B.C. Building Trades, an umbrella organization for construction unions in the province, is speaking out against Peace River Hydro Partners for planning to hire temporary foreign workers to build Site C.
Earlier this month, the conglomerate posted a want ad for a human resources associate able to assist in the processing of temporary foreign workers. The post drew the ire of the Building Trades, as well as locals concerned about local hiring on the dam.
“For more than two years the Building Trades have expressed our concern to B.C. Hydro that Site C should be built by British Columbians, as has been the history with major Hydro projects since the W.A.C. Bennett Dam was built in the 1960s,” said Tom Sigurdson, executive director of B.C. Building Trades, in a statement.
“Why should a Site C contractor hire someone to search for temporary foreign workers when so many skilled British Columbians are still looking for work?”
References to temporary foreign workers were removed from the job posting after the Alaska Highway News posed questions about the ad to BC Hydro.
BC Hydro told the Alaska Highway News in an email that it “(has) spoken with Peace River Hydro Partners about their ad and they confirmed their commitment to local hiring.”
According to BC Hydro, 75 per cent of workers on the dam are from B.C.
