IUOE News Winter 2013

News
Operators look
forward to a
positive year.
December 2013
www.iuoe115.com

On the cover: IUOE Local 115 Brothers Chris Rowan (driver) and Colin Herbert from Mainland
Sand and Gravel in Abbotsford.
IUOE News is the official
publication of the International
Union of Operating Engineers
Local 115.
Local Executive Board
Business Manager
Brian Cochrane
President
Wayne Mills
Vice-President
Brad Randall
Recording Secretary
Brian Lefebvre
Financial Secretary
Don Swerdan
Treasurer
Frank Carr
Guard
Bob Higgs
Conductor
Dave Hannis
Trustees
Brett Chapman
Brian Moore
Curtis Wright
Auditors
Chip Dhaliwal
Goretti Guibault
Craig McIntosh
District Executive Board
1 - Al Cooper
2 - Tim Cullen
3 - Brad Gerow
4 - Herb Conat
5 - Mike Spiruda
6 - Brian Lefebvre
Publication Committee
Brian Cochrane
Wayne Mills
Lynda Arland
Don Swerdan
Editorial Services
Susan Armstrong, COPE 378
Contact Details
4333 Ledger Avenue,
Burnaby, B.C., V5G 3T3
Telephone: 604-291-8831
Fax: 604-473-5235
Website: www.iuoe115.com
E-mail: iuoe@iuoe115.com
Mainland Sand and Gravel has been a long time supporter of IUOE Local 115 and provided
many of our members with work. The family-owned business is proudly B.C. based and
operated, was established over 40 years ago, and operates two quarries and four distribution
yards across the Lower Mainland.
Features
News Updates 4
Right to Work: Doing nothing to improve worker rights 15
Unions across Canada: A brief history of who we are 26
Member Profile: Ed & Marcel Dupuis 33
Reports
Business Manager
There is much we can celebrate, and much to look forward to 1
President
The new kid on the block is a sleeping resource giant 3
District 1
Ups and downs in 2013, but promising year lies ahead 5
Being involved and doing a small part can make big changes 6
Work opportunities across BC continue to grow for Operating Engineers 7
Negotiations, bargaining and agreements lead to positive change 8
It’s been a good year for us 9
Growth in organizing and BC jobs is encouraging 10
A successful year past, a busy one ahead 11
2014 could be one of BC’s most promising years yet 13
Union Organizing
Operating Engineers have done themselves proud this year 14
Dispatcher’s Report
Get ready for even more work in the coming years 14
District 2
With work on the Island steady, we must reinforce the importance of organizing 16
District 3
A steady year of work closes as projects begin to wrap up 18
District 4
Everyone has had their fair share of work, which will get better through organizing 19
District 5
2013 has set the stage for large projects in the coming year 21
District 6
Large projects forge ahead, with more to come 22
We should never stop appreciating our members and their hard work 23
Benefit Plans
We need to tighten our belts to keep enjoying our good benefits 24
Training Association
Accreditation proves your Training Centre is the best in BC 29
Regulars
Member Service Awards 37
Welcome to our new members 39
Pensions Awarded 40
Deceased Members 40
Contact Information and District Meetings 41
Please
Recycle
2 News December 2013

There is much we can
celebrate, and much
to look forward to.
Business Manager
Brian Cochrane,
Business Manager
As we close off the year, I am proud to say that your Local
Union is 11,569 members strong. This is thanks to a number
of organizing successes this year, and to respond to this growth
we have also been able to add more staff to build on and
service our growing market share going forward.
It is unlikely that the provincial government will be making
any changes to the labour code in the near future which would
make our jobs a bit easier; but with the ongoing demand for a
skilled workforce in B.C. there are some good opportunities
going forward which political leaders are at least finally paying
some attention to.
We have had many meetings over the last few months with
government officials and major players in the oil and gas
industries. All indications are that we are in the beginning
phase of a major upswing in the construction cycle in B.C.,
and your Officers and Executive Board are working on many
fronts to make sure that your Union is prepared to meet the
needs and opportunities of this possible future.
This has been a year of transition, as we prepare for the
upcoming challenges that will come with developing the
skilled operators that will be required to meet the projected
demand in British Columbia. As part of addressing this, your
President Brother Wayne Mills and
IUOETA Administrator Brother
Brad Randall have been working
on a Northern B.C. strategy to
increase training opportunities and
engagement for local residents and First Nations. Both of
these groups are important to the success of future Project
Labour Agreements and we must develop initiatives to make
sure we have valuable working relationships with them when
the work comes.
Pacific Blue Cross has been providing extended health care
benefits along with the pay-direct drug card for almost 12
months now, and the results of a membership survey indicate
that our members are overall satisfied with the service that is
being delivered.
This is very encouraging to the Benefits and Pension Plan
Board. Providing the pay-direct card has incurred a substantial
cost to the Benefits Plan, and we are glad to see that our
“By the end of 2013 our Pension Plan
will have paid out around $40 million
in benefits to our retirees“
IUOE Local 115 Business Manager Brian Cochrane joined B.C. Premier
Christy Clark as part of a delegation of labour leaders during a Jobs
and Trade Mission to China and Japan. The joint mission demonstrates
the need for government and labour to work together with foreign
investors to protect, grow, and create jobs for the local work force.
membership has seen an overall increase in convenience and
benefits reimbursement for their families.
These improvements and modernization of providing
benefits to our membership is one area that the Local will
continue to work on going forward,
to attract and retain the next generation
of members.
Our ability to provide benefit
coverage to retirees is one aspect
that separates Local 115 from most other Building Trades
unions in Canada—the Local Union Officers and Trustees of
the plan take great pride in providing this benefit to our
members. By the end of 2013 our Pension Plan will have paid
out around $40 million in benefits to our retirees. This is the
largest amount in the plan’s history and something we can all
be very proud of.
As the demographic bubble continues to shift through
Canada and our membership, health care costs are becoming
more important to both the members and the health care
benefit providers. Both need to manage their costs wisely to
ensure they are able to receive and deliver ongoing, quality
benefits. One easy way members can assist in managing these
News December 2013 1

Business Manager
costs is by making sure that, when prescribed medication, it is
a generic brand, which is just as safe and effective as more
expensive name-branded counterparts. There is some information
on generic vs. brand name drugs and the rising cost of
medicines on page 14 of this newsletter.
After devoting the last two years as an Employer Trustee of
both our Pension and Benefits Plans, Ted Carlson from Mainland
Sand and Gravel has recently retired from the position. I
would like to thank him on behalf of the membership for his
participation and contribution.
Speaking of retirees, long-time chairman of our Sick
Committee, Brother Frank Slyman, officially retired from the
position at the end of October. Over
the last twenty years Frank and his
wife Yvonne have visited more sick
members and attended more funerals
and supported more Operating
Engineers than anyone in the organization. They have provided
countless smiles and laughs to our members when they
need it most, and while it will be a tough position to fill, we
know that them having a little more free time will be good,
and we wish them all the best during their “official”
retirement!
Looking forward into 2014 , Heavy Construction bargaining
will again start with our CLR contractors. While we
recently finished ratifying the agreement with all trades in
early November, we will be taking revised proposals to the
table again in the early part of the year.
Across Canada, the labour movement managed to prevent
“The fight against federal right-towork
and similar anti-union
legislation is far from over”
the original version of Bill C-377 from becoming law—before
the entire process was delayed when government was
prorogued. Now the original Bill must go through the entire
Senate review process again, but is expected to again be
heavily amended (or rejected) when it is reviewed early next
year.
This was a major victory in 2013, but I am sure that the
fight against federal right-to-work and similar anti-union
legislation is far from over. Given the incredible scandals that
have taken place in the Senate this year, you would think they
would start by cleaning up their own house before trying to
find fault with ours; or maybe our Senators have been spending
too much time with the mayor of
Toronto!
While we have been working out of
temporary office space in the Burnaby
office for the last six months (while
next door, the union offices undergo a major renovation), the
move has caused little disruption for our members. Our union
building has a strong structure, but was never designed for the
systems and workflow required to operate efficiently in today’s
modern environment, some 40 years later. We are all looking
forward to its completion in mid 2014, when it will be once
again set up to meet the needs of our members for the next
several decades.
To close, on behalf of the Officers , Executive Board and
staff off the Local, best wishes for a safe Christmas season and
a prosperous 2014!
Sterling Crane installing new HVAC units at IUOE Local 115’s union buildings during renovations.
2 News December 2013

The “new kid on the
block” is a sleeping
resource giant.
Wayne E. Mills,
President
Safety
Winter is upon us, and we need to remember that the
weather can cause problems both on and off the job. The cold,
ice and snow can be enjoyable, but you need to be aware of its
dangers and take the necessary precautions to stay safe.
B.C. is starting to catch up to the rest of the country when
it comes to workplace safety. I don’t mean that in a bad way;
B.C. has been through a couple of
really bad downturns in its
economy over the last 30 years,
and we were simply slower getting
out of the gate for the resource boom than the rest of the
country. We had jobs to do, and we did them, the best we
could, the safest way we could, and we tried our best to see to
it that no one got hurt.
However, these big projects with their equally big multinational
investors expect zero safety incidents, and anything
other than that has become unacceptable to them. This expectation,
which just a few years back may have seemed impossible
or unreasonable, creates a learning experience for a large
number of our more seasoned members.
Always remember that no one wants to get hurt (and no
one wants anyone to get hurt) but this “new system” does take
some getting used to— and it is here to stay.
Resource Based Economy
The export of resource materials from Canada has always
been what we do, and currently it stands at about: 14.6 per
cent Forestry; 15.4 per cent Agriculture; 30 per cent Minerals/
Metals; and 40 per cent Oil and Gas. The US has always
received the greatest portion of our exports, but now there is
a “new kid on the block” to deal with: China.
If we look at global resource consumption data, China
consumes 43 per cent of the world’s copper (US 9 per cent), 46
per cent of its nickel (US 8 per cent), 45 per cent of all zinc (US
8 percent), and almost half (47 per cent) of the world’s aluminum
(US 10 per cent). As an average across these resources,
China consumes over five times the amount the US does.
China has an economy 1.5 times larger than the US, Europe
and Japan combined. This monstrous middle-class economy,
with a population four times that of North America, is slowly
waking up and demanding more manufactured products.
“Big projects with big multinational
investors expect zero safety incidents”
President’s Message
For example, imagine this population all decided they want
to buy a car; currently, there are less than 10 cars per thousand
among the Chinese, whereas North America has around 800
cars per thousand. Producing enough cars to meet this
demand will require a lot of metal to build them, coal and
natural gas to fire up the manufacturing and assembly plants,
and a lot of oil (gasoline) to power them.
Right now, huge amounts of Canadian coal is shipped to
China to power these plants (providing employment to a large
number of our members). Soon massively increased amounts
of oil and gas will also be making its way, via pipelines and
tankers, to support the country’s growth as well. You may have
seen recent protests against these coal (and other resource)
exports and the port expansion projects they demand— but it
is important to know the facts.
The B.C. coal industry creates 26,000 direct and indirect
jobs, $3.2 billion in economic activity
and $715 million in tax revenue
for the province and municipalities.
Your Union wants to see more
family-supporting jobs in B.C., not less, and more funding for
health care and education, not less. It’s worth thinking about.
Work in Northern B.C.
I may sound like a broken record but Northern B.C. is
going to see a great decade or so of growth and work. Mines,
pipelines, and the plants and terminals that go along with
them are scheduled to be built and come online as the resource
boom finally comes to B.C.
Now more than ever we need to increase both our membership
base with qualified operators, trainees and tradesmen,
and increase the market share for our Union contractors.
There are many ways to do this, but involving you, our current
members, is key. If you are working for non-contributing
contractor, we must organize them.
This increases the unionized market share and builds
strength in your agreement and your benefits. If you know of
someone that is a qualified operator and has the skills needed
to work for our contractors, talk to them. Get them into the
hall and signed up. This is how we will grow and prosper.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
In closing, remember that Christmas is not a date but a
state of mind, and as always merry Christmas to you, your
family and friends, and have a happy, safe holiday season,
good health and prosperity for 2014. To the Stewards, Safety
Reps and Committee members, thank you for the work you
have put in on behalf of the Union and the members you work
with.
As always may the best things that happened to you in 2013
be the worst of your problems in 2014, and safe travels.
News December 2013 3

News Updates
News Updates
IUOE District 4 office
relocated
During February of 2014
the District 4 office of Local
115 will be relocated from
their current premises on
Ahbau Street, Prince George,
to their new office located at
3330 8th Avenue, Prince
George, near the Spruceland
Shopping Centre.
District 4 Member Representatives
Herb Conat and
Wayne Kemp look forward
to seeing you in their new
premises soon!
Jason Kenney urges
employers to increase
training and wages
In a somewhat surprise
move, the Minister of
Employment and Social
Development Jason Kenney,
said that employers needed
to “put more skin in the
game” when it comes to
increasing employee wages
and investing in training.
The lack of employee
training programs has been
the topic of much political
discussion recently. In order
to fund their Federal Jobs
Plan, Ottawa is looking at
cutting $300 million of the
$500 million it allocates to
provinces to manage their
own training programs, but
provincial leaders have
spoken against the proposal.
Minister Kenney’s statement
at Vancouver’s B.C.
Business Summit highlights
the fact that employee training
is a crucial part of
stabilizing the local economy,
and that companies need to
do their part to create a
skilled workforce.
Lockout continues at
Ikea
Members of Teamsters
Local 213 have entered their
seventh month of being
locked out of Ikea Richmond,
making this B.C.’s
second longest ongoing
labour dispute.
Managers at Ikea Richmond,
the chain’s oldest store
in North America, have so
far refused to negotiate,
saying their rejected proposal
of a two-tier salary system
with sales targeting for staff
increases is “attainable”.
The dispute has been
complicated by 35 ex-Teamsters
crossing the picket line
(whom Ikea then expelled),
and the Labour Relations
Board ruling that their
actions could be defined as a
strike under the LRA code.
This has not slowed down
the Teamsters, who have
called on every unionized
worker to not shop at any
Ikea locations. They also
recently held a peaceful rally
at Ikea Coquitlam as part of
an organizing drive, handing
out flyers and speaking with
Ikea customers, the press,
and the public.
Local 115 supports
Movember
While November is
known for foliage falling
from the trees, it’s also
become famous for foliage
growing on the faces of men
across the world.
“Movember” has become
the month when men grow
moustaches and beards to
raise funds, awareness and
support for testicular and
prostate cancer, as well as
heart, stroke and mental
disease.
Staff of Local 115 took
part in the cause for 2013.
Members and supporters of Teamsters Local 213 gather outside Ikea
Coquitlam on November 23, 2013 to demonstrate against the lockout
of Ikea Richmond’s workers due to a wage proposal dispute.
Led by the OE Training
Association’s Tom Kinnear,
the “Mo-bros” raised over
$1,500 for the campaign, and
are already planning to do
even better next year with
the generous help of our
members.
Local 115 represented
in trade mission
IUOE Local 115 Business
Manager Brian Cochrane
recently returned from a Jobs
and Trade mission to Japan
and China, as part of a
specially chosen delegation
of labour leaders led by B.C.
premier Christy Clark.
The mission highlighted
the importance of developing
B.C.’s skilled workforce to
support the large project
investments China and the
Far East will have in the
province in coming years.
It also focused on ways to
engage our local labour force
to ensure as many as possible
jobs the LNG and pipeline
projects create will be given
to B.C. workers.
New Mark’s Wearhouse
discount card
You will notice inside this
issue of the OE News is your
renewed Imagewear/Mark’s
Work Wearhouse discount
card, exclusive to Local 115
Members.
Remember to show this
card whenever you shop at
Mark’s to receive your 10 per
cent discount on almost all
store items.
4 News December 2013

Ups and downs in
2013, but a promising
year lies ahead.
Craig McIntosh,
Member Representative
2013 was a good year for members of the Operating Engineers,
with hours of work up over 2012. Many of these hours
came from projects that started prior to 2013 and are now
finishing up, such as work on Highway 1 and the South Perimeter
Road in the Lower Mainland. These were the largest
highway projects in the Lower Mainland
since the 80’s when the Alex Fraser
Bridge and Highway 91 were built.
The next highway project? The
provincial government has announced
its intentions to replace the Massey
Tunnel with a new bridge, and upgrade Highway 99 to the
border, starting in 2017.
However, it looks like they have washed their hands of
replacing the Patullo Bridge, and left it up to Translink to deal
with, who are simply without the money to build it. This will
put a long delay on the project, but in the meantime the Evergreen
line will provide work to our members for the next two
years or more.
In addition to being a busy year for negotiations, 2013 saw
a huge effort by Business Manager Brian Cochrane and the
Local to bring the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to
media headlines across Canada.
Many Canadians had no idea regarding the impact the
Temporary Foreign Worker Program has on everyday local
workers until the Operating Engineers and the Construction
and Specialized Workers Union exposed the plan by HD
Mining to bring 200 Chinese miners to Tumbler Ridge to
longwall an underground mine, instead of hiring Canadians.
The federal government did make some changes to the
program after its flaws were exposed and the Canadian public
and media blasted them for it.
We have not heard the end of this issue. Canadian businesses
will continue to lobby government, saying there are
shortages of skilled people and they must look to cheap
foreign labour rather than invest in training our young people.
It is wrong that the Canadian government has allowed the
number of Temporary Foreign Workers coming to Canada to
surpass the number of immigrants who can legitimately apply
to become permanent residents in as little as one year, and
“We need the jobs, economic
benefits and government
revenues to support our
expectations and lifestyles”
District One
ultimately become valuable citizens.
The biggest surprise of 2013 had to be the NDP blowing a
20-point lead in the polls and losing the provincial election in
May. The turning point? When Adrian Dix said he would not
allow the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project to go
ahead if he became premier, and the NDP got tagged as the
No Development Party.
Joe Lunchbox has figured it out: What the hell am I going
to do for work when B.C. becomes one big park? We already
have a Green Party. The NDP has to get back to its roots and
represent working people and good paying resource development
jobs. Whether it is coal exports, mining, natural gas or
pipelines, we need the jobs, economic benefits and government
revenues to support our expectations and lifestyles.
Jack Munro, who recently passed away, was the leader of
B.C.’s largest union, the IWA, during the
70’s and 80’s. Munro was a lifelong
supporter of the NDP. He clashed
frequently with anti-logging activists
and environmentalists who he believed
were destroying his members’ jobs. In
1990 he famously told a newspaper reporter “I tell my guys if
they see a spotted owl, shoot it.”
That may be extreme, but today the environmentalists are
winning the PR war of words. While we need to choose our
words carefully when dealing with our opposition and the
media, we should all share Jack’s passion and commitment.
In closing —wishing you and your families a great Christmas
and a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Hazelwood Construction busy laying a pipeline,down the hill to the
powerhouse at Carpenter Lake for BC Hydro.
News December 2013 5

District One
Being involved and
doing a small part can
make big changes.
Everett Cummings,
Member Representative
As winter comes around and we look back, it has been
another great year of work for the members.
This year some members had their industry agreements
expire; the road building agreements for paving, and the
utility sector agreements were both negotiated and ratified.
Many members work under these
two revised agreements, and now they
have contractual increases scheduled
over the next three years added to
their package.
These type of improvements in our
agreements cannot be achieved unless the members affected
by them realize how important it is to get involved in the
bargaining process, and ensuring that they vote on the
proposed agreements. That vote is your voice—always
remember that there are many people out there who do not
work in a unionized environment, and simply do not enjoy
the opportunity to be part of a democratic voting system, so
make the most of your opportunity to be heard.
Speaking of voting, next year will see the return of the civil
elections. These are just as important as the provincial and
federal elections. There are many positions that come up that
you could consider running for. You could be the person
getting workers and labour on your side to stop or slow down
the right-wing agenda.
“During your Christmas shopping
this year, consider supporting
your local businesses, and buy
Canadian made gifts”
Many decisions are made at the civil level that affect our
workers. One example is the Fair Wage Act that cities and
municipalities used to have in place and enforce. This made
sure that workers were paid appropriately under reasonable
hours; but now, Burnaby is the last city to actually apply it, and
even so, it is not being done as a proactive policy, but rather
only reactive to complaints.
Instead we are seeing growing cases of “lowest bid” policy
being applied, which is creating a race to the bottom. Contractors
are undercutting wherever they can to win the lowest bid
war, and end up adjusting the wages they pay their employees
from site to site, or apply other cost cutting measures like not
paying overtime. All of this makes our task as the voice of the
workers tougher, but even more important.
You can do your part, even in simple ways. During your
Christmas shopping this year, consider
supporting your local businesses,
and buy Canadian made gifts. Many
smaller, local businesses sell products
or gift cards that, when you buy them,
would benefit the little guy far more
than the big box stores. The benefits will be felt in your local
community and even the environment.
At the end of the year, when you’re trying to figure out a
New Year’s resolution, remember your local Union. Set a goal
on getting more involved, and make a resolution to participate
in the monthly meetings, or at least attend the General
Membership Meetings held in March and September. These
dates are marked in your OE calendar included in this issue.
I would like to thank all of the Shop Stewards for the work
they do throughout the year, helping our members and their
representatives. Your work is much appreciated by your
co-workers and the Union.
In closing I would like to wish your families a merry Christmas,
and a safe and prosperous New Year. Work safe!
Brothers Karl Walden and
Leonard Shaw working on the
road building of Highway 1
through Pritchard.
6 News December 2013

Work opportunities
across B.C. continue
to grow for Operating
Engineers.
Bob Higgs,
Member Representative
The end is near!
The end of 2013 that is. This year has been one of the most
memorable years since I’ve been on staff. We had some great
victories as well as some disappointing losses. From the draw
of skilled operating engineers to the north to the Temporary
Foreign Worker issues to the provincial election, we have been
kept busy. These are just a few of the
very important topics we’ve dealt with
this year.
Just when we think construction is
slowing down, another tower crane
goes up to accommodate a new high
rise project. If you look at the skyline anywhere in the Lower
Mainland you can’t help seeing a crane in every direction.
Although traditionally the Operating Engineers don’t have a
large number of members working on high rise developments,
the spinoff work is where we see most of our hours. With all
the towers going up, the need for concrete increases, putting a
lot of pressure on our aggregate mines to supply.
“If you look at the skyline
anywhere in the Lower Mainland,
you can’t help seeing a crane in
every direction”
District One
Aggregate production is still flat-out as mines try to meet
or exceed their yearly quotas, and the demand for the material
is ever increasing. One of the mines actually applied to load
out on a 24 hour schedule, as they are producing more than
they can load out in a normal work day.
Recently the provincial government has been hinting at a
number of projects to be started in the near future. This is
great news for Operating Engineers. The big buzz is the LNG
plants proposed for the northern region. Closer to home we
have the twinning of the Kinder Morgan line. This project
could be started quite soon as the new line will run parallel to
the existing one and it is so much easier to follow an existing
right of way than to create a new one. This project alone will
draw heavily on our dispatch.
With the existing projects being pushed to completion and
all the new proposed projects gearing up to start in the new
year, now is truly a great time to be an
Operating Engineer.
As an Operating Engineer, there
are some things you may want to do.
Upgrading and training are essential
to our industry and we encourage all
operators to take all the upgrading and training offered to
you. Every additional skill makes you that much more valuable
to our contractors.
All in all, it has been a great year and I’m looking forward
to an even better 2014.
Have a great holiday season and I’m looking forward to
seeing everyone on the job sites in the new year!
The team at Atlas Copco Thiessen, which has grown exponentially in recent years.
News December 2013 7

District One
Negotiations,
bargaining and
agreements lead to
positive change.
Chip Dhaliwal,
Member Representative
It’s been a busy summer and fall, and as we move into
winter it’s shaping up to be a busy new year as well. I have 12
contracts to bargain in 2014, along with the two I am currently
working on.
If these two are any indication of how bargaining will go in
2014, it will be a long, drawn-out process. However, with the
help of the Shop Stewards and the rest of
the membership I’m sure we will succeed
and reach agreement on some rewarding
contracts.
In the last OE News I wrote about the
challenges facing our members at Clean
Harbors. At an informal meeting before arbitration we were
able to come to an agreement. Some of the conditions of the
Settlement Agreement were: “the bargaining unit will continue
to do the work they traditionally performed” and “Clean
Harbors will not assign any of the work currently being
performed by its drivers to its Safety Kleen employees.” Two
employees who elected to leave received severance packages.
Members at United Rentals have ratified a new Collective
Agreement. With the help of the knowledgeable Shop Stewards
we were able to agree on a three percent per year wage
increase and increases in pension, benefits, a new job classification,
tool allowance, safety boot allowance and also cleaned
up a substantial amount of dated and obsolete language.
While bargaining the Wastech Collective Agreement we
ended up in arbitration over a clause in the contract regarding
shift changes. The company is obligated to consult with the
union whenever they find it necessary to change existing shift
“We all have an obligation to
spread the message on what
it means to be part of this
organization”
schedules, and since we could not come to an agreement on
these changes, the issue went to arbitration. A resolution was
imposed by the arbitrator and accepted by all parties.
Atlas Copco Thiessen has been growing by leaps and
bounds over the last two years, with no small measure of
contribution and hard work from the members on the floor. I
look forward to embarking on their collective bargaining
process in the coming year.
However, there have been a couple of issues with their
bigger brother, Atlas Copco Canada. The first involves a
difference of interpretation of a clause in the Collective Agreement
regarding the company’s ability to amend the Benefits
Plan as long as the changes are not “substantial”. The second
was interpretation of the General Holidays language regarding
Family Day. We are working through these as a matter of
course and should reach agreement soon.
In conclusion, I would like to say a
few words about organizing—as
members of the International Union of
Operating Engineers Local 115, we all
have an obligation to spread the message
on what it means to be a part this
organization.
Every time we have a dialogue with someone who does not
belong to a union or does not understand all the benefits of
being a part of a union, we have an opportunity and duty to
open their eyes and their minds to what they can potentially
earn and achieve by becoming organized.
We need to grow this organization. Not just for the sake of
numbers, but as we grow we achieve greater market share.
When we have greater market share, we have more leverage at
the bargaining table. This translates to better agreements for
every member, which in turn translates to a better quality of
life for all. If you know of anybody that is interested in being
part of our Union please contact your representative or Rob
Duff in organizing. Any one of us will gladly help see workers
grow and prosper as part of an organized labour force.
Thanks you for your support and I wish you and your
families the very best this holiday season.
Ongoing excavations and construction on the Waneta Dam Expansion Project.
8 News December 2013

It’s been a good year
for us.
Stewart Miller,
Member Representative
Looking back on the year, it was good to see that most of
our companies were able to provide steady work, and some
even reported that there was more work around than in previous
years. From aggregate to grain product, to fuel hauling to
construction—it seems all the companies kept the membership
busy, and as I always say, busy is a good thing.
How long we can keep this going
will be another story. Most of the big
projects around the Lower Mainland
are slowly winding down, so the
demand for aggregate will start falling
soon, and the domino effect will go all
the way back to the pits and ultimately our members who
work in the aggregate supply chain. So as we move into 2014
we can only hope new projects come on line and we can
continue to keep ourselves busy.
One of the biggest challenges over the past year has got to
be putting the first Collective Agreement together for Harvest
“They soon came to realize they
were too late to make any
changes, and by this stage we
were done playing games!”
District One
Power. Negotiations were slow, as the company is based in
California and all communication had to be sent down south
for discussion and approval, even although they had a team
here in Richmond.
Then, after a successful ratification vote in the middle of
September, the company switched out their HR staff, which
caused further delays in getting the final Collective Agreement
out to the crew, since the new HR team thought they
could suddenly change a few things around with their “we
know best” attitude. They soon came to realize they were too
late to make any changes, and by this stage we were done
playing games!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the crew
working at Harvest Power for their support and patience
through these lengthy negotiations, and look forward to
working with all of them in the new year now that the kinks
have been ironed out and all the signatures
are in place. I must also thank
Brother Don Swerdan for his guidance,
support, and good humour
keeping the negotiations on track.
In closing, I would like to thank the
Shop Stewards for all their endless hours of work and support,
and let them know that their efforts do not go unrecognized—
every single one of you is greatly appreciated, and you are the
lifeblood of Local 115’s ongoing future growth and success.
I wish everyone a happy holiday and I hope the new year
will bring you and yours good health and prosperity.
Brothers Charlie Williams (left) and Josh Rudolph (right), both from Pollard Equipment.
News December 2013 9

District One
Growth in organizing
and B.C. jobs is
encouraging.
Brett Chapman,
Member Representative
Brothers and Sisters, it’s that time of year again.
To start I would like to formally welcome Brothers Bryan
Railton and Todd Jones to the team; I’m looking forward to
working with both of you and are happy to see that we have
already had a success as far as organizing is concerned.
Brothers Rob Duff and Bryan Railton have recently been
successful in organizing Mctar, a company working alongside
one of our signatory companies, Columbia
Bithulithic. Well done not only to
Brothers Rob and Bryan, but also
congratulations to all the new Local 115
members on making the right choice for
their future.
On the bargaining front, negotiations with Pacific Coast
Heavy Truck have commenced, and everything seems to be
moving along as well as expected. We hope to reach a deal that
will satisfy all members at both locations soon.
I also assisted Brother Everett Cummings in negotiations
with Inland Kenworth. I hope the deal that was ratified will
make all their members happy and allow them to go into the
Christmas holidays and new year with an improved contract
in place.
Up north in the mining sector, Peace River Coal continues
“I hope the deal will allow
them to go into the Christmas
holidays with an improved
contract in place”
to push forward into Roman Mountain, which is a two
hundred million dollar expansion project. The plan is to
spend fifty million dollars per quarter in preparation to plow
through the rough terrain and finally get into Roman Mountain
itself. The weather and terrain will be tough hurdles for
the crew trying to get into the mountain; from what we have
heard the conditions are known to be extreme, with high
winds and bitter cold.
Despite these challenges (which most Operators are familiar
with), this project will keep our members working for
many years to come by creating somewhere around 100 additional
jobs.
As we come to the end of another busy year, we look back
at all the challenges and hurdles we have overcome. We only
get stronger, having put on our war paint to battle in the
Supreme Court regarding the Temporary Foreign Worker
Program.
The Supreme Court ruled in favour of
the Temporary Foreign Worker application,
which resulted in 200 temporary
workers being issued visas to come into
Tumbler Ridge, B.C. to work for HD
Mining at the Murray River Project.
There are currently 35 Temporary Foreign Workers in
Tumbler Ridge, and the town can expect upwards of 200 more
as the mine ramps up into full production. We will continue
to keep an eye on this project as it moves forward, to ensure
no more opportunities to exclude local workers goes without
some serious opposition.
I would like to give a special thanks to all our Shop Stewards
for their hard work this past year. To you all I wish a very
merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Be safe, and we will see you in the field.
Dawn in Tumbler Ridge.
A spectacular late fall sunset over the Peace River Coal Mine.
10 News December 2013

A successful year
past, a busy one
ahead.
Frank Carr,
Member Representative
Reflecting on the past year, Local 115 has embarked on a
number of major projects that will help set the future of our
great organization for generations to come. The changes we
have embarked on and already made will position us to be
more effective and capable of overcoming challenges while
advancing the interests of your Union.
At the start of 2013 we made changes to our Benefits Plan
and moved our extended benefits coverage to Pacific Blue
Cross, and we all received our pay-direct
drug cards and a number of valuable
benefits improvements as well.
The feedback we have received from
members has been positive, and supports
the fact that we are moving in the right
direction and always improving what we
offer members.
In April you elected 10 delegates to attend the 38th Annual
IUOE General Convention; it was hosted in Hollywood,
Florida with delegates and dignitaries attending from all parts
of North America. The annual convention gave us all an
opportunity to meet with and hear from local representatives,
many who we don’t interact with on a day to day basis, and in
many circumstances, at all. Having this opportunity to
network with IUOE leaders from across the world was interesting,
enlightening and motivating.
The theme for the convention was “Honor the Past, Shape
the Future”, and the convention’s seminars and speakers did
well to stick to the theme and bring its meaning to life.
While the conference was taking place, the Canadian
Federal Conservative Government was busy making a number
of changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. There
is no doubt the HD Mining case and the challenge filed by
your Local Union influenced the government to take action
and make necessary changes to the broken TFW Program we
have in Canada. An Emergency Resolution on the topic also
made it to the floor of the IUOE convention with positive
feedback and overwhelming support; what a proud moment
for Local 115 and all the other locals in Canada!
Although we are seeing the TFW issue slowly transforming
into something less unfair to local workers, at the same time
the “Right to Work” campaigns in the United States are a
“The feedback from members
supports the fact that we are
moving in the right direction
and always improving what
we offer members”
District One
constant threat, with the ideology bleeding over the border
into Canada. We must all be aware of these developments as
they can affect us in the future.
In August we had the great honour of the hosting the 55th
Annual Canadian Conference in Nanaimo at our hotel (the
Coast Bastion, which is an asset of our Local Union Pension
Plan). This was another opportunity to again network with
delegates from locals across Canada. We received many
compliments from delegates for how well organized and
beneficial it was. There are always many takeaways from the
annual Canadian Conference; the one that stands out in my
mind is the number of major projects that are underway and
scheduled throughout Canada.
The costs of these projects will run into hundreds of billions
of dollars, and the shortage of skilled tradespeople is probably
one of the main challenges we face as a nation. If the federal
and provincial governments don’t get their acts together and
focus on training Canadians with the skills needed to work on
these projects, we may miss out.
We were involved in a number of
rounds of bargaining in the construction
industries this year. We negotiated
and ratified the Paving, Utility, and Pile
Driving Agreements, and the Heavy
Construction, Crane Rental and Steel
Erection Agreements as well. In the new year we will also be
conducting proposal meetings for the Heavy, Crane and Steel
Agreements, since they will be expiring on April 30, 2014.
Over the past year I have had the opportunity and privilege
of working with and meeting members in different areas of
the province, on different sites and jobs, and it has been my
honour to get to know these members a bit better.
To all, have a very merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous
New Year!
Recent Kelowna District Meeting attendees were (L-R) Don Romanchuk,
Bernard Bergen, Frank Potvin, Paul Valer (60 year member),
George Bayliss, Fred Babuik (60 year member), Edward Nickel (received
his 60 Year membership award), Hans Novel, Mike Prystae (40
year member), Member Representative Frank Car, and Ken Thomson.
News December 2013 11

District One
2014 could be one of
B.C.’s most promising
years yet.
Don Swerdan,
Member Representative
Another year done, and what a year it was!
In just 12 months, we’ve experienced: the Operating Engineers
battling the federal and provincial governments in court
on their granting of LMOs (Labour Market Opinions)
concerning Temporary Foreign Workers; the submission of
the Enbridge and Kinder Morgan Pipelines proposals; the
staggering number of LNG projects “on the books”; BC
Hydro’s Site C Dam proposal; the disappointing results of the
Provincial election ; and the return of the PST.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the many
campaigns, projects and events which took place in B.C. this
year, but all are newsworthy and in
some cases may even turn out to be
life-changing for some of our
members.
The OE’s stand on the validity and
process by which the LMOs were
issued to Temporary Foreign Workers
in Canada was instrumental in the Federal Government
dramatically modifying its foreign worker program. These
changes make it tougher for employers to bring foreign
workers into Canada when there are perfectly capable resources
available in the local workforce.
Under the new program rules, employees must pay a nonrefundable
processing fee of $275 per LMO for each position
requested—this fee was previously covered by taxpayers as
part of the government’s normal operations.
Employers are also now not permitted to make language
skills other than English or French a requirement of any job,
unless an employer is able to demonstrate that a third language
is an essential requirement for the job, and for certain agricultural
programs where languages other than English and
French are very common.
In addition to these changes, employers must go to greater
efforts to recruit Canadians before being eligible to apply for
Temporary Foreign Worker permits. All positions must be
advertised for at least four weeks on recognized job banks
before applying for an LMO, and the employer must also
continue to advertise the position throughout the LMO
process until a decision is made.
“If five of the ten proposed LNG
facilities move forward, the
province says that the cumulative
gross domestic product benefit
could stand at $1 trillion by 2046”
Lastly, there is a new application form for both higher and
lower skilled occupation classes. This new application form
includes a section specifically relating to the impact of
outsourcing Canadian jobs.
A negative LMO will be issued to the applicant if their
assessment indicates that hiring a temporary foreign worker
will have a negative impact on the Canadian labour market, or
if an employer has not complied with all of the program’s
newly-revised requirements.
The Enbridge and Kinder Morgan Pipeline proposals
remain mired in controversy and it will be interesting to see
what becomes of these megaprojects once the dust settles on
all the debate, public forums, environmental assessments and
the recent “deal” reached by both the B.C. and Alberta governments.
There is also little doubt that the “Feds” will weigh in
at some point.
Of the 10 LNG projects that have been proposed for the
north coast of British Columbia, three have received export
licences from the National Energy Board.
If five of the proposed facilities move forward, the province
says that the cumulative gross domestic product benefit could
stand at $1 trillion by 2046, and create
more than 100,000 new jobs and
subsequent government revenues.
Take a minute to think about those
numbers. Not a million dollars; not a
billion dollars; but up to one trillion
dollars’ worth of economic benefits to
this province and our membership by providing employment
opportunities and revenue investment for generations to
come. In fact, B.C.’s Minister of Natural Gas Development
Rich Coleman has often stated how the province’s current
LNG opportunity can be “generation changing” if they are
able to act on it quickly enough.
The Site C Clean Energy Project is a proposed third dam
and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River in
northeast B.C. The dam’ s Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) recently passed through, and there is a lot of local
support for this project amidst all the due diligence processes
it has and will continue to go through.
Hearings on the dam’s EIS will begin with an opening
session in Fort St. John on December 9, 2013, and are planned
to be completed in sometime in January 2014.
The Provincial election results, and the return of the PST;
well, there really isn’t much to say about these events, but we
should take time to reflect, reflect, reflect.
In closing, I wish each and every member and their family
a safe, happy and fulfilling holiday season. I look forward to
2014, as I believe the year will be one of the most promising
and momentous times in B.C.’s history.
12 News December 2013

Operating Engineers have done
themselves proud this year.
Rob Duff,
Organizing Representative
We are fast approaching the winter months! This time can
be hard on our members who work in camps, trying to deal
with project time lines and still make time to be with their
families over the Christmas holidays. For those of us that are
able to make this happen, enjoy the time off this holiday
season—we all know we never seem to get enough of it!
With the first phase of the
Kemano Backup Tunnel complete,
and all of the camp accommodations
in full demobilization stage, Kemano
will suddenly become a very quiet
place this winter.
Our members that worked in
Kemano during the project’s first phase should hold their
heads high; not only did they work in a very remote camp,
with long shifts and sometimes under tough working conditions,
they did it with the professionalism and “can do” attitude
that comes with being an Operating Engineer.
As for the project’s second phase, there has been no formal
announcement made regarding when it will ramp up. We are
hoping to hear something positive in early spring, and we
“They worked in a remote camp,
with long shifts and tough
conditions, with the professionalism
and attitude that comes with being
an Operating Engineer”
Union Organizing
would like to see the project provide the same good work to
many of our members that it has this past season.
The KMP site is still going strong, with completion scheduled
for sometime in 2015. With the bulk of the earth works
done our membership will now focus on the hoisting and
mechanical side of the project.
As my duties wind down for the Kitimat area projects and I
am able to refocus on organizing, I would like to say that
working with the membership on both these projects has been
a great learning experience, and that I have been fortunate to
make some good friends along the way.
On the organizing side Brother Bryan Railton and I would
like to welcome our new members
from Mctar Petroleum, located on
Rogers Avenue in Coquitlam. If you
drive by and see your newest fellow
Brothers and Sisters at work, give
them a honk!
To our members in the tower
crane industry, we are holding an industry meeting on December
15, 2013. We hope you are able to join us for what should
be an interesting discussion, and all the outcomes from the
meeting will be shared with those involved.
With the Christmas holidays fast approaching I would like
to remind everyone to drive safely as the frost and snow starts
to arrive, and I truly hope you all have a very Merry Christmas
and a happy New Year.
Dispatcher’s Report
Get yourself ready for
even more work in the
coming years.
Jim Flynn,
Dispatcher
I would like to start of my report by saying how encouraging
it has been to see that we had such a busy year. Most of our
work has been on large projects like Kemano and KMP in the
north, which looks set to only increase in the coming year.
In the valley, it has been another busy year on the South
Fraser Perimeter Road with most of the work scheduled to be
completed by the end of the year. The Highway 1 paving
upgrades have also provided our members with a lot of work
during 2013. Meanwhile, the Combo project in Langley is also
getting close to wrapped up.
We are all hopeful that the talked-about LNG projects will
start sometime in 2014, along with the plants and pipelines
that come with them. If these projects do start, it will mean
that our members should be kept very busy moving forward
into 2014 and for some years afterwards.
I would like to encourage all members to ensure they get
their safety tickets—this is required whenever an order is
placed, so don’t find yourself not working on a job you are
interested in just because you haven’t got your safety ticket.
The Training Association can advise you which tickets you
need and the best way to acquire the necessary training.
Also, remember to ensure that your contact information is
kept up to date with dispatch. If we don’t have the right phone
number it’s tough to call our members to fill orders!
As of November 19, 2013, the total number of dispatches
per district is:
District 1-604; District 2-62; District 3-200; District
4-600; District 5-50; District 6-158.
In closing, I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe
holiday season.
News December 2013 13

The crews at Vancouver Pile Driving are being kept busy with the Mission Bridge project. Shown are Brothers Chris Sweet,
Mitch Nishikihama, Bill Oleksiuk, Bob Sen, and Brad Openshaw.
14 News December 2013

Feature Article
Right to Work
Doing nothing to improve worker rights
Could we see the controversial U.S.-style “right to work’
laws come to Canada?
White Rock M.P. Russ Hiebert’s Bill C-377 isn’t the only
anti-worker legislation facing Canadian labour. There are
strong indications that Conservatives want to bring U.S.-style
‘right to work’ laws into Canada in the near future.
Of course, the name is misleading. There’s nothing in these
U.S. laws which guarantees or makes effort to improve or
grow opportunities to work… only the right to avoid paying
union dues for the services the organizations provide.
Both Ottawa area Conservative Minister Pierre Poilivere
and Ontario’s provincial Conservative Leader Tim Hudak
have recently expressed support for legislation to do away
with mandatory dues check-off in Canada. They want to scrap
the ‘Rand Formula’ which has been so important to trade
union development in Canada.
The ‘Rand Formula’ is an agreement between employers
and unions that was put in place in Canada
shortly after the 2nd World War. Following
a bitter and lengthy auto industry strike in
Windsor Ontario in 1946, Supreme Court
of Canada Justice Ivan Rand established
mandatory dues check-off as part of an
arbitrated settlement. The ‘Formula’ was subsequently
adopted in all provinces, and has been a valuable cornerstone
of Canadian labour law ever since.
The Rand decision basically says that all members of a
trade union should pay dues in exchange for the services it
recognizes that members receive from their trade union.
Rand rightly argued that collective bargaining, grievance
handling, benefits administration, pension administration,
and training benefits all members of a union, added to higher
wages and benefits. Rand therefore concluded that it’s only
fair and reasonable for all union members to pay for these
services which all members benefit from. His decision ultimately
directed that employers must deduct union dues from
each pay cheque and remit those funds to the union to keep
the agreements in place and the union functions viable.
Imagine what trade unions and unionized workplaces
would be like if this well-established mandatory dues check
“What they’re really talking
about is giving you the right
to work for less money”
Michigan’s recent approval of ‘Right to Work’ legislation created
awareness and opposition among labour unions and workers, which
they say will be felt by state leaders during the next voting polls.
off formula was eliminated.
All union members would continue to benefit from the
collective agreement—but individual members would be free
to decide whether or not they pay dues. Obviously some
members would decide not to pay (discreetly or openly, with
or without any valid reason).
That in turn would create “free riders”
who would continue to benefit personally
from the union contract without having
to pay for it, while unions would still have
an expensive obligation to represent and
provide for all members, paid-up or not. Imagine the tension,
conflict, and financial stress this would create in unions and
workplaces. Members still paying dues would greatly resent
those choosing not to, or simply join them.
Eliminating the Rand Formula is a deliberate recipe for
conflict in the workplace, disputes amongst employees, and
severe weakening or failure of their unions.
24 U.S. states have passed ‘Right to Work’ legislation despite
union boycotting and evidence proving its negative affects on
the working class. Even President Obama’s slamming of the
legislation has not deterred the union busters.
Canadian unionists need to stand together to ensure this
doesn’t get any traction. Members need to stay informed of its
growth and impact on our U.S. brothers and sisters, as well as
our own government’s attention and opinion on the issue.
The survival of the Canadian labour movement may
depend on it.
U.S. Pres. Barack Obama
“We must guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as ‘right to work.’ It is a law that robs us of our civil
rights and job rights. Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining by which
unions have improved wages and working conditions of everyone. Wherever these laws have been passed,
wages are lower, job opportunities are fewer and there are no civil rights.”
Martin Luther King, 1961
News December 2013 15

District Two
With work on the Island steady, we must
reinforce the importance of organizing.
Curtis Harold and Tim Cullen,
Member Representatives
Vancouver Island is waking up from the slumber after the
HCL Inland Island Highway project. But before we look
ahead, reflecting back on 2013 is a pleasing task.
The membership has had a steady year in most sectors.
Forestry continues to run at full-tilt, which has kept our shops
busy. Our civil contractors have been securing work and positioning
themselves for more to come, thanks to the
membership’s skill making sure the job is done right the first
by the time this article reaches you.
We would like to bring attention to the crew on Vancouver
Island at Brandt Tractor; they are in for yet another very
aggressive fight from the company during bargaining.
At the time of writing, the crew at Brandt has shown great
solidarity. They are aware of the need to stand together and
the importance of getting a collective agreement in place, and
not leave their futures up to “the Company’s sole discretion as
time and winning repeat business.
amended from time to time”. Try to stop
“When we talk to the
Paving had a slow start to the season,
and show support for the crew if you see
but once started the crews did an excellent
job on the many roads, bridges and embrace and educate them paths cross. We will keep you updated on
‘unorganized’ we must them at different sites or wherever your
subdivisions they worked on this year.
There is no comparison to our members’
highly skilled paving hands, thanks in no
on how to change the
conditions they are in”
how this goes!
The first phase of the Cape Scott Wind
Farm has been completed. Port Hardy
small part to their access to our Training Association’s facilities,
courses and people. Whenever we drive around this
island and our vehicle starts shaking on freshly laid asphalt,
we know that the non-union contractor is the likely culprit—
just look at the widening of the Malahat for an example of the
dire need for more training in some contractors’ ranks.
We have finished bargaining and ratified new agreements
with United Rentals and Victoria Materials Depot. Bargaining
with our utility and paving contractors will also be underway
Bulldozing, Advantage Crane, RKM Crane, United Rentals
and Trimac have all contributed to the project, which provided
some good work. Phase one saw 55 massive V100 Vestas
turbines go up, and more will be added during the project’s
second phase, slated for the new year. The procurement
process for more wind power projects on Vancouver Island is
already in the works.
Point Hope Maritime is continuing to deal with the hurdles
before them on the expansion of their facility. The dynamics
Upland Excavating crews working at the Campbell River quarry.
The Tayco Paving crew from Vancouver Island.
16 News December 2013

District Two
continue to shift in the right direction, but there is a lot of
work to still be done. The benefits to the employees and the
city as a whole thanks to the creation of jobs and economic
impact far outweigh the unrealistic individual political
concerns that only a few seem to have. If it comes down to it,
we will be letting the crew know of any lobbying efforts taking
place that require their attendance.
The announcement of the John Hart Dam award came just
days before this article, with SNC Lavalin the successful
proponent to design and build the new dam.
Our local contractors have been working with the team
involved in the bidding process, which should translate into
our membership being part of the build.
The project will construct a replacement water intake at the
John Hart Spillway Dam, replace the three 1.8 kilometre long
penstocks with a 2.1 kilometre long tunnel, construct a
replacement generating station beside the existing station,
and build a new water bypass facility. The existing station may
continue to operate during the construction phase, and then
incrementally transfer operations to the new facility during
the commissioning period.
We have discussed the particulars of jobs at our meetings
and earlier OE News editions, so the we would like to focus
this winter edition on our need to ”organize this Island” by
showing solidarity and educating the workforce.
Organizing is one of the most important parts of our Local,
while the Union is the conduit to make the organizing
campaign come together. We need the support of our
members, supplying key information like contact names and
phone numbers, to assist in our ongoing efforts. This is where
the organizer and our members collaborate to make the organizing
drive easier and more efficient, allowing us to organize
companies faster, and therefore bring about employee
improvements quicker.
Education and empowerment are key to propel our Local
forward in the years to come, as well as demonstrate to our
young current and future members how important the fight
for worker rights still is.
We cannot be complacent, especially now with so many
upcoming projects which can either organize, build up and
support workers for their future, or unfairly oppress and
diminish their worth if not fairly represented.
We do not want to watch our work on Vancouver Island go
to companies that are only concerned with short-term gains
while keeping their employees hungry with nothing for them
to look forward to or enjoy at the end of it all. When we talk to
the “unorganized” we must embrace and educate them on
how to change the conditions they are in.
The greater the number of members
The greater the voice of the membership
The greater the benefits achieved
The greater the benefits received
We would like to welcome Brother Todd Jones, who has
come on board as an Organizer and has already hit the ground
running by putting together the abovementioned organizing
material. Please make an effort to provide Todd with all the
information he needs to make more positive changes in
District 2. He can be reached through the Nanaimo office
contact details.
Thank you to all the members who make an effort to attend
the district meetings. For those of you who have not been able
to make it to one, we ask that in the coming year you come out
and get to know your Brothers and Sisters from other industries.
Networking leads to opportunities and solidarity, so if
you can make it to just one, you are making a difference.
We would like to wish you and your family a very safe and
happy holiday season, and all the best in the New Year.
The paving team in Trail. From
left to right: Devon Simister,
Lukas Robinson, Saun Kovinoff,
Devon Halpin, Lisa Wah,
Brady Zanussi, and Member
Representative Frank Carr.
News December 2013 17

District Three
A steady year of
work closes as
projects begin to
wrap up.
Brad Gerow,
Member Representative
Hello Brothers and Sisters.
Well, another construction season has come to an end. The
year has been a busy one in District 3, with construction and
mining leading the charge.
Firstly, 672462 B.C. Ltd. has been working on Highway 1
east of town through Pritchard, and has made some very good
progress on the job so far. They are
hoping the weather holds out for just
a few more weeks so that they can
work late into the season and right
through the winter, if possible.
Next, Dawson Construction has
also been paving in the area for the last couple of months,
trying to get all of their projects completed before the weather
slows progress. The road to Juniper Hills in Kamloops has
been an ongoing struggle, what with it being the only road in
and out of that part of town, but with the laying of the blacktop
it is coming together nicely and the crews have done a
great job getting this project done this year.
BA Dawson Blacktop has completed the work they had in
Salmon Arm and are, as I write, on the final push to get the
Tranquille Road work complete before the snow comes to
stay. Conex has had a good year with work on the Tk’emlúps
“They are hoping the weather
holds out so that they can work
late into the season and through
the winter if possible”
Reserve infrastructure, some work in downtown Kamloops
on some of the streets, and currently are busy at the Royal
Inland Hospital doing prep work for the new parkade off of
Columbia Street.
Emil Anderson is keeping busy in the Kelowna and Vernon
areas with paving around town and along Westside Road, as
well as some developments happening at the same time.
C.G.L has a lot of work in the Vernon area in the Hydro/
Telecom industry, and they look like they will have enough
work to keep them going through the winter this year as well.
In the crane industry it has been a good year in the area.
Sterling Crane has been going strong all year long with work
in and around Kamloops and Merritt. Meanwhile, Entrec has
been winding down up at the Highland Valley Copper Mill
Modernization Project at Logan Lake. Gwil has had a couple
of jobs in the Kelowna area with tilt up buildings, but not
much else is going on in that area for
them to get stuck into.
The shops in District 3 are keeping
busy with mining in the area growing.
Sales and building of the new and
used equipment, along with the transportation
of the equipment and materials to and from sites
being built or in full operation, has kept their work stable.
Bargaining activity has been steady as well; we have been
bargaining with Westlake Paving as well as Premium Truck
and Trailer in West Kelowna, and IRL in Vernon.
With the season coming to an end, please make sure you
come into your local office and ensure that you are booked
back in, and update any information that could have changed
throughout the season.
Have yourself a safe holiday season and we hope to see you
very soon.
The pipe crew working on the Pritchard Highway 1
project, with Sister Jessica Nicolson behind the controls
of the Cat 345D.
18 News December 2013

Everyone has had their fair share of work,
which will get better through organizing.
Herb Conat and Wayne Kemp,
Member Representatives
District Four
Winter is here and the snow will be putting out our backs
soon! Although work in District 4 was steady, the construction
sector wasn’t as busy this year as anticipated.
Emil Anderson Construction is still moving rock in Prince
Rupert at the Ridley Island Expansion, and this year Adventure
Paving completed some rock work for CN as well.
The Kitimat Modernization Project
site has changed dramatically over the
last year, and their infrastructure is
progressing well. Integrated Contractors
has been one company able to
maintain a steady workforce at the
KMP site and throughout the area, which has been a challenge
for many other contractors.
And there are many contractors to speak of; Kentron
Construction is supplying concrete, Western Industrial
Contractors had a successful season on site, and the crane
rental companies, including Sterling Crane and Entrec, have
provided cranes and operators as well, which has kept many of
our Brothers and Sisters employed this year.
NCSG Crane & Heavy Haul Services (which has successfully
supplied cranes and operators to Red Chris Mines) have
also recently set up a branch in Terrace, and they will be
“With all the proposed work
scheduled in northern B.C., our
organizers will be kept busy,
and we need your help”
looking for work at KMP as well as the Pacific Northwest.
Although the paving season out west was busy, it was not a
banner year. The paving contractors providing employment
for OE members are unfortunately constantly competing
against the non-unionized and rat contractors. We must
continue to organize the unorganized! The more members we
have working for unionized contractors,
the better the future will look for
these workers and our Union.
Columbia Bitulithic has been busy
with the Prince George City contract
among their other projects during the
year, while the YCS group of companies have been working on
highway jobs around the Prince George and Quesnel areas.
Western Industrial Contractors held their final ribbon
cutting ceremony on Boundary Road in November; all
involved breathed a big sigh of relief, as this job was a long
time coming, especially with the unforeseen issues they had to
deal with such as the “sacred frogs”, long periods of rain, and
many tons of clay that needed to be removed.
Although the mining sector remains unstable, what with
volatile commodity prices and wary investors, currently there
are more than 20 mines in various stages of development. The
The Sterling Crane crew working in Prince George.
News December 2013 19

District Four
growing uncertainty and risk that seems to be affecting the
industry seems to be causing the smaller mines to be overlooked
by the larger mining corporations.
Over the past eight years or so we all know that the mountain
pine beetle has devoured most of the pine tree stock in
the North. Although devastating at the time, that pine beetle
damaged wood is now being used as a green energy source, by
powering new bio-energy power projects, which will sell electricity
into the BC Hydro grid. Integrated Contractors has a
large job ahead of them with Conifex in Mackenzie to install a
bio-energy plant, and the crew should be there for most of
next year. This is a great example of looking at making the
most of our renewable resources, whatever they are or wherever
they may come from.
Formula Contractors are still working up at Forrest Kerr on
their Hydro run of the river project, and is hoping to be
successful in securing some tenders at the Line Creek Mine in
Sparwood next year.
With all the work that is being proposed and scheduled in
northern B.C. for the next 10 years, our organizers will be kept
busy, and we need your help. That includes letting us know if
you know of anyone working with and talking to non-union
crew members who know about the benefits of belonging to
the Operating Engineers Local 115 (as well as doing this yourself
whenever you can).
By encouraging new members you are not only improving
their working conditions, you are helping to secure your own
future by growing the organization.
In closing, the staff in District 4 would like to welcome all
the new members and say thank you to all the Shop Stewards,
Safety Reps, and their spouses for the endless hours of hard
work and dedication they show on behalf of the local union
and its Brothers and Sisters.
We would also like to wish all members and their families a
safe, prosperous and healthy 2014.
Out and about with the staff and trainees at Local 115’s Maple Ridge Training Facility.
20 News December 2013

2013 has set the stage
for large projects in
the coming year.
Mike Spiruda,
Member Representative
As I reflect on the past year, Local 115 has battled on many
fronts in order to secure a better future for our membership
and Canadians alike.
2013 began in a Supreme Court of Canada clash as local
115 challenged the Federal Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW)
program and HD Mining, who were on the verge of bringing
in over 200 Chinese workers to fill job vacancies that Canadians
had applied for and were fully capable of handling in
Tumbler Ridge B.C.
By Spring, the Federal Government had
fast-tracked changes to the TFW program,
such as: the elimination of the provision
which allowed employers to pay TFW’s 15
per cent less that the going rate; requiring employers to prove
that they have made every effort to fill jobs with Canadians
before applying for a Labour Market Opinion and TFW
employment permit; language restrictions that will only allow
English and French to be formal job requirements; and the
employer must now pay a fee of $275 for each TFW permit.
This dispute gathered notable media attention right across
the country and we have clearly exposed the flaws in the
system, and some employers are starting to recruit more
Canadians from eastern provinces.
We entered into Mainline Pipeline negotiations with the
Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada (PLCAC) back in
January. All went relatively well, and we secured a three per
cent increase in each year for the five year contract duration.
However, we hit a snag in April as the U.A., Teamsters and
“The northeast region and
province as a whole have a
very favourable future”
District Five
Labourers had previously signed off on replacing double time
in Western Canada to be paid after working 12 hours per day,
instead of leaving it at double time after 10 hours.
Needless to say, we disagreed. We stood our ground and
took the matter to arbitration on October 16. Unfortunately,
arbitrator Vince Ready ruled in favour of the PLCAC.
The final round of public hearings regarding the $8 billion
Site C Hydro Dam begin on December 9 and should wrap up
on January 23, 2014 in Fort St John. This was after a federal
review panel determined in mid-November that BC Hydro’s
Environmental Impact Statement was good enough for the
project to enter this next phase. The Joint Review Panel will
render their decision after they have analyzed that
information.
The National Energy Board Joint Review Panel will also
release their findings into Enbridge’s $6.5 billion Northern
Gateway Pipeline project this month. It will be interesting to
see their conclusion, along with what could be numerous
conditions attached.
All of the proposed Liquefied Natural
Gas (LNG) projects remain a priority for
the Provincial Government. We still need
a firm commitment from the energy
producers, something B.C.’s leaders seem to be struggling to
get, before we can start planning around what these massive
projects will bring to our members and the province. Still,
overall the northeast region and Province as a whole have a
very favourable future due to confirmed resource projects in
Oil and Gas, Pipelines, LNG, Hydro, Mining, and others.
In case you are not aware, the Dawson Creek membership
meetings have moved their location to the George Dawson
Inn, and take place the second Tuesday of even-numbered
months at 7:30pm.
In closing I would like to say thank you to all Job Stewards—your
work is greatly appreciated! I wish everyone a
healthy and prosperous 2014, along with a couple of firm
megaproject announcements.
Enjoy a safe and festive holiday season.
Brother Travis Ofukany working on the Pritchard Highway 1 project.
Brothers from the recent Black Creek meeting.
News December 2013 21

District Six
Large projects forge
ahead, with more to
come.
Brian Lefebvre,
Member Representative
As of writing this article, Teck’s Line Creek Mine operations
has officially been granted all of the required permits
from the provincial government, which allows an extension to
the coal mine’s existing operation. This means up to another
100 employees working on the property, and at least an additional
15 years of life breathed into the mine. This is great
news for our members and the entire Elk Valley.
Staying with Line Creek, the membership
is well on its way preparing for our
next session of bargaining. Proposal sheets
were sent out to members, and they
recently voted on who would represent
them on the Bargaining Committee. This
committee is subsequently comprised of:
Maintenance
Guy Busato
Darren Ferrarelli
Plant Operations
Tony Aquilla
Mine Operations
Kyle LaBoucane
Bob Timmerman
Congratulations on their successful election. The committee
will be meeting shortly to review the membership
proposals, and refining them into a comprehensive document
which will be presented to Line Creek in early 2014.
The Waneta Dam Expansion project is moving along as
scheduled. There is still plenty of crane activity going on in
the powerhouse, tailrace and intake, and Emil Anderson is
crewing up once again to prepare for the removal of the intake
and tailrace plugs. A lot of praise has been given to our
membership by the management of ASL/JV (Aecon and SNC
Lavalin) with regards to the ability and level of expertise that
they show on the site every day.
Recently we received word that ASL/JV was also the
successful proponent of the design/build phases of the John
Hart Dam on Vancouver Island. This project will be done
under some sort of Project Labour Agreement I believe,
similar to the Allied Hydro/Columbia Hydro agreement. This
22 News December 2013
“Sometimes when projects
are announced, it creates a
euphoria that sweeps
across our members”
will once again be an opportunity for the Building Trades’ to
show BC Hydro the advantages of entering into their PLAs.
This will also be a great opportunity for our membership
on the island, as a project like this should typically provide
man-hours of work for three to five years.
Sometimes when projects like the John Hart Dam and the
Waneta Expansion Project are announced, it creates a euphoria
that sweeps across our members, and the members of
other Building Trade Unions that “everyone is going to work
at the dam”. While optimism and enthusiasm is good and
expected, this isn’t necessarily the case.
These projects will surely create opportunities for members,
but often project reality does not meet the expectations of the
membership. So keep your options open, don’t count on any
one project to provide you with work, and if you do have the
opportunity to work at these projects be cognizant of the
opportunity you have, and don’t waste it.
During upcoming bargaining in early
2014, in addition to the Line Creek agreement
we will be reviewing contracts for
the Owner Operators and Maintenance
Employees of H.M. Trimble and Sons
(1983) Ltd (Trimac Transportation). Both
the Owner Operators and Maintenance Employees will
receive proposal sheets shortly, or have them already.
In closing, I would like to wish you and yours a safe and
prosperous holiday season. Please also remember those who
are less fortunate at this time of year, and donate to your local
food bank.
All the best in 2014.
Brother Dominic Lastoria running a 275 tonne crane on the Waneta
Dam Expansion Project.

We should never stop
appreciating our
members and their
hard work.
Rob Foskett,
Member Representative
As we come to the end of 2013, a recap paints the year as
one that was very exciting—full of twists, turns, ups, and
downs—and that was just on Highway 3!
We’ve accomplished great strides and dealt with numerous
challenges in our District this year, which I would like to
touch on as we close off the year.
At Columbia River Reload we agreed
on new shift language that allows our
members working there a much more
family-oriented lifestyle.
Our collective bargaining with the
Village of New Denver is also coming along very well, and I
have faith that it will continue this way along the road to ratifying
the next collective agreement.
This year saw the unfortunate closing of the mechanical
department of the Sparwood branch of Wajax industries,
dispersing the mechanics to other contractors.
SMS Equipment moved into their new, larger facility in
October, and we’re closing in on a year with their new Union/
Management Committee. This new Committee has changed
the dynamics of our relationship with SMS, and has witnessed
an enormous turnover in management in their company in a
“Thank you to the Stewards
with their explanations of their
company histories and specific
language clarification”
District Six
very short period of time which we have had to navigate
through in our discussions and negotiations.
Maxam Explosives meanwhile has seemed to weather the
storm with respect to the downsizing of orders from Teck
coal, and has managed to keep the bulk of our members
working steadily.
The Waneta Dam expansion project has been the biggest
construction project in our district for over a year, and being
that this is the first hydro project that I had been exposed to, I
find it extremely interesting. Bob French, our Steward on the
Waneta site, has been very patient answering all the questions
that I have asked as the project moves from one exciting stage
to another.
As a matter of fact, I would like to express my appreciation
to all the Shop Stewards I have relied upon this year, who have
gone above and beyond the call of duty
with valuable explanations of their
company histories and specific language
clarification. Thank you very much for
helping me help you; you paint a very
clear picture of the five W’s!
I’ve met a tremendous amount of people this year, and have
formed some very good relationships with members that I
otherwise would not have enjoyed.
I would also like to extend my greatest thanks to all that
have helped guide me over the past year. The seemingly
endless amount of knowledge made available to me has
certainly been, and will continue to be greatly appreciated.
That’s right; I am not finished bothering you yet!
In closing, I want to wish all of our members and their
families a safe and happy holiday season, and all the best in
the new year!
Brother Casey Jones stands in front of one of
Mainland’s loaders.
Brothers Jake Wolf and Dean McGladdery assist mechanics at Mainland Sand and Gravel.
News December 2013 23

Benefits Plan
We need to tighten
our belts to keep
enjoying our good
benefits.
Shawn Hatch,
Administrator
PBC Member Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who took time to complete the
Pacific Blue Cross Member Survey we sent out earlier this
year. We are please to say that over 82 per cent of members
expressed an overall “satisfied” or “very satisfied” opinion.
The survey data are shown in the graph below.
With the change to PBC, the Operating Engineers’ Benefits
Plan office continues to maintain your enrollment records.
However, we do not maintain your claims information.
Members who have questions regarding their claims are
reminded to call or fax the following Pacific Blue Cross
numbers for claims questions:
Extended Health Phone: 604-419-2600
Fax: 604- 419-2601
Dental Claims Phone: 604-419-2300
Fax: 604-419-2399
CARESnet
Less than 30 per cent of our members have enrolled on
CARESnet. We urge everyone to register on CARESnet as an
easy way to administer claim information as well as access
valuable plan information. Go to www.pac.bluecross.ca for
details and to:
• See what you are covered for
• See how much is remaining for a benefit
• Register for direct deposit of claim payments and online
statements
• Download an ID card or claims forms
• Submit claims for massage, physiotherapy, chiropractor
and vision care online
• Access general plan information
Time To Tighten Our Collective Belt
Once again we will be facing an MSP premium increase of
4 per cent effective January 1, 2014. Also, drug claims paid
over the year are up dramatically from the previous year. We
all can benefit if members do what they can to help manage
these rising costs, so here are a few suggestions.
MSP Premium Assistance
If your net income is under $30,000 you are eligible for
premium assistance. Call 604-683-7520 or toll-free 1-877-
955-5656 or visit www.hibc.gov.bc.ca for more information.
Shop Around For Your Prescriptions
Speak to your doctor about generic medicine alternatives
to see if they are right for you. In many cases significant
savings can be realized by opting for a generic alternative,
which is just as safe and effective as any other medicine.
Also check into the dispensing fees and manufacturer’s
mark-up your pharmacy is charging. For members who have
shopping options, you will discover that these charges vary
quite a bit from pharmacy to pharmacy.
50%
40%
30%
Pacific Blue Cross Satisfaction Survey
Results from the Pacific Blue
Cross Member Satisfaction
Survey show that over 82 per
cent of members are either
satisfied, or very satisfied
with the services offered by
our new health care benefits
provider.
20%
10%
0%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied
24 News December 2013

Benefits Plan
Pharmacy Dispensing Fees & Mark-Ups
$12
25%
$10
20%
$8
15%
$6
10%
$4
$2
5%
$0
0%
Dispensing Fees
Markup
This graph compares which popular pharmacies have the highest medicine dispensing fees (blue column) as at the end of 2013,
as well as how much each pharmacy has marked up their medicines in the last three years (red column). With rising medicine
costs, consider these numbers the next time you refill your prescription or buy your medicine, and insist on generic brands.
As a guideline, Pacific Blue Cross has provided us with the
average medicine dispensing fees charged by popular pharmacies
for the rolling year ending June 2013, as well as their
average mark-up percentages for the top 30 paid drugs over
the past three years, shown in the chart above.
To find your best price, Pacific Blue Cross has a useful
“Pharmacy Compass” tool which locates the best pharmacy
deal near you, available at www.pharmacycompass.ca.
Special Authority Drug Subsidy
If your doctor is prescribing a Special Authority Drug you
may be eligible for a PharmaCare subsidy. To qualify for the
subsidy you must register with PharmaCare online at www.
health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare or by phone at 604-683-7151
(toll-free at 1 800 663-7100).
If you are, or may be using a Special Authority Drug, speak
to your doctor to request that he or she apply to PharmaCare
for Special Authority on your behalf. A decision letter will
then be sent to your doctor by PharmaCare.
Once you have received it from your doctor, you must
provide Pacific Blue Cross with a copy of that letter (even if
the application is denied).
Weekly Disability Benefit & EI Registration for Self-
Employed Members
Self-employed and Owner Operators please note; effective
from January 1, 2014, if you are eligible but have not registered
and have not been contributing to Employment
Insurance at the time of any disability claim, you will be
disqualified from receiving weekly disability benefits for the
15 week EI sick benefit carve out.
Certain self-employed members are now eligible to register
for Employment Insurance Special Benefits. Full details are
available from Service Canada at www.servicecanada.gc.ca
under their “Employment Insurance Special Benefits for Self-
Employed People” section. You can also call their help line on
1-800-622-6232.
Remember that you must contribute to EI for at least one
year before becoming eligible for EI Special Benefits (15 weeks
maximum sick benefits).
If you have not contributed for one full year the Operating
Engineers’ Benefits Plan will waive the 15 week EI Sick Benefits
carve out, and continue paying you weekly disability
benefits, provided you submit evidence of registration for EI
Special Benefits.
News December 2013 25

Feature Article
Unions Across Canada
A brief history of who we are
We sometimes forget, or simply have not been exposed to
the basic history and importance of unions in Canada. Why
were they formed? Who did they serve? What different union
bodies are there? What are the benefits of being a unionized
worker? This feature clearly discusses these questions and
reminds us all of the important part we play in the country’s
workforce as organized, skilled union members.
by Dr. Brendan Sweeney, McMaster University
Unions have played an important role in Canada for over
100 years. While they originally consisted primarily of skilled
craftsmen important to life in the 19th century—like black
smiths, barrel makers, printers, and brewers—today’s unions
represent a diverse group of
workers. Teachers, nurses, miners,
auto workers, police officers, fire
fighters, university and college
professors, and NHL players are
members of today’s unions. In
fact, almost one-third of all workers in Canada are members
of unions.
What do unions do?
Once a majority of workers in a given workplace or industry
decide that they want to be represented by a particular
union (often through a secret ballot vote), that union takes on
several functions.
The first is to negotiate agreements with employers that
“Teachers, nurses, miners, auto workers,
police officers, fire fighters, university
and college professors, and NHL
players are members of today’s unions”
outline the terms and con ditions of employment, including
wages, benefits, hours of work, and health and safety regulations.
This happens through a process of collective bargaining,
and the result is a legal contract called a collective agreement.
These agreements generally last from three to five years,
although longer and shorter contracts are not uncommon. In
instances where the employer and the union do not agree on
specific issues, media tors, conciliators, and arbitrators may be
brought in to help. In some cases, the two par ties may reach
an impasse, which may be followed by a work stoppage.
There are two main types of work stoppages: a strike (where
workers refuse to go to work) and a lockout (where the
employer refuses to allow employees to work). Strikes and
lockouts were much more common in the 1970’s and 1980’s,
however, the vast majority of
collective agreements in Canada
are negotiated without a day lost
to a work stoppage.
Another important function of
unions is to manage conflict and
disagreement in the workplace. This often comes in the form
of grievances, which happen when one party alleges that the
other has contravened a rule in the collective agreement.
Union representatives and managers then follow a process
that helps them come to a fair resolution and ensures that the
grievance does not disrupt the efficient operation of the
workplace.
In some very serious cases, grievances may by referred to a
mediator or an arbitrator, who make (or help make) a solution
26 News December 2013

Feature Article
based on the law, the collective agreement, previous arbitration
decisions, and what is best for the workplace.
Unions may also play a significant role in joint union
management committees. These committees are designed to
bring together workers and managers to solve problems in the
workplace. Some common issues
that these committees might work
to address in clude health and
safety, gender and equity issues,
and improving workplace
productivity.
Finally, unions play an important role in our political
system. Many unions have historically allied with the New
Democratic Party; however,several have begun to support a
variety of political parties at provincial and federal levels.
These unions may lobby gov ernment for changes to the law
and policies in order to help support specific industries, to
ensure that there is adequate funding for the sectors in which
their members work, and to help working Canadians improve
their health, wellbeing, and standard of living.
Where did Canada’s first unions come from?
Canada’s first unions emerged around the time of Confederation.
The majority of their members were highly skilled
craftsmen. These unions sought to protect their members
against competition from employers that cut costs by treating
employees poorly through the use of child labour, and from
being made redundant by new technologies. They also provided
members with basic assurances of health care and funeral
“Unions and employers were required
to bargain ‘in good faith’– in other
words, with the honest intent to achieve
a fair and reasonable agreement”
benefits (an early form of life insurance), and provided opportunities
for socialization, fraternization, and recreation.
However, these unions were very exclusive and seldom open
to women or anyone who was not of British and later Irish,
French, or German descent.
In response to the exclusionary
practices of these unions and the
emerging system of industrial
production in late 19th and early
20th century Canada, new, more
inclusive workers’ organizations
emerged. Two of the most famous of these were the Knights of
Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World.
These unions had male and female members from diverse
ethnic backgrounds. They also fought for basic rights and
freedoms for workers through political channels and promoted
the dignity of all types of work. Although they were
relatively short-lived, they helped establish some of Canada’s
first labour laws, provided a legitimate voice for the working
classes, and paved the way for a more inclusive labour
movement.
The modern unions that exist today were established
towards the end of World War II. Following the lead of the
United States, which legitimized unions in 1935, Canada
enacted a law in 1944 that allowed workers to freely join
unions and compelled employers to bargain with that union.
Moreover, unions and employers were required to bargain
‘in good faith’, or in other words, with the honest intent to
achieve a fair and reasonable agreement within the confines of
News December 2013 27

Feature Article
Unions Across Canada
A brief history of who we are
the law that would minimize strikes, lockouts, and other work
stoppages, and help establish productive and healthy workplaces.
This is often referred to as the ‘post-war compromise’
between employers and workers. During the late 1940s and
1950s, workers in Canada’s steel, automotive, mining, forest
products, freight transportation, and construction industries
joined unions in record numbers.
Two decades later, the federal and provincial governments
adopted legislation that gave public sector workers the right to
join unions. Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s federal,
provincial, and municipal government employees, public
school teachers, nurses and other
health care workers, university
and college professors, police officers,
fire fighters, and social
services workers began to form
unions. The proportion of workers
unionized in Canada grew rapidly during this time, and
reached a peak in the early 1980s.
What types of Unions exist in Canada?
Today, three main types of unions exist in Canada. The first
group represents workers employed in the private sector
(businesses that provide goods and services for a profit). Some
of the biggest private sector unions in Canada include the
United Steelworkers (USW), the United Food and Commercial
Workers (UFCW), and UNIFOR, a new union formed by
a merger of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and the
Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers (CEP). These
unions negotiate collective agreements in individual workplaces,
although in many cases they work hard to ensure that
wages and working conditions are similar across specific
industries. The members of these unions carry out a wide
variety of jobs and have an even wider variety of skills.
The second group of unions represents workers employed
in the public sector (government workers or workers employed
by organizations that rely on government funding). Unlike
the private sector, work in the public sector is geared towards
providing important services for the public good, like schools,
hospitals, and power plants. The Canadian Union of Public
Employees (CUPE) and the Public Service Alliance of
Canada (PSAC) are two of the largest public sector unions in
Canada.
These unions often represent specific professions, like
teachers, nurses, police officers, and fire fighters, or they may
represent groups of workers employed by a specific branch of
“Unions can be helpful in accessing
work and training, ensuring that workers
receive fair wages and benefits, and
providing a voice for working peoples.”
the government (like Revenue Canada or provincial Ministries
of Transportation). Because funding for their employers
comes primarily from taxes, and the services they provide are
so important to the public, their relationships with their
employers often make the news. These unions negotiate
contracts directly with employers (e.g. school boards), but
also play an important role in protecting and improving public
services more broadly.
The third group represents workers in a specific trade or
occupation. They are often referred to as building and
construction trade unions, and include electricians, elevator
technicians, plumbers and pipefitters,
and heavy equipment
operators (such as the IUOE).
The members of these unions
are often found working on large
construction projects, such as
highways, airports, mines, and factories. They also perform
maintenance and repair work on large buildings and important
infrastructure. However, there are also several trade
unions that represent workers outside of the construction
industry, such as the actors’, musicians’, and screen writers’
associations.
In addition to negotiating on behalf of their members,
trade unions play an instrumental role in training workers
(often through apprenticeships), ensuring that their members’
skills are up-to-date, and in working with employers to ensure
that there are job opportunities for their members.
Joining or becoming involved with a union is an important
decision for young workers. Unions can be helpful in accessing
work and training, ensuring workers receive fair wages
and benefits, and providing a voice for working peoples.
Many unions, particularly those working in northern
resource and infrastructure projects, have also begun to
develop relationships with local Aboriginal groups to help
improve employment and training prospects and minimize
the impact of development. For example, at one mine in
Labrador, the union and employer negotiated clauses that
made Inuit and Innu dialects official languages in the workplace
and established National Aboriginal Day as a paid
holiday.
So don’t be afraid to ask questions or discuss these issues
with co-workers and union representatives if given the opportunity.
There are millions of Canadians who are happy that
they did.
28 News December 2013

Accreditation proves
your Training Centre is
the best in B.C.
Brad Randall,
Training Administrator
Hello again to all our members.
Training Programs
2013 was another fantastic year for Operating Engineers.
Currently we have over 480 apprentices and trainees, and are
looking forward to another very busy year at our training site.
Starting in January we will be providing our regular Plant
Operator, Grader Operator, Asphalt Laydown Technician,
Level 2 Mobile Crane, and our 12-week Heavy Equipment
Operator course. We also have several grades and stakes
courses planned for Prince George and Terrace, and will
continue to provide on-the-job training for our members and
contractors whenever it is needed.
As you may have read and heard, the amount of trade work
in the province continues to grow at a rapid rate. Not only
have projects in the Greater Vancouver region put pressure on
the supply of skilled crane operators, but large inland and
northern B.C. projects will create even more demand for what
is now a scarce and valued skill.
Our training center simply cannot keep up with the demand
for crane operators across the province. In fact, the IUOE
Local 115 in the past have typically had around 50 to 60 crane
Training Association
apprentices on various jobs across B.C. at any one point in
time—today, we have over 90 apprentices working full-time,
with still more needed.
To address this problem and ensure we continue to deliver
quality training to all our students, the Local 115 Training
Association has recently hired Mark McGregor as a full time
Mobile Crane Instructor. Mark brings with him decades of
crane operating and instructing experience, and has been a
member of the Operating Engineers for over 30 years.
Welcome to the team Mark, and we look forward to many
successes for you and your students as part of the Local 115
Training Association.
Our current instructor, Brother Rick Anderson, has also
been off work due to an illness. We wish Rick well for a speedy
recovery and look forward to his return to work. I would like
to take this opportunity to thank Brother Gordon Lindberg
for stepping in and instructing our Mobile Crane class while
Rick has been off.
Course Accreditation
We are proud to say that the IUOE Local 115 Training
Association’s (OETA) training center in Maple Ridge has, over
many years, firmly established itself as the best heavy equipment
training center in B.C. We are not the only ones who
believe this; for the last five years the OETA has met the
highest educational standards set by the Private Career Training
Institutions Agency (PCTIA).
Established in 2004, the PCTIA sets educational standards
for registered private career training institutions in B.C. Any
institution offering a career training program with tuition fees
of $1,000 or more and lasting at least 40 hours in duration is
required by law to register and adhere to their strict educa-
A delegation of Training Directors from the Building Trades recently met with
Minister of Advanced Education, Amrik Virk, to discuss improving the province’s
training opportunities. Seen L-R are Dean Homewood, Derek Dinzey, Minister Amrik
Virk, BCBT Executive Director Tom Sigurdson, OETA Administrator Brad Randall, Jim
Paquette, and Andy Cleven.
Brother Dean Bertlin being presented with his Mobile
Crane Operator – Lattice Boom Friction BC Certificate
of Qualification with Interprovincial Red Seal Endorsement
by Brothers Brad Randall (Administrator) and
Frank Carr (Members Representative). Dean served his
apprenticeship with Fraser River Pile & Dredge.
News December 2013 29

Training Association
tional standards.
In addition to mandatory registration and basic educational
standards compliance, PCTIA also developed an even
higher standard, specifically for private career training institutions—the
“Standard of Accreditation”.
This accreditation is based on criteria that enable private
career training institutions in B.C. to qualify for financial
support programs from StudentAid BC and the EQA (Education
Quality Assurance). To achieve accreditation, institutions
must maintain a quality standard well above PCTIA’s basic
education benchmark.
Your Training Association, the OETA, meets the more
stringent of these standards – the full Standard of Accreditation
criteria – and has so for many years. The Association
originally applied for and received full PCTIA Standard of
Accreditation in 2007 and has successfully passed annual
audits conducted by PCTIA since that time.
The PCTIA review is comprehensive; their auditors review
everything from the Association’s administration, its policies
and procedures, program development and delivery, facilities,
equipment, instructor qualifications and upgrading, and
student related benefits and issues.
For 2013, being our 5th year of our accreditation status, we
are required to complete an even more extensive review of our
institution to ensure it is compliant, and continues to offer the
best training methods and facilities to students. This review is
underway and we look forward to PCTIA’s positive results.
The advantages of accreditation are far-reaching and
important to both the union and the Association:
• Province-wide recognition as an accredited training
institution assists the OETA in marketing its programs to
all interested partners, whether they are individuals,
groups, or corporate entities located across the Metro
Vancouver area or rural regions of BC.
• Accreditation provides assurance that the Association’s
corporate sponsored training (such as First Nations
training in the North) is of the highest standard. It also
assures current and future members that the Association’s
training is always current, relevant, and recognized
by employers and professional training bodies.
• Accreditation is a requirement for training programs
recognized or financially supported by government organizations,
such as the Industry Training Authority
(apprenticeship programs), and Worksafe BC and
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
(worker retraining).
The Accreditation status also allows potential members to
access various student loan programs to ease the costs of
training as well as time taken off work.
The Association also benefits from professional accreditation,
and these can be seen at many different levels within the
organization:
• All OETA instructional staff are B.C. certified under the
Provincial Instructors Diploma certification program.
• Comprehensive student policies, procedures and expectations
have been organized into a handbook facilitating
a clear application process, and addresses student expectations
and the reporting structure.
• All program outlines, learning materials and student
handouts have been formalized into professional standard
resources.
Mobile Crane Common Core class are (L-R) Brothers Sam Sztuhar, Steve Taylor, Matt
Cooper, Darrin Vendt, Cody Jackson and Craig Gallagher. Not pictured is Brother
Gordon Lindberg (Instructor).
Brother John Mackie being presented with his Mobile
Crane Operator – Lattice Boom Friction BC Certificate
of Qualification with Interprovincial Red Seal Endorsement
by Brothers Brad Randall (OETA Administrator)
and Frank Carr (Members Representative). John served
his apprenticeship with Fraser River Pile & Dredge.
30 News December 2013

Training Association
Making up our latest Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) class are (L-R)
Brothers Robyn Bishop (instructor), James Petty, Kyle Klaver, Wayne
Schiller (top), Jeff Warkentin, Travis Woolford, Adam Routledge (top),
Nolan Versendaal, and Katherine Bandet (not shown).
Brother Mitchell Loor being presented with his Heavy Equipment
Operator (HEO) B.C. Certificate of Qualification from Tom Kinnear
(Training Coordinator). Mitch served his apprenticeship at Gemco.
Brothers Robyn Bishop (Instructor), Ken Ahner, Kevin Vandermeer,
Gordon Swindells, Evan Moffett, Brian Koch, Nick Nociar, Brad Stokes,
Darren Benson, Ian Wolters and Brad Randall (Administrator). Members
from Gemco Construction and Grenbelt Excavating attended a
Heavy Equipment Operator refresher course at the training site on
Sunday to prepare to challenge the HEO exam the following week for
their HEO B.C. Certificate of Qualification.
Brothers Brent Daggitt, Dave Uptall, and Rico Salema working for
Geopac on their soil densification project in Richmond.
News December 2013 31

Training Association
• Evaluation and certification processes have been standardized
and meet Provincial standards for quality,
privacy, comprehensiveness and data storage and retrieval
requirements.
• Required annual staff reviews have led to an overall
improvement in performance, communication and
teamwork. Professional development time along with
increased industry contact has enabled OETA instructors
to remain up to date with the latest industry
developments and training techniques.
• Provincial Program Advisory Committees have been
establish to assist the Association in ascertaining future
equipment needs, training direction, skill shortages and
employment needs.
If you have not visited the training center, attended the
annual open house or viewed our website (http://iuoe115.
com/training/), this is your invitation to get to know us and
visit the best equipment training center in the Province.
Tool Allowance
The Operating Engineers Tool Allowance provides reimbursements
for tool expenditures for Heavy Duty Mechanics,
Servicemen, Millwrights and Welders who are working for
contributing contractors.
To qualify, you must be a member in good standing,
dispatched in the trade in which you are applying for and have
worked a minimum of 250 hours between September 1, 2012
and August 31, 2013 for an employer who contributed to this
fund.
Applications were sent out to qualifying members in the
first week of October, and the deadline for submissions is
December 31, 2013. If you qualify for this allowance but have
not received your application, or have any questions, please
contact the Training Association at (604) 299-7764.
Annual Pensioners Banquet
As a Trustee of both your Pension and Benefits Plans, I had
the pleasure of attending the 2013 Annual Pensioners Banquet
in September, held at the Italian Cultural Centre in
Vancouver.
It was great to see the retirees, having contributed so much
to the organization over the years, enjoying their hard-earned
pensions, getting together with old work mates and reminiscing
about jobs they worked on in the past. Once again the staff
did a great job organizing this enjoyable annual event.
On behalf of the Training Association staff and your Board
of Trustees, I would like to wish all of the membership and
their families a very merry Christmas and a healthy, safe and
prosperous new year.
(Left) Brother Rico Salema receives his Certificate of Apprenticeship and Red Seal Certificate
of Qualification in Mobile Crane Operator Lattice Boom Friction from Brother
Tom Kinnear (Training Coordinator). Rico is working for Geopac and served various
apprenticeships. (Right) Brother Brent Daggitt being presented with his Heavy Equipment
Operator BC Certificate of Qualification. Brent is working for Geopac doing ground
densification in Richmond.
Brother Terry Burgess being presented with his
Heavy Duty Mechanics B.C. Certificate of Qualification
with Red Seal endorsement by Brother Jeff
Gorham (OETA Training Coordinator). Terry served
his apprenticeship working for Pollard Equipment.
32 News December 2013

Member Profile
Union Brothers - Literally!
How Ed & Marcel Dupuis built BC with IUOE Local 115
Legions of workers claim that being a member of a union
is somewhat like being a member of a family. With 132
combined years of OE Local 115 membership shared equally
between them, Brothers Ed and Marcel Dupuis understand
this better than anyone.
Early days on the Saskatchewan farm
Growing up among 14 siblings on the Saskatchewan prairies
during the Great Depression, the brothers experienced
the full range of 20th century Canadian life: the hardship of
extreme poverty, the trauma of war
and the union-led post-war construction
boom that turned B.C. from a
largely 19th century backwater into
the modern place it is today.
Ed Dupuis, now 93, came to B.C. in
the early 1930’s with Marcel, now 85,
arriving a few years later.
“We were from a farming family.
My dad had a tractor, but everything
else we did we used horses,” Ed says.
“But we learned to do a bit of everything
to keep the farm going. We were
all pretty mechanically minded
(which, he says, provided the impetus
for the brothers to get into
construction).”
But the depression of 1929 was soon followed by what is
referred to as the “Dust Bowl”; a severe drought marked by
frequent large scale dust clouds sweeping across the landscape
and decimating farmlands. “There was nothing but sand
storms in Saskatchewan, so I came out here to B.C.”
Ed’s efforts to find permanent work were interrupted by the
beginning of World War II.
“I fought in the war with the Canadian Scottish Brigade
from Victoria,” he says. “I landed with them in Normandy on
D-Day. I was wounded three times... and when I got out of the
army, they gave me $100 and said ‘there you are.’ ” Ed returned
to Saskatchewan, but soon afterwards headed back to B.C.
Meanwhile, brother Marcel had already found work in
Vancouver, first joining the Teamsters Union as a truck driver,
then building the water lines at Hell’s Gate in the Fraser
Canyon, and then in 1946 building river barges in Yellowknife.
The following year, at age 26, he joined Local 115.
“As kids (on the farm) we worked with horses” he says.
“You did most things by hand because there was no electricity.
I used to pull a team of horses for $5 a day, and we ate boiled
wheat—and it tasted good.”
Working on construction jobs with union members
allowed Marcel to put his self-taught mechanical skills to
work in new settings and expand his knowledge—something
Ed was looking to do as well.
“Ed (22 at the time) had just got out of the army and was
looking for work,” he said. “I asked the foreman to hire him
and he simply said ‘come on up.’ ”
Ed Dupuis was assigned to the Second Narrows Crossing project on the fateful day of June 17,
1958, when a span section collapsed. Ed was on vacation that day– but his replacement was one
of the 19 men killed, a tragedy which led to it being renamed the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.
News December 2013 33

Member Profile
The Kenney Dam project circa 1952, where Marcel was stationed between
working on the Yellowhead Highway, Kitimat Tunnel, B.C. Rail
mainline and highway, and building man-made islands in the Arctic.
Building B.C. “the Dupuis way”
From that point on, the Dupuis brothers’ legacy in construction
reads like a four-decade glossary of jobs and projects all
across the province, servicing and operating heavy equipment
and cranes, and both serving as
foremen and elected shop stewards
along the way. Ed’s work featured
largely in cranes operating on bridges,
while Marcel focused more on
mechanical servicing on road building and facility
construction.
After completing the Yellowknife work—the only job on
which the two brothers worked together—they both returned
to B.C. Ed was placed on the project building the road
connecting the former mill town of Woodfibre in upper Howe
Sound to nearby Squamish, where he was one of the few who
learned to run a “Cat”.
Ed then spent three years in the small First Nations town of
Shalalth on the shore of Seton Lake, west of Lillooet, on the
huge Bridge River power project. This included completing
the water tunnel, which had been left half-built years earlier
due to the depression, through Mission Mountain connecting
the Bridge River to Seton Lake to power the turbines. It was
one of the largest power projects ever built at that time, and
was where Ed learned to run a power shovel.
Following this, he went on to train to operate larger Linkbelt
and American cranes. “I went up north to Graham Island
(the largest of the Haida Gwaii islands, then known as the
Queen Charlottes) to be put in the Taseko mine.”
Ed says his most traumatic job was on the Ironworkers
Memorial Bridge (then known as the Second Narrows
34 News December 2013
I landed in Normandy on D-Day. I
was wounded three times. When I
got out of the army, they gave me
$100 and said ‘there you are.’”
Crossing), when on June 17, 1958, the span peaking the arch
on the northern side of the bridge collapsed after being placed
by the crane (later deemed to be caused by an engineering
miscalculation). Nineteen workers were killed.
“I was on vacation that day,” he says. “I heard about the
crash on the radio while I was in Calgary. The guy who
replaced me was killed.”
Marcel has had an equally challenging career. Starting in
1948, he built flood dykes near the town of Deroche on the
north side of the Fraser Valley. He then worked in logging
camps, and helped rebuild the Yellowhead Highway between
Port Edward and Prince Rupert as a cat skinner (small bulldozer
operator) and then a road to a new mine east of Burns
Lake. He even refurbished an old school bus and used it as a
mobile home.
“I travelled with my wife (Peggy) from job to job for over
five years,” he says.
Marcel then trained as a heavy duty mechanic while building
the Kitimat water tunnel as part of the first stage of the
Kemano power project. In the early 50’s he was stationed
north of Vanderhoof to build the Kenney Dam on the Nechako
River (to power the new Alcan aluminum smelter) and then
on to Tahtsa Lake to complete the
Kitimat tunnel in 1953. He then spent
6 ½ years building the B.C. Rail mainline
from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish,
and then the same highway.
During that time he and Peggy settled in Deep Cove in
North Vancouver, not far from where the bridge his brother
helped build would be located.
The Dupuis brothers enjoying some down time. Both are still active
members of their communities who enjoy travelling and keeping
themselves busy.

“I bought this small property in 1955 for $400 and built a
house on it myself,” he says. “It’s now worth about $900,000.”
But Marcel’s union work would again take him back to the
Arctic. In the town of Norman Wells along the Mackenzie
River in the Northwestern Territories, he built and maintained
heavy equipment and cargo barges to service the oil developments
in the Beaufort Sea north of Inuvik.
“We were building man-made islands
off the coast,” he says, adding that one of
the biggest challenges was the brutal
weather conditions, with high winds
blowing ice that would damage boats and
equipment, let alone harm workers. “The
barges would come in by train from Edmonton in sections to
Hay River. We would weld them together and float the big
cranes and clam shells up the Mackenzie to Inuvik to make
the islands.”
Reaping the union rewards
With such a rich history of building the province, how do
two sibling icons of B.C. construction pass their time during
their retirement?
Ed, who recently turned 93, retired in 1984. He and his wife
Joan lived for many years in Coquitlam before moving to
Maple Ridge. “We spent many years travelling,” he says. “Now
we mostly just take it easy.”
“I bought this small property in
1955 for $400 and built a house
on it myself. It’s now worth
about $900,000”
Member Profile
Marcel, who retired 6 years later in 1990, still lives in the
home he built in North Vancouver. Sadly, Peggy passed away
in 2010, but even at 88 he still carries on “baching” and is
often called upon by friends and neighbours for small
mechanical jobs.
“I’m in pretty good health,” he says. “I drove to Ontario last
year. I feel like I’m 60!”
Both Ed and Marcel say they would
not have enjoyed such productive lives,
as well as comfortable retirements, if
they had not joined IUOE Local 115
when they did. They both agree that it is
vital for workers in any industry or profession to organize.
“(The union) is a lot like family,” says Ed, who served as a
steward on numerous jobs. “Back when I started, people
joined unions and worked together to make things better.
None of what we have now would be there if people hadn’t
done this.”
Marcel, who has had the dubious honour of being both a
union steward and foreman at the same time, says it’s vital to
keep the strength and innovation of the labour movement
going.
“Things seem to have changed since then. People formed
unions and taught each other how to work and live” he says.
“We built everything.”
We want your photos!
If you have a fond memory to share, a recent
shot which shows off your skills, or just
want your crew shown off in the magazine,
send us your pictures for the next OE News!
Digital Images
• Please use the highest quality settings on your camera
when taking photos.
• You can upload your images at: www.iuoe115.com/media/
submit or email them to media@iuoe115.com
• You can also send CDs or USB drives of photos to our office
address. Don’t worry, we’ll get them back to you!
• If you swing by your local office or meeting, you can bring
your pictures with and ask that we quickly download them.
• Always provide the location, date, name of person(s) in the
photo, and a description of what is taking place.
Printed Photos
If you have printed photos, they will be returned. These can be
sent to:
Kevin Willemse, Communications Coordinator, IUOE Local 115
4333 Ledger Avenue, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 3T3.
Outdoor posed and action shots are great. Watch for the flare that can be reflected on safety vests. Also, look out for hard hats that can throw harsh shadows
on faces. Try get an IUOE logo in there! With group photos, have people arranged in a semi-circle rather than a straight line. To avoid harsh shadows,
move people a step or two away from walls. Please use and send high resolution images.
News December 2013 35

Local 115 Winter Merchandise On Sale!
Toques - $11
Long Sleeved Shirts - $25
Hooded Sweatshirts - $40
Microfibre Vests - $45
Custom Lined Hoodies - $48
Weatherproof Bomber Jackets - $70
Custom Bomber Jackets - $115
Plus more to choose from!
Visit www.iuoe115.com to view our range and
place your order online!
Allison Matfin (daughter
of Brother Michael Matfin)
is the recipient of the 2013
Don Smith Scholarship,
awarded by Local 115
President Wayne Mills and
Business Manager Brian
Cochrane.
36 News December 2013

Member Recognition
Honouring our members
60 YEAR MEMBERS
Brother Art Schmale receives his 60 year plaque from District 2 Member
Representative Curtis Harold.
50 YEAR MEMBERS
District 3 Member Representative Brad Gerow with 60 year member
Brother Sebastian Biegler.
Brother Paul
Lemmetty with his
50 year anniversary
watch, presented by
Member Representative
Brad Gerow.
Member Representative
Brad Gerow
hands Brother John
Hernon his commemorative
50 year
anniversary watch.
Brother John Remple receives his 50 year watch from Member
Representative Brad Gerow. On the left is Canadian International
Representative Lionel Railton and to the right is Local 115 Business
Manager Brian Cochrane.
News December 2013 37

Member Recognition
Honouring our members
40 YEAR MEMBERS
Brother Roger Fournier receives his 40 year pin.
Brother Brian Koch being presented with his 40 year pin by OETA Administrator Brother
Brad Randall. Brian started working for the OE Training Association in 1989 as an Earth
Moving instructor and later became the training site supervisor. Brian retired in 2001, but
still helps the OETA out as an instructor from time to time; congratulations Brian!
10 YEAR MEMBERS
Brother Jeff Konken is awarded his 10 year pin from Member Representatives
Curtis Harold and Tim Cullen.
District 3 Member Representative Brad Gerow awards Brother Aaron
Grove-White with his 10 year pin.
38 News December 2013

Member Recognition
Welcome to 285 new Local 115 members
Lisa Allen
Tim Amies
Presley Anderson
Ryan Baga
Kim Bain
Gurjit Bancy
John Bard
Kenneth Bateson
Stephen Bauer
Lillian Beler
Gerard Bellows
Gary Besse
Daljit Bhatti
Michael Bleskey
Cody Boan
Jacek Bodzanowski
Simon Bold-De-Haughton
Pierre Boudreau
Kelly Bradley
James Bradley
Jason Braun
Jack Brooks
Neil Brown
William Browne
Shayla Bryant
Thomas Bryant
Shane Bryant
Barry Bullen
John Burton
Paul Busse
Patrick Butler
Richard Camacho
Patrick Campbell
Scott Campbell
Alastair Cannon
Daniel Capela
Matthew Carney
Denis Carriere
Richard Carriere
Tammy Carriere
Kelly Carwithen
Brent Casavant
Jordan Chilton
Jimmy Chung
Dorin Cichiuciuc
Tasha Clarke
Arne Clausen
Samantha Clayton
Brian Coburn
John Colby
Dean Collins
Kathleen Congert
Bruce Cooke
Dallas Coombes
Joe Cordeiro
Jason Court
Patrick Crowe
William Crowe
Joe Curry
Joshua Dares
Karl Den Boer
Jason Denholm
Luciano Di Bauda
Taylor Dombrowski
Dustin Doniak
Francis Duchesne
Les Duke
Wayne Enair
Daniel Favretto
Jesse Fentie
Alvaro Tadeo Fernandez
Gregory Finch
Larry Fisher
Chris Forbes
Jason Francis
Patrick Frebourg
Amanda Fulton
Marco Gallina
Travis Garrett
Mitchell Genovese
John Gilbraitti
Harjot Girewal
David Golaiy
Nick Gosselin
David Goulette
Lukasz Grabowski
Allan Graham
Troy Gran-Brooks
Damon Grandish
Edward Gray
Robert Green
Jason Greenhorn
Kai Greno
Coert Grobbelaar
Lindsey Hacquoil
Patrick Hagarty
Patrick Hallam
Donovan Hanefeld
Jeff Hardie
Charles Henry
Suzanne Herrit
Jason Hladchuk
Wayne Hochstein
Richard Hofer
Blaine Hough
Jennifer Howey
Tammy Howsam
Adam Hunt
Calvin Huntington
Daniel Huska
Antonio Iaquinta
Riis Ingalls
Jesse Isaac
Coleton Jackson
Art Jensen
Kayla Jensen
Ian Johnson
Thomas Johnson
Jack Johnson
Jordan Johnstone
Alexis Jones
Sennen Joseph
Daniel Kautz
Kyle Kaye
Scott Kelley
Edwin Kinyawa
Dione Kipling
Jonathan Klassen
Keith Klips
Michael Knuff
Reagan Kovisto
Wayne Kozak
Devin LaBounty
Eric Lachance
Gaetan Lachance
Grant Laface
Jerome Laljee
Keith Lalonde
Trever Lampman
Marc Lavigne
Michael Lawless
Tristan Lawrie
Ryan Le Sage
Jeffrey Leamen
Dennis Leblanc
Brian Leger
Tricia Leighton
Paulo Lemos
Wilfred Lewis
Scott Lowe
Kurt Lytle
Bruce MacCaskill
Nathan MacLeod
Brandon Maidment
Kyle Malcolm
Rick Marks
Stuart Marshall
Edward Matras
Brian Matte
Trevor Matthews
Joseph Matyas
Brandon McDonald
George McDonald
Rick McDougall
Curtis McLean
Andrew McNaught
Rob Medaris
Zlatan Miljkovic
Jeffrey Miller
Paul Miller
Greg Monro
Pamela Morrison
Kerry Morrow
Kendall Mossini
Scott Mossop
W. Andy Motherwell
Jeff Neill
Robert New
Roland Nichols
Mike Nickel
Jessica Nicolson
Jared Norman
Cyril Nwomonoh
Guy Nylund
Brook O Donnell
Stuart Oakden
Jordan O’Brien
Corey Odne
Jordan Olexyn
Jesse Openshaw
Michael Orban
Kyle Palen
Tyler Palmer
Nestor Parejo
Jaswinder Parmar
Bryan Pastor
Brenden Payne
Jamey Pelland
Jeff Penner
Ronald Pereira
Travis Perrier
Naptali Peterkin
Barry Petersen
Alex Pfeifer
Shayne Phillips
Bryan Poynter
Diego Ragonesi
Ian Railton
Steven Ralph
Chase Rennie
Thomas Reynolds
Steve Riggs
Marcy Risberg
Ian Roberts
Lucas Robertson
Jason Robinson
John Rousell
David Ryskamp
Prabhjot Samra
Clarence Sanderson
Kirandeep Sandhu
Joe Santos
Anthony Sayler
James Schulz
Gurpreet Sekhon
Jarrod Selkirk
David Sens
Trevor Shaw
Dale Shearer
Randall Simpson
Roger Simpson
Jonathon Sipko
Ethel Smith
Andrew Smith
Kelly Soobotin
Derek Spooner
Ryan Steele
Gary Stein
Chris Stewart
Matthew Stewart
Philip Stoddart
Scott Stoppard
Olaf Strumper
Gord Sweeney
Matthew Tait
Michael Tarr
Kristopher Taverner
Steven Taylor
Bradley Taylor
Vance Taylor
Jason Teichrib
Aerance Teo
Gurditpal Thind
Dan Thomas
Robert Thompson
Edward Thompson
Jim Thomson
Brent Tickell
Daylen Tidmarsh
Tony Tomac
Joel Traas
John Van Den Brand
Nick Vandenbeld
Jordan Vanderwiel
Spencer Vande-Ven
Eric Venaas
Aaron Wakeling
Andrew Walker
Randy Warkentin
Craig Watson
James Weaver
Graham Weber
Amber Weismiller
Aaron West
Dan Wiens
David Wilder
Clayton Williams
Oneil Williamson
Glen Wilson
Braden Wilson
Alex Wilson
Kevin Wolowski
Ian Wolters
Kyle Wolzen
Sherry Young
News December 2013 39

Member Recognition
Pensions awarded
October 2013 - December 2013
October 2013
Carman Charbonneau
Douglas Essensa
Wesley Ferguson
Siegfried Garbers
Ivan German
Gregory Janisch
Bernt Jensen
Louie Neuburger
John Parrott
Colin Stone
James Walker
November 2013
Guiseppe Arimare
Roy Dusenbury
Dwight Houseman
Brian Kerslake
Donald Kolonsky
Lawrence Nickerson
Arthur Rau
Jack Reiding
Kenneth Rosner
Wayne Stewart
Darrell Vance
Dennis Zado
December 2013
Kevin Baker
Robert Billey
Edward Cryderman
Alan Demmitt
Angelo DiPersico
Brian Hardy
Randy Heck
George Kanakos
Lawrence Lizor
Richard Reid
Remembering members
who recently passed away
September 2013
Catterson, Ray M. 77 Sep 9, 2013
Ross, Gerald G. 65 Sep 9, 2013
McInnis, Roy W. 77 Sep 19, 2013
October 2013
McMillan, Percy M. 64 Oct 4, 2013
Brown, Richard L. 63 Oct 7, 2013
Muckle, John W. 81 Oct 7, 2013
Sauter, Karl J. 78 Oct 7, 2013
Fitzpatrick, Bertram M. 76 Oct 9, 2013
Hoffman, Victor G. 68 Oct 11, 2013
Walker, John A. 82 Oct 11, 2013
Mooney, John E. 70 Oct 12, 2013
Gendron, Ed 70 Oct 15, 2013
Soucie Al J. 78 Oct 21, 2013
Barker, William 70 Oct 22, 2013
McClure, Douglas 52 Oct 24, 2013
November 2013
Stirling, Matt 87 Nov 2, 2013
Thompson, Edward J. 74 Nov 4, 2013
Ryde, Arthur E. 68 Nov 7, 2013
Lengert, Erwin G. 71 Nov 11, 2013
Cooper, Matthew G. 25 Nov 14, 2013
Soare, William A. 75 Nov 15, 2013
Kean, James R. 54 Nov 18, 2013
Horvath, Joseph 78 Nov 19, 2013
Rudnicki, Frank J. 77 Nov 23, 2013
No hospitalized members as at December 4, 2013.
40 News December 2013

Contact Details
Local 115 District Offices
District 1 and Main Office
4333 Ledger Ave., Burnaby, B.C. V5G 3T3
Phone: 604-291-8831 Toll Free: 1-888-486-3115 Fax: 604-473-5235
E-mail: iuoe@iuoe115.com Online: www.iuoe115.com
Business Manager: Brian Cochrane
President: Wayne E. Mills
Mgr. Administration & Special Projects: Lynda Arland
Office Manager: Arlene Lindsay
Communications Coordinator: Kevin Willemse
Member Representatives
Frank Carr Brett Chapman Everett Cummings
Chip Dhaliwal Bob Higgs Craig McIntosh
Stewart Miller
Don Swerdan
Dispatcher
Jim Flynn: 604-473-5231
Organizing Representative
Rob Duff: 604-473-5206
Bryan Railton: 604-809-6420
Benefits and Pension Plans
Shawn Hatch, Administrator
Direct line: 604-299-8341 Fax: 604-473-5236
Training Association
Brad Randall, Administrator
Direct line: 604-299-7764 E-mail: oetp@iuoe115.com
District 2
Vancouver Island:
Tim Cullen, Curtis Harold, Member Representatives
35 Wharf Street, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2X3
Mailing Address: PO Box 213 Stn A, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 5K9
Phone: 250-754-4022 Fax: 250-754-5513
District 3
Kamloops-Revelstoke-Okanagan:
Brad Gerow, Member Representative
785 Tranquille Road
Kamloops, B.C. V2B 3J3
Phone: 250-554-2278 Fax: 250-554-1766
District 4
Central Interior-Yellowhead:
Herb Conat & Wayne Kemp, Member Representatives
#115 - 513 Ahbau Street
Prince George, B.C. V2M 3R8
Phone: 250-563-3669 Fax: 250-563-3603
District 5
Peace River and Yukon Territory:
Mike Spiruda, Member Representative & Organizer
Site 20, Comp 19 SS2
Fort St. John, B.C. V1J 4M7
Phone: 250-787-9594 Fax: 250-787-9491
Tumbler Ridge Mining Office:
220 Main Street, Tumbler Ridge, B.C. V0C 2W0
Phone: 250-242-3888 Fax: 250-242-3881
District 6
East and West Kootenays:
Brian Lefebvre, Rob Foskett, Member Representatives
103 Centennial Square, Sparwood, B.C V0B 2G0
Mailing Address: PO Box 1567, Sparwood, B.C. V0B 2G0
Phone: 250-425-2161 Toll Free: 1-888-605-9955 Fax: 250-425-2166
Meeting Notices
District 1
BURNABY: 1st Thursday of every month
7:30p.m. at 4333 Ledger Ave., Burnaby
Except March & September (due to General Membership Meeting)
District 2
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
NANAIMO: 2nd Monday of odd months
6:00p.m at the Coast Bastion Inn, 11 Bastion St.
VICTORIA: 2nd Wednesday of even months
7:30p.m. at the Pro Pat Legion Branch 31, #292 - 411 Gorge Rd. E.
CAMPBELL RIVER/COURTENAY: Wednesday December 18th. 2013
6:00p.m. at the Halbe Hall, 8369 N. Island Highway, Black Creek.
District 3
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
KAMLOOPS: 2nd Thursday of even months
7:30p.m. at the Union Hall, 785 Tranquille Rd.
KELOWNA: 2nd Tuesday of odd months
7:00p.m. at the Teamsters Hall, 185 Froelich Rd.
District 4
PRINCE GEORGE: 2nd Wednesday of each month
8:00p.m. at Coast Inn of the North, 770 Brunswick St.
PRINCE RUPERT, TERRACE, KITIMAT, SMITHERS:
Members will be advised of meeting dates and times.
District 5
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
FORT ST. JOHN: 2nd Tuesday of odd months
7:30p.m. at the Masonic Hall, 10441 100th Ave.
DAWSON CREEK: 2nd Tuesday of even months
7:30p.m. at the Carpenters Hall, 900 118th Ave.
TUMBLER RIDGE/PEACE RIVER COAL:
Members will be advised of meeting date, time and place.
WHITEHORSE:
Teamsters Hall, 407 Black St.
Members will be advised of meeting dates and times.
District 6
Monthly meeting locations alternate:
CASTLEGAR—1st Wednesday of odd months
7:00p.m. at the Super 8 Inn, 651 18th St.
CRANBROOK—1st Tuesday of even months
7:00p.m. at the Labour Centre (Boardroom), 105 9th Ave. South
ELK VALLEY COAL CORP:
Line Creek Mine
Members will be advised of meeting dates and times..
News December 2013 41

I switched
for a reason.
WE’LL HAVE YOUR BACK
IF THINGS GET TOUGH.
For 60 years, Community Savings Credit Union has been
looking after the financial needs of its IUOE sisters & brothers.
UNION BENEFITS: As a member of IUOE you’re
entitled to lending discounts, better rates, waived
fees and peace of mind.
UNION ADVOCATES: As BC’s largest fully unionized
credit union, Community Savings is unwavering in
its commitment to organized labour.
Try Community Savings today: Call 1-888-963-2000 or visit
www.ComSavings.com.
1-888-963-2000
www.ComSavings.com
42 News December 2013
In the In Summer the summer 2013 2013 edition of of IUOE the OE Magazine, News Magazine, Community Savings Credit Union inadvertently published an advertisement an with a photo with of a photo an individual of an that individual has no connection that has no or affiliation connection or
affiliation with with the the credit union or or depicted trade trade union. union. Community Community Savings Savings sincerely sincerely apologizes apologizes for the honest for error. the honest error.