'Not thugs and hooligans'
Published Wednesday October 14th, 2009
Protest: Local tradespeople fill council meeting, demanding to be heard over labour dispute
SAINT JOHN - At least 100 local tradespeople filled the common council chambers, spilling into the halls and outside City Hall Tuesday night, asking the mayor and councillors for support.
"Integral Energy continues to bully their way into our community and continue to threaten the livelihood of the taxpayers who call Saint John and New Brunswick their home," said Mike Duncan, an electrician who lives on Pugsley Avenue, as he addressed the politicians.
Although he wasn't scheduled to speak to council, Duncan was granted time at the podium thanks to the show of force.
Duncan had written a letter asking for the mayor and council's ear, and it was included in the council package, but staff had recommended it be filed for information.
That quickly changed, with Coun. Patty Higgins moving a motion to let the tradesman speak.
Duncan said the tradesmen who have been protesting out-of-province workers at the Canaport LNG plant over the past month are not "thugs and hooligans."
"'Proud and just' would seem more fitting," he said. "As for the black eye on Saint John, we would agree. But we're not the ones throwing the punches."
He said it's common for New Brunswick workers to go to other parts of the country for jobs, but they're always the first to be laid-off or go home if the economy slows down.
Mayor Ivan Court and several councillors expressed their support of the local workers packed into the chambers, receiving thunderous applause.
"We understand your plight. We understand your position," the mayor said.
Court said he arranged a meeting last Friday to encourage the various parties to come to a resolution.
"It's a black eye for everybody," he said - for the companies, contractors and the city. "But we have the point of view that we shouldn't have to go this way when people are trying to put food on their tables for their families."
Coun. Bill Farren said he didn't think it's fair that New Brunswick tradespeople were forced to return when the work dried up in the Alberta oilfields, but now western workers are working in New Brunswick when local workers are unemployed.
Coun. Patty Higgins said the 2005 municipal tax deal guaranteeing Canaport would pay $500,000 in property taxes for 25 years angered many, but there was some satisfaction with the hope the construction of the liquefied natural gas facility would provide local jobs.
"I know a lot of people are offended, and this whole business as it stands is a breach of faith. And I'm completely with all of the workers," she said, as the crowd applauded.
Councillors Joe Mott, Bruce Court, and Peter McGuire also spoke up to express their support.
Duncan, who said he represents "concerned citizens," told council there are now 412 unemployed tradespeople in the Saint John area, and about 1,200 in New Brunswick. Integral Energy brought in a little more than 100 outside workers.
He said 65 local tradespeople - which would represent about 62 per cent of the non-local LNG workforce on site - would cumulatively contribute $142,000 in property taxes and $32,000 in water and sewage fees.
"When locals are employed, the benefits are many, and the impact on the local economy huge. This is why we're so passionate about this issue," he said.
In an interview, Duncan said he agreed Canaport's bidding process was a fair way to reward the contract. Canaport has said Integral Energy - an Alberta based contractor - offered the most competitive bid for work on the third liquefied natural gas storage tank.
"But they still could have used the local labour pool with the bidding process by possibly placing newspaper ads, or holding job fairs, or contacting the trades unions," he said.
"This is always an issue of we'd like to see our neighbours at work, helping us support our local economy, rather than people having to be bussed in and sent back home, spending their money they've earned here."
In a letter to the editor published in Tuesday's Telegraph-Journal, Jorge Ciacciarelli, Canaport's general manager, said the company is proud of the efforts of both local contractors and the workers from across Canada who have been apart of the project.
He said "up to 50 per cent" of the 100 workers employed by Integral Energy are from the Maritimes.
He said throughout the building project of the natural gas terminal on Red Head Road, 90 per cent of all construction hours were performed by building trades unionized workers, and 85 per cent of the workers have been from Saint John and New Brunswick.
Before Duncan's council presentation, Saint John Police Chief Bill Reid asked a couple of people in the gallery to take their placards outside.
Duncan invited council to a "Community Appreciation Day" on Sunday at King's Square, where there will be a free barbecue, rain or shine, starting at 1 p.m.
A loud cheer was heard from outside the council chambers after Duncan emerged.
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Comments (34)
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I hate slamming the folks at City Hall because so many people do it but based on my own experiences with them I don't think I would trust them to mow my lawn let alone run a city. Thank goodness for councillors like Patty Higgins who don't pay too much attention to the City's recommendations.
It really bothers me that our city council allowed themselves to be bullied into allowing someone to speak after staff had recommended the letter be filed. The quote from the paper above says it all... only bullies would use a 'show of force' to get their way.
The Irvings surely have had their say in this matter.
The council should have admitted a spokesperson for this group to the meeting instead of letting themselves to be strongarmed into it.
As to the councillors who are in solidarity with the group, Ms. Higgins surely stands at the head of the pack, but the mayor is pressing up against her skirttails, and his brother Bruce is joined at the hip to him. Also, I do not see Councillor Farren as having the courage to oppose anything with a union cast to it. Did he not skedaddle to Toronto in the spring to avoid having to oppose the ILA regarding the Long Wharf deal?
There is no mention of the "tradespeople" having used foul language in the council chamber. If they didn't, they should be commended for keeping a lid on 50% of their vocabulary.
City Council doesn't control the companies involved.
They aren't the Union reps.
They don't hire for companies seeking business in the area.
They don't define who can and cannot work.
They can't change laws governing interprovincial work.
and city council sure as heck isn;t going to pass some kind of municipal law that prohibits folks who do not live in the city from working in the city!
So the protests having been ineffective, these 'tradespeople' take up our city reps time when Council should have been working on city issues. Interesting, very interesting.
I am not against this group but I do think there are other ways of handling this dispute.
This group is equivalent to the anti-LNG mob that almost took over a council session a few years ago.
In principle, they have no place at these meetings for the reasons you elucidate. However, the council's choices are either to refuse them a voice and enrage them, in which case armed guards would have to be stationed at the door - or accede to their demand for a spokesperson to be heard, setting out strict conditions for the presentation, and also attempting to educate those in attendance on what is and is not appropriate to bring to council.
Because of the pushiness of Saint John protesters, I would favor the latter choice, but it should be deliberately made in advance - not at the last minute in response to the presence of the protesters in the chamber.
If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck.....