IUOE News February 2015
District Four Northern ingenuity will help us survive coal downturn Herb Conat and Wayne Kemp, Business Representatives Conat Kemp Major projects are being projected for the Northwest region of the province and are extremely close to proceeding. Fairview Terminal, LNG both in Prince Rupert and the Kitsault Mine, are some of the projects that are waiting for the start date. Business Manager Brian Cochrane has been in the forefront of securing this work and multiple other projects for the membership: Project Labour Agreements, Craft Certifications, Site C, LNG, Mining projects, and protecting our rights against Provincial or Federal Governments, Labour Boards, Temporary Foreign Workers, and the new Buzz word “Open Managed Site”. These past several years Brian has been leading the organization, preparing the membership for upcoming projects, securing employment and protecting the rights of the membership of tomorrow. With spring just around the corner, the new Municipal regime has kept their promise and the streets of Prince George seem to, in most parts of the city, have had timely snow clearing done. That said, our paving contractors have been under attack by non-union and rat-union companies going after the City’s paving contract. Prince George needs to adopt fair wage and procurement policies like the City of Burnaby has. These policies level the Prince George needs to adopt fair wage and procurement policies like the City of Burnaby has. playing field for the Industry, and help secure local companies with the expertise to bid on contracts and be successful. In return we all benefit from members working and the citizens of Prince George knowing the paving will be done correctly and on budget. The Coal Industry in the North has come to a screeching halt and therefore some of the signatory equipment shops have had to adapt again. However, being from the North and living in the North we are never surprised by the ingenuity of our membership and signatory companies in shifting gears and adopting back into the Forest Industry and lessening the layoffs to a bare minimum or in most cases not at all. Truck shops in the District have been steady and are actively seeking Journeyman mechanics to hire. The number of Collective Agreements up for renewal is less than last year. The leitmotif for bargaining last year was retention, but with the slowdown in the Industry it may reconcile that initiative with an increase to the labour pool. In closing, we would like to thank the Shop Stewards and safety committee members who assist the members, and the Business Representatives who make the workplace more respectable. Work Safe! Fifty IUOE Local 115 Brothers and Sisters were in attendance at the BC Federation of Labour Convention on November 27th, 2014 to cast our vote for the new BC Federation of Labour President. Longtime President Brother Jim Sinclair stepped down to retire after serving for 15 years. The margins were close in the vote which saw Irene Lanzinger win by only 57 votes (2,249 votes casted) over her incumbent. IUOE Local 115 endorsed Irene Lanzinger. Thank you to those members who came out to vote as the outcome would have been extremely different if they were not there. 18 News March 2015
Site C Dam project begins 18 month preparation phase Mike Spiruda, Business Representative The Provincial Government gave the final go ahead in December to the $8.8 billion Site C Dam project on the Peace River near Fort St. John. BC Hydro has stated that the construction schedule is 6 months behind and will begin in the summer of 2015. There is 18 months of preparation work to be completed before the actual construction of the dam itself can begin. Preparation work will involve clearing, stripping, access roads, laydown sites, camp accommodations, diversion tunnels, coffer dams and a temporary bridge across the river to enable access back and forth to the site. In conjunction with Site C and B.C. Hydro remaining committed to their green renewable energy plan, BC Hydro has also given the green light to Pattern Developments Meikle Wind Energy project located 30 kilometers north of Tumbler Ridge. This $400 million project will consist of 61 wind turbines with construction starting this spring. The project is planned to be operational by the end of 2016. These projects will be beneficial to laid off members who worked in the Tumbler Ridge coal mining industry to achieve meaningful employment once again. The municipalities of Fort St. John and Dawson Creek are also in the midst of planning to go ahead with major expenditures to improve the outgrown and much needed infrastructure systems. As the price of oil and gas declines, so do the investment dollars which has kept the industry and many members active for the past few years. Some of the anticipated projects in the Northeast have been put on hold as the energy companies constantly revamp their spending budgets for 2015. Hopefully the current slide in prices level out to a stable and suitable environment to enable major projects to go forward. Work Safe! Hopefully the current slide in prices level out to a stable and suitable environment District Five Equipment sitting idle at Peace River Coal in Tumbler Ridge News March 2015 19
- Page 1 and 2: News Instilling pride and activism
- Page 3 and 4: Delays could provide breathing room
- Page 5 and 6: Looks like a rocky ride, but we hav
- Page 7 and 8: It’s important to keep big projec
- Page 9 and 10: District One to 2018. Conditions re
- Page 11 and 12: Talking to employees of non union c
- Page 13 and 14: Declining economy a challenge for j
- Page 15 and 16: Why organizing is important to expa
- Page 17 and 18: Members need to voice our concerns
- Page 19: BC BUILDING TRADES EXECUTIVE MEET W
- Page 23 and 24: Benefits and Pension Plan Report Be
- Page 25 and 26: Training Association busy providing
- Page 27 and 28: Training Association Report Crane C
- Page 29 and 30: Training Association Report Brother
- Page 31 and 32: Training Association Report Brother
- Page 33 and 34: - Brother Lloyd Jones is being cong
- Page 35 and 36: Membership Service Awards OUR 40-YE
- Page 37 and 38: Member Recognition Membership Servi
- Page 39 and 40: Contact Details Local 115 District
Site C Dam project<br />
begins 18 month<br />
preparation phase<br />
Mike Spiruda,<br />
Business Representative<br />
The Provincial Government gave the final go ahead in December<br />
to the $8.8 billion Site C Dam project on the Peace River<br />
near Fort St. John. BC Hydro has stated that the construction<br />
schedule is 6 months behind and will begin in the<br />
summer of <strong>2015</strong>.<br />
There is 18 months of preparation work to be<br />
completed before the actual construction of the<br />
dam itself can begin. Preparation work will involve<br />
clearing, stripping, access roads, laydown sites,<br />
camp accommodations, diversion tunnels, coffer<br />
dams and a temporary bridge across the river to enable access<br />
back and forth to the site.<br />
In conjunction with Site C and B.C. Hydro remaining<br />
committed to their green renewable energy plan, BC Hydro<br />
has also given the green light to Pattern Developments Meikle<br />
Wind Energy project located 30 kilometers north of Tumbler<br />
Ridge.<br />
This $400 million project will consist of 61 wind turbines<br />
with construction starting this spring. The project is planned<br />
to be operational by the end of 2016. These projects will be<br />
beneficial to laid off members who worked in the Tumbler<br />
Ridge coal mining industry to achieve meaningful employment<br />
once again.<br />
The municipalities of Fort St. John and Dawson Creek are<br />
also in the midst of planning to go ahead with major expenditures<br />
to improve the outgrown and much needed infrastructure<br />
systems.<br />
As the price of oil and gas declines,<br />
so do the investment dollars which<br />
has kept the industry and many<br />
members active for the past few years.<br />
Some of the anticipated projects in<br />
the Northeast have been put on hold<br />
as the energy companies constantly<br />
revamp their spending budgets for <strong>2015</strong>.<br />
Hopefully the current slide in prices level out to a stable<br />
and suitable environment to enable major projects to go<br />
forward.<br />
Work Safe!<br />
Hopefully the current<br />
slide in prices level out<br />
to a stable and suitable<br />
environment<br />
District Five<br />
Equipment sitting idle at Peace River Coal in Tumbler Ridge<br />
<strong>News</strong> March <strong>2015</strong> 19
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