The Plight of the Unionized Worker

The travels imposed on me the last few weeks has hampered my time allotted to this blog but I don’t believe I have offended too many. Travel has not limited my time towards reading the local paper though and one of the most interesting issues, for me anyway, has been the conversations about double-breasting.
If you recall, last summer Justice and Consumer Affairs Minister, T. J. Burke, introduced a new Labour Act designed to stop construction-company owners from opening a second non-union company after the original operation becomes unionized.
As someone who has worker experience in Ontario mines, Alberta oil and construction in BC and the Maritimes, I applauded this decision with enthusiasm. Working on construction fields, oil fields and underground poses extreme dangers for its workers. Cold, heat, long hours, smoke, fire, wind, rain and I could keep going on, are all obstructions that a field worker must deal with. There is great pride in working with your hands, with your body, and seeing your accomplishments grow before your eyes.
Unfortunately, the construction industry is a very demanding one. Everyone wants things made quick and fast. Time is money!! It is also the most cut-throat business I have ever witness. Companies will threaten you, co-workers will backstab you and supervisors will step on you, literally. I am a union man and very proud of it. What is going on in New Brunswick right now is fantastic. This little province is in the beginning of great things to come, lots of construction, lots of work and lots of opportunities which translate into lots of money. But with money comes greed. I’ve seen guys connive their way into working 26-28 hour days and I’ve seen supervisors bully guys into working extra hours at straight time. Small construction companies will survive with ease this economic growth because there will always be someone who’s willing to pay. Time is money! Big companies will hire small companies to get their work done on time. It’s always worked this way and it always will.
In the Telegraph-Journal on Sept. 23, Executive director of the Saint John Construction Association, Pat Darrah, said the double-breasting legislation was "overkill."
I totally disagree because I don’t support these money hungry executive of the construction business. He’s the type that like to say - if you don’t work my way there’s three more bodies waiting to take your place. There will be lots of jobs coming but we need to protect our unions for the sake of everybody.

Saint John MLA Abel LeBlanc knew what he was talking about. (See my August Blog) The return of the unions is very near my friends. We just need to keep the money grubbers out of them.

My Girl Fiday!

With all the rain, the cold and the early morning frost, I figured we were due for a bikini shot!
Ahhh! I feel warmer already.

An Apology from Canada

This dates back to 2004 but in light of the fact that Heather Mallick's riff against Sarah Palin and the USA is still making news http://www.cbc.ca/ombudsman/page/MALLICK-PALIN.pdf I thought it would be fitting to reprint here.

Well read blogger Spinks has covered the fracas several times with an abundance of comments from readers. http://spinkaboutit.blogspot.com/

One long ongoing comment was wether Mallick's vitriol laced tirade was in fact satirical humour or just plain nasty. I think Rick Mercer's sketch was much better example of shooting from the hip than Mallick's vulgarity ridden rant.

That's my opinion.

With that said enjoy Mercer's excellent humour.

A truly Canadian Apology to the USA, courtesy of Rick Mercer from This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC Television:

Hello. I'm Anthony St. George on location here in Washington.

On behalf of Canadians everywhere I'd like to offer an apology to the United States of America. We haven't been getting along very well recently and for that, I am truly sorry. I'm sorry we called George Bush a moron. He is a moron, but it wasn't nice of us to point it out. If it's any consolation, the fact that he's a moron shouldn't reflect poorly on the people of America. After all, it's not like you actually elected him. I'm sorry about our softwood lumber. Just because we have more trees than you, doesn't give us the right to sell you lumber that's cheaper and better than your own. It would be like if, well, say you had ten times the television audeince we did and you flood our market with great shows, cheaper than we could produce. I know you'd never do that. I'm sorry we beat you in Olympic hockey. In our defence I guess our excuse would be that our team was much, much, much, much better than yours. As word of apology, please accept all of our NHL teams which, one by one, are going out of business and moving to your fine country. I'm sorry about our waffling on Iraq. I mean, when you're going up against a crazed dictator, you want to have your friends by your side. I realize it took more than two years before you guys pitched in against Hitler, but that was different. Everyone knew he had weapons. I'm sorry we burnt down your White House during the War of 1812. I see you've rebuilt it! It's very nice. I'm sorry for Alan Thicke, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Loverboy, that song from Seriff that ends with a really high-pitched long note. Your beer. I know we had nothing to do with your beer, but we feel your pain. And finally on behalf of all Canadians, I'm sorry that we're constantly apologizing for things in a passive-aggressive way which is really a thinly veiled criticism. I sincerely hope that you're not upset over this. Because we've seen what you do to countries you get upset with.

For 22 minutes, I'm Anthony St. George, and I'm sorry.

Arrogance diminishes wisdom

I guess Jeannot Volpé is at again. He has once again forgotten the inadequacies of his party as it basically ran this province into the ground and Bernie Lord kept working on his personal agenda. Anyone remember the Orimulsion fiasco? That was under the ever so watchful eye of Volpé himself. That’s the same Volpé who went on a 30 hour filibustering rant in the Legislature on the regional Health authorities this pass session. Money well spent I guess? Since Mr. Windbag himself can’t seem to see the obvious allow me to state that since January, the provincial government has collaborated with the regional council as well as the Labourers' Training Institute of New Brunswick to provide training to 362 New Brunswickers through the TSD program. Statistics Canada indicate that the number of employed persons in New Brunswick rose to 366,500 in August, an increase of 1,600 from July, and an increase of 3,200 compared to last August. The labour force stood at 400,000, which was up by 5,800 compared to the same time last year. There are 95 more physicians practising in New Brunswick now than in October 2006. The Department of Health's committed $13.22-million for the 2008-09 budget in new medical equipment and technology. And today’s announcement of the Benefits Blueprint which will see $19 billion in direct investment which will produce more than $40 billion of economic activity and create thousands of jobs over the next decade. And these facts are just from the September newspapers.
Mr.Volpé stated that “During our mandate, we continually invested record amounts, hired teachers and teacher’s aides, as well as provided more supplies and tools for our school, including lap top computers.” Not much for two mandates. I believe Mr. Volpé thinks we New Brunswickers can’t read and should abide to their old credo.
“Keep’em ignorant and in the dark.”
By the way Mr. Volpé, why haven’t you chosen a candidate for the leadership of your party, have you got some position lined up down the road?

The writer, Anthony Beal once said;
For one to expect or ask things of others that he himself, if asked, would not be willing to do or give, is the worst kind of arrogance.”

Sorry, but your weekly rant and rave hit a nerve.

That's my opinion.

It's Friday!!!

I love teamwork! It's what makes the world go around.