Business Manager says Union is on Upward Tragectory

Local 793 is flourishing on a number of fronts, business manager Mike Gallagher said at a general membership meeting of the union at head office in Oakville on March 25. “We’re just going to continue on an upward trajectory,” he said in remarks to more than 150 members at the meeting. Gallagher said the union is on the right track, as membership numbers continue to rise. “There’s a lot of good news about the union,” he said, “and we’re now just shy of 15,000 members.” He noted that members’ equity […]

Local 793 is flourishing on a number of fronts, business manager Mike Gallagher said at a general membership meeting of the union at head office in Oakville on March 25.

“We’re just going to continue on an upward trajectory,” he said in remarks to more than 150 members at the meeting.

Gallagher said the union is on the right track, as membership numbers continue to rise.

“There’s a lot of good news about the union,” he said, “and we’re now just shy of 15,000 members.”

He noted that members’ equity is at $104 million – 10.7 per cent higher than the previous year – and union assets are $111 million – 10 per cent higher than the previous year.

The out-of-work list for Toronto area was at 569 members at March 14, down from more than 800 a year earlier, he said

Meanwhile, the pension plan is now at $2.7 billion – up $200 million from a year earlier, he said, and the plan earned eight per cent in 2017.

The plan was 99.9 per cent funded on a going-concern basis as of the end of 2017, he said.

On the organizing front, Gallagher said more companies are being unionized, with 117 voluntary recognition agreements being signed in 2017 and up to March 14, 2018. In the same time period, the union received 18 certificates from the Labour Board.

Gallagher said the union is growing at a much more rapid rate through organizing than any other construction union.

“The numbers are growing at a faster rate than all our competitors,” he said. “I feel that we’re doing good.”

Gallagher noted the local is preparing to file a certification at the Labour Relations Board on Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. at the Mary River site on Baffin Island in Nunavut.

Organizers have spent more than a year organizing Baffinland and the company has more than 800 workers.

Gallagher said he met earlier with Baffinland’s vice president of human resources and presented the concept of voluntary recognition, but the union will be making an application.

He said workers at the company seem to support the union and feel it can help them improve camp conditions.

“Lets just keep our fingers crossed and hope it turns out,” Gallagher said.

While trying to organize the company, he noted that Inuit workers from Baffinland have been training at the OETIO in Morrisburg, which has brought revenue into the union.

He said the OETIO has already received $416,000 in tuition plus $146,348 in room and board and ancillary expenses as a result of the workers being trained at the OETIO.

Another 12 operators from the company are scheduled to be trained at the OETIO in June, so the total tuition as a result of training employees from Baffinland is expected to be $596,000 plus $210,078 in room and board and ancillary expenses, he said.

Gallagher noted he recently hired four new organizers, bringing the number to 11, and he encouraged members to work with the union’s organizers, as it’s not an easy job.

Gallagher told the meeting that Local 793 will soon be embarking on an expansion of the banquet hall at head office.

The union is working with Michael Spaziani Architect.

Gallagher said the present building will be doubled in size and is being expanded to the east, a hallway is being added to the north, and more office space will also be added.

“We will likely be finished by August of next year in time to do our dinner dance,” he said.

Gallagher said the union also plans to build a 40-to-60-room student residence on 6.25 acres of property at 2201 Speers Rd., adjacent to head office, that it bought in summer 2017.

The building, he said, will enable apprentices to be able to stay in a safe place while training at the OETIO.

Gallagher said the union is also moving to self-administer its pension and life and health benefits plans and staff will be housed in a building on the newly-purchased property.

Eventually, he said, a new building will be built on the property for staff and some of the space will be rented out, bringing revenue into the local.

Gallagher said when members come to the main hall to take care of union business they’ll be able to do everything in one location.

Meanwhile, he noted, the union is planning for the future.

A committee has been meeting for the past year, planning activities for the 100th anniversary of the local in 2019, he said, and picnics and events are planned for many districts.

The union will also be selling commemorative items on its website and plans to get permission to fly flags on tower cranes at worksites.

“It’s a privilege for us to be alive when this great local reaches 100 years,” he said.

Gallagher spoke on a number of other subjects.

He said it was brought to his attention that companies were bringing in cranes that had been de-rated to avoid hiring apprentices and grievances have been filed with contractors.

He said companies were bringing in 110-ton cranes as 90-ton cranes.

“We filed 14 grievances against all of the heavy hitters in the crane rental sectors and I feel very confident that we’re going to win them,” he said.

Since filing the grievances, Gallagher said a couple of contractors have reached out to Local 793 to settle the issue.

Gallagher also congratulated the 21 delegates who were elected to attend the IUOE general convention in Hollywood, Florida in May.

He said it is the largest number of delegates ever being sent to the convention by Local 793.

He thanked the election committee for running a successful election for the IUOE general convention. The members were Mike Chenier, Vince Prout and Dan Davey.

At the meeting, OETIO executive director Harold McBride provided a report on apprenticeship training, new training initiatives, short-course and e-learning training, simulation and the union’s Aboriginal engagement plan.

He noted the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) is providing the OETIO with $2.3 million for training of mobile and tower crane, concrete pump and heavy equipment operators in 2018.

This will enable the OETIO to train 104 mobile and tower crane and concrete pump apprentices and 126 heavy equipment apprentices in 2018, he said.

The MAESD also awarded the OETIO $457,336 in 2018 to train 36 pre-apprentices.

As part of its Aboriginal engagement plan, the OETIO plans to recruit 50 new Aboriginal apprentices in 2018.

McBride said an RFP is going out to purchase a 40-to-60-ton all-terrain crane for the Oakville campus and a second RFP is going out to purchase a 0-8-ton carry-deck crane for Morrisburg. A new 15-ton Elliott boom truck recently arrived at the Oakville campus.

McBride noted that an AZ/DZ driver-training program has been added at the OETIO. Trainees in the course take four weeks of training. So far, six courses have been completed.

A report presented by McBride showed that from the beginning of the year to March 25 1,387 short-courses have been completed by members at the OETIO.

Meanwhile, he noted, six new VxAdvantage simulators and two Vxtraining simulators are up and running at the OETIO and two existing VxMaster simulators have been retrofitted.

General Membership Meeting on March 25

A general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, March 25, 2018 in Local 793’s banquet hall at head office in Oakville, 2245 Speers Rd. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. Click here for location.

A general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, March 25, 2018 in Local 793’s banquet hall at head office in Oakville, 2245 Speers Rd. The meeting begins at 10 a.m.

Click here for location.

General Membership Meeting on Sept. 24

Please be advised that a general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. The meeting is being held in the OE Banquet Hall, adjacent to the union’s head office at 2245 Speers Road in Oakville. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. Click here for the OE Banquet Hall location.

Please be advised that a general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017.

The meeting is being held in the OE Banquet Hall, adjacent to the union’s head office at 2245 Speers Road in Oakville.

The meeting begins at 10 a.m.

Click here for the OE Banquet Hall location.

General Membership Meeting March 26

Mark your calendars! A general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, March 26, 2017 in the OE Banquet Hall next to head office at 2245 Speers Road, Oakville. The meeting starts at 10 a.m. Click here for directions to the banquet hall.

Mark your calendars! A general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, March 26, 2017 in the OE Banquet Hall next to head office at 2245 Speers Road, Oakville. The meeting starts at 10 a.m.

Click here for directions to the banquet hall.

General Membership Meeting on March 26

Mark your calendars. A general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, March 26, 2017 at 10 a.m. in the OE Banquet Hall next to head office at 2245 Speers Road, Oakville. Click here for map.

Mark your calendars. A general membership meeting of the union is scheduled for Sunday, March 26, 2017 at 10 a.m. in the OE Banquet Hall next to head office at 2245 Speers Road, Oakville.

Click here for map.

General Membership Meeting on Sept. 25

Local 793’s general membership meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 in the OE Banquet Hall at 2245 Speers Road in Oakville. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. Click here for map.

Local 793’s general membership meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 in the OE Banquet Hall at 2245 Speers Road in Oakville. The meeting begins at 10 a.m.

Click here for map.

General Membership Meeting on April 3

Local 793’s general membership meeting is scheduled for Sunday, April 3, 2016 in the union banquet hall, 2245 Speers Rd., Oakville. Meeting time is 10 a.m. Click here for map.

Local 793’s general membership meeting is scheduled for Sunday, April 3, 2016 in the union banquet hall, 2245 Speers Rd., Oakville.

Meeting time is 10 a.m.

Click here for map.

General Membership Meeting on April 3

Local 793’s general membership meeting is scheduled for Sunday, April 3, 2016 in the union banquet hall, 2245 Speers Rd., Oakville. Meeting time is 10 a.m. Click here for map.

Local 793’s general membership meeting is scheduled for Sunday, April 3, 2016 in the union banquet hall, 2245 Speers Rd., Oakville.

Meeting time is 10 a.m.

Click here for map.

Locals stepping up political action

IUOE locals across Canada are stepping up activities regarding political action, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher told a general membership meeting of the union Sept. 27. He said two very important resolutions were passed at the 57th Canadian Conference of the International Union of Operating Engineers recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The resolutions deal with strategic voting in the Oct. 19 federal election and creation of a not-for-profit entity called Canadians United for Change. The first resolution encourages members of IUOE locals to vote for candidates in a particular […]

IUOE locals across Canada are stepping up activities regarding political action, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher told a general membership meeting of the union Sept. 27.

He said two very important resolutions were passed at the 57th Canadian Conference of the International Union of Operating Engineers recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The resolutions deal with strategic voting in the Oct. 19 federal election and creation of a not-for-profit entity called Canadians United for Change.

The first resolution encourages members of IUOE locals to vote for candidates in a particular riding, be it a Liberal or New Democrat, in order to defeat the Conservative MP.

The second resolution established the creation of a group entitled Canadians United for Change (CUC) that will run campaigns during the current and future election campaigns.

Meanwhile, said Gallagher, Hart Consulting has been hired to do a national survey and the CUC intends to use the Internet and sites like Facebook to get its message out.

“My thought is that we should always have this (group) in place,” said Gallagher. “If we get involved in provincial or federal elections we’ll always be ready.”

Gallagher said Prime Minister Stephen Harper is intent on eroding Canada’s institutions and has stacked the Senate with Conservatives.

“They’re like trained seals. They’re not the chamber of somber second thought. That is not how our Parliamentary system is supposed to work.”

If Harper is re-elected, Gallagher said the prime minister will go after the Supreme Court “because it is the last bastion of civil rights that exist in Canada.”

Gallagher said Harper will start appointing Conservative judges to the Supreme Court and ruin the Canadian system.

The present Tories, he said, are like reformed Tea-Party-type Conservatives and all they’re concerned about is protecting their corporate clients.

Gallagher said he believes that right-to-work legislation is on the agenda of the Conservatives and unions have to stop them.

Local 793 continues to grow: Gallagher

Local 793 is thriving and the union’s finances and pension and benefits plans remain in good shape. That was one of the messages delivered by union business manager Mike Gallagher at a general membership meeting of the union held at head office in Oakville on Sept. 27. “The union continues to grow. We had 13,621 initiated members as of August 17,” he said in his report to nearly 300 members at the meeting. “To give you some context, in two years that’s growth of about 2,000 members.” Gallagher noted that […]

Local 793 is thriving and the union’s finances and pension and benefits plans remain in good shape.

That was one of the messages delivered by union business manager Mike Gallagher at a general membership meeting of the union held at head office in Oakville on Sept. 27.

“The union continues to grow. We had 13,621 initiated members as of August 17,” he said in his report to nearly 300 members at the meeting. “To give you some context, in two years that’s growth of about 2,000 members.”

Gallagher noted that the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario is also running full-out and is on the way to exceeding 13,000 student training days for the year.

Work Picture

Despite the global economic turmoil, Gallagher said, the work picture remains bright across Ontario.

He said phase two of the Eglinton Crosstown project was awarded to a consortium of EllisDon, ACS Infrastructure Canada, Aecon and SNC-Lavalin, and phase two of the Highway 407 East project was awarded to Blackbird Infrastructure Group which includes Holcim Canada Inc., Dufferin Construction and Ferrovial Agroman Canada.

Construction of a 28-megawatt hydroelectric generating project at New Post Creek is also underway and will employ 60 operators over three years, he said.

Meanwhile, Gallagher said, 207 operators are also employed on New Gold’s $900-million Rainy River Mine northwest of Fort Frances.

As for future projects, he said, Bruce Power is contemplating a lot of work and has plans to spend $1.5 billion a year for 18 years on projects, including reactor refurbishments.

“That is going to provide good work for us and the other trades.”

Construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge over the Detroit River in Windsor, meantime, is expected to start in 2017, he said, and will also provide good work for members.

Finances

On the financial front, Gallagher said consolidated members’ equity was $79,493,978 as of June 30 – 13.7 per cent higher than the previous year – while consolidated assets of the union were $85,238,685 as of the same date – 13.4 per cent higher than previous year.

Total hours worked for the six-month period ending June 30 were 8,189,764 – 8.2 per cent higher than the previous year, he said.

Pension Plan

On the pension front, Gallagher said, the plan returned 10 per cent in 2014 – much higher than the six-per-cent return needed to keep the plan healthy.

He said preliminary data shows the plan returned 7.3 per cent to July 31, 2015 but that has likely dropped to close to four per cent as a result of recent market turmoil.

Benefit Plan

On the benefits front, Gallagher said the plan is in good shape with a surplus.

He noted a number of improvements went into effect retroactive to Sept. 1, 2015 and more are coming on stream on Jan. 1, 2016.

Improvements retroactive to Sept. 1, 2015 include:

  • The death benefit for active members increased to $150,000 from $125,000.
  • The death benefit for spouses and dependents of active members increased to $12,000 from $10,000.
  • The death benefit for retirees increased to $30,000 from $25,000.

Improvements coming on Jan. 1, 2016 include:

  • Vision care for active and retired members will rise to $600 from $400 every 24 months.
  • Active members will be given three days off for the birth of a child and paid $175 per day from the plan, provided they lose wages.
  • The retiree supplementary health care medical expense maximum will be raised to $50,000 from $40,000.

Improvements coming to the group legal plan on Jan. 1, 2016 include:

  • Purchase of family dwelling – raised to $550 from $450
  • Sale of family dwelling – raised to $550 from $450
  • Purchase lot for family dwelling – raised to $550 from $450
  • Purchase/sale vacation property – raised to $550 from $450
  • Transfer of title – raised to $300 from $250
  • Mortgage new or renewal – raised to $400 from $300
  • Divorce for member – raised to $700 from $600
  • Divorce for spouse – raised to $700 from $600
  • Property and custody support for member – raised to $700 from $600
  • Separation agreement for member – raised to $700 from $600
  • Separation agreement for spouse – raised to $700 from $600
  • Defendant representation – raised to $3,000 (not based on hours) from 20 hours at $150/hour
  • Plaintiff representation – raised to $3,000 (not based on hours) from 20 hours at $150/hour
  • Criminal Code of Canada matters – raised to $850 from $700

In other business at the meeting, Gallagher asked for and received a motion to have Frank Hawkins’ name engraved on the back of a chair that will be placed at future general membership and Oshawa meetings.

Hawkins, a 52-year member of the union, died Sept. 24, 2015. He was a regular at the Oshawa meetings.

Gallagher said it’s a very fitting tribute to Hawkins.