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Saskatchewan Building Trades: The Grass Isn’t Always Greener
By: Dion Malakoff – Executive Director, Saskatchewan Building Trades Unions

The campaigning period is upon us, and the Federal Election fast There is a real threat, if we consider electing a Conservative
approaching. Over this time, we often hear the messages from government, that our country will take steps back from innovative
politicians that we want to – lower taxes, more jobs, assistance programs like Building Safer Trades, and the industries we work
for families, investments to infrastructure. And, often, we vote for in, the negotiated collective agreements we work under, the safety
the message that sounds best which may oust the current measures and legislation like the ban on asbestos – could very
government in power; but what we need to do, is look back on our well come under attack.
collective history. It wasn’t long ago we had a Conservative
We don’t have to look further than our back yard, where the
government in power, federally. A government that attacked
Saskatchewan Party is currently at war with the teachers,
workers, didn’t get any pipelines built and didn’t get the economy
infringing on their right to free collective bargaining. They have
moving in a direction that helped Saskatchewans.
increased the PST on construction labour which has resulted in
I have felt the frustrations around Bill C-69 that was passed, declining construction numbers, loss of jobs, balancing the budget
because the truth of the matter is, we need pipelines to safely on the backs of workers. This is a party who refuses to increase
transport oil and gas and coming from a province rich in natural the minimum wage and has implemented policies that make it
resources, we need a government that will work with us to make harder for workers to organize making life harder for
that happen. What the Liberals did do, which the previous Saskatchewan families. There are 14 federal ridings in the
government did not, was actually buy a pipeline. This was a stalled province of Saskatchewan. One of which is leader of the Federal
project that faced obstacle after obstacle. Trudeau’s Liberals took Conservatives, Andrew Scheer. But his ties to our province don’t
action. Not necessarily enough, but they did something and we necessarily mean he’ll stick up for working people here. His
need to afford them the time to do more. This is also a loyalties, it seems, are towards big business and Conservative
government who introduced the Union Training and Innovation lobby groups. I ask that you pay attention to the platforms being
Program which has provided funding for safety initiatives – like put out by the parties. Look at the voting history and see how
Building Safer Trades. each align with what matters most to you and your families.
Because your voice, your vote will impact the outcome of the next
Recently launched, Building Safer Trades is a joint program
election and the next four years.
between Saskatchewan Building Trades and the Saskatchewan
Safety Council. We have teamed up to offer free online and hands- Stand up for workers? Not likely with the Conservatives.
on safety training to prepare Indigenous Youth for opportunities
that exist in the skilled trades. We know that over the next decade,
Canada will be facing a skilled trades shortage. If we can break
down barriers – such as access to training – we can create
opportunities for underrepresented groups to look at a career as
a welder, or a pipefitter, or any number of skilled trades, as a
viable option. This program is designed to work with educators
who will then be able to pass on this training opportunity to their
students, right in their own community.

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