Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Plenty of Work for CLAC Members

COVID shutdowns meant many BC construction workers had to put down tools for months at a time. But Local 68 members were never busier

By Cathy Miehm

BRENT GRANT, A KITIMAT RESIDENT and member of the Haisla First Nation, has been employed by Ledcor CMI (BC) as an earthworks operator at the LNG Canada site since 2019. He played a pivotal role in land preparation for construction and the establishment of new side channels along the Kitimat River.

Because he already lived in the Kitimat area, he was able to keep working through the pandemic shutdowns while his colleagues in the work camps headed for home. As a result, he hit his 10,000-hour milestone in the LNG project last year.

“There were only a handful of us who stayed through the whole thing,” says Brent, 45, who is a steward. “We never took time off; we just kept going. That’s probably why I got the hours a bit quicker.”

Twelve-hour days became the norm, but when the shift finished, he was able to go home to his family every night.

The hard work for the whole Ledcor crew was acknowledged last year, when contract negotiations brought improvements across the board, including a healthy wage bump.

The CGL and LNG projects have meant lucrative work for members at several different companies. Local 68 member Crystal Alexiuk has worked in construction for more than 10 years and is currently employed as a heavy equipment operator by Ledcor CMI (BC) after a stint last year with Spiecapag MSJV.

Born and raised in Manitoba, Crystal is thrilled with the opportunities she has found in British Columbia since 2020.

“I started out on the LNG site in Kitimat,” she says. “I joined the project to make money, and that has been my focus.”

Much of that time was spent living in the camps created for the thousands of workers who came from across Canada to work on the projects. While being away from home for long stretches is difficult, she has found a sense of community with her coworkers.

“When you spend as much time at work as we do, your crew becomes your family,” says Crystal. “I have built relationships that will go beyond this job.”

The nature of the projects in BC means people often move from employer to employer, depending on where the work is. Crystal says being a CLAC member makes those transitions easier.

“It’s nice to have the comfort of knowing CLAC is there to lean on when things get tough, to help navigate through tough times in the current economy,” she says. “It’s good to have representation and benefits, as well as training available.

“We have agreements in place that guarantee good working wages, hours, and benefits. CLAC gives us so much room for opportunity and growth to gain new experiences and learn new skills and trades.”

Plenty of Work for CLAC Members

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