McGuinty Wants to Make Construction Sites Safer

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he looks forward to working with the officers and members of Local 793 to make construction sites safer and the province more productive. He told a dinner dance at the union banquet hall Nov. 19 that too many fatalities still occur on construction worksites and “we need to do more in […]

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he looks forward to working with the officers and members of Local 793 to make construction sites safer and the province more productive.

He told a dinner dance at the union banquet hall Nov. 19 that too many fatalities still occur on construction worksites and “we need to do more in Ontario for construction safety.”

He said the government will do whatever it takes to improve worksite safety and looks forward to drawing on the experience of Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher and his team.

On the economy, he said Ontario is one of the best places in the world to live and work and he thanked Local 793 members for their contributions.

“Thanks to all of you for the work you do everyday,” he said.  “Your success is Ontario’s success.”

The dinner dance was attended by many of the union’s long-service members and their spouses.

McGuinty said Ontario is still in good shape compared to many regions around the world and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place to ride out the present economic storm.

“Even in the middle of this economic storm, Ontario is on good footing. It’s pretty hard to find a better place on this planet than Ontario, Canada.”

McGuinty said the government is doing its part — adding 5,500 kilometres of new roads and highways, making the tax system more competitive and strengthening the electricity system.

Meanwhile, he said, many more Ontarians have a family doctor.

Going forward, McGuinty said the focus of his government will be growing Ontario’s economy.

He expects growth will be slower than after past recessions, and it will take everybody working together to make progress.

He said he’s willing to work with the other political parties and will use good ideas if they bring them forward.

While striving for a balanced budget, McGuinty said he will protect health care and education.

He said Ontarians have faced tough times before and have survived.

“We’ve faced deep economic challenges before and come together,” he said.

During his remarks, McGuinty also spoke about late Local 793 president Gary O’Neill who died Sept. 12.

McGuinty said O’Neill was involved in all aspects of building Ontario — from working as a crane operator at the Rogers Centre when it was being built, to chairing the Working Families Coalition and working on behalf of non-profit housing and those with substance abuse problems.

Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn also spoke about O’Neill at the dinner dance.

He said O’Neill was well-known and respected.

“I just liked Gary,” Flynn said. “I realized at the funeral for Gary that everybody felt the same way.”

Labour Has Important Role to Play, Gallagher Tells Dinner Dance

Unions are being blamed for many of society’s problems just now, but the truth of the matter is that the labour movement has a very important role to play in rebuilding the economy. That’s one of the key messages business manager Mike Gallagher delivered during a speech at Local 793’s annual dinner dance held at […]

Unions are being blamed for many of society’s problems just now, but the truth of the matter is that the labour movement has a very important role to play in rebuilding the economy.

That’s one of the key messages business manager Mike Gallagher delivered during a speech at Local 793’s annual dinner dance held at the union banquet hall in Oakville on Nov. 19.

The event was attended by many of the union’s long-service members and their families. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, who is parliamentary assistant to the minister of training, colleges and universities, also attended.

Gallagher said unions have become “the goat” for many economic ills, but they’re not to blame.

He noted that every free society has a trade union movement, which is healthy to building the working class and strengthening the economy.

Gallagher told the audience that is one of the reasons Local 793 supported the provincial Liberals in the last three elections.

Local 793 wanted the Liberal government to repair some of the damage done by former premiers Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, and stop what PC leader Tim Hudak was trying to do, he said.

Gallagher noted the Liberals have come through, building 18 new hospitals, including one in Oakville.

“That is a stark change from what we had before,” he said.

The government also hired 200 health and safety inspectors to patrol jobsites, Gallagher said, and hired thousands more nurses in hospitals.

Local 793 is also doing its part, Gallagher said, investing about $7 million a year into its training facilities in Oakville and Morrisburg.

He said the province has partnered with Local 793 on many training initiatives and recently awarded the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario another $173,000 in funding on top of its original allocation of $701,000 for apprenticeship training.

In his speech, Gallagher touched on a number of other issues.

He said unions have made construction worksites safer but too many accidents are still occurring, one being an accident in Toronto that resulted in the death of Local 793 apprentice Kyle Knox.

“At 24 years old, a promising career was ended in a heartbeat,” Gallagher said.

While Local 793 is pleased that George Gritziotis has been appointed as chief prevention officer, he noted more work remains to be done, such as ensuring that all workers on sites are properly trained.

Gallagher also spoke about late union president Gary O’Neill who died Sept. 12. A video tribute to O’Neill was shown at the event.

“He was a person that had enormous compassion for his fellow human beings,” Gallagher said.

O’Neill took on a leadership role everywhere he went, Gallagher said, noting that he took the helm of the Working Families Coalition right from the beginning.

“He did a tremendous job on that,” said Gallagher, and he would have been pleased to see Premier McGuinty elected to a third term.

Gallagher also spoke about former business manager Joe Kennedy, who received his 60-year award at a ceremony earlier in the day.

He said Kennedy hired him as a business agent and it was one of the proudest moments of his life.

Gallagher said Kennedy and he didn’t always agree on matters, but he admired the fact Kennedy was decisive and stuck to his guns.

He noted that Kennedy and his team were responsible for bringing in Local 793’s pension plan, and that Kennedy had to convince his own members it was a good idea.

Union Participates in Oakville Santa Claus Parade

Local 793 participated in the annual Santa Claus parade in Oakville on Nov. 19. The local was one of the gold sponsors of the event and had a float in the parade. The float was on a flatbed truck from the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario. The theme of the float was “Santa’s Workshop” […]

Local 793 participated in the annual Santa Claus parade in Oakville on Nov. 19.

The local was one of the gold sponsors of the event and had a float in the parade.

The float was on a flatbed truck from the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario.

The theme of the float was “Santa’s Workshop” and featured children dressed as elves making toys.

The event began at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Lakeshore Road and Reynolds Street in Oakville’s downtown core.

The entourage headed west on Lakeshore to Kerr Street, then north on Kerr to Stewart Street.

The parade featured floats, bands, walkers and the jolly old fellow himself.

The theme of the parade was “All I Want for Christmas.”

The parade was organized by the Town of Oakville with financial assistance from various sponsors.

During the parade, Oakville firefighters collected toys and the Kinsmen collected non-perishable food items.

Local 793 Will Continue to Grow, Gallagher Tells Long-Service Awards

Local 793 has come a long way over the years and will continue to grow and take care of its members, business manager Mike Gallagher told a special ceremony Nov. 19 to honour the union’s long-service members. “We’re committed to continuing to grow and organize, and to make sure we remain a progressive trade union,” […]

Local 793 has come a long way over the years and will continue to grow and take care of its members, business manager Mike Gallagher told a special ceremony Nov. 19 to honour the union’s long-service members.

“We’re committed to continuing to grow and organize, and to make sure we remain a progressive trade union,” he told an overflow crowd at the union banquet hall in Oakville.

Gallagher delivered the keynote speech at the event and thanked long-service members for their dedication and commitment over the years.

At the ceremony, long-service members were honoured for 30, 40, 50, 55 and 60 years of service.

Former business manager Joe Kennedy received his 60-year award. He was at the helm of Local 793 for 18 years.

Gallagher said he was glad to see Kennedy at the union hall, as it was Kennedy and his team that put Local 793’s pension plan in place.

He said the union now has a very strong pension plan with more than $1.5 billion in market value.

Gallagher told the audience that the union has grown in size over the years and now has approximately 12,000 members, double the number from 15 years earlier.

He said the numbers have grown because of the strong economy, enhanced training offered by the union, and because an organizing department was set up that now has eight organizers.

The result, he said, is that Local 793 has grown its membership by more than any other local in North America.

Training, in particular, has expanded over the years, he noted, from 2.5 acres to 170 acres, while the union has about $25 million worth of equipment and 16 simulators on hand.

The union also has a social services department that is “second to none,” he said.

Gallagher said the union is well respected by other trades and the government, largely because of the members.

“It is because of what you have established out there that the politicians are listening.”

However, Gallagher said that more still needs to be done and the union can’t rest on its laurels.

With the world economy at a tipping point and right-wing politicians trying to strip unions of bargaining rights, Gallagher said the labour movement has to remain on its toes.

“We in the labour movement really have to keep our eye on the ball,” he said.

Gallagher noted that safety on construction sites is still a concern for the union, especially in light of an Oct. 11 accident at a construction site in Toronto that resulted in the death of Local 793 member Kyle Knox.

“He (Kyle) was days away from reaching his dream” of becoming a crane operator, said Gallagher. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure what happened to Kyle doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

He said the union is establishing an award in memory of Kyle Knox. The award will go to union members who go beyond the call of duty.

The first recipients of the award will be Local 793 members Kirk Winter of Caledon and Ryan Blyth of Bradford. The two men rescued a union member involved in the Oct. 11 accident.

New Location for Local 793 Office in Sudbury as of Dec. 1

Please note that Local 793’s district office in Sudbury will be moved to a new location as of Dec. 1, 2011. The new address is 430 Westmount Avenue, Unit H, Sudbury, Ont., P3A 5Z8. The phone number is 705-675-8643. The fax number is 705-675-8683. Following is a list of district office meetings and locations: TIMMINS: […]

Please note that Local 793’s district office in Sudbury will be moved to a new location as of Dec. 1, 2011.
The new address is 430 Westmount Avenue, Unit H, Sudbury, Ont., P3A 5Z8.
The phone number is 705-675-8643. The fax number is 705-675-8683.
Following is a list of district office meetings and locations:
TIMMINS: Howard Johnson, 1800 Riverside Dr., Room 101, Timmins, 8 p.m., 1st Wednesday of the month. Ph: 705-675-8643
OSHAWA: 1255 Terwillegar Ave., Unit 7, Oshawa, 7 p.m., 1st Thursday of the month. Ph: 905-720-0480
*THUNDER BAY: 107 Johnson Ave., Boardroom, Thunder Bay, 8 p.m., 1st Thursday of the month. Ph: 807-344-7612
*ST. CATHARINES: 188 Bunting Rd., Unit 5, St. Catharines, 7:30 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of the month. Ph: 905-227-8211
*WINDSOR: 3383 Walker Rd., Windsor, 7 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of the month. Ph: 519-250-8877
*SAULT STE. MARIE: 71 Black Rd., Unit 7, Sault Ste. Marie, 7:30 p.m., 2nd Wednesday of the month. Ph: 705-949-6860
*KITCHENER: 100 Sheldon Dr., Unit 10, Cambridge, 8 p.m., 2nd Wednesday of the month. Ph: 519-621-6344
*SUDBURY: 430 Westmount Ave., Unit H, Sudbury, 8 p.m., 3rd Tuesday of the month. Ph: 705-675-8643
*TORONTO: 2245 Speers Rd., Oakville, 8 p.m., 3rd Wednesday of the month. Ph: 905-469-9299 or Toll Free: 1-877-793-4863
*BELLEVILLE: 43 Pine St., Belleville, 7 p.m., 4th Tuesday of the month. Ph: 613-968-3363
*LONDON: 523 First St., London, 7 p.m., 4th Tuesday of the month. Ph: 519-451-7430
*HAMILTON: 35 Goderich Rd., Unit 5, Hamilton, 7:30 p.m., 4th Wednesday of the month. Ph: 905-544-1851
*OTTAWA: Best Western Macies Hotel, Ottawa, 1274 Carling Ave., 7 p.m., 4th Wednesday of the month. Ph: 613-228-1759
NORTH BAY: Voyager Inn, Greenery Room, 123 Delaware Ave., North Bay, 8 p.m., 4th Wednesday of the month. Ph: 705-675-8643
*BARRIE: 240 Bayview Dr., Unit 15, Barrie, 8 p.m., 4th Thursday of the month. Ph: 705-734-2494
*SARNIA: 1390A Lougar Ave., Sarnia, 7 p.m., 4th Thursday of the month. Ph: 519-337-2053
* – District hiring hall present

Kyle Knox Profiled on Maclean’s Website

The life of Local 793 operator Kyle James Knox is featured in a story posted on the Macleans.ca website. Knox, a 24-year-old crane apprentice, died in a tragic accident Oct. 11 when a drill rig collapsed at a Toronto Transit Commission construction site at York University. The Ministry of Labour is still investigating the incident. […]

The life of Local 793 operator Kyle James Knox is featured in a story posted on the Macleans.ca website.

Knox, a 24-year-old crane apprentice, died in a tragic accident Oct. 11 when a drill rig collapsed at a Toronto Transit Commission construction site at York University.

The Ministry of Labour is still investigating the incident.

To see the story, click here.

Highway 407 East Project Moving Forward

The successful bidder to design and build phase one of the new Highway 407 East project is expected to be announced in early 2012. The request for proposals stage closed Nov. 9. Bids will be evaluated over the next several months by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Ontario. The cost of the project […]

The successful bidder to design and build phase one of the new Highway 407 East project is expected to be announced in early 2012.

The request for proposals stage closed Nov. 9.

Bids will be evaluated over the next several months by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Ontario.

The cost of the project will be announced publicly following financial close, expected in spring 2012.

Preparation work for phase one construction will begin later that year.

Phase one of the project is expected to be open to traffic in late 2015.

The new highway will be built in two phases.

Phase one will extend Highway 407 East from Brock Road in Pickering to Harmony Road in Oshawa, connecting it to Highway 401 with a new link.

Phase two will continue the highway eastward to Highway 35/115 and connect it to Highway 401 with a new link by 2020.

Design and construction of phase one of the highway project is expected to create and sustain approximately 13,000 jobs throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Durham Region.

Highway 407 East will be a publicly owned toll road. The province will operate Highway 407 East, establish customer service standards, set toll rates and retain all revenues generated by tolls on the highway.

Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Bob Chiarelli said the project is part of the government’s long-term infrastructure plan called Building Together.

“We’re investing in our highways to provide Ontarians with access to modern, safe and efficient infrastructure.”

Highway 417 Work Set to Proceed

Work is expected to start by the end of November on further expansion of Highway 417 in the Ottawa area. The province announced recently that upgrades to the highway should be completed in 2014. Upgrades to the highway are expected to reduce commute times and boost the local economy. The upgrades include: Widening Highway 417 […]

Work is expected to start by the end of November on further expansion of Highway 417 in the Ottawa area.

The province announced recently that upgrades to the highway should be completed in 2014.

Upgrades to the highway are expected to reduce commute times and boost the local economy.

The upgrades include:

  • Widening Highway 417 from four to eight lanes from Eagleson Road to Palladium Drive with a new high occupancy vehicle lane in each direction.
  • Widening Highway 417 from four to six lanes from Palladium Drive to Highway 7.
  • Repairing the Carp Road, Eagleson Road and Huntmar Drive bridges.
  • Adding new lighting and improving the COMPASS freeway management system.

The work is being funded solely by the province. It is part of the province’s plan to boost the economy by building better roads, bridges and transit.

Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Bob Chiarelli said the highway is “critical” to moving people and goods in the nation’s capital.

“We are improving congestion on our roads and creating good jobs, both crucial to fueling the economy.”

Other Highway 417 projects in progress include replacement of the Cyrville Road Bridge and repair of the Anderson Road bridge.

The expansion of Highway 417 from Highway 416 to Eagleson Road was completed in 2009, and the Carling Avenue eastbound bridge was replaced in July 2011.

Shane McComb Appointed as Guard

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher is pleased to announce that Shane McComb has been appointed as union guard. The position was vacant due to the resignation of Andre Chenier. Chenier, a business rep in Ottawa, remains as a trustee. McComb’s appointment was made in accordance with Article XXIV, Subdivision 1, Section F of the […]

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher is pleased to announce that Shane McComb has been appointed as union guard.

The position was vacant due to the resignation of Andre Chenier. Chenier, a business rep in Ottawa, remains as a trustee.

McComb’s appointment was made in accordance with Article XXIV, Subdivision 1, Section F of the union’s Constitution.

McComb is a Toronto area business representative with Local 793.

He is a longtime member of the union and was initiated in 1988.

Three Companies Vying for Ottawa Light Rail Build

Three consortiums have been short-listed to submit proposals to design and build the first phase of a light rail transit (LRT) project in Ottawa. The City of Ottawa and Infrastructure Ontario announced recently that a request for proposals would soon be issued to the consortiums. The consortiums are: Rideau Transit Group: EllisDon; SNC-Lavalin; ACS Infrastructure […]

Three consortiums have been short-listed to submit proposals to design and build the first phase of a light rail transit (LRT) project in Ottawa.

The City of Ottawa and Infrastructure Ontario announced recently that a request for proposals would soon be issued to the consortiums.

The consortiums are:

Rideau Transit Group: EllisDon; SNC-Lavalin; ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc.; Dragados Canada Inc.; Veolia Transportation Services Inc.

Ottawa Transit Partners: Aecon Construction Group Inc.; Bombardier Transportation Canada Inc.; VINCI Concessions; ACCIONA Infrastructure Canada Inc.

Rideau Transit Partners: Bouygues Travaux Publics S.A.; Brookfield Financial Corp.; Fiera Axium Infrastructure Canada LP; Parsons Enterprises Inc.; Colas Rail S.A.; Johnson Controls LP.

Phase one of the LRT project includes a 12.5-kilometre line along an existing bus route corridor from Blair Road in the east end of Ottawa to Tunney’s Pasture in the west, a tunnel through the downtown core, and 13 stations, including three underground stations.

Over the past few months, companies participated in a request for qualifications process. The three highest-scoring bidders were selected to bid on the project.

The consortiums will submit their bids by July 2012 and the winning proposal will be selected later that year.

Construction is expected to start in the first quarter of 2013.

Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Bob Chiarelli said the LRT would move the City of Ottawa forward.

“Our investment in transit systems also will create jobs in the Ottawa region and help reduce energy consumption, commuter travel time and congestion on local roads.”

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said three competent teams are vying for the LRT contract.

“This is an important step forward in implementing light rail for Ottawa,” said Watson. “Collectively, these firms have built over $100 billion in light rail projects and 2,000 kilometres of tunnels in cities across the globe. These companies have built successful projects in cities such as Athens, London, Madrid, Reims, Sydney, Calgary and Vancouver. These are some of the biggest, most experienced, and most capable firms in the world.”

The light rail project is expected to provide more than 20,000 person-years of employment during construction alone.