Page 10 - Flipbook

Partners in Progress - Stakeholder engagement helps ensure a seat at
the table as Alberta moves into its next chapter

By: Terry Parker, Executive Director, Building Trades of Alberta
Jobs, economy, pipeline. This slogan adorned United Conservative
Party leader Jason Kenney’s podium throughout Alberta’s spring
election and was a key talking point that defined his campaign.
With Albertans facing a recession not seen in the province for
more than a generation, it was clear the electorate liked what they
heard.
Kenney’s UCP won a majority government on April 16, defeating
Rachel Notley’s Alberta NDP with 55 per cent of the vote and 63
of 87 seats in the legislature. Notley is now at the helm of one of
the largest oppositions in Alberta’s history with 24 seats.
And while the new Alberta government has held just one session
since its election, there has been clear support from the province
Building Trades of Alberta affiliates continue to partner with
for the skilled trades, apprenticeships, training and the industries
organizations to expose students to the unionized trades in state-
Building Trades of Alberta affiliates operate in. This provided the
of-the-art training facilities, through highly-skilled red seal
BTA with an opportunity to engage the government early on and
journeypersons to encourage a skilled trades career. That’s good
highlight the valuable contributions our more than 60,000 affiliate
for the province and the unionized construction industry. This
members make in these areas.
brings me to another point.
In June, the government announced the formation of an eight-
While it’s vital we do our part to teach youth the skilled trades,
member skilled trades caucus tasked with providing support to
it’s equally important to highlight the advantage of working union
Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides and the UCP’s
as well. From strength at the bargaining table to industry-leading
Skills for Jobs agenda.
pay, benefits, retirement security, job protection and higher safety
By the time mid-August arrived, the BTA had sat down on standards, boosting union knowledge and prompting apprentices
numerous occasions with members of this caucus to promote the to join their union means more power and influence for the BTA
good work done by affiliates: work that helps students, youth and when it comes to political engagement.
others enter a skilled trades career. These careers are sorely
Moreover, the next wave of unionized, skilled trades workers will
needed to fill a looming labour gap in Alberta.
play a big part in shaping our political identities and provincial and
Current estimates project retirements to be three times the rate national economies. Their incomes will support businesses,
of those entering the skilled trades in our province. At present, restaurants, shops, events and more, breathing life into industries
more than 3,000 workers in the trades and related occupations and helping with economic recovery. Too often this reality is lost
are retiring in Alberta each year. on politicians and the public. It’s up to all of us to remind them.
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