IUOE News - Fall 2011

Moving from CLAC to IUOE Local 115
By Leslie Dyson
They “manned up and did ‘er”
The International Union of Operating Engineers
Local 115 is welcoming nearly 40 new members
from Vernon Paving and Westlake Paving
in Kelowna. They are former members of the
Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC).
The two companies had long-standing agreements
with CLAC. Vernon’s agreement goes back to 1993.
However, Westlake was certified by the association in
1977. David De Sousa, special representative for the
operating engineers, said it was likely one of CLAC’s first
agreements in B.C.
Attempts to reach the CLAC rep Quentin Steen or
other association spokesperson were unsuccessful.
Frankie Potvin, a batch plant operator from Westlake,
transferred from a sister company in Prince George. He
went from a collective agreement with Local 115 to
one with CLAC. All that CLAC had negotiated for the
employees was small RRSP contributions.
He said, as a 30-year member of Local 115, “I knew
what the wages should have been and what the benefits
should have been...I have a pension with the OEs. The
OE pension is one of the best that I know of. And some
of those guys [at Westlake] have worked just as long as
me and you look at what they’ll get…it’s just sad.”
The word spread to key people at Vernon Paving.
Shop Foreman Roy Giger said Vernon has some very
long-serving employees. “There’s 90 years of experience
among three of the guys. And yet you look at what they
have in their RRSPs and there’s maybe enough for four
years [after retirement].”
Giger also saw that the younger members wanted
training. “I don’t really think it [CLAC] is a construction
union. There’s no real training.
“I asked about a tool allowance and I was told ‘We
don’t do that kind of stuff.’ I thought to myself, ‘So what
do you do?’”
16 News September 2011
Tom McMahon, a heavy duty mechanic, was one of
the people at Westlake who didn’t like what was going on.
He said CLAC did not represent the workers during grievances.
When negotiations in the past came to a standstill,
the employees asked if mediation was an option.
McMahon said they were told by the CLAC rep that
mediation and arbitration are not done in this province.
“I asked about a tool allowance and
I was told ‘We don’t do that kind of
stuff.’ I thought to myself,
‘So what do you do?’”
As the case against CLAC continued to build,
McMahon went to the Internet to do some research.
That led him to make a call to De Sousa in June 2010. He
learned a lot about CLAC and found out that the soonest
the organizing drive could be held was between January
and February 2011. The winter months are usually a
dead time of year in the paving industry. Fortunately
for the employees at Westlake, the company had a batch
plant upgrade under way over the winter and many were
called in to work. But just three employees were available
to vote at Vernon Paving.
On Feb. 4, a certification application was made to the
Labour Relations Board for both companies. The vote
was held on Feb. 16 and 18.
There was a lot of activity leading up to the vote.
CLAC scheduled a meeting to “tell the truth about the
OEs,” said McMahon. “It was hilarious.”
Expecting the worst, McMahon took along the actuarial
valuation report of the Operating Engineers’ pension
plan and Potvin brought his personal pension plan
statement. It was clear to everyone in the room what the
employees were missing.
“To our pleasant surprise, all the young guys wanted