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Skilled Trades Committee

Skilled Trades Committee

Protecting trades work, connecting trades workers

The Committee raises the profile and awareness of the working trades in British Columbia, and connects skilled trade workers who exists in the many different sectors represented by CUPE across the province.

Committee work focuses on strategies to address issues that undermine the skilled trades, like contracting-out, trade agreements, deregulation and de-skilling of trades, apprenticeship barriers, and barriers that women and other equity-seeking groups face in skilled trades work opportunities.

Breaking down barriers to trades education

The Committee’s recent discussions focused on trades recruitment and retention, particularly efforts to have more young people choose a trades career. Resolutions to the 2022 Convention sought provincial investment in resources to promote trades options to high school students, and to provide apprenticeship credit for hours served in student summer works and like programs. Both these initiatives would remove barriers, and help young people attain a skilled trades education.

Working across CUPE’s many sectors to ensure diverse representation, committee members participated in ongoing provincial discussions about advancing trades professions and education.

2023 – 2025 Committee Membership

Back row: Liam O’Neill (Staff Advisor), Eduardo Gomes, Joseph Fadel, Sonya Jenssen, Steven Clarricoates, Andrew Madden & Frank Warwick. Front row: Desirae Cunningham, Lisa Scott (Co-Chair), Kirk Mercer (Chair), Shannon McKenzie (Recording Secretary) & Ted Harrison. Missing: Guy Malaka & Leah Murray.

Committee Members

Kirk Merer1
Regional Vice-President, Vancouver Island
Kirk Mercer