Category: Union News

   Local 793 President Dave Turple represented the Local at the Canada’s Building Trades Unions’ (CBTU) annual conference in Gatineau, Quebec, this past week, which included a stop in Ottawa to attend a Day of Mourning ceremony. President Turple was joined by the leaders of many other Locals from across the country, as well as IUOE Canadian Region Director, Patrick Campbell. Across three days at the Hilton Lac-Leamy venue, they were able to question guest speakers such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, and Minister of Labour […]

 Local 793 President Dave Turple represented the Local at the Canada’s Building Trades Unions’ (CBTU) annual conference in Gatineau, Quebec, this past week, which included a stop in Ottawa to attend a Day of Mourning ceremony.

President Turple was joined by the leaders of many other Locals from across the country, as well as IUOE Canadian Region Director, Patrick Campbell. Across three days at the Hilton Lac-Leamy venue, they were able to question guest speakers such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, and Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan.

CPC leader Pierre Poilievre also spoke at the event, but did not take questions.

The conference, themed Training a Safe and Skilled Workforce, began on Sunday with a ceremony marking the National Day of Mourning at the CBTU Workers’ Monument located in Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa. President Turple laid a flower on the Operating Engineers’ marker to remember those members of the International Union of Operating Engineers who have been killed or injured while at work.

While in the capital, President Turple also took the opportunity to join Nunavut Premier, P.J. Akeeagok, for a working lunch. Joining Turple was Rick Kerr (Executive Director of OETIO and Local 793 Treasurer), Zach MacInnis (Local 793 Eastern Ontario Area Supervisor) and Steve Schumann (Canadian Government Affairs Director at IUOE). The event, hosted by the Canadian Club of Ottawa, was a chance to discuss opportunities for Local 793 in the far North. Local 793 has about 1,000 members working in the territory at Baffinland’s iron ore mine in the Qikiqtani region of North Baffin.

As well as holding politicians to account, protecting workers’ mental health was a key area of discussion at the conference.

Canada’s six-time Olympic medalist and mental health advocate Clara Hughes spoke about her years-long work to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness, while Respect RX Pharmacies owner Mark Barnes stressed the importance of training workers to use Naloxone, a life-saving injectable medication that can reverse an overdose caused by opioids.

Tackling the opioid crisis is a priority for labour leaders, as research released in 2022 showed that one in 13 opioid-related deaths in Ontario between 2018 and 2020 occurred among construction workers.

The CBTU is an alliance of 14 international unions – including the International Union of Operating Engineers – that collectively represent 600,000 skilled trades workers in Canada.

“We will build it!” That was the resounding message of Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher and close to 200 members, officers, executive board members, staff and OETIO instructors and apprentices in attendance for the Ontario government’s announcement that work on the long-delayed Highway 413 will begin next year. The 52-kilometre highway will eventually link Halton, Peel and York regions and is expected to deliver 3,500 jobs each year of construction and add $350 million to Ontario’s GDP – as well as cut commuting times for drivers by up to […]

“We will build it!”

That was the resounding message of Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher and close to 200 members, officers, executive board members, staff and OETIO instructors and apprentices in attendance for the Ontario government’s announcement that work on the long-delayed Highway 413 will begin next year.

The 52-kilometre highway will eventually link Halton, Peel and York regions and is expected to deliver 3,500 jobs each year of construction and add $350 million to Ontario’s GDP – as well as cut commuting times for drivers by up to an hour each day once it is completed.

Lots of that work will go to members of Local 793 – just one reason why Business Manager Gallagher has thrown the weight of the Union behind Premier Doug Ford’s ambitious plan and why members were given T-shirts emblazoned with the ‘We Will Build It’ slogan.

Business Manager Gallagher was invited to speak at the event held in Caledon on Tuesday and he praised the Premier’s determination to build the highway despite the many obstacles encountered along the way.

“I want to thank the Premier and his cabinet for doing the right thing. We seem to be hitting a home run every single time we come up to bat with this government,” Gallagher said. “So, let’s keep on going, building up this beautiful province into prosperity. Thank you, Premier Ford.”

The large turnout by Local 793 had the desired effect on the Premier, who said he was blown away when he pulled up at the venue and saw the ranks of Union workers lined up waiting.

“These are the folks who are building our province,” he said, gesturing over his shoulder. “We can’t build Ontario without you.”

Ford highlighted his government’s plan to spend $185 billion over the next 10 years on infrastructure he says will provide thousands of jobs for Union workers as well as provide homes, hospitals, schools, highways and transit.

Also at the announcement were Minister for Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini, Associate Minister of Transportation Vijay Thanigasalam, and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.

Some of the Local 793 members at the event said the government’s wide-ranging spending plans could only be good news for Operating Engineers.

Brothers Garrison Charlton, Tim Voortman, Roger Costa, Chris Coghlan and Jason Bastarache are all employed by Dufferin and expect to be kept busy once work on the highway gets underway.

“This new highway means job security. It means peace of mind and a steady paycheck,” Brother Costa, who operates a dozer, said.

“We need more projects just like this one,” added Brother Bastarache, voicing a sentiment that will be echoed by Local 793 members right across Ontario.

CLICK HERE to watch the full press conference.

Business Manager Mike Gallagher was invited to speak and he praised the Premier’s determination to build the highway despite the many obstacles encountered along the way.

"We Will Build It!"

55 year member Ken McKinnon stands alongside Business Manager Mike Gallagher (left) and Minister of Labour David Piccini.

Premier Ford shakes hands with members of Local 793.

David Piccini, Minister for Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, shakes hands with members of Local 793.

Business Manager Mike Gallagher speaking to members.

Business Manager Mike Gallagher speaking to members.

“We will build it!” That was the resounding message of Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher and close to 200 members, officers, Executive Board members, staff and OETIO instructors and apprentices in attendance for the Ontario government’s announcement that work on the long-delayed Highway 413 will begin next year.

Premier Ford takes time to take a photo with Local 793 members working for Condrain.

Premier Ford shakes hands with members of Local 793.

Local 793 members were given T-shirts emblazoned with the ‘We Will Build It’ slogan and a Local 793 trucker hat.

April 30th is the deadline to file your taxes to the Canada Revenue Agency to avoid a potential late-filing penalty and arrears interest. All income tax receipts representing Union and working dues for the 2023 taxation year and other taxable benefit receipts from OEBAC (T4A’s) were mailed out to members’ home addresses on Friday, February 23, 2024. If you did not receive your Union dues tax receipts and/or T4A’s in the mail, please get in touch with the OEBAC Member Call Centre at 1-844-793-1919. You can access your Union tax […]

April 30th is the deadline to file your taxes to the Canada Revenue Agency to avoid a potential late-filing penalty and arrears interest.

All income tax receipts representing Union and working dues for the 2023 taxation year and other taxable benefit receipts from OEBAC (T4A’s) were mailed out to members’ home addresses on Friday, February 23, 2024. If you did not receive your Union dues tax receipts and/or T4A’s in the mail, please get in touch with the OEBAC Member Call Centre at 1-844-793-1919.

You can access your Union tax receipts and T4A’s online by logging into your member profile on the IUOE Local 793 website. (See image for instructions).

Today, April 28, marks the National Day of Mourning, a time for all of us to stand together and remember the workers who have been killed on the job, suffered injury or illness, or experienced a workplace tragedy. We especially commemorate those members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 793, who have lost their lives at work, and the loved ones they left behind. Tragically on November 17, 2023, 31-year-old Local 793 member Mike Murphy was killed while at work. Brother Mike, a hydrovac operator, was a six-year […]

Today, April 28, marks the National Day of Mourning, a time for all of us to stand together and remember the workers who have been killed on the job, suffered injury or illness, or experienced a workplace tragedy.

We especially commemorate those members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 793, who have lost their lives at work, and the loved ones they left behind.

Tragically on November 17, 2023, 31-year-old Local 793 member Mike Murphy was killed while at work. Brother Mike, a hydrovac operator, was a six-year member of Local 793. He recently married and was just beginning his new life as a husband. Brother Mike leaves behind his wife, Hayley.

We operate in an industry where any error of judgement or slip in safety standards could lead to disaster. That is why my top priority as Business Manager has always been the safety and wellbeing of members.

It is also why Local 793 created the Everyone Deserves to Get Home Safe social media ad campaign late last year that educated the public on safety when travelling through a work zone. It is why we worked so long to push through new crane safety regulations that were finally brought in by the province at the start of this year. It is why we are now demanding mandatory training and compulsory certification for concrete pumps.

Today, I was honoured to represent this Union at the Oakville & District Labour Council Day of Mourning Service in Centennial Square, where I met a man whose young son had been killed while at work. That these often preventable tragedies keep occurring is truly heartbreaking and reminds us that the fight to keep workers safe will never end.

Today is also an opportunity for each member to restate their own commitment to upholding workplace safety – whether that is by always wearing the appropriate PPE and encouraging others to do so or by using their right under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to refuse work that could endanger themselves or others.

You are the eyes and ears of the Union, so I urge you to raise any and all safety concerns you may have with your Steward or Business Rep.

Please take a few moments now to read through the names below of the 47 Local 793 members who have been killed at work. Their names are carved into the memorial on the grounds of the Oakville head office, standing as a permanent reminder of what can happen when worker safety is not prioritized.

We must all continue to work to ensure that the list does not grow any longer.

Yours fraternally,

Mike Gallagher
Business Manager, IUOE Local 793

LOCAL 793 MEMBERS WHO DIED AS A RESULT OF CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS OR DUE TO OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES:

1. William Henry Munroe – November 4, 1970
2. Lambros Kordas – March 21, 1977
3. Joe Petrik – March 21, 1977
4. John W. Jr. Hunt – September 2, 1980
5. Bruce Norman Higgs – February 6, 1981
6. Roger Michael Sokoloski – November 2, 1984
7. Gerard Drapeau – August 5, 1987
8. Robert Jr. Baxter – September 25, 1987
9. Lynda Baker – September 14, 1989
10. Marc Roy – July 23, 1992
11. Elzear Dignard – August 4, 1992
12. Wallace Culp – November 16, 1993
13. Charles Barton – December 20, 1994
14. Robert Gerritsen – September 17, 1995
15. Donald Crawley – October 6, 1995
16. Earl Anness – January 17, 1996
17. Ronald Girard – May 17, 1996
18. Patrick Kelly – October 20, 1997
19. Edward Cox – June 14, 2001
20. Scott Mason – August 8, 2001
21. James Clement – October 26, 2001
22. Ryan Clement – October 26, 2001
23. Kenneth Gardiner – January 11, 2002
24. John Aarts – February 8, 2002
25. Allen Manchester – November 3, 2003
26. Michael Hipson – January 23, 2006
27. Kent Walker – May 15, 2006
28. Donald Duncan – October 13, 2007
29. Major Singh Dhadda – October 29, 2007
30. Giovanni De Francesco – January 1, 2009
31. Keith Gudmundson – January 19, 2010
32. Vince De Paepe – July 3, 2011
33. Patrick Gartlan – July 15, 2011
34. Kyle Knox – October 11, 2011
35. Maurice La Chapelle – March 9, 2012
36. Lee Antoniak – April 9, 2012
37. Renato Marchione – July 12, 2012
38. Jamie Drew Davis – July 12, 2015
39. Marc Normand – November 2, 2015
40. Claude Joly – December 15, 2016
41. Wayne H. McPhail – April 6, 2017
42. Eric Wheeler – May 6, 2019
43. Sylvio Paquette – July 10, 2019
44. Cody Proulx – February 24, 2021
45. James DiMarco – June 3, 2021
46. Ernesto Campoli – June 1, 2022
47. Mike Murphy – November 17, 2023

The Jack Redshaw Scholarship is now open and accepting applicants. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, September 13th, 2024. Dependents and grandchildren of Local 793 members can apply for the Jack Redshaw Scholarship as long as the Union member is in good standing at the time of selection. Log in to the Local 793 members’ website to download the application form or contact any Local 793 area office. Click here to see full details: https://iuoelocal793.org/why-join/awards/

The Jack Redshaw Scholarship is now open and accepting applicants. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, September 13th, 2024.

Dependents and grandchildren of Local 793 members can apply for the Jack Redshaw Scholarship as long as the Union member is in good standing at the time of selection.

Log in to the Local 793 members’ website to download the application form or contact any Local 793 area office.

Click here to see full details: https://iuoelocal793.org/why-join/awards/

Working for Marathon Underground, Local 793 members Liam Tracey and McGyver Barber help construct a 900-unit high-rise complex development on Carling Avenue in Ottawa. Brother McGyver operates a Liebherr LB 44-510 drilling rig and Brother Liam operates a Cat 420 XE backhoe loader. The project will see the construction of four buildings; two mixed-use high rise buildings fronting onto Carling Avenue, and two mid-rise residential buildings fronting onto the adjacent local side streets.

Working for Marathon Underground, Local 793 members Liam Tracey and McGyver Barber help construct a 900-unit high-rise complex development on Carling Avenue in Ottawa. Brother McGyver operates a Liebherr LB 44-510 drilling rig and Brother Liam operates a Cat 420 XE backhoe loader.

The project will see the construction of four buildings; two mixed-use high rise buildings fronting onto Carling Avenue, and two mid-rise residential buildings fronting onto the adjacent local side streets.

Members in the road building sector received a boost this week after the federal and provincial governments reached an agreement to move forward with the construction of the long-delayed Highway 413. The deal means the proposed six-lane, 52-kilometre highway project connecting Halton and York regions can proceed without a fully-fledged federal environmental assessment, which Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said would have extended the delay by about five years. The federal government had suspended work on the project in 2021 by using its powers under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), mainly […]

Members in the road building sector received a boost this week after the federal and provincial governments reached an agreement to move forward with the construction of the long-delayed Highway 413.

The deal means the proposed six-lane, 52-kilometre highway project connecting Halton and York regions can proceed without a fully-fledged federal environmental assessment, which Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said would have extended the delay by about five years.

The federal government had suspended work on the project in 2021 by using its powers under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), mainly in response to concerns raised by environmental groups about the new route adding to urban sprawl and endangering at-risk species such as the western chorus frog.

After the Supreme Court cast doubt on the constitutionality of the IAA last year, the federal government softened its stance, paving the way for this agreement.

The two levels of government will now form a working group using its “collective expertise” to protect the environment and ensure impacts to species at risk are considered before the project moves into a design stage

As a result, the province now hopes that work on the new highway will begin within the next year.

Members of Local 793 are being asked to stand up for fellow skilled trades workers by sending a strong message to the federal government that they must ensure Canadian workers are not being sidelined in favour of international workers at the NextStar EV Battery Plant in Windsor. The $5 billion plant is owned by LG and Stellantis. The companies promised the plant would employ thousands of local workers and then lobbied for, and won, $15 billion in federal and provincial government subsidies. Now, LG and Stellantis are bringing in international […]

Members of Local 793 are being asked to stand up for fellow skilled trades workers by sending a strong message to the federal government that they must ensure Canadian workers are not being sidelined in favour of international workers at the NextStar EV Battery Plant in Windsor.

The $5 billion plant is owned by LG and Stellantis. The companies promised the plant would employ thousands of local workers and then lobbied for, and won, $15 billion in federal and provincial government subsidies. Now, LG and Stellantis are bringing in international workers to do the work Canadian skilled trades workers were promised.

Local 793 is urging members to join the campaign run by the Provincial Building Trades Council, Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) and the Essex and Kent Building Trades Council to ensure Canadian workers are prioritized at the new plant.

Next Steps

It’s easy and takes less than 2 minutes.

The CBTU has already drafted a letter of support for you. CLICK HERE to tell your local MP they need to make LG and Stellantis hire Canadian.

Please share this letter campaign with your Brothers and Sisters and encourage them to participate.

Below is the letter sent by the CBTU to Essex-Kent Building Trades Workers.

Deadline for applications for the Ray Goodfellow Scholarship Fund is Monday, April 22, 2024. To be eligible for this scholarship, the applicant must be a child or grandchild of one of the following: A Crane Rental Association of Ontario (CRAO) contractor company owner; or An IUOE Local 793 member in good standing who is employed by a company that is an active member of the CRAO that works in the crane rental or concrete pump sectors. To download an application to the Ray Goodfellow Scholarship Fund, or to see other […]

Deadline for applications for the Ray Goodfellow Scholarship Fund is Monday, April 22, 2024.

To be eligible for this scholarship, the applicant must be a child or grandchild of one of the following:

• A Crane Rental Association of Ontario (CRAO) contractor company owner; or
• An IUOE Local 793 member in good standing who is employed by a company that is an active member of the CRAO that works in the crane rental or concrete pump sectors.

To download an application to the Ray Goodfellow Scholarship Fund, or to see other scholarships & bursaries available to Local 793 members’ families, CLICK HERE.