Civeo employees at the TMX Camp in Merritt have voted unanimously to accept the collective agreement Civeo negotiated with the BC Regional Council of Carpenters (BCRCC).

This will affect employees of the Civeo Premium Services Employees LP working at the TMX Merritt camp, as well as at three additional Civeo camps in BC.

In late October the BCRCC was successful in organizing workers at all Civeo locations in B.C., receiving 98% support in a certification vote conducted by the BC Labour Relations Board.

The collective agreement provides gains in hourly wages, increased statutory holiday and vacation pay, 100% employer-paid benefits, and RSP contributions. The agreement also establishes job security, seniority, and recall rights.

“This is an amazing opportunity for the employees to gain consistent improvements at every Civeo operation in B.C.,” said Mark Derton, president of the BCRCC.

“Camp workers have traditionally been organized on a location-by-location basis, leaving many workers, although employed by the same company and performing the same duties, without the benefit of a union or the opportunity to receive workplace improvements gained through collective bargaining. The employer and the project can benefit as well. Varying terms and conditions of employment at multiple locations can create hiring and staffing issues on a project if other locations are viewed as more desirable by employees and potential recruits.”

The TMX facility will be active into 2023 and is operated through a joint-venture partnership between Civeo and the Lower Nicola Indian Band. It will accommodate up to four hundred people working on the TMX project and has also provided emergency accommodations for those affected by wildfire evacuations and, more recently, the flooding in Merritt.