Report from the West Coast

Fraser River Pile and Dredge

Dates have been set for upcoming negotiations with Fraser River Pile and Dredge. The SIU has collected all proposals from the crew of the Fraser Titan and will sit down with our negotiating committee members and the company to begin contract talks. With Fraser River Pile and Dredge hav- ing recently renewed their contract with Port Metro Vancouver for an expected 15 years, we anticipate the company may look for a long term contract with the unlicensed members. We will be meticulous in weighing our options if this is the case at FRPD. A long term deal is good for business and shows labour stability, but it must meet the expectations of the members. Once talks begin we will be keeping the crew of the Fraser Titan updated as we progress.

Seaspan Ferries

Our contract expires at the end of September and the SIU has already made attempts at setting up dates for negotiations with Seaspan. As the summer has developed we have been gathering proposals as well as talking with members about their needs for the upcoming contract. A negotiating committee will be chosen and we will begin talks as soon as we get solid dates set for September.

The SIU would like to congratulate Dan Braniuk and Noel McKenna as new employees at Seaspan Ferries. Both Dan and Noel have filled in nicely at Seaspan and have now gained seniority rights within the company.

Harken Towing Gains New Vessel

The fleet at Harken Towing has increased with the acquisition of a coastal vessel.

The Harken Towing training program continues to be a valuable tool for the company. SIU member Jay Jewel has taken on the role of orienting new train- ees at Harken. The program has been in place for a little more than a year and Harken has seen great progress in the development of new employees.

Northern Transportation Company Limited (NTCL)

The SIU made a trip to Hay River in June for fit out at NTCL. With the changes to the management team at Northern Transportation Company Limited the SIU crews are working hard to help bring the company back to what it once was. Management held shipboard crew meetings to inform crews of the direction the new team is going to be taking to insure a prosperous future in the Arctic. They pulled no punches in saying the past mismanagement has taken a toll on both the company and its customers. Crew members spoke up about how communication between the office and the vessels would be a key factor for success. Many crew members are long time employees of NTCL and have seen many different faces change in the office; they are the frontline resource that has seen it all and the company should be listening to them in these tough times. The operation this season will be a determining factor in renewing current customer contracts, gaining back old customers and searching for new developments.

Many questions were asked about the state of the NTCL Pension Plan and the current collective agreement which is in need of renewal. The SIU has been notified that NTCL has filed an election with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) to proceed with a Distressed Pension Plan Work- out Scheme as per the new provisions of the Federal Pension Benefits Stand- ards Act and Regulations (PBSA) which were brought into force subsequent to Bill C-9 and received Royal Assent on July 10th, 2010. It has been confirmed with an officer at OSFI that the NTCL case will be the first request for the use of the distressed pension workout scheme provisions of the PBSA. The SIU along with officials from the CMSG and PSAC/UCTE will be preparing correspondence to the Minister of State for Finance, the Honourable Ted Menzies, expressing our concerns over this recent development. Since this will be the first case under this new legislation we will also be requesting that resources from OSFI be specifically dedicated to oversee this particular matter.

The SIU and NTCL are set to meet in late September for contract talks in hopes of having something for the members to vote on at time of lay up in October.

Around the Port

It has been a very busy summer in the Vancouver Hall and we are looking for qualified sailors to fill our relief positions. If you know anyone with experience or even looking to get into the industry, have them contact our office in Vancouver.

A reminder to all members to regularly check your dues status with the SIU. You can call any of our SIU offices across Canada to make sure you are up to date with your Union dues.

Safe Sailing!