Alberta workers

[SLX2007]

Remember the story of the old bull and the young bull. I am an old bull. No expensive toys, no payments. Our rig is shutting down after this hole. Days off- life is good.

No harm in going fishing or doing spring yardwork in the Okanagan. Life is good, "fix the roof when the sun is out" etc.

Not AB related, but oil/gas. Northern BC is still running steady. Not flat out busy, just regular/average. Lots of projects, more and more each month being announced. If freight is headed anywhere, it's up to that area and out to the coast over the next 5 years.

Used to see Highway 2/16/43 busy with freight, pipe, equipment, crews all day/night. Visibly slowed down now to a trickle.

Getting lots of calls from guys laid off in AB, some have gone back to the east coast. Fishing, I guess. Or on EI. Plenty of guys from all over BC looking for work, qualified or not. Big layoffs in well servicing, driving, trainee operators got laid off now there's no need for them. Lots of fat got trimmed this past 3 months. Not a good time to be overpaid, unreliable, or ungrateful for a job.

It'll be a tough year but I see things picking up in summer then into fall. Best of luck to all concerned. We'll get through this, despite the trolls. Nobody wants to see our hardworking brothers suffer.

[maryjane48]

Nobody wants to see our hardworking brothers suffer.

you in a union and no women work there?

[Muzza]

Getting lots of calls from guys laid off in AB, some have gone back to the east coast. Fishing, I guess. Or on EI. Plenty of guys from all over BC looking for work, qualified or not. Big layoffs in well servicing, driving, trainee operators got laid off now there's no need for them. Lots of fat got trimmed this past 3 months. Not a good time to be overpaid, unreliable, or ungrateful for a job.

A friend of mine who is working in Northern AB camps is swamped. They are extremely busy, and other companies are continually trying to poach him to work on their projects. Perhaps only certain areas/industries are affected? I know that he was initially worried about things slowing down, but it hasn't, at least for him...... He is finding it difficult to fly back to Vernon to see his family as his company wants him to keep working.

I think that the smart companies are using this time to get things done, as many of their costs have gone down. These companies will be in a good position when the price of oil rebounds.

[Atomoa]

...when the price of oil rebounds.

You're hoping the Saudi's will want less control of the market they dominate?

[Captain Awesome]

Nobody wants to see our hardworking brothers suffer.

Strangely, some people do. Perhaps same people who are jealous of all the money hardworking folks in Alberta are making during good times.

[Atomoa]

Strangely, some people do. Perhaps same people who are jealous of all the money hardworking folks in Alberta are making during good times.

I think it has more to do with countering the "Ha-Ha you went to college I'm making 150K a year look at my boats - you're a sucker!" and less to do with "wanting people to suffer".

Recent Letter to editor on Castanet

As for not getting ahead in a trade, well I have one four year old vehicle paid off just bought a second, my mortgage has been suffering from the extra payments I make on it but its getting down there. Besides that I have zero debt, I cant wait to feel what its like to get ahead. Making over two hundred thousand last year was a bit of a struggle, but you will be hard pressed to find a four year degree that pays more than that. Whether you have a degree or trade certificate, hard work pays off and if you're not willing to work hard you're not going to get anywhere.

My Dad' was in the trades in the 80's and sat on the unemployment line for along time. He warned me that while trades in boom times can be wonderful, in bust times they are anything but.

[Captain Awesome]

I think it has more to do with countering the "Ha-Ha you went to college I'm making 150K a year look at my boats - you're a sucker!" and less to do with "wanting people to suffer".

Some people just need a reason to gloat over other people suffering. I remember when the real estate prices started freefall, a lot of people were gloating about McMansion owners going broke. Now it's the same thing with oil production.

[Captain Awesome]

I know that a lot of people are hurting but many have done this before and were prepared.

Experienced people know it's all about up and downs. Some heavily leveraged companies are going out of business right now and shutting down production. Smarter operators are buying them up for pennies on a dollar and will benefit immensely when the market goes up again. For smart people, it's the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

[Dizzy1]

Have you been watching the price of oil lately ? It has been in a free fall.. My guess would be that there will soon be less Alberta workers as the cut backs begin..

Not nearly as much as the oil companies have, big projects are still starting this year. Suncor wants Fort Hill's to start producing by 2017/2018 ... and the only way to do that is build a plant. They've more interested in what the price of oil is going to be when they start producing. They've already got the money set aside for the project, no point not building it and being ready to make money when the time comes.

Same with Kearl, once Phase 2 and 3 go on line, they're production costs will be reduced by the extra efficiency. Most of the jobs gone are construction jobs, while some smaller projects are on hold, other big projects are just finishing up as scheduled, but because they're almost done, they don't need as many workers anyways.

[Captain Awesome]

Not to mention, a lot of companies that own producing assets (oil and gas) have been hedging their production - right now they still get $100/barrel for what they produce this year and even into next year. For them, it's business as usual.

[tootall23]

We are looking to upgrade to a tridem water truck. Should be some good deals later this year.

Tough times bring out the cutthroats. Our rate was cut by 20% because of a very low bid by a larger outfit with shiny tridem trucks and big payments. Let's just say they are a bunch of Gangsters.

[xjeepguy]

We are looking to upgrade to a tridem water truck. Should be some good deals later this year.

Tough times bring out the cutthroats. Our rate was cut by 20% because of a very low bid by a larger outfit with shiny tridem trucks and big payments. Let's just say they are a bunch of Gangsters.

LOL !

Or a bunch of Bulldogs



;)

[Rjamer]

Not to mention, a lot of companies that own producing assets (oil and gas) have been hedging their production - right now they still get $100/barrel for what they produce this year and even into next year. For them, it's business as usual.

I have farm land in SE Sask on top of the Bakken formation and my mineral rights are with Crescent Point.. I know they hedged their oil but on my last monthly royalty cheque the price of the oil they sold was $56.40 per barrel as opposed to $104.52 per barrel in April 2014..Oil has been sliding ever since, right now $48.93 as we speak..

[SLX2007]

you in a union and no women work there?

No/Yes

[McMick15]

hi guys,

You all seem very 'in the know' which is what I need.
I'm a Penticton gal with years of Administrative /Senior Mgmt support experience looking for work - just need someone to actually 'look' at my resume. Looking for office camp work Northern BC or AB .. Single/no kids so ready and able to be on a plane in days! Any ideas of what companies still need office help and HOW to get my resume actually looked at? Thx all!