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Contractor contributions to this Health and Welfare Trust Fund provides life insurance, weekly disability, long-term disability, hospitalization, supplementary health expense, prescription drugs, hearing aids, vision care, dental care, and orthodontia for union members and contractor non-bargaining members. The Electrical Industry Pension Trust Fund was established effective April 1, 1973. Contractor contributions to the Pension Trust Fund of Alberta for union members and contractor nonbargaining members have created a world-class, multi-million dollar pension plan for the thousands of current and future pensioners.

In 1977, there were two education trusts created to which the ECAA was a party; the Electrical Industry Education Trust Fund of Northern Alberta and the Electrical Industry Education Trust Fund of Southern Alberta. The original ECAA-appointed trustees for each of the funds were Arthur A.O. Thomann and Elver Olsen. In 1999, the northern and southern trusts were consolidated into the Electrical Industry Education Trust Fund of Alberta. The ECAA appointed Trustees in 1999 were Reg Morris and Frank Geweth. The Electrical Industry Education Trust Fund of Alberta provides training for apprentice and journeyperson electricians through the IBEW Training Centre.

All three of these trust funds have both union and management appointed trustees to maintain the funds. Employee Benefit Funds Administration (EBFA) is a non-profit organization retained to administer the pension, health & welfare, and education benefits on behalf of the plan members.

The Electrical Contractors Industry Fund, which is supported by contributions from contractors signed to a collective agreement with the IBEW, has a number of benefits provided to them at no cost. These include Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) certification testing, Audiometric Testing, Supervisor Discipline Training Program, Better Supervision Supervisory Training Program (BSV), Industrial Construction Crew Supervisor (ICCS), Leadership for Safety Excellence (LSE), First Level Supervisor Training Program (FLST), On-Line Learning Program on the Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace, The Alcohol & Drug Assistance Program, English Benchmarking, EFAB Benefits for Non-Plan Members, Certified Master Electrician Ethics Course, Electrical Safety Training System (ESTS), as well as Labour Relations Support for resolving grievances, coordinating collective agreement negotiations and collective agreement interpretation and application.

Contributions fund the Rapid Site Access Program (RSAP) which provides Case Managed Aftercare (CMAC) and Substance Abuse Expert (SAE) Services as part of the Alcohol and Drug Assistance Program.

How time flies

It’s hard to believe that when I assumed the role of Labour Relations Chair in 1996 - which I had assumed was for the short-termmore than 26 years have gone by. There have been a lot of changes and new faces over the years that have been an instrumental part of getting us to where we are today. Throughout most of that time

Sheri Mclean was the Executive Director of the ECAA and she was always there to take minutes at all the negotiation meetings and assist with the drafting of the final Collective Agreement Documents. Her dedicated work will never be forgotten. Special thanks need to go out to former ECAA

Labour Relations Coordinator Jim Bendfeld and current ECAA Labour Coordinator Tim Brower who have been instrumental in assisting the Unionized Contractors of ECAA with their needs over the years. I started my apprenticeship 54 years ago in 1969 with a company called Doug Smith Electric whose name changed to Chemco Electrical Contractors in

1978. I assumed the role of President and CEO of Chemco in 1988. It is quite a coincidence as Doug Smith Electric is going to celebrate its 60th Anniversary in 2023. It does not seem that long ago, but the days and years seem to go more quickly now.

What does the future look like

With the downturn in the prices of oil and gas in Alberta over the last few years and the crisis created by COVID-19, the ECAA and IBEW have worked together to be proactive to try to create work opportunities for the union members and the contractors that employ them. These are challenging times and together both parties look to create collective agreements that are for the benefit of all parties.

On the industrial side with the Alberta government granting Div 8 Status to air products for the new hydrogen plant in Edmonton and Dow Chemical for the $10-billion expansion at Ft. Saskatchewan, work opportunities will arise in the near future. The LNG Canada facility in Kitimat should allow for a continued expansion of the necessary gas processing plants and pipelines to move product out of Alberta. In the commercial sector, infrastructure, new hospitals, and other facilities should provide opportunities in that sector as well. As Alberta shuts down its coalfired power generation facilities and converts some to natural gas, this will also create new jobs. Solar, wind turbines, and possibly small nuclear power generating facilities will increase our power generating capacities and with that will require updates to the power transmission system. As the electric powered vehicle numbers increase, there will be a larger demand on charging systems and power generation to keep up with the requirement.

As the turmoil continues in Ukraine, prices of oil, gas, and food commodities have increased dramatically with no end in sight. Inflation in Canada and throughout the world has significantly increased the lending rates making it harder for everyone to meet the increased cost of housing, fuel, and groceries.

In the end, as it has in the past, the ECAA and IBEW together will be able to reach solutions one way or another to get us ready for the future whatever it may hold. n