Who will you vote for on October 19th?
B.C. governments that care about liveable communities and strong economies invest in public infrastructure. Why? Because publicly funded infrastructure projects create good local jobs that benefit our communities.
How do publicly funded infrastructure projects benefit our communities?
When the B.C. government invests in public infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, tunnels, and transit lines, they create good, local, safe, unionized jobs for trade workers here in British Columbia.
That’s good for workers, and it’s good for our communities too.
For example:
- The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Project will create 3,000 full-time, well-paying jobs and save commuters 900,000 hours of travel time annually.1
- The Broadway Subway Project in Vancouver will save the average commuter 30 minutes of travel time a day.2
- The George Massey Tunnel Replacement will triple current traffic capacity going against rush hour while nearly tripling bus capacity with a dedicated transit lane.3
Community members depend on well-built infrastructure projects to keep them connected. We need public infrastructure to make sure we can commute to work, visit friends and family, access services, and even buy groceries.
Not only that, the money that workers make from these projects gets spent in the local economy, which creates all kinds of opportunities for local businesses and other services to thrive.
Investment in public infrastructure has doubled
Did you know? In their 2024 Budget, B.C.’s current government plans to invest twice as much in infrastructure as their conservative predecessors did in 2016.
The next B.C. election is coming up on October 19th.
Do you know who you’ll vote for?
What kind of infrastructure projects are we talking about?
TEL Group members have built the B.C. road network and other major public infrastructure projects for decades. These projects create good, local, safe, unionized jobs and provide critical investments in communities.
Some examples of TEL Group-built projects and current/future worksites include:
- Highway 1 Widening
- Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Extension
- Pattullo Bridge Replacement
- George Massey Tunnel Replacement
- Highway 1 Kamloops to Alberta
- Highway 5 Flood Recovery
- Kicking Horse Canyon
Why are unionized jobs better?
Unionized jobs offer lots of advantages to workers and their communities. Here are five reasons why unionized jobs are better than non-unionized jobs:
Higher wages and benefits:
Unionized workers earn higher wages and have better benefits compared to non-unionized workers in similar roles. This includes health-care coverage and retirement benefits for workers and their families. Not only do families with this kind of support and financial stability spend money that supports the local economy, they also have the resources and capacity to give back to their communities.
Safer worksites:
A study from the Ontario Construction Secretariat found that unionized job sites are 31% safer than non-union sites. That means workers are less likely to get hurt on the job and miss valuable work time due to injuries. For the public, it means fewer WorkSafeBC claims and fewer costs to public support programs.
Better working conditions:
In addition to worksite safety, unions advocate for improved working conditions like set hours, rest breaks, and time off on weekends. Not only that, if workers are asked to work overtime they get paid fairly for it. This ensures that workers are able to stay healthy, spend time with their families, and give back to their communities.
Job security:
Union contracts include provisions for job security, protecting workers from arbitrary dismissal or layoffs. Reliable jobs are important because they ensure families have financial stability. That financial stability means less government support, less crime, and higher education levels.
Collective bargaining power:
Unionized workers negotiate collectively, giving them stronger bargaining power with employers to secure all of the important conditions listed above. The more good jobs that are available, the healthier our communities will be.
Who is the TEL Group?
The TEL Group is a group of three trade unions whose members have built the British Columbia road network and many other major infrastructure projects across the province.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
Local 213
(close to 10,000 members)
International Union of Operating Engineers,
Local 115
(over 14,000 members)
Labourers’ International Union of North America,
Local 1611
(over 10,000 members)
Together, our total North American membership is over 2 million members, over 32,000 of which are here in B.C. That gives us collective strength and resources that get trade workers better workplace agreements: better pay, better benefits, and safer worksites.
But for us to make sure trade workers have good, local jobs, the work needs to be there. That’s why it’s so important to vote for a government that invests in vital infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, tunnels, transit lines, and more.
Vote for local jobs on October 19th.
Ready to learn more?
Thinking about a job in the trades? Already working but want to make sure you’re being treated fairly? TEL Group has your back.
Get in touch now! A TEL Group representative will be happy to answer your questions.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 213
International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 115
Labourers’ International Union of North America, Local 1611