One sliver of good news was the slight improvement in construction and government sectors. While the labour movement is holding its own, it paints a sobering picture of the situation faced by all too many working families who lack the benefits of unionization:

1. More than one in ten full-time workers earn a poverty-level wage.
    
2. One in five Canadians is afraid of losing his or her job.
    
3. One in four Canadians between the ages of 25 and 64 has to settle for either temporary work or part-time jobs or self-employment.
    
4. 14% of Canadians under the age of 25 are unemployed.
    
5. Barely one in three workers is now eligible for employment insurance. A decade ago, before the so-called ‘E.I. reform’, three quarters of workers were covered.
    
6. While the wage gap between women and men narrowed slightly, other indicators of equality, such as the gap between rich and poor and younger and older workers, remained static.

Georgetti said the labour movement intends to reach out to disadvantaged workers by stepping-up its organizing efforts in the year ahead.

On Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004, the first skills and safety competition for power line technicians ever held at SaskPower turned out to be a tremendous success.

Supporters, sponsors, spectators and a large contingent of volunteers and 12 three-person teams and 13 apprentices all converged in the backyard at the Provincial Service Centre to witness a remarkable display of skills and true grit as the competitors were put through their paces.
Lyle Doell, Rodeo Committee Chair, estimates that over 500 people visited the Provincial Service Centre over the course of the day. "The turnout was tremendous and I can't remember a competitive event in SaskPower that involved the families as the rodeo did this past weekend”, said Lyle.

"By stressing skills and safety, not only did this event acknowledge the abilities and dedication of SaskPower power line technicians, but it let family members and other SaskPower employees and their children learn more about the transmission and distribution work of the company," said Kelly Staudt, Vice-President of Transmission and Distribution.

That evening, over 200 employees and their families and guests attended an exciting awards banquet. The evening's program began with comments from Kelly Staudt and Neil Collins, President of IBEW Local 2067. The excitement built as first the apprentice awards were handed out and then the third, second and first place for the teams.

Here are the winners in the two categories. The apprentices competed individually.

Journeymen

First Place, Jarret Neuls, Jason Kleemola, Parker Neuls, (Regina Region)

Second Place, Neil Elmslie, Corey Demmans, Lee Benson , (Prince Albert Region)

Third Place, Jamie Smith, Chris Goertzen, Wade Bell, (Weyburn Region)

Apprentice

First Place, Devon Rommel,

(Prince Albert Region)

Second Place, Quinn Dubnick,

(Prince Albert Region)

Third Place, Travis Keller, (Saskatoon Region)

Congratulations to everyone who competed!

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC

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