Letter to Globe and Mail: We’re not in the 1960’s anymore …

March 3, 2015

Contrary to BCTC representative Tom Sigurdson’s suggestion (“Labour group objects …”, Globe and Mail, March 2, 2015) that the unions he represents are being unfairly treated by BC Hydro’s labour model proposal for Site C, in fact the opposite is the case: for decades non-BCTC workers, including progressively unionized workers, have been excluded from working on BC Hydro projects like Site C.

Now is not the time to turn back the clock — as Sigurdson seems to want —  on BC’s successfully evolving labour landscape, including BC Hydro’s appropriate decision to adopt an inclusive and collaborative ‘Open Managed Site’ approach for its Site C project.

Competition of labour models will be the key to future successful large-scale construction projects.  Let all the labour models compete.  The construction firms that make up the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) are up for the challenge.

Paul de Jong
President
Progressive Contractors Association of Canada