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provisions for apprentices, local residents, Indigenous workers,
women in trades and people with disabilities on public
infrastructure projects.
These workers would become members of the Building Trades
union that corresponds to their trade in order to ensure their
wages and benefits are equitable, and that workers with the same
skills and abilities are paid the same.
The idea behind a CBA is that British Columbians should see wider
and deeper benefits from public projects like highways, roads,
bridges, schools, hospitals and other taxpayer-funded
infrastructure. CBAs will help recruit, retain and advance our
And as for the governing Liberals, they have certainly shown by
skilled workforce while ensuring projects proceed efficiently,
their actions that they respect the work we do with apprenticeship
economically, safely and without interruption.
training and have supported us with funding for our training
The CBA is progressive, and like every great new idea since time centres. They have worked with us to better engage with
immemorial, it has critics, including various business groups and Indigenous training and bringing more women into the trades. They
employer-friendly alternative “unions.” But the B.C. government is have been much more receptive and supportive of the Building
steadfast in its resolve that public construction should deliver Trades than were the Harper Conservatives. The Conservatives
more than just what’s on the blueprint, and the public agrees. A have not earned the right to return to govern our country. Not only
survey done last year by ResearchCo. for the BC Building Trades did they pass legislation attacking the trade union movement when
showed that seven in 10 British Columbians support CBAs. they were government, they voted against the Liberal bill (which
the NDP and Greens supported) restoring union rights. Were we
But, back to the upcoming federal election. The federal New
to recommend a party to support, it would be either the NDP or
Democrats have never had the chance to prove themselves in
the Liberals. As Building Trades Unions, we share more with those
government, however, the Party position on climate action has
two political parties than the Conservatives or the Greens. We
been largely well received because, according to the Washington
don’t agree on everything, but we do agree on many things.
Post, it “covers the socio-economic blind spots evident in the
Greens’ vision.” Now before you dismiss the Post because it’s an So where does all of this leave you, dear voter? Well, probably
American medium, the piece was written by Canadian with some thinking to do. Do your homework. Find out what your
commentator Christo Aivalis, whose day job is as a postdoctoral candidates stand for, and what they stand against. And then cast
fellow at the University of Toronto. Aivalis calls the plan “the your ballot with both heart and mind. Your future depends on how
boldest platform from a major party since the end of the Cold you decide to vote on October 21. And by the way, not voting at all
War.” surrenders your right to complain about what you end up with.

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