Enbridge's recent MOU signed with the traditional construction unions demonstrates they are out of touch with British Columbia. With this MOU, Enbridge has effectively signaled to the small family-owned construction businesses and their employees in every community along the pipeline they are not welcome.
Rather than include most British Columbian tradespeople, the MOU effectively excludes 80 per cent of those who work outside of the old union system. Enbridge neglected to notice that projects like the Port Mann Bridge, Sea-to-Sky highway, the 2010 Olympics, the Canada Line and virtually every other project in B.C. encouraged everyone to participate and work side by side regardless of their affiliation by not signing anything that restricted who can work.
If this is their approach to building a pipeline in B.C., unfortunately they will continue to encounter opposition to the project in communities across our province.
Philip Hochstein
Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C.
Vancouver
