Christmas Holiday Office Hours

Written by Local 793 Staff

Please be advised that all Local 793 offices across the province will be closed over the Christmas holiday period December 25 to 29, 2023, and on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024. The Sault Ste. Marie office will be closed December 15 to 29, 2023, and on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024. Members in […]

Please be advised that all Local 793 offices across the province will be closed over the Christmas holiday period December 25 to 29, 2023, and on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024.

The Sault Ste. Marie office will be closed December 15 to 29, 2023, and on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024. Members in the area who need assistance during the holiday hours can call Northeastern Ontario Area Supervisor, Eric Giroux, at 705-665-1237.

All offices will re-open at the regular time on January 2, 2024.

Local 793’s Skilled Operators Work on Complex Bridge Project

Written by Local 793 Staff

With more than eight decades of experience between them, there isn’t much that can phase mobile crane operators Kevin Cadieux and Keith Mortimer. Cadieux and Mortimer, both 42-year members, are working for Amherst Crane Rentals on twin 280m three-span segmental concrete box girder bridges over the Sixteen Mile Creek valley in north Oakville using cast-in-place […]

With more than eight decades of experience between them, there isn’t much that can phase mobile crane operators Kevin Cadieux and Keith Mortimer.

Cadieux and Mortimer, both 42-year members, are working for Amherst Crane Rentals on twin 280m three-span segmental concrete box girder bridges over the Sixteen Mile Creek valley in north Oakville using cast-in-place segmental construction techniques with a moveable form traveller system.

To complete construction, leading international engineering consulting group COWI and general contractor BOT will use a uniquely adapted unbalanced cantilever construction method.

BOT’s $80 million build is part of the ongoing William Halton Parkway Extension project that will reduce traffic congestion in the fast-growing north Oakville area by creating a new east-west corridor from Bronte Road to Ninth Line.

Work on the section connecting Third Line to Neyagawa Boulevard, which includes the bridge construction, is due to be completed in late 2024.

The complex multi-stage project once again shows that there’s no such thing as a bridge too far for Local 793’s skilled Operating Engineers.

Local 793 Promotes Trades at Aboriginal Apprenticeship Conference

Written by Local 793 Staff

Local 793’s commitment to providing more apprenticeship and training opportunities for Indigenous people continues. Jim Jacobs, the Union’s Indigenous Relations Coordinator, attended the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board (formerly the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario) annual conference in Niagara Falls along with St Catherines Business Rep Aaron Pede, where he joined a panel discussion on Indigenous Tradespeople […]

Local 793’s commitment to providing more apprenticeship and training opportunities for Indigenous people continues.

Jim Jacobs, the Union’s Indigenous Relations Coordinator, attended the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board (formerly the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario) annual conference in Niagara Falls along with St Catherines Business Rep Aaron Pede, where he joined a panel discussion on Indigenous Tradespeople Success Stories.

AAB is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to increase the number of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people working in the trades through improved access and opportunity to apprenticeship and long-term gainful employment.

Brother Jacobs spoke about his own journey from growing up on the Six Nations Reservation near Brantford, his struggles in the trades and the life-changing experiences of becoming a Local 793 member working for signatory employer A6N, including his work as an organizer and in Indigenous outreach.

Local 793 provides an Indigenous pre-apprenticeship program through the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO). Visit oetio.com for more information.

Conference room scene
Local 793 Indigenous Relations Coordinator Jim Jacobs (left) speaks at the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board Conference in Niagara Falls.

Local 793’s Gallagher Condemns Poilievre’s Anti-Worker ‘Games’

Written by Local 793 Staff

Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers has condemned Pierre Poilievre and his federal Conservative Party of Canada for playing politics with the futures of working people by blocking key employment legislation. Bill-C-50, which offers protection to workers as the country moves towards a low-carbon future, and Bill C-58, which bans employers from […]

Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers has condemned Pierre Poilievre and his federal Conservative Party of Canada for playing politics with the futures of working people by blocking key employment legislation.

Bill-C-50, which offers protection to workers as the country moves towards a low-carbon future, and Bill C-58, which bans employers from using scab labour during a contract dispute, would go some way towards levelling the playing field for workers after years of attacks on jobs and wages. The passage of both bills has been held up as part of a wider Conservative attempt to block the government’s agenda.

Local 793 Business Manager, Mike Gallagher, said, “I warned our members months ago that Pierre Poilievre was no friend of workers and his antics in Parliament are now making that crystal clear.

“We have been fighting long and hard for legislation that would stop employers from using scabs to undermine workers who have a democratic right to demand better paying jobs in construction all over the country.

“Poilievre’s willingness to play silly games with the futures of our members is sickening and we will continue to call him out and make sure his attempt to stand in the way of stronger protections for all Canadian workers ends in failure.”

Read a statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, here.

OETIO Morrisburg Impresses TARBA’s Chakarova

Written by Local 793 Staff

A visit to OETIO’s Morrisburg training campus left a big impression on Raly Chakarova, the executive director of the Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA). Chakarova, who took up her position with the employers’ representative group in September, tried her hand at the controls of a mechanical simulator and watched Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) […]

A visit to OETIO’s Morrisburg training campus left a big impression on Raly Chakarova, the executive director of the Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA).

Chakarova, who took up her position with the employers’ representative group in September, tried her hand at the controls of a mechanical simulator and watched Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) apprentices being put through their paces in the field during a tour of the facilities on Wednesday.

OETIO Executive Director Rick Kerr, who accompanied Chakarova on her tour alongside Rod McKenzie, Director of Training (OETIO Morrisburg), said, “She was very impressed with the facility and the whole training program. After trying out the mechanical simulator she said she certainly had a greater appreciation for what our operators do!

“It’s so important that industry has a chance to come along and see what we do here and the excellent level of training we offer at OETIO first-hand. It also makes clear Local 793’s commitment to and investment in that training.”

TARBA is the accredited employer bargaining agent representing unionized road building contractors in Board Area 8 (Toronto GTA) and Simcoe County.

Three members of the tour.
(L to R) OETIO Executive Director Rick Kerr, TARBA executive director Raly Chakarova, and Director of Training (OETIO Morrisburg) Rod McKenzie.

Local 793 Shares Trades Message with Indigenous Students

Written by Local 793 Staff

To reach Indigenous communities in every corner of Ontario, Local 793 Indigenous Relations Coordinator Jim Jacobs joined the Aboriginal Post-Secondary Information Program (APSIP) on its tour of communities and high schools. APSIP is a collective of Indigenous recruitment representatives from colleges, universities, and learning institutes in Ontario and Quebec that visits students in their own […]

To reach Indigenous communities in every corner of Ontario, Local 793 Indigenous Relations Coordinator Jim Jacobs joined the Aboriginal Post-Secondary Information Program (APSIP) on its tour of communities and high schools.

APSIP is a collective of Indigenous recruitment representatives from colleges, universities, and learning institutes in Ontario and Quebec that visits students in their own communities to provide information and practical advice on their options after high school.

“A lot of the schools we visit don’t have the resources to attend some of the large trade shows in the province, so attending and letting the students know about our apprenticeship opportunities and life working in the Union has been well received by the students, teachers, guidance councillors, principals and Indigenous community members,” Brother Jacobs said.

APSIP provides support and assistance to Indigenous learners – from outreach and information through to application, enrolment, and registration.

Visit the APSIP website for more information.

Local 793 Indigenous Relations Coordinator Jim Jacobs gives a student some pointers on the excavator simulator.
Young Indigenous students gather round Jim Jacobs to learn about the pre-apprenticeship and training programs offered by OETIO.

New Crane Safety Regulations Begin January 1

Written by Local 793 Staff

Ontario has completed the amendments to O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) and O. Reg. 420/21 (Notices and Reports under Sections 51 to 53.1 of the Act – Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses and Other Incidents) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), to be implemented on January 1st 2024. Many of these changes come […]

Ontario has completed the amendments to O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) and O. Reg. 420/21 (Notices and Reports under Sections 51 to 53.1 of the Act – Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses and Other Incidents) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), to be implemented on January 1st 2024. Many of these changes come from the recommendations of the tower crane regulation review working group, which IUOE Local 793 and OETIO took part in.

  • Beginning January 2024, tower and mobile cranes are required to meet the CSA-Z248 and CAS-Z150 standards, which is the highest standard for Crane Safety in Canada.

Some of these changes include clarifying or adding new design, installation, maintenance, inspection, and record-keeping requirements; requiring comprehensive inspections of tower cranes.

Changes to O. Reg. 420/21 (Notices and Reports under Sections 51 to 53.1 of the Act – Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses and Other Incidents) under the OHSA have also been approved. The amendments will add a new requirement for the ministry to be notified of a failure to control a crane or a load, including any rigging failure, and for an engineer’s report on the cause of the incident.

Most of these changes will come into force on January 1, 2024. Other requirements, including those involving equipment upgrades, will come into force on January 1, 2025.

For more information on the OHSA amendments, please watch the full webinar HERE

Making Tracks Magazine, Issue 45: Winter 2023

Written by Local 793 Staff

Welcome to the digital edition of Making Tracks, the magazine. In this edition, you’ll read about Local 793’s General Membership meeting and Business Manager Mike Gallagher’s vision of the future, the retirement of President Joe Redshaw after 36 years of service, see photos from the Dinner Dance as the Union honoured its long service members, […]

Welcome to the digital edition of Making Tracks, the magazine.

In this edition, you’ll read about Local 793’s General Membership meeting and Business Manager Mike Gallagher’s vision of the future, the retirement of President Joe Redshaw after 36 years of service, see photos from the Dinner Dance as the Union honoured its long service members, learn more about upcoming changes to the OHSA’s crane safety regulations, and much, much more.

Digital magazines can be instantly accessed and read on tablets, smartphones, or other digital platforms anywhere and anytime. They enhance the user experience and offer links to important resources and information for quick access, as well as great video content!

Enjoy this digital edition of Making Tracks!

Digital Making Tracks Magazine – Issue 45 Winter 2023

Members Work on Integrity Digs in Sarnia

Written by Local 793 Staff

Local 793 members employed by J.W. Seward Enterprises are working on a series of integrity digs in Sarnia. Seen in the photo below is Brother Josh Seward operating a Caterpillar 930H wheel loader. Brother Seward is responsible for placing and removing access mats and providing pipeline contractors with safe and efficient ways to access remote […]

Local 793 members employed by J.W. Seward Enterprises are working on a series of integrity digs in Sarnia. Seen in the photo below is Brother Josh Seward operating a Caterpillar 930H wheel loader.

Brother Seward is responsible for placing and removing access mats and providing pipeline contractors with safe and efficient ways to access remote locations while also protecting the ground from disturbance and potential soil contamination.

Brother Josh Seward operating a Caterpillar 930H wheel loader.
Brother Seward is responsible for placing and removing access mats and providing pipeline contractors with safe and efficient ways to access remote locations while also protecting the ground from disturbance and potential soil contamination.

IUOE Celebrates 127 Years of Fighting for Working Men and Women

Written by Local 793 Staff

Today marks the 127th anniversary of the International Union of Operating Engineers, when eleven determined steam engineers set in motion the formation of what would become, and remains today, one of the strongest labour unions fighting for working men and women in North America. The officers and executive board members of Local 793 congratulate the […]

Today marks the 127th anniversary of the International Union of Operating Engineers, when eleven determined steam engineers set in motion the formation of what would become, and remains today, one of the strongest labour unions fighting for working men and women in North America.

The officers and executive board members of Local 793 congratulate the IUOE in achieving this milestone.

On December 7, 1896, eleven men met in Chicago and organized the National Union of Steam Engineers of America. They were tired of the terrible work conditions and the 60-90 hour work weeks for very low wages. They knew that joining together in a union was the only way they could improve their work lives.

A year later, the first Canadian workers joined the young union and to reflect this expansion across the border, the name was changed to the International Union of Steam Engineers.

The union dropped the word “steam” in 1928, as both the technology and the scope of labour had moved beyond steam technology.

Today, all IUOE members are reaping the rewards of the sacrifices of their forerunners. Their foresight for safer working condition and fair wages has help thousands of families and will continue to help thousands more in the future.

CLICK HERE to read more on the history of IUOE
CLICK HERE to read about the history of IUOE Local 793