April Showers Bring May…
Vaccines? Elections? Play offs? While the pandemic has done much to keep us apart, it’s certainly brought our Canadian hockey teams together, keeping us entertained as we watch teams like Edmonton making a strong play-off run. Now, with the Leafs clinching a play off spot this week, and more shots getting into arms, it’s stirred a hopefulness that things are taking a turn for the better. Until then, we remain strong in our resolve to ensure construction sites remain safe and workers have the necessary protections to continue to go to work every day.
One of those protections? A clean, working washroom and being able to wash your hands, regularly. Recently, the BC Building Trades unveiled a report examining the current law and practices regarding the provision of washroom facilities on construction sites. Read the report, sign the petition, because construction workers deserve better. #GetFlushed.
The Federal Government released Budget 2021 on April 19, you can see the full analysis by CBTU here. Big thank you to those that visited https://www.building2021.ca to write a letter to your MP about our Budget Asks; we look forward to building on our electronic letter writing campaign for the next Federal Election.
With the NDP currently supporting the Budget, talk of a Federal Election is being pushed to late summer/early fall. Before the House rises in June, we are working with Government to better understand some of the provisions in the Budget that bode well for skilled trades workers – including training, improvements to EI, transitioning energy workers in a changing economy and universal childcare.
There were some notable items missing from Budget 2021 including a large infrastructure stimulus. In lieu of this, already committed funds need to get out the door, faster, to get shovels in the ground - an item we brought up on the agenda during a meeting on the National Infrastructure Assessment last week with CEB Board Members and Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna.
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While we were disappointed skilled labour mobility tax deduction was not included in the Budget, we continue to urge the government to do the right thing and adopt the Private Members Bill before the summer break; subsequently urging all parties to include it in their platforms ahead of an election.
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Budget 2021 included significant investments in reforms to Employment Insurance including simplifying eligibility rules around the allocation of monies on separation. What this means is that when laid off, a worker’s separation monies (vacation or severance, for example) won’t delay their EI claim. This will get money into worker's pockets faster, an improvement that workers deserve.
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CBTU appeared before the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to discuss other recommendations to improve EI which you can see here.
With the strong advocacy work of the Building Trades, CBTU was also invited to present, alongside prominent labour leaders Ken Neumann (USW Canada) and Jerry Dias (Unifor), to the Special Committee on the Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States on Buy America policies and the need for Canadian exemption and a longer-term strategy for our unique trade partnership. Opportunities such as this, are solidifying CBTU’s position as the voice of skilled trades workers in Canada on a wide-range of issues. See my comments to the Committee here.
Our Senior Policy Analyst, Kevin Lawlor, recently made updates to the COVID-19 database which has been tracking the numbers of COVID-19 cases known to the Building Trades from the start of the pandemic. Overall, cases on construction sites remain less than one per cent. This past Wednesday, on the 30th anniversary of the National Day of Mourning, we took time to recognize the sacrifice of front-line workers, the loss of lives and the need to do more. On that note, the Ontario government announced they were moving forward with paid sick days; and BC is looking at doing the same.
As the new COVID variants pose greater threat, our diligence to health and safety on site, following health guidelines and staying home if you’re sick, will get us closer to the end of this thing.
Stay safe, get vaccinated.
Sean
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