IUOE Local 793 held a Special Executive Board Meeting at the OE Banquet and Conference Centre in Oakville on Saturday, September 24. The 130 attendees included area supervisors, business reps, staff, delegates, officers, honourary lifetime members and invited guests.
Business Manager Mike Gallagher set the tone for the meeting by opening his report talking about his pride at the way Local 793 had stuck together during three difficult weeks in early May when members went on strike for better pay and better work conditions in both the ICI and formwork agreements.
“I’m still feeling the glow of our success,” Gallagher announced. “We had the highest settlements of any trade out there, so let’s give ourselves a hand for putting that together.”
Business Manager Gallagher did note that two members in the Sarnia area had attempted to cross a picket line during the strike. The men were charged under the IUOE Constitution and By-Laws and subsequently found guilty at a trial at the district meeting on September 22.
“As far as I’m concerned, if you are not willing to support the members who are out there putting their livelihood on the line, a legal strike, we don’t want you besides us,” Gallagher said.
At those words, a round of applause broke out.
With the Union membership now at more than 18,200 active and initiated members, Business Manager Gallagher recognized the work performed by Director of Organizing Kyle Schutte and the organizers.
Since March 1, the Union has signed 31 new voluntary recognition agreements, bringing in 115 new members, and also received nine successful certificates from the Labour Board, bringing in another 77 new members.
“Being an organizer is probably one of the hardest jobs there is,” Gallagher said. “The reason they continue to get up every day and go forward and face the unique kind of threats they face is because they believe in what they are doing.”
In closing, Business Manager Gallagher took a moment to recognize those members who have passed away recently, including 54-year member Dave Grainger, 78, 50-year member Jose Resendes, 75, and 66-year member Rod Allain, 87, the first director of the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO).
Provincial Pipeline and EPSCA Business Rep Mike Scott presented the Pipeline Report, noting that the sector had recovered from the slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with hours worked increasing across the board in 2021 – and expected to grow further in 2022.
He also reported strong ratification votes by members for the Distribution Pipeline (92%) and Maintenance and Service Pipeline (97.5%) agreements.
Looking forward, Brother Scott said the focus is now switching to the Mainline Pipeline Agreement for Canada, as the current deal expires on April 30, 2023.
Responding to Business Manager Gallagher’s earlier praise for the work done by the organizing team, Brother Schutte opened his organizing report highlighting the emphasis that has been placed on organizing in recent years – underlined by the fact that there are now 14 organizers within the Local.
“To be able to organize with a team this big has been a pleasure and we’ve definitely seen results because of it,” Schutte said.
“Since the start of 2022, we have signed well over 1,110 cards. Those don’t always turn into new members but that’s a lot of people who support what we have been doing out there and saw value in supporting Local 793.”
Labour Relations Manager Melissa Atkins-Mahaney began her report looking back on the challenges faced during the spring negotiations and said that several factors had factored into a host of trades, including the Operators, going on strike.
Inflation was the number one concern, while workers were also seeking wage increases because of the sacrifices they had made during the pandemic. Managing expectations, Atkins-Mahaney said, was a key part of the job.
“We’ve got great leadership, great experience and some of the toughest negotiators out there,” Atkins-Mahaney said. “We achieved a $9 increase over three years which amounted to between a 13.8% and 16.5% increase to members depending on what classification members are working under. That is a remarkable number.”
She added that Operating Engineers also made significant increases to travel, room and board allowances and achieved breakthrough language for parking in the GTA.
Toronto Area Supervisor Ryan Wilbee delivered a timely presentation on the hazards of trenching. He reported on two fatalities that occurred in Ajax in August due to a collapsed trench and reminded attendees that members must be empowered to speak up when their safety is not made a priority.
One such trenching incident occurred in July at a watermain and water services replacement project in North York, Toronto. On that occasion, however, the quick thinking and bravery of three Local 793 members saved the life of a labourer who had been trapped up to his neck in a collapsed trench, an action that resulted in the three Brothers being recognized with the Kyle Knox Award.
Brother Daniel Rizzuti accepted the award on behalf of himself and fellow members, Cody Sarasin and Ricardo Silva, to rapturous applause.
The award was established in memory of Brother Kyle Knox, a 24-year-old Local 793 crane apprentice who was killed when a drill rig collapsed at York University on October 11, 2011. The award recognizes members who show extraordinary bravery and initiative in rescuing another member, fellow worker or member of the public.
Jeff Hewitt, Director of Training and Apprenticeship, delivered the OETIO Training Report, explaining changes that will allow a record amount of training to be delivered across both the Oakville and Morrisburg campuses in the coming year. One example of a new offering which will be available to members this winter, is a hydrovac training course.
Hewitt also discussed the new equipment that has been purchased since the last report, funded in part through the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) and Apprentice Capital Grant (ACG).
In closing, Local 793 area delegates reported on the work situation in different locations across Ontario, including: Mike Reynolds (Barrie), Jordan Jewell (Belle), Joe Guilbeault (Cambridge), Steve Bianco (Hamilton), Sean Smith (London), Frank Ciancone (Oshawa), Guenther Bott (Ottawa), Andrew Premo (Sault St. Marie), Jim Fleckie (Sarnia), Greg Kelly (St. Catharines), Daniel G Giroux (Sudbury), Samuel Wilson-Hadju (Thunder Bay), Derick Morin (Timmins), Karl Weber (Toronto), Peter Sumandl (Toronto) and Leo Temblay (Windsor).