To the editor:
Re: Dix Hot On Subject Of Need For Skills Training in B.C. (Oct. 10 LCC)
Not a week goes by that Independent Conntractors & Builders’ Assoc. president Phil Hochstein isn’t out banging the drum about the dangers of unions. If he can’t summon up a real story, he just makes something up. Mr. Hockstein on behalf of the ICBA has never let facts get in the way of a good story.
But this week, Mr. Hochstein’s creative imaginings were beyond the pale when he salaciously accused the unionized construction industry of only cornering five per cent of the market. Ridiculous. Over the past 10 years, through rebounds and market recoveries, our average participation rate based on payroll has been over 20 per cent. Which does not mean that his association represents the remainder. In fact I might argue that his organization represents fewer contractors than our members work for. And all the while, our 20 per cent has been shouldering 50 per cent of all construction trades training in the province.
Tom Sigurdson,
executive director,
BC Building Trades