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IUOE LOCAL 793 RESPONDS TO COMMENTS FROM RUNCIMAN.
OAKVILLE — Mike Gallagher, business manager of Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, today blasted Opposition Leader Bob Runciman for suggesting that provincial funds for training centres in Oakville and Morrisburg were approved for political reasons.
“It is ludicrous for Mr. Runciman to suggest such a thing and it shows he has not done his homework,” Gallagher said. “He is twisting the truth and there is no evidence whatsoever to support his claim. It is outrageous that he would float such an idea without first checking the facts.”
Gallagher said the money was approved under the Skills Training Infrastructure Program as a result of an open and transparent process administered by the public service. He also noted that the campuses of the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO) are a separate entity from the union and managed by a joint labour-management board of trustees.
“Provincial governments of all political stripes - including the Conservatives - have supported these training facilities in the past,” Gallagher said. “In fact, Mr. Runciman himself has given provincial funds to the OETIO campuses. In 2001, for example, when he was PC Minister of Economic Development and Trade, he presented the OETIO with a cheque for $2.3 million under the Strategic Skills Investment Grant.”
“It is surprising then, that Mr. Runciman is now choosing to criticize the funding process when he and the Conservatives did the same thing. This is nothing but a cheap political stunt aimed at drawing attention from a very positive announcement by the Liberals to set aside money to help retrain laid-off workers. It is truly disgusting that Mr. Runciman would stoop so low in an attempt to undermine the hard work of OETIO staff who have built the facilities into world-class training centres.”
Gallagher said the OETIO is recognized as an official training delivery agency for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and has been for more than 30 years. Local 793 members contribute millions of dollars a year to operate the facilities and support training programs.
“It is an insult, then, for Mr. Runciman to suggest that politics is the reason that the current government has invested in these training facilities. Through the efforts and contributions of government, management and labour, our construction sites are now safer and it is rare to hear of a crane accident. Sadly, this has not been the case in some places in the U.S., like in New York City, Miami and Seattle where accidents have resulted in construction workers and members of the public being killed.”
Gallagher said the OETIO’s 80,000-square-foot training facility located on 160 acres along the St. Lawrence Seaway in Morrisburg and the facility located on six acres in Oakville, with its classroom space and state-of-the-art simulators, ensure that apprentices are trained on the latest types of equipment.
“The training is open to members of the public and is subsidized by approximately $4 million per year from contributions by members of Local 793. In addition, the union has invested close to $40 million over the years in the facilities and equipment at no cost to the public. So, the training money provided by the province provides a tremendous return when you think of the number of apprentices that are trained and provide a valuable service to employers in the construction industry.”
Gallagher said hundreds of apprentices are schooled at the facilities each year and with demand for skilled labour rising the OETIO has had to hire more instructors, acquire more training aids and rent or lease heavy equipment.
“The money provided by the government has enabled the OETIO to invest in new cranes and heavy equipment and keep pace with changing technology, allowing us to train more workers for the future. Under the Skills Training Infrastructure Program, the Training Trust Fund also invests in this equipment.”
“Ontario needs more skilled workers to keep construction employers strong and the economy moving forward. These training facilities enable us to provide employers with that skilled labour. The provincial government has rightly recognized the important contributions that unionized labour and employers make in ensuring that Ontario has a safe and highly skilled construction workforce. Continued investment in training centres like the OETIO will help ensure that the province keeps its competitive edge. With workers being laid off in the manufacturing sector in Ontario, funding such as this becomes even more important if we are to retrain displaced workers.”
Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers represents thousands of highly skilled crane and heavy equipment operators across Ontario. The union has a head office and banquet hall in Oakville. The OETIO has a training campus in Oakville and another training campus in Morrisburg.
For additional information contact:
Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher
905-469-9299, ext. 202
Jun-9-08
HOLLINS SHOULD RESPOND ON LIBERAL CONNECTION TO “WORKING FAMILIES”
Opposition Leader Bob Runciman today called on Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer, John Hollins to respond to a request made nine months ago regarding the relationship between the Ontario Liberal party and Working Families that was a potential violation of provincial election laws.
“There is a substantial amount of information that questions whether ‘Working Families’ and the Ontario Liberal Party operated in conjunction with one another in the last election,” said Runciman. “The Chief Electoral Officer should shed some light on this relationship and if it does violate election laws. Why is it taking so long to get to the bottom of this?”
The initial letter of request was sent to the Chief Electoral Officer in August 2007 by then PC Party President Blair McCreadie. The letter asked that Mr. Hollins investigate whether the Ontario Liberal Party had prior knowledge or involvement with ‘Working Families’ in either the 2003 or 2007 election campaigns, as any such involvement would contravene the Elections Finance Act. By April 2008, Hollins had yet to respond, so Runciman and Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory sent another letter to him asking him to release his findings.
Runciman revealed today in the House that in June 2007, then Finance Minister and Chair of the Ontario Liberal Campaign, Greg Sorbara met with Pat Dillon head of the Provincial Building Trades and principal of Working Families and Mike Gallagher, Business Manager of Operating Engineers Local 793. No records exist from this meeting. One week later, Mike Gallagher’s union received $3.3 million dollars from the McGuinty Liberals. In the 2007 election Local 793 contributed $150,000 to the ‘Working Families’, or 10 per cent of their total money raised.
“If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck,“ said Runciman. “There is something more than meets the eye here and we would like to know what that is sooner rather than later. This is an affront to free and democratic elections.”
Runciman added: “As the Official Opposition, we can assure Ontarians that we will hold this government to account. We will continue to investigate what appears to be a serious conflict of interest.”
