Month: August 2014

Local 793 president Joe Redshaw spoke at an event in Mississauga on Aug. 19 to celebrate the grand opening of the Remote Training Centre (RTC) in the Neskantaga community in northern Ontario. He told the audience that Local 793 and the OETIO understand the importance of education and training and were pleased to be part […]

Local 793 president Joe Redshaw spoke at an event in Mississauga on Aug. 19 to celebrate the grand opening of the Remote Training Centre (RTC) in the Neskantaga community in northern Ontario.

He told the audience that Local 793 and the OETIO understand the importance of education and training and were pleased to be part of the celebration.

“Recognized training certification and education is the stepping stone to employment and, more importantly, a career,” he said in his remarks.

Redshaw said that Local 793 and the OETIO are working towards a made-in-Canada solution to meeting the skills gap for the heavy equipment and crane operator industry and the RTC will help further that goal.

“We see First Nations people as one of the made-in-Canada solutions, particularly in this region of Ontario.”

Redshaw’s comments were heard via satellite feed by Neskantaga Chief Peter Moonias and attendees at the RTC. Provincial Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer also joined the conference via a satellite feed from London, Ont.

Local 793 and the OETIO have supported the RTC, an innovative facility which enables training services to be delivered to the remote community. The union and training centre worked with Aecon and the Matawa First Nations Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Centre (KKETS).

The RTC is outfitted with two-way video communications technology which enables students at the facility to take safety training and courses via a satelitte uplink. The OETIO will be delivering e-learning courses to students at the centre.

In his remarks, Redshaw said the future looks bright for First Nations students, given the need for heavy equipment operators to build roads, airport strips and rail lines in support of projects in the Ring of Fire area in northern Ontario.

He thanked KKETS for its belief in the OETIO as the training delivery agent of choice for heavy equipment operating training.

Redshaw said Local 793’s office in Thunder Bay is doing what it can to place KKETS heavy equipment graduates from the OETIO in Morrisburg, and Aecon has clearly demonstrated its commitment to work with KKETS by recruiting OETIO graduates and providing them an opportunity to work on projects in Thunder Bay.

Redshaw said the opening of the RTC is a proud and exciting moment for Neskantaga.

“IUOE Local 793 and the OETIO believe in First Nations as a solution and plan to continue building and enhancing our partnership relationship for the future.”

Neskantaga Chief Moonias said the RTC will have a positive impact on the people of Neskantaga for many years to come.

“This is an integral step in the right direction – providing access to higher learning directly in our community so that our youth have the opportunity to succeed.”

Teri McKibbon, president and CEO at Aecon, said development of the RTC was made possible through the collaboration and contributions from many companies and organizations, including the OETIO.

“Training and education are keys to success and we are very proud to be a part of bringing such opportunities to Matawa First Nation communities.”

 

 

 

 

 

Construction has begun on a memorial garden and pavilion at Local 793’s head office in Oakville. A groundbreaking ceremony was held June 9 to mark the beginning of construction. The structure is being built to honour members of the local who have died as a result of construction site accidents or due to an occupational […]

Construction has begun on a memorial garden and pavilion at Local 793’s head office in Oakville.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held June 9 to mark the beginning of construction.

The structure is being built to honour members of the local who have died as a result of construction site accidents or due to an occupational illness.

More than 150 dignitaries, union staff, business reps and officers, health and safety officials, building trades representatives and construction employers attended the morning event, along with family of four Local 793 operators who died under such circumstances.

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher gave opening remarks at the ceremony. He spoke about the significance of the garden and pavilion and also the importance of industry partners and government agencies working together to make construction sites safer.

He noted that in Ontario 225 workers were killed on construction sites between 2003 and 2013, and that in 2013 alone 17 construction workers were killed.

“I really think the time has come for the construction industry as a whole to come together and put some mettle behind the words,” he said. “Nobody should go to work and not come home.”

He said Local 793 hopes to work with health and safety agencies and its partners in government to re-double efforts to make sure such tragic accidents don’t ever happen again.

Gallagher told the audience that the groundbreaking was important because the garden and pavilion will be a fitting tribute to honour those who have died in construction accidents.

“We are proud to be one of the few trades that has constructed a memorial garden like this,” he said, noting that the goal of the local is to never add another name going forward.

Gallagher provided an overview of the garden and pavilion, noting it was designed by Hamilton-area artist Patrick Bermingham, who’s been showing his sculptures professionally since he was 14.

Bermingham’s design was chosen from among four finalists that were presented first to the union’s executive board and then to members at the general membership meeting in March.

“We are especially pleased to have Patrick design the monument and I know he is especially excited about the project,” Gallagher said.

The pavilion will consist of three outer arches and two inner arches, creating a quiet place for reflection for Local 793 members, and the families of those who have died. The two inner arches represent the union’s supporting role in the construction of infrastructure in Ontario and the three outer arches were inspired by the Burlington Skyway bridge.

Names of the deceased members will be engraved on the arches. The structure should be completed by September.

Gallagher noted that Dufferin Construction is contributing $40,000 to help with the costs of building the pavilion foundation, while Bermingham Construction is donating $25,000 and the Crane Rental Association of Ontario is giving $10,000 for construction costs.

A number of dignitaries spoke at the event.

Patrick Bermingham told the audience that he shares the union’s desire to have a perpetually safe workplace.

He thanked the members of Local 793 for commissioning him to design the pavilion, noting it’s a “great honour.”

Bermingham said he has always looked up to Operating Engineers, as “they are the men and women who build this country.”

Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn, who is MPP for Oakville, said Local 793 is a quality organization that has had such a profound impact on the community of Oakville.

He said the union is always trying to get to the magic number of zero injuries but, sadly, the number of construction deaths has remained stubbornly high.

He noted that industry stakeholders must work together to ensure the fatalities are stopped.

“We owe it to the families who’ve come out here today to re-double our efforts,” he said, referring to family members of the deceased operators who attended the ceremony.

Elizabeth Witmer, chair of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), said stakeholders must focus their efforts on health and safety “every minute of every day” in an effort to get the number of injuries to zero.

She said the garden and pavilion will have an impact on elevating the importance of health and safety.

“It’s going to have a lasting impact on so many people,” she said.

Witmer congratulated the union on its commitment to making worksites safer and noted that business manager Gallagher, who is on the WSIB, has a passion for health and safety and she welcomes his input.

Patrick Dillon, business manager of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, congratulated the officers of Local 793 for their foresight in building the pavilion.

“This is really a step forward in prevention,” he said.

Dillon noted it is possible to achieve zero injuries because inquests into the deaths of construction workers have all concluded that the tragedies could have been prevented if better health and safety practices were in effect.

Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said workers have a right to be safe and refuse work when they feel their lives are in danger.

He said Oakville is committed to safer workplaces, and 800,000 square feet of building space was erected last year in the town with no injuries.

“We can have a safe workplace,” he said.