Formation of Lodge 2006 - Newfoundland

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January 17th, 2006

Brothers and Sisters,

On Saturday January 14th, 2006, I attended one of the best Union meetings of my career. It was the first one that we have ever held in Newfoundland.

Every winter, well over a hundred of our members return home to Newfoundland and get a few months (though in some cases, only a few weeks) with their families. These are a special breed of men, who go thousands of miles away and live on outfit cars or bunked up double in a motel room for most of the year, working the hard and dangerous life on the seasonal crews. Because of the employment situation on the Rock, they have to go away to work and to send their pay home to support their wives and children and to give them a decent life, all the while allowing them the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful spots in Canada. Like I said, these are a special breed of man, but I guess you already knew that after all the years working alongside.

When you get to Newfoundland, you are first struck by the timeless beauty of the place. Not only the landscapes but the architecture as well. The houses and buildings are testaments to the culture, big and brooding, ancient yet as well maintained as they were the day they went up. These are sprinkled in among the new and modern as well, to make it a mixture of centuries and it is quite a tableau.

The landscapes and natural wonders will take your breath away. The breathtaking views of the fierce Atlantic ocean offset the calm stillness of all the inland freshwater ponds. There are desolate spots, stark and scarce surrounded by lush forests and backdropped by rolling hills. And there are coves, picture postcards come to life, that you pass as you drive along the winding highways. All in all, it truly is a world apart, unique in its strength and its beauty. It is easy to see why it is so hard for so many to leave and why they always return. And the people are truly the friendliest you will ever meet. Strong in their values, quick with their wit, generous to a fault, hard working, honest and always able to see the positive side in anything.

We have been asked, a number of times to come and see the boys when they were at home and last weekend we were finally able to. Around a hundred people came out (including many wives and girlfriends), which has got to be close to a record for a meeting. We opened the meeting at one o'clock and went until just about six.

We covered lots of issues including demands for negotiations, Bob Martin's untimely death, the need for safety and using the right to refuse, rules cards, expenses, 8/6 schedule, convention and by-laws, new hires, bulletins, the Collective Agreement re-write, the Woollard decision, and of course, Q & A.

Most importantly, Brother Rod Warren brought up the possibility of a Newfoundland local lodge and whether it could be done under the new by-laws. Under Article 10, section 1(a), if twenty five (25) or more persons eligible for membership make written application to the Division President, and the Executive Board accepts the application, the lodge will be established.

Today, the Executive Board unanimously approved the application (which was recieved in writing from 30 members). The new lodge will be numbered as lodge # 2006.

Congratulations, Brothers. Its been a long time coming, but it is definitely a huge leap in the right direction. I want to thank all of you for a great time as well as the "adoption" as honorary Newfoundlanders. All of us mainlanders got dressed in rain slickers, hip waders and sou' westers and went through the timeless ritual of "kissing the cod" and getting "screeched in". I won't spoil the ceremony for anyone who has not seen it, but sufice to say it was hilarious. And even though the ceremony is "tongue in cheek" , it was a great honour to participate. Especially since the Mayor of Marystown officiated and signed our certificate, with Brother Angus Moores leading the oaths and the pledge.

Thanks again to everyone for their hospitality, and Janice at the Marystown Hotel (where we stayed) wanted to see her name in print, so here you go.

Fraternally,

Bill Brehl
President
TCRC MWED

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