Drill Rig Course to be Launched at OETIO in January

As of July 1, 2016, operators will need mobile crane hoisting credentials and 40 hours of specific training that has been approved by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities if they want to operate a foundation rotary drill rig in Ontario. Employers will have to ensure that a worker who operates a rotary foundation […]

As of July 1, 2016, operators will need mobile crane hoisting credentials and 40 hours of specific training that has been approved by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities if they want to operate a foundation rotary drill rig in Ontario.

Employers will have to ensure that a worker who operates a rotary foundation drill rig is qualified and has completed or is participating in a training program.

Operators will also have to have written proof of training available at the project for Ministry of Labour inspectors.

The new regulations are part of an amendment to O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

To ensure operators can get the training they need, Local 793 is launching a new foundation drill rig operator-training program at the OETIO campus in Oakville.

A Liebherr LB28 drill rig will be used to deliver the first course being offered on January 25th, 2016. The course will consist of 40 hours of classroom training, along with hands-on training and simulation.

OETIO crane-drill rig Instructor Ray Doyle will deliver the program to eight members who have been approved for the course. There is no charge to take the course, as long as members are in good standing and meet the prerequisites and criteria to complete the training.

Operators can register in one of three drill rig program streams. The stream that the operator goes into depends on the type of mobile crane licence the operator possesses. Modular training forms must be filled out by the operator and employer as to which program stream the operator is to be registered in.

Click here for information about the three program streams and the required prerequisites.

For information on the course, call either:

  • OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship Joe Dowdall at 905-469-9299, ext. 2328
  • OETIO Assistant Director of Training and Apprenticeship Brian Alexander at 905-469-9299, ext. 2327

Season’s Greetings from Business Manager Gallagher

On behalf of the officers and staff of IUOE Local 793, I would like to wish all members and their families a joyous holiday season. Christmas is a time for giving, remembering the past and hoping for the future. It is a time to enjoy some cheer, spend time with family and friends and recharge […]

On behalf of the officers and staff of IUOE Local 793, I would like to wish all members and their families a joyous holiday season.

Christmas is a time for giving, remembering the past and hoping for the future. It is a time to enjoy some cheer, spend time with family and friends and recharge the batteries.

I encourage all members to embrace the true spirit of Christmas, as it comes round but once a year.

I would like to thank all members for their support in 2015. We had a good year. Our pension plan is healthy and our finances are in good shape.

I hope that your holidays are filled with festivities and plenty of merry enjoyment.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Fraternally Yours,

Mike Gallagher
Business Manager
IUOE Local 793

Federal Election Advance Polls

There are four days of advance polls for the federal election, starting next Friday, Oct. 9. Advance polls are open from noon to 8 p.m. The Advance Polls will be on: Friday, October 9 Saturday, October 10 Sunday, October 11 Monday, October 12 Your Voter Information Card tells you the address of your advance polling […]

There are four days of advance polls for the federal election, starting next Friday, Oct. 9.

Advance polls are open from noon to 8 p.m.

The Advance Polls will be on:

  • Friday, October 9
  • Saturday, October 10
  • Sunday, October 11
  • Monday, October 12

Your Voter Information Card tells you the address of your advance polling station. You can also find it at Voter Information Services by clicking here.

As well, if people find it more convenient, they can vote at any of the Elections Canada offices across Canada before October 13, 2015 at 6 p.m. The offices are open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Bring proof of identity and address.

You can find the Elections Canada office nearest you by clicking here.

As well, if you are unable to make any the advance polls and unable to vote on election day, you can apply to vote by mail but the deadline for that application is Tuesday, October 13 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time for anyone applying online or sending their application to Elections Canada in Ottawa.

Locals stepping up political action

IUOE locals across Canada are stepping up activities regarding political action, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher told a general membership meeting of the union Sept. 27. He said two very important resolutions were passed at the 57th Canadian Conference of the International Union of Operating Engineers recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The resolutions deal […]

IUOE locals across Canada are stepping up activities regarding political action, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher told a general membership meeting of the union Sept. 27.

He said two very important resolutions were passed at the 57th Canadian Conference of the International Union of Operating Engineers recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The resolutions deal with strategic voting in the Oct. 19 federal election and creation of a not-for-profit entity called Canadians United for Change.

The first resolution encourages members of IUOE locals to vote for candidates in a particular riding, be it a Liberal or New Democrat, in order to defeat the Conservative MP.

The second resolution established the creation of a group entitled Canadians United for Change (CUC) that will run campaigns during the current and future election campaigns.

Meanwhile, said Gallagher, Hart Consulting has been hired to do a national survey and the CUC intends to use the Internet and sites like Facebook to get its message out.

“My thought is that we should always have this (group) in place,” said Gallagher. “If we get involved in provincial or federal elections we’ll always be ready.”

Gallagher said Prime Minister Stephen Harper is intent on eroding Canada’s institutions and has stacked the Senate with Conservatives.

“They’re like trained seals. They’re not the chamber of somber second thought. That is not how our Parliamentary system is supposed to work.”

If Harper is re-elected, Gallagher said the prime minister will go after the Supreme Court “because it is the last bastion of civil rights that exist in Canada.”

Gallagher said Harper will start appointing Conservative judges to the Supreme Court and ruin the Canadian system.

The present Tories, he said, are like reformed Tea-Party-type Conservatives and all they’re concerned about is protecting their corporate clients.

Gallagher said he believes that right-to-work legislation is on the agenda of the Conservatives and unions have to stop them.

Business Manager Responds to Study

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has issued a press release in response to a study released by the Broadbent Institute which shows that a $50-billion investment in public infrastructure would generate a significant return-on-investment for Canadians. Click here to read the statement from Business Manager Gallagher Click here to read the Broadbent Institute press […]

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has issued a press release in response to a study released by the Broadbent Institute which shows that a $50-billion investment in public infrastructure would generate a significant return-on-investment for Canadians.

Click here to read the statement from Business Manager Gallagher

Click here to read the Broadbent Institute press release

Click here to read the study

 

Resolutions Passed at IUOE Canadian Conference

Two important resolutions were passed unanimously at the 57th Canadian Conference of the International Union of Operating Engineers held recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The resolutions deal with strategic voting in the Oct. 19 federal election and creation of a not-for-profit entity called Canadians United for Change. Click here for Resolution 1 on Canadian Strategic […]

Two important resolutions were passed unanimously at the 57th Canadian Conference of the International Union of Operating Engineers held recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The resolutions deal with strategic voting in the Oct. 19 federal election and creation of a not-for-profit entity called Canadians United for Change.

Click here for Resolution 1 on Canadian Strategic Voting

Click here for Resolution 2 on Canadians United for Change

Unionized Construction Firms are Safer: Study

A new study published by the Institute for Work & Health has confirmed what construction unions have long maintained – that unionized construction firms in Ontario are safer than non-union firms. The study was funded by the Ontario Construction Secretariat and published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Click here to view the […]

A new study published by the Institute for Work & Health has confirmed what construction unions have long maintained – that unionized construction firms in Ontario are safer than non-union firms. The study was funded by the Ontario Construction Secretariat and published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Click here to view the study.

Below is the press release from the Ontario Construction Secretariat.

TORONTO, ONTARIO – (Marketwired – Sept. 3, 2015) – A groundbreaking new study by the Institute for Work & Health, published online today in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, reports evidence that unionized construction firms in Ontario are safer than non-union firms.

The study, which examined Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims data between 2006 and 2012 from more than 40,000 construction firms across Ontario, shows that unionized workers reported 23 per cent fewer injuries requiring time off work than non-union workers.

This is the first peer-reviewed Canadian study to examine the occupational health and safety benefits of unions in Ontario’s industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) construction sector.

In particular, workers at unionized firms were 17 per cent less likely to experience musculoskeletal injuries (injuries or disorders affecting mobility, especially muscles, tendons and nerves) and 29 per cent less likely to suffer critical injuries (injuries with the potential to place workers’ lives in jeopardy) while on the job.

Despite filing fewer claims resulting in critical injuries and time off work, unionized workers did report a greater total number of “no lost time” claims – incidents that did not result in lost wages, productivity, or disability or impairment.

“These findings suggest that unionized workers are encouraged to report injuries, including injuries that don’t require time away from the job,” says Institute for Work & Health Senior Scientist Dr. Ben Amick, co-lead investigator on the study with fellow Senior Scientist Dr. Sheilah Hogg-Johnson. “At the same time, these reporting practices enable construction unions to better identify and proactively manage workplace hazards that lead to injury.”

When researchers eliminated the effects a firm’s size has on its overall rate of workplace injuries – larger firms typically have greater resources to devote to workplace health and safety programs – unionized firms still reported 14 per cent fewer injuries requiring time off work, and eight per cent fewer musculoskeletal injuries. (Data for critical injuries could not be measured when controlling for firm size.)

In the journal article, the scientists discuss other factors that might explain the union safety effect. These include more robust specialized apprenticeship, upgrade and safety training requirements for union members; programs and practices that more effectively identify and reduce construction work hazards; a safety net that allows union workers to report accidents without fear of repercussions; ongoing skills training programs that provide a foundation for safer skilled work throughout one’s career; and a more effective role for unions in influencing government regulations designed to improve workplace health and safety.

“Creating safe and healthy workplaces continues to be a core value of the unionized construction industry in Ontario,” says Sean Strickland, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Construction Secretariat. “This first-of-its-kind study shows that the union safety effect is having a tangible impact in Ontario’s ICI construction sector and through our investments in safety, specialized training and apprenticeship programs the unionized construction sector in Ontario is showing its commitment to being a leader in worksite safety and productivity.”

The study by the Institute, which was funded by the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS), will be published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Altogether, seven years of injury claims data for unionized and non-unionized firms employing more than 1.5 million full-time-equivalent workers were analyzed for this study.

 

Long-standing Union Member Passes Away

James “Jim” Anderson, a respected and long-standing member of Local 793, passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2015. Jim was a retired crane operator, and former area supervisor and treasurer of the local. He joined the union 59 years ago. Jim’s family will receive visitors at the George Darte Funeral Chapel, 585 Carleton St., St. Catharines, on […]

James “Jim” Anderson, a respected and long-standing member of Local 793, passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2015.

Jim was a retired crane operator, and former area supervisor and treasurer of the local. He joined the union 59 years ago.

Jim’s family will receive visitors at the George Darte Funeral Chapel, 585 Carleton St., St. Catharines, on Tuesday, May 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 13 in the funeral home chapel at 11:30 a.m.

Please click here for more information.

Ontario Budget Provides Funds for Infrastructure

This is a message from Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher regarding the provincial and federal budgets released recently. The federal and provincial governments tabled their budgets this past week. The Ontario government stepped up to the plate big time by reaffirming that it’s going ahead with its plan to invest $130 billion in public infrastructure […]

This is a message from Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher regarding the provincial and federal budgets released recently.

The federal and provincial governments tabled their budgets this past week.

The Ontario government stepped up to the plate big time by reaffirming that it’s going ahead with its plan to invest $130 billion in public infrastructure over 10 years, despite the fact it is under fiscal pressure.

It is also increasing funds dedicated for its Moving Ontario Forward plan by $2.6 billion, bringing funds for the initiative to a total of $31.5 billion over 10 years.

About $16 billion of the funds will be spent on transit projects in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) while $15 billion is earmarked for transportation and other priority infrastructure projects outside the GTHA.

This will mean jobs for the construction industry.

However, there were some negatives in the provincial budget.

Public service jobs may be impacted by the sale of Hydro One. While the government is going to limit any shareholder to 10 per cent so no one entity will control the company, there is uncertainty over jobs.

Current Hydro One chair Sandra Pupatello will soon be succeeded by David Denison, former president and CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. It will be Denison’s job to get the utility primed for sale, and there’s the threat that could mean cutting jobs.

The budget also continues with the government’s policy of “net zero” wage increases for public sector employees, while the projected inflation rate is two per cent, so this is actually a pay reduction.

Unions are frustrated at the bargaining table. Already, we’ve seen strikes by high school teachers in Durham Region and more are threatening to hit the picket lines as a result of the wage freeze.

The wage freeze could have been avoided if the government had increased the corporate tax rate back to 14 per cent from 11.5 per cent.

As for beer sales in grocery stores, I don’t see it as a big deal. I would be disappointed, though, if it led to job reductions.

The federal budget, meanwhile, fell short on a number of fronts.

It was clearly an election budget, as it targeted niche sectors like seniors who traditionally come out to vote in high numbers and typically vote for Conservatives.

The government continued to reward businesses, promising to reduce the federal small-business tax rate to nine per cent from 11 per cent by 2019.

While the feds are projecting a surplus it’s being done because the government has reduced its contingency fund and sold its shares in General Motors and some government buildings.

As well, most of the new spending in the federal budget will not come into effect until 2017 or later, long after the election is over.

Evidence shows compulsory certification works

A letter by Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher on the benefits of compulsory certification appeared recently in Northern Life publication. In the letter, he notes that compulsory certification in 1978 for hoisting engineers has led to fewer fatalities in the trade. Click here to see the letter.

A letter by Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher on the benefits of compulsory certification appeared recently in Northern Life publication. In the letter, he notes that compulsory certification in 1978 for hoisting engineers has led to fewer fatalities in the trade.

Click here to see the letter.