Monument Dedicated at Local 793 Head Office

More than 150 people attended a special ceremony at Local 793’s head office in Oakville on April 28 to officially dedicate a memorial garden and monument to honour members of the union who’ve been killed in construction site accidents or died from occupational illnesses. The audience consisted of dignitaries, union staff, business reps, officers, construction employers, representatives from other unions, and family members of four deceased operators. The event was held on Canada’s Day of Mourning. A minute’s silence was observed during the ceremony. Names of 36 deceased Local 793 […]

More than 150 people attended a special ceremony at Local 793’s head office in Oakville on April 28 to officially dedicate a memorial garden and monument to honour members of the union who’ve been killed in construction site accidents or died from occupational illnesses.

The audience consisted of dignitaries, union staff, business reps, officers, construction employers, representatives from other unions, and family members of four deceased operators.

The event was held on Canada’s Day of Mourning. A minute’s silence was observed during the ceremony. Names of 36 deceased Local 793 members have been etched on the monument.

At the event, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher spoke about the importance of reducing worksite accidents and ensuring government and agencies take appropriate action.

“We have to increase our efforts tenfold and we have to go out there and we have to tell the government the only consideration that matters is not whether they get re-elected or not,” he said, “it’s whether our workers get to return home at the end of the day.”

Gallagher said every single death is preventable but in his 18 years as business manager, and in his 30-plus years working in the industry, governments have been exceedingly slow at addressing safety issues that are highlighted by unions or coroner’s inquest juries.

Expert witnesses testify at coroner’s inquest juries and give advice, but soon after the recommendations are released they’re ignored by government and safety agencies, he said.

“You could count on your right hand how many coroner’s jury inquest recommendations have actually been put in place in terms of making our jobsites safer and putting regulations in place,” he noted. “It’s an absolute travesty that is correctable by government.”

Gallagher said there are new technologies, new equipment and new methods coming into the workforce, yet the system moves slowly.

“We move at a glacial pace to get the job done, to protect the workers that we send out to work every single day and it’s a damn shame,” he said. “We should move faster, put a higher priority, stop every other consideration except for protecting workers out on the job.

“We should make sure that the government enacts regulations to protect workers, our sons and daughters and brothers and husbands and wives, that go out on jobs and into the workplace to be put at risk when there’s absolutely no reason for it whatsoever.”

Gallagher said the Operating Engineers will continue to hold the feet of government to the fire.

“From the place that I’m standing, from where we’re coming from, we want to make sure that there are no shortcuts that are taken, that nobody overlooks a maintenance issue with regards to a crane or skimps on training, or has any other consideration whatsoever, other than to protect themselves and the workers and the public that are around them.”

IUOE general president James T. Callahan, who lost a brother due to an illness from the cleanup after the collapse of the World Trade Centre in New York City, attended the ceremony.

“This is a thought-provoking monument, I have to say,” he told the audience. “Walking through there, it stirred up what the Operating Engineers are all about.”

When a family member is killed at work, Callahan said, it’s one of the most devastating things to get over because there was no opportunity to say goodbye.

“If there’s any solace to that, it’s when your loved one fell they never touched the ground because there were 380,000 Operating Engineers that ran to them spiritually and looked out for their families afterwards, and that’s what a brotherhood is all about.”

Callahan said the monument and garden are a moving tribute to Operating Engineers and fallen workers.

Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said it seems like the completion of a mission to see the garden and monument built.

He said Oakville is committed to worker safety and has not had a fatal accident of an employee under his watch, something he is very proud of.

“We tell them that we feel a great duty to keep them safe from harm. We tell them that our commitment to their families is that we only borrow you for your workday and we feel a great obligation to return you to your family and your home in as good condition as you showed up in.

“We do that by making safety our number one criteria.”

At the beginning of the ceremony, Local 793 vice-president Joe Dowdall read a poem entitled Callum by Milton Acorn, a famous Canadian poet and labour activist from PEI. The poem is about a minor named Callum who goes to work and falls down a mine shaft and dies.

Local 793 business manager Gallagher said the poem laments the fact that workers, when they go to work and are killed on the job, don’t receive any recognition and are soon forgotten.

“I thought that was very appropriate given the fact that we have constructed a monument here to our members and their families to make sure that they’re never forgotten.”

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 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 […]

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.

BuildForce Releases Construction Outlook

BuildForce, a national, industry-led organization, has released an outlook which projects slower overall construction growth between 2015 and 2024 in Ontario. The report notes that major projects will start up, peak and wind down in some regions, while in others they will move more evenly across the period. Click here to view the report.

BuildForce, a national, industry-led organization, has released an outlook which projects slower overall construction growth between 2015 and 2024 in Ontario. The report notes that major projects will start up, peak and wind down in some regions, while in others they will move more evenly across the period.

Click here to view the report.

Compulsory Training Leads to Safer Worksites

An Industry Perspectives article by Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher appeared April 8 in Daily Commercial News. In the article, he corrects a number of inaccurate and misleading statements regarding compulsory certification. He notes the truth of the matter is that compulsory certification leads to better trained workers and safer worksites. Click here to see the article.

An Industry Perspectives article by Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher appeared April 8 in Daily Commercial News. In the article, he corrects a number of inaccurate and misleading statements regarding compulsory certification. He notes the truth of the matter is that compulsory certification leads to better trained workers and safer worksites.

Click here to see the article.

Happy Easter to Local 793 Members

On behalf of the executive board and officers of Local 793, I would like to wish all union members and their families a Happy Easter. Easter is a time for hope, celebration and renewal of spirit. I hope that you have a safe and special holiday weekend. Local 793 offices will be closed on Good Friday, April 3. On Monday, April 6, administrative departments are closed but district offices and the dispatch office at head office are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Again, please enjoy the holiday. Sincerely, […]

On behalf of the executive board and officers of Local 793, I would like to wish all union members and their families a Happy Easter.

Easter is a time for hope, celebration and renewal of spirit.

I hope that you have a safe and special holiday weekend.

Local 793 offices will be closed on Good Friday, April 3.

On Monday, April 6, administrative departments are closed but district offices and the dispatch office at head office are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Again, please enjoy the holiday.

Sincerely,

Mike Gallagher
Business Manager
IUOE Local 793

Early Office Closing for Easter

Local 793’s head office and district offices are closing at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2015 to mark the beginning of the Easter holiday weekend.

Local 793’s head office and district offices are closing at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2015 to mark the beginning of the Easter holiday weekend.