This month, the BC Building Trades Council celebrates its 50th anniversary with the special release of a commemorative book, and a Gala celebration at New Westminster’s Anvil Center on October 28th.
“For 50 years, the BC Building Trades has been the voice for thousands of highly skilled construction workers who literally built this province,” said Tom Sigurdson, Executive Director of the BC Building Trades. “Our history is one of struggle as our members fought to make sure BC projects were built by British Columbians and that BC communities benefited. It’s a story we are proud to tell.”
The BC Building Trades recruited former BC Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair to write its history in a special anniversary book. The 250 page history covers the movements and the great developments in BC’s construction history.
“This is an amazing story between a group of workers who understood that if construction workers were going to be able to make a decent living on job sites that were safe, then they were going to have to be organized,” said Jim Sinclair, the author of the book. “Over the decades, these workers have built enduring institutions, training programs and pension funds that will support generations of working people in this province. It was an honour to tell their story.”
“Looking back on 50 years there is an incredible legacy of projects that have been built with our members hands. They are our monuments and they will last for many, many years to come,” said Sigurdson.