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Labour Agreement for Terra Nova

Premier Brian Tobin announced today that a labour agreement has been signed between PCL Constructors Inc., on behalf of the Terra Nova Alliance, and the Newfoundland and Labrador International Building Trades Petroleum Development Association with respect to the Bull Arm facility in this province. The agreement was announced at a news conference held today at the Hotel Newfoundland.

The Premier was joined at the press conference by Environment and Labour Minister, Kevin Aylward, and representatives from Petro Canada, PCL Constructors Inc. and the Newfoundland and Labrador International Building Trades Petroleum Development Association. This agreement is a significant one that opens the door for the province to become a globally competitive player in the international offshore oil industry. The Premier stated: "This new agreement will present great, future long term job opportunity in Newfoundland and Labrador. It truly represents a culture shift by unions with a clear vision of what is required to be competitive."

While the agreement does not guarantee work at the Bull Arm site, it does provide a means to compete realistically for the fabrication of offshore drilling and production facilities. Minister Aylward stated that this agreement represents a new era for labour relations in Canada. He said: "This agreement is the first of its kind in Canada where a Building Trades Council has developed a single union concept for building trades in this country with no jurisdictional barriers. This was done in recognition that the fabrication of offshore drilling and production facilities present great, future long term job opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador using the world class facility in Bull Arm."

This agreement will give the Bull Arm site an important advantage in global competitiveness. Government is committed to ensuring that its legislation supports the successful efforts by the unions, PCL and Terra Nova.

Industry and labour representatives expressed their satisfaction with the agreement and the Premier complimented the parties on having met the challenge of global competitiveness by achieving such a progressive arrangement.

Contact:

     Sean Kelly                              Heidi Bonnell
     Department of Environment and Labour    Premier's Office
     (709) 729-2575                          (709)729-3564

1997 04 14             2:30 p.m.