« Every construction union in Cape Breton is constantly sponsoring local events, and especially for children, we are jumping on board, » says Jack. Unions have also made substantial donations for projects such as the Northside Community Forum, Inverness Hospital and the Cape Breton Hospital Regional Foundation. Clayton Bartlett is the Special Projects Manager for Roclan, a division of Dora Construction, a contractor specializing in larger projects such as the Sydney Navy Terminal and the new Sydney Fire Station. « We have an advantage because we treat each union at the same time, » he says. « I think it benefits everyone here. » But many Cape Bretoners are feeling the positive effects of their efforts. It wasn`t until last fall that carpenters reacted to the Thanksgiving flood with a barbecue to raise money for brookland School, which had suffered devastating damage. The union doubled the money and bought school supplies for displaced students. The Trade Council does not only work for its members. They also support many community groups and projects. You have been a major sponsor for the Cape Breton Tradesmen Hockey Team for over 12 years, in partnership with Cape Breton unionized contractors. They were also the original support of the Cape Breton Dragon Boat team, the Cape Breastoners. « They needed a boat so many years ago, we gave them money to buy a boat and uniforms. It was very gratifying for us, because they are always strong.

Contractors also boarded. For the past eight to ten years, we have been sponsoring the Dragon Boat Festival together, » says Wall. Jack Wall is very proud of the working relationship between the unions and the contractors they deal with. « If an entrepreneur calls me and needs something, I try to help, » he says. « That`s what happens all the time with our entrepreneurs. That`s the kind of relationship we have with them. And tomorrow, they might call me, and they need three people who need some qualifications – and I`m going to get those people on the job site by Monday. And don`t forget security. « We spend a lot of money on safety training.

A lot! « , » says Wall. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, if you add everything together every year. We take the member one by one and find out what he needs. Contractors are responsible for this, but we try to help the contractor and make the member more able to work. We do not want to send a member to a job without good training. Some of the contractors are helping to pay, and for some unions, this goes beyond what the contractor proposes. « The Council was created about 50 years ago next spring 2017, » he says. « It was designed to help the construction industry, with the Nova Scotia Construction Labour Association (CLRA), to have peace in the workplace, so you wouldn`t have two or three different unions that are on strike. The Cape Breton Council is the only multi-union union union in the region — we have 15 unions under one roof. We`re all negotiating together. Over the past two years, Wall and local radio personality Tashia Lee have raised more than $10,000 for the Salvation Army`s Red Boiler campaign by visiting all local construction unions for donations.