to work, but need your help to get them safely equipped to do so.
PLEASE BRING YOUR USED GEAR TO THE IUOE LOCAL 115 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING ON
MARCH 15, 2014 OR DROP YOUR OLD GEAR OFF AT ANY IUOE LOCAL 115 DISTRICT OFFICE.
32
News March 2014
Contact Details
Local 115 District Offices
Meeting Notices
District 1 and Main Office
District 1
4333 Ledger Ave., Burnaby, B.C. V5G 3T3
Phone: 604-291-8831 Toll Free: 1-888-486-3115 Fax: 604-473-5235
E-mail: [email protected] Online: www.iuoe115.com
Business Manager: Brian Cochrane
President: Wayne E. Mills
Mgr. Administration & Special Projects: Lynda Arland
Office Manager: Arlene Lindsay
Communications Coordinator: Kevin Willemse
Member Representatives
Frank Carr Chip Dhaliwal Stewart Miller
Brett Chapman
Bob Higgs Don Swerdan
Everett Cummings Craig McIntosh
Dispatcher
Jim Flynn: 604-473-5231
Organizing Representatives
BURNABY: 1st Thursday of every month
7:30p.m. at 4333 Ledger Ave., Burnaby
Except March & September (due to General Membership Meeting)
District 2
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
NANAIMO: 2nd Monday of odd months
6:00p.m at the Coast Bastion Inn, 11 Bastion St.
VICTORIA: 2nd Wednesday of even months
7:30p.m. at the Pro Pat Legion Branch 31, #292 - 411 Gorge Rd. E.
CAMPBELL RIVER/COURTENAY: Wednesday May 14, 2014
6:00p.m. at the Halbe Hall, 8369 N. Island Highway, Black Creek.
Rob Duff: 604-473-5206
Bryan Railton: 604-809-6420
District 3
Benefits and Pension Plans
KAMLOOPS: 2nd Thursday of even months
7:30p.m. at the Union Hall, 785 Tranquille Rd.
Shawn Hatch, Administrator
Direct line: 604-299-8341 Fax: 604-473-5236
Training Association
Brad Randall, Administrator
Direct line: 604-299-7764 E-mail: [email protected]
District 2
Vancouver Island:
Tim Cullen, Curtis Harold, Member Representatives
35 Wharf Street, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2X3
Mailing Address: PO Box 213 Stn A, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 5K9
Phone: 250-754-4022 Fax: 250-754-5513
District 3
Kamloops-Revelstoke-Okanagan:
Brad Gerow, Member Representative
785 Tranquille Road
Kamloops, B.C. V2B 3J3
Phone: 250-554-2278 Fax: 250-554-1766
District 4
Central Interior-Yellowhead:
Herb Conat & Wayne Kemp, Member Representatives
Unit B, 3339 8th Avenue
Prince George, B.C. V2M 3R8
Phone: 250-563-3669 Fax: 250-563-3603
District 5
Peace River and Yukon Territory:
Mike Spiruda, Member Representative & Organizer
Site 20, Comp 19 SS2
Fort St. John, B.C. V1J 4M7
Phone: 250-787-9594 Fax: 250-787-9491
Tumbler Ridge Mining Office:
220 Main Street, Tumbler Ridge, B.C. V0C 2W0
Phone: 250-242-3888 Fax: 250-242-3881
District 6
East and West Kootenays:
Brian Lefebvre, Rob Foskett, Member Representatives
103 Centennial Square, Sparwood, B.C V0B 2G0
Mailing Address: PO Box 1567, Sparwood, B.C. V0B 2G0
Phone: 250-425-2161 Toll Free: 1-888-605-9955 Fax: 250-425-2166
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
KELOWNA: 2nd Tuesday of odd months
7:00p.m. at the Teamsters Hall, 185 Froelich Rd.
District 4
PRINCE GEORGE: 2nd Wednesday of each month
8:00p.m. at Coast Inn of the North, 770 Brunswick St.
PRINCE RUPERT, TERRACE, KITIMAT, SMITHERS:
Members will be advised of meeting dates and times.
District 5
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
FORT ST. JOHN: 2nd Tuesday of odd months
7:30p.m. at the Masonic Hall, 10441 100th Ave.
DAWSON CREEK: 2nd Tuesday of even months
7:30p.m. at the Carpenters Hall, 900 118th Ave.
TUMBLER RIDGE/PEACE RIVER COAL:
Members will be advised of meeting date, time and place.
WHITEHORSE:
Teamsters Hall, 407 Black St.
Members will be advised of meeting dates and times.
District 6
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
CASTLEGAR—1st Wednesday of odd months
7:00p.m. at the Super 8 Inn, 651 18th St.
CRANBROOK—1st Tuesday of even months
7:00p.m. at the Labour Centre (Boardroom), 105 9th Ave. South
ELK VALLEY COAL CORP:
Line Creek Mine
Members will be advised of meeting dates and times.
News March 2014 33
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