On Wednesday, May 27th, BC Hydro announced that they had come to an agreement on a negotiated framework with the B.C. Building Trades regarding the participation of trade unions in the construction of the Site C dam.
Under the proposed model, contractors who bid on Site C related projects who demonstrate that they have negotiated a collective agreement with the Building Trades, and can therefore guarantee a reliable source of skilled workers, will get preference in the bidding process.
“The agreement represents a compromise and reflects the desire of our members to work on the project at union wages and benefits while also respecting the mixed site model of the employer,” said Tom Sigurdson, executive director of the BC Building Trades. “I am sure that we can get through the next steps and ensure this critical project will be built to the highest standards by British Columbians.”
IUOE 115 remains committed to ensuring our members are full participants in the construction of the Site C dam, and will continue to work on ensuring the new framework is implemented consistently.
