Sunday, June 22, 2014

Prepping TFWs for the Northern Gateway Pipeline


This week Employment Minister Jason Kenney replaced the old LMOA, Labour Market Opinion Assessment, with the brand new LMIA, or Labour Market Impact Assessment - henceforth to be known as the LabourMinister Missing in Action program for its accelerated 10- working- day approval process to put TFWs in skilled trades.

Remember those 270 unionized welders and pipefitters laid off a Husky Sunrise tarsands project last October and replaced by temporary foreign workers? 
As one of the former workers explained
"We had to conduct a handover to Saipem, detailing to them where we had stopped work so that they may continue. In the final week, Saipem foreign workers were actually in the facility working side by side with us ..."
And that happened because under the old LMOA, the federal government had an agreement with Alberta to exempt welders, heavy-duty mechanics and iron workers from the rules about having to ensure Canadian applicants got first crack at those jobs.

So how is Jason Kenney's new LabourMin Missing in Action program going to work?

Ok, bear with me here.
In April this year, the Canadian Welding Bureau or CWB, the Canadian welding certification and registration org, put out an unusual presser/disclaimer :
CWB defines position on temporary foreign workers
"There have recently been publicized reports that the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) is recruiting Filipino welders to fill welding jobs here in Canada, and in particular, to fill vacancies in the BC shipbuilding industry. These statements are incorrect. For the record, the CWB is not in the business of recruiting welders, either from the Philippines or elsewhere, or involved in any job placement schemes, contracts or agreements to enter Canada."
The presser goes on to explain that while the CWB has operations in the Philippines and 35 other countries, its mandate is to ensure the safety of Canadians and yada yada yada.

The CWB was responding to news stories in the Philippine press that the CWB was indeed doing exactly what its disclaimer denies :

More jobs for Pinoy welders in Canada  and Canada wants more Pinoy skilled workers
"British Columbia is on the hunt for Filipino welders and pipe-fitters as it anticipates a shortage of such skilled workers to build 10 new non-combat ships for the Canadian Coast Guard.Anticipating a possible shortage of qualified tradesmen, the Canadian Welding Bureau has accredited test centers in the Philippines to screen well-trained welders, reports ABS-CBN news. 
“The welders that we are training in Canada right now are not sufficient to fill that vacuum that’s why the Canadian government is looking of hiring temporary workers from outside, and right now, the Philippines is a very favorable place to hire the welders,” said Bob Montes, certification services representative of the Canadian Welding Bureau. 
Montes added that welders will also be in big demand when construction for the pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia begins."  
And Bingo! - TFW welders for the Northern Gateway pipeline -- you know, to fill all those jobs Steve keeps promising us the pipeline will provide for Canadians - hence the new 10-working-day accelerated approval process for skilled workers.. 
"Currently, there are only three centers that are accredited by the Canadian Welding Bureau : Brilliant Metal Works, Zoie Training Center and Primary Structures Educational Foundation, all based in Cebu, Phillipines.Those who pass the test here will get a welding card that is valid anywhere in Canada.With these developments, the Philippine Labor Office is confident that Canada will continue to hire more temporary foreign workers despite charges that the program is stealing jobs away from Canadians."
Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) takes Cebu City by storm - August 2012
"A total of 120 students made it to the cut-off for the first batch of the Canadian Welding Bureau welding class ... with no less than the Canadian Consul to the Philippines Consul Robert Lee gracing the opening ceremony. 
"I want to make it my legacy sending world class Filipino welders to Canada before my retirement few years from now. We are proud to be part of this program being the first CWB welding school outside of Canada and the first in the whole world. With this CWB partnership with SKILLS, our people here in the Philippines will experience a world class training inside a welding facility designed using Canadian welding standards.”
The CWB training runs for eight (8) months holding classes five (5) hours daily from Monday to Friday. It is handled by Prof. Stuart Ring, a former teacher and a retired Canadian Pipe Fitter, duly certified by the Canadian Welding Bureau."

The Canadian Consul to the Philippines' words kinda reminds me of the Governor General of Canada, David Johnston, planting a tree at the campus of outsourcing giant Infosys in India in February.

And finally, a CWB presser from Dec 2012
Canadian Welding Bureau Applauds New Federal Skilled Trades Program to Assist With Shortage of Welders
Craig Martin, vice president of the Office of Public Safety for the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) :
"CWB Group has been working diligently for some time in many countries, pre-qualifying welders so they meet Canadian standards and are job-ready before immigrating to Canada," said Mr. Martin. 
"We've developed relationships with training institutions in the Philippines and Suriname so their programs adhere to Canadian standards for training and certification. We have also certified companies and qualified welders from countries extending beyond our borders for several years. A program like this is a proactive step forward because it will further allow more CWB qualified welders to enter the country, provide exceptional craftsmanship and fill the ongoing shortage."

So is there any actual "ongoing shortage" of welders?
Let's go to Service Canada, bearing in mind the Alberta Federation of Labour says the feds rely on self-reporting industry surveys for their labour shortage stats ...

"The labour pool may vary considerably depending on the requirements for the position. That explains why this occupation has high unemployment but also a labour shortage.
In the positions that require a lower level of skill, such as unskilled positions as welders or related machine operators, the labour pool consists of experienced metallurgical workers who have received in-house training. This group includes welder/fitter helpers (see 9612, labourers in metal fabrication) and the many experienced unemployed welders and welder helpers. 
Incidentally, this is the labour pool with the highest unemployment."
Ok then.

Video Update
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7 comments:

karen said...

Also, employment in construction fields is highly variable. If statistics are gathered during a maintenance shutdown cycle, then employment will be high, if taken in say December or January, employment in industrial construction will be low.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how much truth, there is to any of this?

Petro-China had put in a bid, to help build the Enbridge pipeline.
May 29/2012
business.financialpost.com

Thousands of jobs forecast for, Chinese Northern BC mining plan.
March 29/2011
www.princegeorgecitizen.com

Harper and Cabinet, mulls massive Chinese resource project in High Arctic
Dec 27/2012
www.theglobeandmail.com

Canadian Dehua International. Former Chinese Government Official
Oct 18/2012
thetyee.ca

Enbridge has chosen a limited partnership-is to limit the exposure of investors in the company, not to make good on a catastophic spill
12/07/05
business.financialpost.com

Then, there is Harper's FIPA deal with Communist China.

However Harper, his so called Conservatives and the Campbell/Clark BC Liberals all lie like sidewalks. They are also experts on, underhanded lying and diversion tactics.

Harper is no Conservative, what-so-ever. He even lied about that. Wonder what party name Harper will hi-jack, for the next corrupt election? Will the name start with N?

Sorry but? I believe every vile, rotten thing said about Harper and his cabal. Same with Christy Clark. It all seems to fit their characteristics. Lying, corruption and thieving and such.

Anonymous said...

seaspans new texas boss is trying very hard to put the screws to union tugboat crews,seaspan is going to get around unions to build the frigates.

Anonymous said...

To pile on some more:
Gillian Steward about TFWs being paid less in Fort McMurray:

http://linkis.com/www.thestar.com/opin/yBfqW

And CBC about complaints about the TFW Program going back to 2006 in, you guessed it, Alberta:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/temporary-foreign-worker-program-complaints-began-in-2006-1.2685056


We could also go back in time to 2009 when Jason Kenney attacked Kairos and Bev Oda's CIDA stopped funding them; this might have been for several things Kairos was doing to make the world better - one of Kairos concerns was for TFWs:

http://www.ufcw.ca/Theme/UFCW/files/PDF%202009/TEMPFO~1.PDF

Holly Stick

Anonymous said...

I have tried to post the information you provide here several times in the comments section of the Financial Post article "Temporary Foreign Worker restrictions will hurt BC's LNG development" you link to, both with and without links to your post.

Each time my comment was erased.

Alison said...

Anon@11:21 : Thanks!
As a test, I posted a very neutrally worded comment re CWB and their international pre-accrediting welder schools under the same article an hour ago and it's still there. I think they don't allow links in comments, although I note you say you also commented without a link.

Anonymous said...

Rich Coleman is a corrupt, disgusting pig of a man, the greediest scummiest slimiest toad in the Harper-lite neoliberal party run by Christy Clark. If you want an idea of his character and legacy, this is a perfect example:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=e1fdd068-de5a-4bb0-962b-dfc5bf6e329c

Imagine that slimeball saying Canadian welders aren't capable of some welding work. What a load of HORSESHIT that statement is.

Unforunately the bible belt 'billies of BC keep electing him.

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