CSWU-Gen U #6-Mar 2013-Web.indd

Spring 2013
Construction & Specialized Workers’ Union, Local 1611 represents the largest number of retired members in LiUNA, at 1100
Words from R.L.
Merrick Walsh
Recording-Secretary
A little extra time was spent
decorating the hall for our Christmas
Luncheon, in Vancouver, so I would
Dear Brothers and Sisters;
like to thank all the
I hope that you are pleased
volunteers for their
with last year’s events as
time and effort.
I thought they were very
We have two elections
successful. Celebrating our
this year and they are
75th Anniversary with our
both very important to
working members at all our
all of us. The first is
events went very well as old
the Provincial Election
times were discussed, and the
followed by our election
work picture and the good
of our Local 1611
prospects for the next five
Executive Board, so
R.L. (Robert) McDonald
years if everything is a go.
President Retiree Council
make sure that you get
The Council has decided
out and vote. I can’t tell
on the dates for the dinners on our
you how to vote, but if you think of
Kootenay trip for this September. We
what has been taken away from us by
will have all our events in September
the Liberals there is only one option.
which will also include Prince George,
Hope to see you all at the next Retiree
Victoria, and Nanaimo. All of these
Council meeting, or at a Christmas
events have a tremendous turn out.
get together this year.
Jack Fierreira
Manuel Figueiredo
Eduardo Gomes
Trustees
2012 Roland B. Gordon
Scholarship Awards
Bruce Ferguson
Union Liason &
Vice President
Don (Stretch) Strank
Advisor
Tom Petras
LiUNA National
Retiree Council
Representative for
Western Canada
Winner’s Name
Member’s Name
Jordon Akers
$ 500.00
Donnelly Akers – Kamloops
Jesse Akers
$ 500.00
Donnelly Akers – Kamloops
Rachel Kwasnica $ 500.00
Michael Kwasnica – Maple Ridge
Bryan Poteryko $1000.00
Artur Da Silva – Burnaby
Morgan Wynne $ 500.00
Raymond Wynne – Burnaby
One of the Roland B. Gordon Scholarship
recipients Rachel Kwasnica (member
Michael of SCIC), with Richard Saunders.
VANCOUVER - LOWER MAINL AND RETIREE MEETINGS 2013
May 4 starting at 12noon
August 18, 2013 and Januar y 12, 2014 starting at 1:30pm
Location: Clock Tower – (above piano shop in Circle Square)
September 21, 2013 meeting in Prince George
donuts and coffee to be ser ved
r
Manuel Alvernaz
Secretary-Treasurer
ts
R.L. McDonald
President
en
CSWU LOCAL 1611
RETIREE COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Se
20 e in
12 sid
Ev e fo
A Proud Affiliate of the
Laborers International
Union of North America
(LiUNA)
WE ARE PROUD OF OUR MEMBERS
Your Local 1611 Executive officers, (front right) recently retired
President Bruce Ferguson, (front left) Chuck Chatten new President,
Manuel Alvernaz Vice President & Asst. Business Manager, and
Mark Olsen Business Manager & Secretary Treasurer.
Did you know that the majority of our membership,
both active and retired, were born outside of Canada?
This gives us both needed diversity and great strength.
We are so proud of our members who came to Canada
from Italy, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Croatia, India, Pakistan,
Philippines, China, Japan, USA and so many other
Countries. They have built and serviced B.C. and made
our communities better.
That is why our Union (along with the Operating
Engineer’s) is fighting H.D. Mining in Federal Court.
The current Temporary Foreign Worker program, put
in place by the Federal Conservatives and B.C. Liberals,
is both unfair to Canadian workers and exploits foreign
workers.
The current program allows employers to exploit foreign
workers, by paying them much less than a Canadian wage
and benefit standard; ties them to one employer only or
one project only; and never gives the worker a path to
Canadian citizenship. This is wrong.
H.D. Mining wants to keep the foreign workers here
for up to 14 years, and still they would have no right to
become Canadian citizens. That’s unfair.
OUR UNIONS’ POSITION IS TO PROTECT
CANADIAN WORKERS AND TO PROTECT AND
REPRESENT FOREIGN WORKERS.
WHY? BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
Our position is fivefold;
1. Jobs must go to skilled Canadians and landed
immigrants first. This includes providing training to
residents of this province so they gain the skills.
2. Properly determine if there is a “real” worker
shortage. Unions like ours need to be included in
that determination.
3. If temporary foreign workers are needed, they
should be properly brought here, not by brokers and
others who will illegally charge workers fees and
apply other means of exploitation.
4. The temporary foreign workers must be paid a full
Canadian wage and benefit standard, not less.
5. The federal and provincial governments must
actively enforce the regulations so the workers are
treated fairly and not abused, and the workers must
be given a real path to Canadian citizenship.
If these key points are not in place, then our
natural resources must stay in the ground. It
makes no sense to develop northern B.C. and
export our resources, by ignoring Canadian
workers and exploiting foreign workers.
This is no way to build a Country.
We now ask our retirees to become involved, contact
the government, and let them know your view. If enough
people speak up, we will be heard, and things will change
for the better.
• Federal Conservatives
#1204-130 Albert St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5G4
1.866.808.8407 – www.conservative.ca
to email go to website under contact.
• Provincial Liberals
PO Box 21014, Waterfront Centre,
Vancouver, BC, V6C 3K3
1.800.567.2257 – www.bc.liberals.com
email: [email protected]
Thanks to all members for getting involved.
In closing, we want to assure our members, that
although our President Bruce Ferguson has put down his
gavel and picked up his fishing rod, he will be assisting the
Union on a part time basis starting in April, to deal with
political issues, mentoring our newest representatives,
and continuing his Retiree Council efforts.
Please take care, and stay healthy and safe.
Construction & Specialized Workers’ Union Local 1611 Retiree Council
BRUCE FERGUSON LOCAL 1611’S MOST RECENT RETIREE
• From Gavel to Fishing Rod
February 28th marked my last full day of employment
as the President of your Local Union. After serving four
consecutive terms as an officer of my
home Local 168, followed by four terms
as your President of Local 1611, I have
decided to retire.
As a retiree, I intend to be a loyal and
ardent supporter of our Local Union
Retiree Council. Our Retiree Council
chartered in 2000, is the largest and
without question, the most active of
our entire International Union. The
remarkable success of your Retiree
Council is a tribute to the quality of the
individuals that have served our retiree
membership since our Council charter
was granted.
Your Retiree Council under the
leadership of your President R.L.
McDonald and Secretary-Treasurer
Manuel Alvernaz and the Executive Board members
Merrick Walsh, Eduardo Gomes, Manuel Figueiredo and
Jack Ferreira.
By the way did you know that Brother Figueiredo was
most recently recognized at the February monthly general
membership meeting as our Local Union Volunteer of
the Year? Well done Manuel! (see back page photo of
presentation)
The year 2012, which marked the celebration of our
Diamond Jubilee, was a most active, busy and successful
year for your Retiree Council. In 2012
your Retiree Council hosted ten (10)
social events throughout the many
regions that our Local represents.
(please see photos of events)
On another important matter, it is
a well documented fact, that as we all
age and grow older, we all require more
government and health care services.
We are also painfully aware that
British Columbia is the only province
in Canada that still charges health
care premiums (MSP). Each and
every year over the past several years,
your B.C. Liberal Government has
been increasing health care premiums
at a rate that far outstrips the cost of
inflation. Rates continue to rise while
at the same time services are being cut back! I think time
is overdue that we grey power rise up and speak out to say,
“enough is enough!” We will soon have an opportunity on
May 14th to have our say.
I also want to thank both my wife Emma and son Nathan,
(both pictured) for their great support over the years.
Well that is all for now. Take care, stay healthy, and I
hope to see you soon.
LOCAL 1611 EXECUTIVE BOARD CHANGES
—
EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 2013
Due to the retirement of Bruce Ferguson, President, on February 28, 2013, changes were made to your
Local 1611 Executive Board. Here is your current Union Executive Board;
Mark Olsen – Business Manager / Secretary Treasurer
Chuck Chatten – President
Manuel Alvernaz – V ice President (asst. Business Manager)
Shelley Moore – Recording Secretary
Gary Palmiere – Executive Board member
Danny Klein – Executive Board member
Nav Malhotra – Executive Board member
We greatly appreciate the
continued support of the
membership as we move the
Union forward.
Construction & Specialized Workers’ Union Local 1611 Retiree Council
2 0 1 2 C h rOver
istmas Party – Vancouver
500 members and spouses attended
Charles Gordon (l to r), Mark Olsen, Bruce Ferguson,
Adrian Dix future Premier of BC, Kevin Blakely,
Lee Loftus, RL McDonald, and Manuel Alvernaz.
Harris Bains, senior NDP MLA, presenting
Community Labour Award to Local 1611.
Construction & Specialized Workers’ Union Local 1611 Retiree Council
C
UNITY
ET I REE CO U
NC
I
L
SW
UR
SOLIDARITY
A PROUD MEMBER
Mark Olsen and Bruce Ferguson presenting
Murray Howe (centre) a gold watch.
Construction & Specialized Workers’ Union Local 1611 Retiree Council
Nelson Dinner 2012 (above)
Kamloops Dinner
Victoria Lunch
Kelowna Lunch
Prince George Dinner
Penticton Dinner
Nanaimo Lunch
Revelstoke Dinner
Construction & Specialized Workers’ Union Local 1611 Retiree Council
Nelson Dinner 2012 (above)
International News for Retirees
We Need to get Rid of the BC Liberals
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
companies will build the dams and the government
(we) will pay them $80-$100 per megawatt hour
Although the “Liberals” are trailing in the polls, no
one can take it for granted that they will be ousted produced and have guaranteed that we will buy all of
the power they produce. In the meantime
come election time. They have managed to
the government is selling the power for the
convince a huge number of voters that they
going rate of only $40-$50 per megawatt
are the ones with the business acumen to
hour, if it could be sold. (I say if, because
economically govern this province. In my
this past winter the Bonneville Power
humble opinion, nothing could be further
Company in the Northwestern US has been
from the truth. There is simply not enough
dumping surplus electricity on the open
room in this newsletter for me to repeat all
market for as little as $20 per megawatt).
the mistakes and bad decisions the Liberals
Because of the guarantee, this winter B.C.
have made over the last 11 years. I just hope
Hydro has had a surplus and, rather than
that you haven’t forgotten them.
Tom Petras
produce electricity with Hydro controlled
I believe that one of the worst financial
LIUNA National
water, have had to simply release it with
decisions by a government in this province’s Retiree Council Rep.
no production. The end result is that we
history is the decision by the Liberals to for Western Canada
are paying top dollars to private companies
grant “Run of River” licenses to private
when we could have had the power for nothing. The
companies to develop hydro-electric projects on our
estimated cost to taxpayers is at least 250-300 million
waterways. I don’t know how long the licenses are dollars per year, for who knows how long?
valid, but we can only hope that they are not for 999
And these are the clowns that say they have the
years like the infamous B.C. Rail deal.
business sense to run this province?
And even worse, none of these jobs were Union.
So when you go to vote this May, remember how
Shameful.
much the Liberal business geniuses are costing you
With their P3 deals (Public/Private Partnership) with this one screw-up alone, and they are hurting our
deal for hydro, the government bypassed our Crown
members by bypassing Unions in this P3 scheme. I
Corporation, B.C. Hydro, and have given numerous
hope that you will then make the only sensible choice
licenses to private companies for wide open access and vote NDP this time.
to our rivers and streams. The deal is that the private
2013 – EVENTS AROUND THE PROVINCE
September
September
September
September
13
14
15
17
–
–
–
–
Kamloops
Revelstoke
Nelson
Kelowna
September
September
September
December
21
28
29
07
–
–
–
–
Prince George
Victoria
Nanaimo
Vancouver
Invitations to be sent out in the Summer.
Hope you can attend. MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
Construction & Specialized Workers’ Union Local 1611 Retiree Council
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S T O O U R LO N G S E R V I C E M E M B E R S .
YO U A R E T H E U N I O N ’ S B AC K B O N E .
New 2013
50 YEAR GOLD MEMBERS
Joao Aresta
Gian Baldonero
Albertino Batista
Paul Bauer
Marko Bozic
Jose Da Rocha
Custodio Guerreiro
Murray Howe
Bill Jmaeff
James Kempster
Steve Kinakin
William Kinakin
Harry Koorbatoff
Edward Magas
Peter Mikicich
Arnello Tomasi
Walter Nazaroff
Albert Nicholson
Alipio Pimentel
Peter Semenoff
Robert Vaughan
Amadeu Vidal
Edward Wilkins
New 2013
60 YEAR
MEMBERS
Henry Good
Walter Walsh
Murray Vizer
55 year pin recipient.
New 2013
55 YEAR RECIPIENTS
Luciano Biscaro
Giuseppe Campardo
Joseph Pataky
Antonio Picillo
Jose Tome
Herculano Torrao
Murray Vizar
Custodio Guerreiro at
the Vancouver Union Hall
receiving his 50 year pin.
Chuck Chatten (l)
handing Lewis Verigin
his 45 year pin.
Arnello Tomasi
holding his gold
watch and pin.
PUBLICATION AGREEMENT NUMBER 40850545
Manuel
Figueiredo is
receiving the
Volunteer of the
Year Award.
Produced and printed with union labour.
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN MAIL TO: 3542 KINGSWAY VANCOUVER B.C. V5R 5X7 TEL: 604-432-9300 FAX: 604-439-2043 email: [email protected] web: www.cswu1611.org
Published by: Construction and Specialized Workers’ Union, Local 1611