Thursday, March 6, 2025

Effective Advocacy

Whether at the bargaining table, on the jobs front, or ensuring protection in the event of injury or disability, CLAC is serving the needs of members

Guide magazine

By Kevin Kohut, BC Director

One of the chief roles of a union is to ensure members’ livelihoods are protected in the event of injury and disability. Recently, we successfully appealed two decisions by the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia, operating as WorkSafeBC, on behalf of members.

The first case was a loss of earnings versus functional disability award that resulted in the member’s monthly pension increasing by $105.89, for a total estimated value of $23,000. The second case was the extension of the projected retirement date for a member who had suffered permanent disability. This resulted in an additional $141,700 for this long term member.

While not all appeals of WCB decisions are successful, we provide advocacy on behalf of BC members to ensure that justice is achieved. It’s just one way we are making a difference in members’ lives.

Of course, the main area where we make a difference in members’ lives is through their continued employment and at the bargaining table. While some large-scale projects have wound down (Site C, Coastal GasLink, Trans Mountain Expansion Project), other opportunities are emerging for members.

Recently, CLAC in BC has seen success in the mining sector. In northwestern BC, work has resumed at the Ascot Mine after an indefinite pause. The facility will be looking to go to production in the second quarter of this year, employing approximately 175 members with Procon Miners Inc.

Nuna Logistics Limited has begun work in the Yukon at the Faro Mine. The goal is for the current six-month contract to expand into a five-year contract, which will provide work for thirty heavy-duty mechanics.

Other construction work opportunities include with PCL Energy Inc., which was awarded work to build two compressor stations, one in Coquitlam and one near the Woodfibre LNG project near Squamish. Up to 200 Local 68 members will be employed at peak. An additional 200 members employed by Skyway Canada Limited will be working on the LNG Canada Development Inc. project in Kitimat.

On the bargaining front, Local 66 members working in the transportation sector have recently ratified wage reviews and new contracts providing them with needed improvements. Among those benefitting are members employed by Bandstra Transportation Systems, Langley Freight Lines (90) Ltd., Northwest Tank Lines Inc., and Vedder Transport Ltd.

Other notable collective agreement renewals recently ratified include for the 200-plus Local 501 members employed by Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service Inc. The family-owned company provides hygienically clean healthcare laundry services to hospitals and medical facilities. Local 501 members employed by Southcoast Reman, a custom wood products remanufacturer in the Lower Mainland, also ratified a new agreement, which will see increases ranging from 11 to 13 percent.

It’s been a busy first few months of the year, and we expect we will continue to be busy throughout 2025 serving members in BC and providing for their needs throughout the year, whether at the bargaining table, on the jobs front, or ensuring you are protected in the event of injury or disability.

Effective Advocacy

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