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ENERGY: Unions vote to strike two weeks after employers unveil workforce strategy
            (AlbertaIndex, July 25, Wednesday) --- Just two weeks after unveiling their strategy to deal with a workforce supply crisis, oilsands companies are bracing themselves for serious disruptions as unions gave an unprecedented vote to down tools. Up till now, oil companies have had to deal mostly with labour shortages and rising wages, not strike actions.             Oilsands projects in Fort McMurray could be hit from next week after five major unions told the Alberta Labour Relations that they had voted on July 4 to strike for better pay and terms.
           
If the strike proceeds, it will be the first since current labour legislation was enacted in the early 1980s.  Clearly, the situation reflects a shift in the balance of power towards the once-docile union amidst a worsening labour shortage in Alberta and most of Western Canada.
            A prolonged strike could impact the province’s energy industry which contributes over 28 per cent or $59 billion to Alberta’s GDP.
            On July 10, Alberta’s energy associations and employers had proudly released “A Workforce Strategy for Alberta’s Energy Sector” which contains 46 new actions for recruiting, retaining, and developing the workforce as part of their plan to address labour shortages.
            The industry said the report addressed the unique labour force issues and challenges in the energy patch. The Alberta government facilitated the extensive collaboration among 37 energy associations, labour organizations and employers to develop the strategy.
            “While many companies, associations and other stakeholders have been working to deal with labour shortages and workforce development, this is the first time we have all come together to tackle these challenges,” said Brian Maynard, Vice President of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, during the report’s release. “This strategy will ensure a coordinated and focused approach as we move forward.”
            “All sub-sectors played a role and it was a thorough process. We were grateful for the expertise of everyone involved and thankful for the Government of Alberta’s efforts to bring us all together,” said Cheryl Knight, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada.
            “The impact of labour shortages is very real. To keep up with the pace of economic growth and capitalize on key projects in the oil sands, industry needs to take the lead and tackle this issue,” said Andrew Stephens, Vice President of Petro-Canada.
            The strategy is aimed at addressing labour force issues specific to the energy sector over the next 10 years. Highlights include a mobile training facility for remote areas of the province, and developing a one-stop ‘super-domain’ with information about living in Alberta and working in the energy sector to attract out-of-province workers.
            “The energy sector has been working on some great ideas to address our key concerns, namely how to attract, develop and retain good people to work in our businesses,” said Lloyd Dick, Communications and Research Specialist with the Alberta Chamber of Resources.
            “As we move ahead, the important thing is to not only follow through on the actions but to ensure we balance immediate needs with long-term issues,” said Terry Burton, Co-chair of the Construction Owners Association of Alberta’s Workforce Development Coordinating Committee.
            Alberta’s energy sector is the province’s most powerful economic driver. Many sub-sectors, including coal, electricity, minerals, natural gas, conventional oil and petrochemicals, work with and depend on many other industries, such as transportation and manufacturing.
            “Our energy sector impacts the lives of every Albertan,” said Mel Knight, Minister of Energy. “A Workforce Strategy for Alberta’s Energy Sector will help to ensure Alberta’s energy sector continues to thrive and make significant contributions to our economy.”

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