Category: Union News

Welcome to the first digital edition of Making Tracks, the magazine. We are very excited about the advantages of digitizing and enhancing the user experience. Digital magazines are dynamic. They can be instantly accessed and read on tablets, smartphones, and other digital platforms, anywhere and anytime. They can be digitally stored and shared immediately with a single click. Digital magazines are interactive, offering links to important resources and information for quick access, as well as video content! Utilizing current technology is a more-environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to publishing and […]

Welcome to the first digital edition of Making Tracks, the magazine. We are very excited about the advantages of digitizing and enhancing the user experience.

Digital magazines are dynamic. They can be instantly accessed and read on tablets, smartphones, and other digital platforms, anywhere and anytime. They can be digitally stored and shared immediately with a single click. Digital magazines are interactive, offering links to important resources and information for quick access, as well as video content!

Utilizing current technology is a more-environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to publishing and keeping Local 793 members informed.

Enjoy the digital edition debut of Making Tracks:

CLICK IMAGE TO OPEN MAKING TRACKS, THE MAGAZINE

Please be advised that all Local 793 offices across the province will be closed over the Christmas holiday period, December 24 at Noon to December 31, 2020 and on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2021. Offices will re-open at the regular time on January 4, 2021.

Please be advised that all Local 793 offices across the province will be closed over the Christmas holiday period, December 24 at Noon to December 31, 2020 and on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2021.

Offices will re-open at the regular time on January 4, 2021.

On Thursday, November 5, 2020, the Ontario Minister of Finance, Rod Phillips, released the 2020 Budget titled Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support and Recover. The Budget contains some initiatives and spending plans that are of interest to Local 793 and OETIO: Retraining and Skilled Trades: The Province is planning to invest an additional $180.5 million, to help people retrain and upgrade their skills, over three years in micro-credentials, employment services and training programs, including apprenticeships. COVID-19 Recovery Assistance Skills Plan: Through Employment Ontario, the Province committed to fund $100 million in […]

On Thursday, November 5, 2020, the Ontario Minister of Finance, Rod Phillips, released the 2020 Budget titled Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support and Recover.

The Budget contains some initiatives and spending plans that are of interest to Local 793 and OETIO:

• Retraining and Skilled Trades: The Province is planning to invest an additional $180.5 million, to help people retrain and upgrade their skills, over three years in micro-credentials, employment services and training programs, including apprenticeships.
• COVID-19 Recovery Assistance Skills Plan: Through Employment Ontario, the Province committed to fund $100 million in 2020-21 for skills training programs for workers most affected by COVID-19. This dedicated funding will help more workers receive the guidance and assistance they need to upgrade their skills and find good jobs.
• Ontario’s Skilled Trades Strategy: The province came out with 3 pillars of Ontario’s Skilled Trades Strategy, designed to modernize Ontario’s skilled trades and apprenticeship system, and help enable the province’s economic recovery.

 

The 3 Pillars of Ontario’s Skilled Trades Strategy 

1) Break the stigma attached to a career in the skilled trades and attract and train youth by:

• $17 million increase in awareness of careers in the skilled trades through Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
• $6 million boost in funding through Skills Ontario
• Investing $21 million in Ontario’s Pre-Apprenticeship Training program
• Providing an additional $500,000 to pre-apprenticeship training service providers
• Appointing three Youth Advisors
• Investing $42 million in Specialist High Skills Major programs

2) Make it easier for people to be part of the skilled trades with an investment of $75 million over the next two years by:

• Appointing a five-member Skilled Trades Panel to provide recommendations on ways to modernize the system
• Investing $2.5 million this year and $7.5 million next year to launch the new non-repayable Tools Grant
• Investing $5.8 million in the Apprentice Development Benefit, including a $1.3 million boost this year and next
• Investing $24 million in the Apprentice Development Benefit to supplement EI benefits, including a $4 million boost this year and next
• Investing $4.7 million in 2021-22 in multi-year commitment to develop new digital portal to support skilled trades and apprenticeship system in Ontario
• Committing a total of $211.9 million to the In-class Enhancement Fund in 2020-21 and 2021-22, including a boost of $11.8 million this year and $22.3 million next year
• Investing an additional $10 million in 2021-22 in the Apprenticeship Capital Grant for a total investment of $24 million
• Investing $5.4 million to assist training delivery agents with implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures

3) Increase employer participation in sponsoring and hiring trained apprentices by:

• Establishing a new Skills Development Fund which will provide $30 million over two years beginning in 2020-21
• Investing $21 million in 2020-21 to support a new Achievement Incentive Grant for employers
• Supporting business participation by investing $20 million in 2020-21 for a new Group Sponsorship Grant to encourage small to medium sized employers to provide full scope training
• Working with industry on workforce planning for major infrastructure projects

Ontario’s Infrastructure Plan

The “Recover” component of the government’s action plan includes $4.8 billion in new spending. Highlights include an additional $680 million over four years for broadband infrastructure, and an extra $1.3 billion over three years to reduce electricity costs to industrial and commercial employers.

In addition to the new $680 million broadband infrastructure funding, Ontario’s capital plan currently includes:

• $62.7 billion over ten years for public transit projects including the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. The Province indicated that it is accelerating the delivery of its subway expansion projects and calling on the federal government to put up 40% of the total costs.
• $27.2 billion over ten years for hospital projects including the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority New Replacement Hospital, Unity Health — St. Joseph’s Health Centre Redevelopment project, the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, and the South Bruce Grey Health Centre — Kincardine Site Phase 1 Redevelopment project.
• $1 billion for the newly established COVID-19 Resilience stream, which provides for the accelerated delivery of priority municipal infrastructure projects, school retrofits, and long-term care facilities.

 

Ontario’s Infrastructure Spending Outlook ($ Millions)

	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	10-Year Total
Transit	4,799	5,457	5,844	62,708
Provincial Highways	2,587	2,561	2,764	22,017
Hospitals	2,064	2,573	2,557	27,229
Education	2,392	2,567	2,388	20,073
Postsecondary Education	634	629	486	4,225
Social	168	232	192	2,351
Justice	615	822	850	4,348
Total*	15,767	17,571	18,007	162,679

Source: 2020 Ontario Budget

*Total includes several smaller sector categories excluded from this table; Total also includes third-party investments primarily in hospitals, colleges and schools.

 

For a complete copy of the Ontario Budget, visit https://budget.ontario.ca/2020/pdf/2020-ontario-budget-en.pdf 

 

 

The Local 793 SUB Plan is a separate Trust Fund designed to provide Employment Insurance (EI) top-up benefits to members for a maximum of 6 weeks (in a calendar year). The top-up benefit will be up to $250 per week, in addition to any EI benefits the member receives from Service Canada. The maximum SUB Plan top-up benefit is $1,500 per calendar year. Effective November 1, 2020, eligible members can start applying for SUB Plan top-up benefits. Having a registered SUB Plan with the federal government will ensure the top-up […]

The Local 793 SUB Plan is a separate Trust Fund designed to provide Employment Insurance (EI) top-up benefits to members for a maximum of 6 weeks (in a calendar year).

The top-up benefit will be up to $250 per week, in addition to any EI benefits the member receives from Service Canada. The maximum SUB Plan top-up benefit is $1,500 per calendar year.

Effective November 1, 2020, eligible members can start applying for SUB Plan top-up benefits.

Having a registered SUB Plan with the federal government will ensure the top-up benefit of up to $250 per week does not reduce members’ EI benefits and the top-up benefit is not subject to EI contributions or CPP contributions.

LOCAL 793 SUB PLAN DETAILS

• The Local 793 SUB Plan will start on November 1, 2020.
• The Local 793 Relief Grant Portal/interface on the Union website has been reprogrammed to allow members to also apply for the SUB Plan benefit payments (see image below).
• Local 793’s database has already been programmed to segregate and calculate all SUB Plan contributions from employers as of May 1, 2020.
• All 15 contractor associations and 131 independent contractors have signed a Letter of Understanding (LOU) to participate. Remember, if your company has not signed a LOU, the Union cannot provide you with SUB Plan top-up benefit payments.

WILL I BE ELIGIBLE?
Members will be eligible if:

1. Their employer(s) remits to the Local 793 SUB Plan.
2. The member has at least 500 hours remitted* on their behalf.
3. The member is in receipt of EI benefits as a result of:
– Temporary work stoppage;
– Training;
– Illness or injury;
– Maternity or parental leave

You will not be eligible for the SUB Plan if you are receiving Local 793 pension benefits or are a surviving spouse or in receipt of Local 793 long-term disability benefits.

* You must have worked a minimum of 500 hours in the last 12 months prior to your claim to be eligible. The minimum 500 hours is applicable to the 2020 calendar year only.

HOW DO I APPLY TO THE SUB PLAN?

Effective November 1, 2020, the Local 793 SUB Plan top-up benefit will be accessible on the Union website via your member profile. Once logged in to your member account profile, scroll down to RELIEF GRANT AND SUB PLAN and click the APPLY HERE button.

Members were hard at work today dismantling the Terex Peiner SN 86 luffing tower crane at OETIO’s Oakville campus in order to make room for a new Liebherr 190 HC-L 8/16 Litronic luffing tower crane. The Terex Peiner SN 86 luffing tower crane is being shipped and erected at OETIO’s Morrisburg campus. When both cranes are erected, OETIO will have increased training capacity for tower crane training. Members Sylvain Chartrand, Stephen Cumberbatch, Dario Diaz, Daniel Gabrielli, Nicholas Gabrielli, Corey Jensen, Andy McFadden, Brett Nicholson and Roderick Sullivan were all on […]

Members were hard at work today dismantling the Terex Peiner SN 86 luffing tower crane at OETIO’s Oakville campus in order to make room for a new Liebherr 190 HC-L 8/16 Litronic luffing tower crane. The Terex Peiner SN 86 luffing tower crane is being shipped and erected at OETIO’s Morrisburg campus. When both cranes are erected, OETIO will have increased training capacity for tower crane training. Members Sylvain Chartrand, Stephen Cumberbatch, Dario Diaz, Daniel Gabrielli, Nicholas Gabrielli, Corey Jensen, Andy McFadden, Brett Nicholson and Roderick Sullivan were all on site and helped with the dismantling of the tower crane.

In March, the Benefit Plan Trustees established the Local 793 Emergency Relief Grant to assist eligible plan members and their families in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Local 793 Emergency Relief Grant will now be extended for the months of October to December 31, 2020 for those members who are newly affected or continue to be affected in the months of October to December 31, 2020, with the extension of $250 per week top-up for those that meet the existing criteria. The extended Emergency Relief Grant will now expire […]

In March, the Benefit Plan Trustees established the Local 793 Emergency Relief Grant to assist eligible plan members and their families in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Local 793 Emergency Relief Grant will now be extended for the months of October to December 31, 2020 for those members who are newly affected or continue to be affected in the months of October to December 31, 2020, with the extension of $250 per week top-up for those that meet the existing criteria.

The extended Emergency Relief Grant will now expire on December 31, 2020. Additionally, the previously passed COVID-19 Life and Health Benefit Freezing is scheduled to expire September 30, 2020. Extension of “Benefit Freezing” will continue for only those members who will fall out of benefits in the months of October to December 2020 as a result of NIL (zero) contributions coming from their respective employers.

Local 793’s officers, executive board and staff wish you and your families a Happy Labour Day. Labour Day is a special holiday for all unions including Local 793. Labour Day honours the struggles that workers have endured in order to repeal anti-union laws and support workers’ right to unionize. These successful efforts have led to workers gaining more rights such as: fair wages, improved terms and conditions of employment and better workplace safety rules. As we are unable to celebrate and march in the Labour Day parades together due to […]

Local 793’s officers, executive board and staff wish you and your families a Happy Labour Day.

Labour Day is a special holiday for all unions including Local 793. Labour Day honours the struggles that workers have endured in order to repeal anti-union laws and support workers’ right to unionize. These successful efforts have led to workers gaining more rights such as: fair wages, improved terms and conditions of employment and better workplace safety rules.

As we are unable to celebrate and march in the Labour Day parades together due to COVID-19, we encourage you to celebrate with your loved ones and friends in a safe manner. As union members, we know well the importance of unity and how it gives us strength to overcome all obstacles including the challenges caused by COVID-19.

HAPPY LABOUR DAY!

August 4, 2020 To all IUOE Local 793 members: After careful consideration and having implemented additional COVID-19 safety protocols, we have made the decision to re-open the OETIO campuses in Oakville and Morrisburg. The Oakville campus will resume training on Monday, August 10, 2020 and the Morrisburg campus will follow on Monday, September 14, 2020. OETIO will use a staged approach and will only increase the student training numbers if there is confidence that it can be done in a way that guarantees the health and safety of students and […]

August 4, 2020

To all IUOE Local 793 members:

After careful consideration and having implemented additional COVID-19 safety protocols, we have made the decision to re-open the OETIO campuses in Oakville and Morrisburg.

The Oakville campus will resume training on Monday, August 10, 2020 and the Morrisburg campus will follow on Monday, September 14, 2020.

OETIO will use a staged approach and will only increase the student training numbers if there is confidence that it can be done in a way that guarantees the health and safety of students and staff.

The provincial government’s move to Stage 3 as part of Ontario’s reopening plan was taken into account in deciding to resume training at OETIO.

Separate return-to-training protocols have been developed for each campus and classes will open with strict guidelines designed to protect the health and safety of both students and staff:

Oakville Campus Protocols:

• Students will follow strict COVID-19 safety protocol measures for entering and exiting the facility
• Personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks, gloves and hand sanitizer will be provided, and use will be mandatory
• Physical distancing will be mandatory
• Class sizes will be reduced so that there are no large gatherings
• Theoretical classes will be held in the O.E. Banquet Hall, an area that has ample space for physical distancing
• Portable washrooms with running water and hand soap have been placed in the training yard to limit entry into the main building

Morrisburg Campus Protocols:

• Students will be placed into social groups (bubbles) of six and will remain in their designated group for the duration of their training
• Within the bubble, PPE and physical distancing will remain mandatory
• Each bubble will be separate, and students will not interact with students in other bubbles
• Staggered training start times will allow each bubble to exit the residence and head to training without interacting with other students

Both campuses will be monitored closely, and training may be suspended should a situation put the health and safety of students, staff or the public at risk.

An OETIO emergency response team has been established and has protocols in place to deal with a COVID-19 emergency.

Ensuring the health and wellbeing of the membership, students and staff continues to be Local 793 and OETIO’s number one priority.

Fraternally yours,

Mike Gallagher
Business Manager, IUOE Local 793

Joe Dowdall
Executive Director, OETIO

Signed, sealed and delivered! Business Manager Mike Gallagher signed off on the last of the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plan Letters of Understanding for all of our contractor associations today. The National Capital Road Builders Association has finally signed. Now all of our 15 contractor associations and another 125 contractors have signed off on the SUB Plan Letters of Understanding. Local 793 is also pleased to announce that the SUB plan has been approved by Service Canada and by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Expected to be available in the fall, […]

Signed, sealed and delivered!

Business Manager Mike Gallagher signed off on the last of the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plan Letters of Understanding for all of our contractor associations today. The National Capital Road Builders Association has finally signed. Now all of our 15 contractor associations and another 125 contractors have signed off on the SUB Plan Letters of Understanding.

Local 793 is also pleased to announce that the SUB plan has been approved by Service Canada and by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Expected to be available in the fall, the SUB plan will provide additional financial assistance to unemployed members for years to come.