IUOE News - Spring 2011

President
Lionel Railton
President
2 News March 2011
Progress amid adversity from the beginning
February 19th, 2011 marks the
proud 80th anniversary of Local
115. The following quote is from
Firing Iron, a history of Local 115:
There was little to celebrate when,
on February 19, 1931, Locals 46A and
844 were joined under one charter: Local 115. Born into a
stricken economy, Local 115 would face challenges during
the 1930s that would make even the troubled Twenties seem
like the best of times.
What seemed to be little more than a temporary slowdown
in the construction industry was not worrying the
Local 115 executive in the spring of 1931. They had seen
cloudy days before. True, almost 40,000 men were out of
work in a province with a population of less than 700,000
people. Yet, few among the jobless were union engineers.
Most unemployed men had arrived in B.C. by riding the
rails from eastern Canada and the Prairies. The union had
its share of unemployed men, as always, but most of them
hung onto their memberships and paid their dues. It was
their best bet for landing a job somewhere.
Born into adversity, the membership of Local 115 has
much to be proud of as we celebrate our 80th anniversary.
Together, we have shaped British Columbia into the great
province that it is. Collectively, we have built the plans
and programs that support our families, industries and
communities. We are seen as, and called upon as, leaders
within the labour movement. We have stood the ultimate
test of time and, as the saying goes, “Tough times never
last, but tough people do.” I am very thankful for the
efforts of our determined forefathers and mothers who
laid the foundations of our great Local Union. Through
the vision of stable leadership, we have built a great deal
together. I am excited about what we have and what we
are about to accomplish. Happy anniversary!
This year began with the continuation of bizarre
political stories that could only happen in British
Columbia. We saw the return of one of the province’s
most controversial political figures and no friend of
labour, Bill Vander Zalm, to lead the fight against the
HST. We also witnessed the demise of both Liberal and
NDP party leaders as a result of the process. There was
the on again, off again, on again review of Kash Heed,
former Liberal Solicitor General of British Columbia.
There are still the unanswered questions related to the
BC Rail affair and the $6 million legal bill left for B.C.
taxpayers to pay. The uncertainty of who will be leading
the province and the new leader’s agenda will have an
impact on us all.
In the distance, we can hear the sabre rattling in
Ottawa which foretells a federal election, possibly this
spring—and, of course, we can expect municipal elections
in November.
You may ask, why do we spend so much time talking
about politics? The labour movement clearly understands
the impact the legislative pen can have on our
industry and on our way of life. We are told all the good
or negative things that will flow from choosing this candidate
or that one, but what is absent from the debate
is what they are prepared to do for the working people
of B.C. The lack of respect for working people’s issues
frustrates me no end.
Now, more than ever, politics revolve around personalities
rather than policies. As a result, many are turned
off by the process. Unfortunately, as people disengage,
fewer people are making the decisions on behalf of the
rest of us. It’s time to join the debate and be part of
the process of choosing leaders who understand our
issues and are willing to advance matters important to
working people–fundamental issues such as fair and balanced
labour legislation, good-paying jobs, benefit and
pension security and a universal healthcare system for
all. Prosperous nations of the world have well-developed
social and labour programs that protect and support
working people.
As always, my best wishes.
Hoist operator running a high line on a dam project. Photo is
from the Local 115 archives.