Op-Eds
Guiding Kids Toward Trades – President’s message
November 22, 2024 SOCIETY TENDS TO STEER children toward university, emphasizing careers in fields like business, technology or healthcare. But why is there so little encouragement for careers in the trades? Is it because trades are seen as “lesser” or incapable of...
President’s Message – A return to energy balance in Vancouver
October 18, 2024 VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL recently approved a directive to reinstate natural gas as an option for heating and hot water in new home construction. This reverses its January 2022 policy that mandated only low-emission electric units for space and hot water...
This election is personal – Executive Director’s Message
September 26, 2024 FOR ME, POLITICS IS PERSONAL. It’s not something that happens over in Victoria or Ottawa. It’s something that affects my family, my friends and my community. It’s been that way since I was 15. At that time, a right wing government was slashing jobs...
A Dam Big Moment – Executive Director’s Message
August 19, 2024 I CAN CLEARLY REMEMBER December 2014 when then premier Christy Clark announced the province would build Site C. Somehow it’s 10 years later and the mega project is almost complete. Site C has been a fixture in the unionized construction world nearly...
Bringing Jobsite Safety Home
July 25, 2024 IN OUR WORLD OF TRADES AND CONSTRUCTION, safety is paramount. In our training programs and on the jobsite, our members go through rigorous protocols and protective measures to ensure that everyone, from apprentices to seasoned journeypersons, returns...
Workers’ Advocate’s Message
June 13, 2024 GREETINGS, FRIENDS! In January I took over this role from Merrill O’Donnell. Many of you know him for his exceptional advocacy over the years. In the last few weeks before his retirement, I was very fortunate to spend time with Merrill reviewing some of...
President’s Message – HOW ARE YOU?
May 19, 2024 HOW ARE YOU? We often ask that question without really stopping to think about it. It’s become a routine part of our conversations. We usually respond with the expected “I’m good” or “I’m fine,” and secretly hope the other person does the same. We’re not...
Opinion: If we want women in construction we need PPE that fits
March 8, 2024 British Columbia is in the midst of a construction boom. There are major projects going up around the province, including the Broadway Subway Project, the Pattullo Bridge Replacement, Site C, the Cowichan and new Surrey Hospital projects, and many, many...
Executive Director’s Message – Common Threads
March 6, 2024 SAFETY. SECURITY. DIGNITY. We do a lot at the BC Building Trades, but in the end, almost all of it can be described by one of these three words. I reflect on them often. What can we do to ensure every single member is safe on the job and comes home at...
Executive Director’s Message – BC Building Trades Unions Win Historic Commitment for Flush Toilets in Construction
January 23, 2024 TRADETALK READERS are very familiar with porta-potties. They’re rarely cleaned and often filthy. They’re dark and they’re wet. They are too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Most of all, they are unsanitary and unhygienic. For many years,...
