BTA Blog
Community Benefit Agreements Can Work for Alberta
In an October 9 Edmonton Journal opinion piece, Ken Kobly, President of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, warns that "Community benefit agreements may not work for Albertans".
On the one hand, Kobly raises alarmist cries about special interests, red tape, escalating costs, and workers missing out on benefits, advancement opportunities, and bonuses if Alberta follows the BC's community benefit agreement framework. On the other hand, he admits that the Alberta government has said the Alberta community benefit agreements will look nothing like BC's and that the government intends to pilot a small project first to make sure they get community benefit agreements right.
Why the alarm then?
Press Release
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PRESS RELEASE
Canada’s Building Trades Unions Applaud First Responders at Irving Oil Incident
October 10, 2018 — Over the weekend, a fire stemming from an explosion occurred at the Irving Oil Refinery, sending some workers to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Canada’s Building Trades Unions wish those workers a speedy and full recovery and applauds the swift action of the workers on site, the Irving Oil team and the first responders on their orderly and safe handling of the incident.
Health and safety are paramount on any job. Our hope each and every day is that our loved ones return home in the same condition in which they left. To that end, Canada’s Building Trades Unions are committed to continuing to make workplaces safer. We do that by training our members to be the most skilled and safest workers in the industry and, by working closely with our industry partners like Irving Oil. We are extremely proud of our relationship with Irving Oil, where safety is a “value that never changes”. It’s something they practice in all they do.
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THE SKILLED TRADES ADVANTAGE
The Building Trades of Alberta is about PEOPLE, PARTNERSHIPS and COMMUNITY. We coordinate and promote the interests of 16 Alberta trade unions whose 75,000 members work in the residential, commercial and industrial construction, maintenance and fabrication industries. We provide solutions to meet the challenges of an ever-changing industry in an energy conscious world.
- We work on Industrial, commercial, and institutional construction projects – as well as on maintenance projects – throughout Alberta.
- We partner with contractors and employers to deliver projects on budget and on schedule.
- We provide the most reliable, productive, and safest building trades workforce available.
- We believe in investing in our people. We are the largest supporters of apprenticeship and training for building trades workers in the private sector. Our union training facilities and programs set the standard in the construction industry.
- We believe in investing in Alberta and in our communities. Through the Building Trades of Alberta Charitable Foundation, our members have donated over $6 million to worthwhile charities throughout Alberta.
Who are the Building Trades of Alberta members? We are your friends, your neighbours, and the volunteers that make our Alberta communities better places to live.