OTTAWA — A coalition of seven federal construction trade unions has launched an election advocacy website called Let’s Build Canada (LBC) that it says is targeting election issues of importance to their workers.
“Let’s Build Canada will be supporting candidates from any political party who share the LBC values of fairness, sustainability and building the good jobs and careers of tomorrow,” stated a Sept. 17 release.
The statement said the coalition advocates for “infrastructure built to withstand climate change, an economy which levels the playing field for all Canadians and a system built to train the workers of tomorrow.”
Members of the coalition are the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Canada, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, the Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust, the Labourers’ International Union of North America, UA Canada/Canadian Piping Trades and the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers.
The website linked fighting climate change to employment, suggesting building $150 billion of urban transit infrastructure between now and 2050 would create 245,000 jobs.
Investing in net-zero building retrofits and new green construction techniques for industrial, commercial and institutional buildings could create nearly two million jobs, the site indicated.
I am glad to see that we have a voice that will speak about what is good for all the workers and their families.
We need to elect a party that will continue to create opportunities for working people to move towards a better and stable future. We need to elect people who will work to find a positive balance that addresses the challenges of the climate ,well still creating good paying jobs.