Re: 鈥淔airness matters 鈥� tell the government,鈥� comment, Oct. 24.
The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association dates back to 1975, making it the self-proclaimed elder statesman of sa国际传媒鈥檚 non-union construction employer鈥檚 representatives. The ICBA was formed and continues to operate as an organization that is inherently anti-union. It is opposed to the Building Trades Union construction marketplace.
The fact is that unions are not only good for workers, they are also good for the middle class and sa国际传媒鈥檚 economy. Unions raise wages of the employees they represent, allowing for extra money to be circulated throughout the community. They increase the retirement, medical, dental and extended health-care benefits of those same employees, creating pensioners with spending money.
Unions reduce income inequality and even increase the pay of non-union workers by creating a standard. They reduce employee turnover and therefore increase the retention of the highest-skilled tradesmen and women.
sa国际传媒鈥檚 construction unions facilitate the majority of completed apprenticeship training. It is for these key reasons that the sa国际传媒 NDP government established the Community Benefits Agreements.
鈥淐ommunity Benefit Agreements ensure projects will be on time, on budget, fair wages are paid to everyone and importantly that legacy of new workers for the future,鈥� Premier John Horgan said.
So, it鈥檚 ludicrous for the ICBA to purport to know what constitutes 鈥渇airness鈥� for working families.
Phil Venoit
President, Vancouver Island Building Trades Unions
