News

Tradespeople at Seaspan’s North Vancouver shipyard are facing the possibility of major layoffs after the company announced that a gap in construction of new federal non-combat vessels is coming next year.

Butch Sidey, business agent for the Marine Shipbuilders Union local 506, which represents unionized workers at Seaspan, said a worst-case scenario would see “big layoffs [in] a year or a year and a half when there’s not going to be any work between ships.”

There are currently 600 tradespeople working at the yard.

Laid-off workers would be hunting for new jobs at a time of high demand for trades workers in B.C.’s construction sector.

If layoffs materialize, “it’s going to be… (continue reading)

“Most DC38 construction members are aware of their Market Recovery (MR) deductions, and some grumble about this,” according to Dave Holmes, Business Manager of District Council 38.

“All too often though there is little recognition of the program’s benefits for both fellow members and our contractors,” he says.

The Market Recovery Fund was created on May 11, 1997, when in response to a shrinking contractor base and too many unemployed members, Painters voted at a special meeting to establish the program.

“At the time non-union competition was putting us out of business, quite literally,” says Holmes. “Our employers were losing their long term clients and the wage gaps, up to 50%, were making us uncompetitive. Our choices at the time were to either slash the Agreement or try to gain work through the implementation of Market Recovery”.

Don Bauer is a DC38 Painter in Victoria who says he has worked on as many as 40 or 50 Market Recovery jobs in the last twenty years.

“I was there for the 1997 vote with Brother Holmes and I voted in favour of setting up the fund,” says Don.

“I was seeing our market share dropping just about every day it seemed.  I think the fund has become very important to maintaining work for our members.”

“Sometimes I tell members who may grumble about their deduction that MR really amounts to a small payment towards buying yourself a job,” says Don.  “I think that’s a pretty smart investment in yourself and in the Union.”

In the 20 years since implementation of the Fund, the Union has:

• seen the stabilization of its contractor base;
• seen the ability to negotiate increases, depending on the marketplace and market conditions;
• maintained the integrity of its Pension and Health & Welfare plans, ensuring that they’ve continued to provide excellent benefits to our members and their families throughout their careers and into retirement;
• been able to elevate, and continue to promote, a high standard of skill in its chosen professions. The Union has done this in conjunction with the development of its training facility, the Finishing Trades Institute of BC.

Peter Wilson moved to BC from Toronto in 2008 when he joined the Union for work as a Commercial Painter.  He thinks that the MR program makes good sense.

“The last two jobs I have worked on were helped by market recovery contributions, and they kept four or five of us busy for a year-and-a-half,” he says.  “If I have to give a little to get a little so that I’m not sitting at home, I’m happy to contribute.”

An analysis of the 2016 results, for both the Painting Industry Advancement Fund (PIAF) and the Wall and Ceiling Industry Advancement Fund (WCIAF), shows that the programs generated 172,500 member hours, or the equivalent of 83 full-time jobs.

Those 172,500 additional hours generated just under $7 million in additional wages and benefits to DC38 members.

Given that the cost of the fund was about $530,000, Market Recovered projects resulted in a thirteen-to-one return on every dollar paid out.

Jim Ewing is a DC38 Lather with 42 years of experience and says one in every three jobs he has worked on in recent years is the result of MR support.

“Ninety-nine percent of our members only see the MR as a deduction, but it is essential if our contractors are going to compete with the non-union operators,” says Jim.

“And what doesn’t show up in the MR statistics is the additional jobs handed to us because we are on-site and the client gets to know us and likes our work.  A lot of that goes on,” he says.

Another member who benefitted from the WCIAF is Wayne Howatt who retired as a DC38 Lather last June.  “I do miss it a bit,” he says.

“Sometimes some of our members don’t see how tough it is to compete with the non-union sector.  Our benefit package is worth $5 an hour and when added to the wages it can mean a non-union Lather is being paid $25 an hour while we are at $40 — that’s a big difference,” says Wayne.

“I certainly saw the benefits of the MR first-hand, and I think it is essential if our contractors are going to be able to compete.”

“We all benefit.”

Business Manager, Holmes, agrees: “As the stats show, MR creates job opportunities for our brothers and sisters. I supported the program when it began, and I support the program now, knowing that my contribution benefits every single member who works in the craft.”

“In 1997, Painters made a choice to support their fellow Brothers and Sisters. Twenty years later, with the addition of the Lathers & Drywall Finishers, we continue to support each other.  A proud choice for a proud organization.”

Business Manager Dave Holmes A.K.A. Wayne Campbell and DOT Paddy Byrne A.K.A. Garth Algar.

At the recent CLRA golf tournament, Business Manager, Dave Holmes, and Director of Training, Paddy Byrne, assumed their alter-identities as Garth Algar and Wayne Campbell from, Wayne’s World, in order to raise funds for research into Juvenile Diabetes at UBC.

On a hot and sunny day which was perfect for golf, but less so to suit up in pads for hockey, Dave and Paddy asked golfers to take a turn matching their hockey skills against the formidable goal tending of Garth Algar.  Each golfer, for the cost of $10.00, had three chances to beat Garth and be entered into a Draw for a Brand New iPhone and Apple Watch. There was also a last place prize, dinner with Paddy and Dave!

At the end of the day $1,400.00 was raised, and apart from the numerous welts from hockey balls, (Garth wasn’t wearing upper body pads because of the heat) everyone seemed to enjoy the antics of our hockey playing heroes. Only 3 of the approximately 140 golfers were able to put all 3 of their shots behind Garth and he has the bruises to prove it.

Thanks to everyone at CLR for putting on a great tournament and special thanks to the Vancouver Golf Club for allowing us to put on this event at such a pristine golf course.

Ray Natraoro makes pitch to NABOC on behalf of Stalkaya Environmental

At the recent NABOC Conference held June 27 to 29th in Osoyoos, our newest Hazardous Materials Abatement Contractor, Stalkaya Environmental, made its latest pitch to First Nations business representatives with regard to it’s services as a Hazardous Materials Contractor, and as a conduit to opportunities for apprenticeship for Aboriginal workers through DC 38 and the FTI of BC.

NABOC or the National Aboriginal Business Opportunities Conference, meets around the province of British Columbia in various communities in an effort to highlight and promote Aboriginal Business and opportunities for the public at large to become more aware of the great work being done by business people from First Nations communities.

Stayalka Environmental is a joint venture arrangement where Enviro-Vac Environmental has entered into a partnership with majority shareholder Ray Natraoro, who is from the Squamish First Nation. Ray was able to make a pitch, on behalf of Stalkaya, to over 200 business representatives from the Aboriginal community as well as others from a wide variety of backgrounds from all across Canada. Ray made the case that young people working for his company not only had the opportunity to make a good living with union wages and benefites as Hazmat Workers, but also had opportunities through Stalkaya’s partnership with our union, to receive Red Seal apprenticeship training in one of our 4 finishing trades, if they chose to go that route.

There were several impressive presentations made at the NABOC and Stalkaya’s story, as told by Ray, resonated as impressively as those who had already been in business for years. This was a great opportunity to network and bee seen and Stalkaya made a great first impression at the Conference.

Delegates to NABOC Osoyoos 2017 listen to a presentation from Stalkaya Environmental.