IUOE News Fall 2013

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District Two Slow start to the season may be the least of our concerns for 2013 Curtis Harold and Tim Cullen, Member Representatives The work picture on Vancouver Island has had a really slow start this year—the rain during May and June was not a very good way to kick off the construction season. Then finally, along came the sun and we never saw any rain in July. This seemed to get everyone into gear, and away we went! Upland Excavating Ltd. has been busy doing some preliminary work at the John Hart Dam site in Campbell River, as well as some upgrading to the city’s downtown core. Upland is also working at both the area’s mining sites again this year. Hazelwood Construction Services Inc. has been very involved in run-of-the-river projects. At the time of writing they were finishing up the interior’s Gold Bridge project, hard at work on Vancouver Island near Sutton Pass, and also won the lowest bid on the Toba Inlet project. Chew Excavating Ltd. is having a very busy season so far in the Victoria area. One of the larger projects keeping them busy is the old Producers Pit property in Metchosin. Advantage Cranes and RKM were very involved with the first phase of the Cape Scott Wind Farm. This initial phase consisted of erecting 55 windmills, while the second phase 16 News News July 2013 October 2013 “2013 started with the promise of a NDP Provincial Government but turned out with not only the Liberals being voted back in, but we also have a new union to consider” started up in September and will see approximately 28 more wind mills going up. Once the weather warmed up in July the paving crews started fixing and upgrading our roads. Some of the notable projects were Hub City Paving upgrading the Trans Canada highway south of Ladysmith, while Island Asphalt were kept busy working on Sooke Rd., the Craigflower Bridge approaches, and Highway 14 to Port Renfrew. Our industrial shops have had a mixed bag of work this summer; some were very busy while others reported business as usual, with no noticeable growth or changes. Hopefully everyone in the shops will be busier next year. There are a few upcoming projects we are hoping to secure work on. These include phase two of the Cape Scott Wind Farm, ongoing maintenance on the John Hart Dam, and construction on the hospitals in Campbell River and Comox. We are currently in bargaining sessions with United Rentals Ltd. (Vancouver Island Divisions) and Victoria Materials Depot, a division of Lehigh. We have accepted proposals from members for bargaining with our utility companies, Upland, The Island Asphalt crew working at the approach to the new Craigflower Bridge in View Royal (architect’s drawing inset). Brothers Jordan Ingram, Fred Shippit, Derrick Dash, Jordie Thorton, Erin Reed, Ken Hawes, Mike Iannidinardo, Kevin Driscoll stand left to right behind Sister Becka Jackson.
Hazelwood and Chew. We have also taken proposals for our paving industry, which consists of Hub City Paving, Haylock Bros. Paving, and the OK Industries Group of Companies. These agreements expire in February 2014, and we are doing our best to get a good head start towards getting our new agreements settled as soon as we can. We have an interesting development in Port Hardy right now with the district cancelling their subcontract with EPCOR, who were the appointed contractors handling the district’s water and waste water; this means that the eight members who were working for EPCOR will be coming back into our group of members. It will be nice to have the group all back together again. We are also in bargaining with the Port Hardy district offices, so this works out well for dealing with bargaining and successorship issues, all at the same time. All in all we have had an interesting 2013 so far on Vancouver Island. It started with us hoping for an NDP Provincial Government, but turned out that not only are the Liberals back in charge, but we also have a new Union to consider. UNIFOR is a new Private Sector Union that was formed by the joining of CEP. (the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada) and CAW. (the Canadian Auto Workers). This makes UNIFOR the biggest industrial union in the history of the Canadian labour movement, with well over 300,000 members coast to coast, and $50 million pledged over five years to further increase membership. We are concerned that UNIFOR may become another Union that starts to get more involved with representing people who work in Local 115’s traditional construction and industrial sectors. Add to this the fact that UNIFOR openly admits to adopting a more militant approach, there are concerns floating around that they may become supporters of mass protest District Two Wind turbines installed near Cape Scott. Phase 1 has been completed, with the installation of 55 windmills, while Phase 2 has recently started and will see at another 28 going up. action rather than negotiations, should their (large) voice not be heard in political circles. The keynote speaker at UNIFOR’s launch, activist and open critic of corporate culture Naomi Klein, is well known for her support of sometimes violent social uprisings. During her speech, Klein sent the message out that, thanks to their big membership, the time has come “to make big bold demands, and take big action. The kind of action that will shift the public’s imagination, and change our sense of what’s possible.” We should never let our guard down against possibilities such as this, or one day we could all be on the outside looking in. It is up to every concerned member to pay attention to not only what the politicians are doing, but be aware of what other unions are up to as well. The Brothers and Sisters of this Union make us strong and need to get even more involved, and if that means simply going out to your Union meetings, then please do it. Stay safe. Chew Excavating at Royal Bay with Brothers Clint Hogarth, Rob Rossbourough, and Ian Johnson. Chew are also busy at the Metchosin Producing Pit (inset), converting the closed gravel pit for residential use. News October 2013 17
Page 1 and 2: News Getting ready for BC’s megap
Page 3 and 4: Positive negotiations are taking pl
Page 5 and 6: Training is key to meet the develop
Page 7 and 8: Kamloops’ new dialysis clinic has
Page 9 and 10: This has been a busy year for our m
Page 11 and 12: Challenges from all sides, but our
Page 13 and 14: Skilled operators are still needed
Page 15 and 16: Operators are in demand, and certif
Page 17: not only for future projects, but r
Page 21 and 22: The District 4 work picture has cha
Page 23 and 24: Megaprojects start to gather steam
Page 25 and 26: Bargaining becomes a priority as th
Page 27 and 28: BC LIONS VS. CALgArY STAMPEDErS Thi
Page 29 and 30: Clockwise from right: The main conf
Page 31 and 32: Training takes centre stage at even
Page 33 and 34: Training Classes and Updates Brothe
Page 35 and 36: Training Association News October 2
Page 37 and 38: construction,” he says. “Then I
Page 39 and 40: As an interesting coincidence, one
Page 41 and 42: 50 yEAR MEMBERS Member Recognition
Page 43 and 44: 30 yEAR MEMBERS 20 yEAR MEMBERS Mem
Page 45 and 46: Pensions awarded May 2013 - Septemb
Page 47 and 48: Local Union Offices District 1 and

IUOE News Fall 2013

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