Golf Tournament Raises $100,000 for Cancer Research

More than 230 golfers participated in the third annual Gary O’Neill Memorial Golf Tournament held at RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton on June 16. The event, sponsored by Local 793, raised $100,000 for the esophageal cancer program at University Health Network. At a luncheon following the golf tournament, Local 793 president Joe Redshaw thanked […]

GolfMore than 230 golfers participated in the third annual Gary O’Neill Memorial Golf Tournament held at RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton on June 16.

The event, sponsored by Local 793, raised $100,000 for the esophageal cancer program at University Health Network.

At a luncheon following the golf tournament, Local 793 president Joe Redshaw thanked the sponsors, contractors, officers, members, executive board and staff of the union for once again making the event a success.

“I would like to thank everybody for their contributions and helping us raise money for this great cause,” he said.

Dr. Tom Waddell, head of thoracic surgery at University Health Network (UHN), also spoke at the luncheon, telling golfers that the money from the tournament enables vital research to be done.

“We’re putting your money to good use in developing new programs for patients and scientific research to make the whole care of these patients much better.”

Dr. Waddell said the funds have helped the UHN make significant strides in research and clinical programs to detect and prevent esophageal cancer.

He said Dr. Gail Darling, director of thoracic surgery clinical research at Toronto General Hospital, is making excellent use of the money raised at the tournament.
Dr. Darling is evaluating a new screening test to help bolster early detection efforts, published a landmark study concerning esophageal tumors, and is working with Dr. Armand Keating to develop the world’s first clinical trial of immunotherapy for patients with esophageal cancer.

Dr. Waddell said early detection is key and with esophageal cancer that can be challenging because it’s hidden deep in a patient’s chest and is difficult to cure when the cancer reaches its later stages.

The doctor thanked golfers for participating in the event held annually in honour of O’Neill.
“He sounds like a remarkable man who is still, years after his passing, able to bring this many people together.”

O’Neill was president of Local 793 for 13 years until he passed away in 2011 due to cancer.

Competition Medals Awarded to Local 793 Apprentices

Local 793 is successful in large part because of the investments made by the union in training and turning out skilled operators, business manager Mike Gallagher told a group of 40 tower and mobile crane apprentices May 21 in the union’s banquet hall in Oakville. “If we didn’t have the investment in training like we […]

Local 793 is successful in large part because of the investments made by the union in training and turning out skilled operators, business manager Mike Gallagher told a group of 40 tower and mobile crane apprentices May 21 in the union’s banquet hall in Oakville.

“If we didn’t have the investment in training like we do and we didn’t have the skilled operators that we have, young people like yourselves coming forward and building our bench, we wouldn’t be able to have that type of success,” he explained.

Gallagher, along with union president Joe Redshaw, vice-president Joe Dowdall, and treasurer Alex Law, spoke to the group and handed out medals to three mobile crane level 2 and 3 apprentices who placed in the top three in their category at the Ontario Skills Competition held May 5, 6 and 7 at RIM Park in Kitchener.

The top three students were:

  • First place – Nicholas Mireault
  • Second place – Devin Killoran
  • Third place – Scott MacEachern

The students were evaluated on pre-operational inspection, control operation and accuracy, post-operation, efficiency, a simulation exercise, and theory test.

Eight Local 793 apprentices participated in the competition.

Gallagher congratulated the apprentices and noted that the competition was a very important first step in having mobile cranes recognized in the Skills Canada National Competition.

He noted that the Canadian Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship and Training Council (COEJATC) recently decided to get involved in supporting Skills Canada and the first step in that initiative was to get involved in the Ontario program.

Now that the apprentices have been recognized at the Ontario level, he said, the next step is to be recognized at the national level with Skills Canada.

“So, consider yourselves in this group as pioneers,” Gallagher said.

The Skills Canada National Competition is important because it brings together young people from all regions of Canada to compete in more than 40 trade and technology areas.

The competition provides an opportunity for those studying a skilled trade or technology to be tested within exacting standards and against their peers from across the nation.

Gallagher told the apprentices that he’s proud of the training provided at the OETIO.

“Everywhere I go as a manager I feel very good about the qualifications of our apprentices.”

Gallagher said it makes his job easier when he goes out to meet with non-union contractors in an effort to promote Local 793.

For example, during a meeting with representatives from Surespan and DLB Cranes, which are erecting a lot of wind turbines in Ontario, he touted the reputation and skills of Local 793 operators. DLB Cranes ended up signing a voluntary recognition agreement.

“When I met with them one of the strongest cards that I held in my hand was our skills as Operating Engineers, as crane operators, our safety record and our reputation.”

Gallagher reminded the apprentices that they represent the union when they go into the field.

“Remember that you’re a 793 member and you’re carrying that badge,” he said.

“It helps us maintain one of the strongest reputations in North America, if not the world. So, take that very seriously please because we’ve got to protect that. All of us own that.”

Union Dues Increased

A dues increase went into effect July 1, 2014 for all members of Local 793 and bargaining unit employees working under an IUOE Local 793 collective agreement. Click here to see the notice.

A dues increase went into effect July 1, 2014 for all members of Local 793 and bargaining unit employees working under an IUOE Local 793 collective agreement.

Click here to see the notice.

Operators Can Refuse Dangerous Work

Over the last few months, some of our members have expressed concerns about unsafe working conditions on various sites in Ontario. There have also been a number of workplace injuries and fatalities this summer and the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario has issued a call for increased worksite safety. Section 43 (3) […]

Over the last few months, some of our members have expressed concerns about unsafe working conditions on various sites in Ontario.

There have also been a number of workplace injuries and fatalities this summer and the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario has issued a call for increased worksite safety.

Section 43 (3) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act states that a worker may refuse to work in a situation where there is a reasonable belief that the equipment, machine or device the worker is to use or operate is likely to endanger himself, herself or another worker, or the condition of the workplace.

Click here to see a checklist from the Ministry of Labour that outlines the proper procedures that must be followed when refusing to work due to unsafe working conditions.

 

Union Members Invited to Design Emblem

Union members are being invited to design an emblem for Local 793. “This is a very special year for our union, as we are celebrating our 95th anniversary,” said Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher. “I believe that a competition to design a union emblem is a good way to stir up interest in the […]

Union members are being invited to design an emblem for Local 793.

“This is a very special year for our union, as we are celebrating our 95th anniversary,” said Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher. “I believe that a competition to design a union emblem is a good way to stir up interest in the history of our proud union and get members and their families involved.”

The competition is open to all Local 793 members in good standing, along with their children and grandchildren.

Deadline for submissions is Dec. 31, 2014.

The prize is $1,000.

The winner will be announced at the union’s general membership meeting on Sunday, March, 22, 2015 in the union’s banquet hall, 2245 Speers Rd., Oakville.

The emblem will be used on future promotional items that are distributed by Local 793.

Gallagher encouraged union members, their children and grandchildren to get involved in the competition and send in their best emblem designs.

“Our local is one of the largest and most respected construction unions in the province,” he said. “I hope that members and their families participate in this competition.”

Emblems can be emailed to executive@iuoelocal793.org. JPG, PDF or EPS files are preferred.

Emblems can also be mailed to:

Union Emblem Competition
IUOE Local 793
2245 Speers Road
Oakville, Ontario, L6L 6X8

Please include your name, phone number and union registration number when submitting an emblem.