New super union hits Alberta’s private sector oil and gas HQs

CALGARY, Alberta – News of the new Super-Union, Unifor, has been dredging up mixed feelings across Canada for the last few weeks.  An all encompassing super power is taking aim at lesser unions and promising to reshape the world of unskilled Canadian labour by adding skilled professionals to its membership.

Unifor has announced a targeted ploy to ensnare oil and gas professionals in the western provinces (namely Calgary) by promising larger wages and increased job security.  A detailed memo recently leaked from Unifor’s office in Toronto outlines the measures it will use to convince engineers, geoscientists, and other technical oil and gas professionals that they need to enlist.

Unifor is promising a base salary for a university-educated professional at $160K per year (and add 25% to that base salary if the worker also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Management from the UofC).  On top of the base salary, Unifor will offer 8 weeks of vacation and a superb medical plan mandated by the union, which will undoubtedly grab the attention of the PNG industry.  Unifor executives note that the compensation package is not the biggest part of the promise, however, the tenure package is.  Unifor will promise to provide a tenure track, alongside teachers in the USA and elsewhere, that makes it very difficult for PNG operators to dismiss any staff that are part of Unifors rank and file.

After 2 years with an operator, if a grievance is filed, the worker is granted suspension pending review status.  During the suspension pending review status period, the worker is sent to the Hawk Haven Professional Stewardship Facility with full pay.  A review can take up to 35 months and there is no need to stress workers out over that sensitive period.

 

During a worker’s review, they cannot possibly contribute to a position they may be excused from, so they will be doing professional development and networking in Hawk Havens Libraries and golf & country club in the interim.  It is a very nice facility, and I’m sure there will be no quarrel there. – Jamie Falzzonie, Ex-CAW director and president of Unifor PNG Alberta

Opposition to this plan comes directly from APEGGA here in Calgary (based in Edmonton) about how the new Unifor structure will cater to professional conduct if APEGGA is pulled out of the loop.

This union screams of absurdity and unprofessionalism!  How are we going to enforce a trust of professionalism if half our membership lays with a mangy dog?  We cannot have that kind of filth and depravity tinge our image or our reputation.

 

Our course of action will be legal and swift.  We will merely have to purge the unclean, as has been done throughout history. – Paul Noballs, Deputy Minister of Professional Sanctity, APEGGA

Other opponents to Unifor’s foray into Alberta’s oil and gas industry include the president of the Alberta Petroleum Producers Coalition, Mick Joseph, who believes that the union will create a downtown Calgary office staff that is lazy, and very difficult to motivate, thanks to the tenure and senority model adopted by the union.

 It is bad enough that we have guys in the field and tradesmen who are with unions, but head office staff? You have to be shitting me. I can only imagine how this is going to play out, and it ain’t going to be pretty, that’s for damn sure. – Mick Joseph, President, APPC.

Unifor is expected to hold multiple membership drives and press conferences here in Calgary, as well as Grande Prairie, Ft. McMurray, Fox Creek, and Edmonton throughout Q3 and Q4.  2P news will be updating as necessary to keep our readers informed and above the changing tide waters.