UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA STRIKE 2024
Our uOttawa Group A (28 engineers) record the shortest ever strike August 30th at only two days! The engineers operate & maintain the power plant on a 24/7 basis. The agreement had previously been subject to Bill 124 and the 1% per year total compensation, which was overturned in the courts,. IUOE sought market adjustments based on Bill 124 shortfall and the current OE increases being enjoyed in Ontario by other university OEs. Attraction and retention is a serious issue, and we are currently short staffed affecting response to maintenance and emergencies.
CANADIAN CONFERENCE
This year's Canadian Conference was held in Winnipeg from August 25th – 28th. Business Manager Greg Hoath was elected Secretary Treasurer of the Canadian Conference.
Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Federal Minister of Labour Steve MacKinnon were in attendance and interacted with delegates.
STATIONARY TRAINING CONFERENCE
This year's Stationary Training Conference was held in August 5th – 7th in Crosby Texas, at the IUOE International Training and Education Centre (ITEC), with Business Manager Greg Hoath and former Local 772 President Greg Black in attendance to offer support for Canadian programs.
CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION PUBLIC REVIEW
The CSA B56 Standard for standardizing the rating and staffing requirements of power plants across Canada has been drafted and is open for public comment. Find the notice here in English and French with the links to CSA to view the document. Note that the deadline for submissions is November 1, 2024.
LOCAL 772 NEWSLETTER
Catch up on all of the latest news and events!
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Spring 2024 (English)
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Spring 2024 (French)
Canada’s skills shortage will get worse unless companies invest in training, experts warn
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The skills shortage in Canada is exacerbated by aging demographics, digital literacy, and a mismatch between immigration and labour market policies.
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Canadian employers spend $240 per employee on training annually whereas our OECD peers invest $750.
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The future of work will demand a workforce that’s not just technically savvy, but one that has demonstrable skill sets such as critical thinking, co-ordination, judgment, decision-making, and complex problem solving.
Read the full article here.
TSSA INTRODUCES LATE PAYMENT FEE & INSPECTION APPOINTMENT CANCELLATION FEE
Effective November 4, 2024, TSSA will be introducing two new fees: a Late Payment Fee for licences and other authorizations and an Inspection Appointment Cancellation Fee. These fees are aimed at encouraging timely compliance, reducing regulatory costs, and optimizing resource deployment for inspections. Read more here.
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA MILESTONES
Fact sheets which provide information on federal politics and actions that are relevant to the interests of Operating Engineers. Read more here.
BRIEFING NOTES: PIERRE POILIEVRE
A fact sheet on the actions of Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre that are relevant to the interests of Operating Engineers. Read more here.
STEWARD TRAINING 2023
This year's event was held at the Sandman Hotel in Hamilton on Saturday October 14th.
We were pleased to see 26 stewards attend the training which included an evening reception and entertainment by Blairing Out Loud Divertissments and magician Eric Leclerc.
Any Stewards interested in attending an upcoming session that have not attended a previous session are asked to contact us at 905-527-5250 (Hamilton) or 613-748-0546 (Ottawa).
UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN STRIKE 2023
Operating Engineers at the University of Western in London, Ontario went on strike Thursday October 12th at 12:01 a.m. The strike vote was unanimous for the union’s position on Bill 124 compensation and the market rate adjustment. In addition to the 12 engineers, dozens of other university employees and students turned out in solidarity to protest. We are happy to report that we were extremely successful achieving a settlement through this strike action.
LOCAL 772 EDUCATION BURSARY WINNER!
We are pleased to present the Jack Sullivan and Harry Watson Memorial Education Bursary for 2023 to Franceska Vocaj, daughter of member Klodian Vocaj of Brookfield Exchange tower.
The Bursary is for $500.00 and will be presented to the winner in January.
To be eligible the student must be the child or grandchild of a member of Local 772. The applicant must be enrolled at an institution for post-secondary education for the term beginning January.
Anyone interested in applying can find the application here and may contact us for more information at 905-527-5250 or 1-800-286-0422.
General membership meeting
The next General Membership Meetings will take place in spring and autumn 2024.
These meetings are an important forum for our membership to discuss critical issues and are an opportunity to learn about the Local’s initiatives and business strategy for the next six months.
Fifteen Super-Profitable Industries are Driving Canadian Inflation
A new research paper from the Centre for Future Work sheds new light on the role of surging corporate profits in driving higher Canadian inflation.
Appreciation week at Kemptville District Hospital September 2022
Taking inspiration from Nurses' Appreciation Week, The Environmental Services Department at Kemptville District Hospital organized an appreciation week to thank and honor their staff for all of their hard work during this difficult year.
Managers Ignore Workers' Mental Health Distress At Their Peril
Worker mental health distress is ignored by managers at their own peril but mentally unhealthy work conditions can be fixed, according to a new review of academic research. The report comes as workers in air travel and health care struggle through understaffing crises that drive job dissatisfaction and mental health distress such as anxiety, stress and burnout.
OHRC POLICY STATEMENT ON COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATES AND PROOF OF VACCINE CERTIFICATES
On September 1, 2021, the Ontario government announced that starting September 22, Ontarians will need to be fully vaccinated (two doses plus 14 days) and provide proof of vaccination along with photo ID to access certain public settings and facilities. By October 22, Ontario plans to develop and implement an enhanced digital vaccine certificate with unique QR (Quick Response) code that will verify vaccination status when scanned. A paper version of the certificate will be available for download or can be printed from the COVID-19 vaccination provincial portal. Read more here.
LOCAL 772 LAW COUNSEL UPDATE
Triano Law has been the dedicated law counsel for Local 772 for many years. They now have a family law division serving Milton, Burlington, Hamilton, and Niagara Region and for the rest of 2021 are offering a discounted hourly rate. They are located at 4100 Victoria Ave, Suite 108, Vineland, ON, L0R 2C0, telephone: 905-562-3111 or toll free at 1-877-580-3111, or email at ltriano@trianolaw.ca Just be sure to let them know that you are a member of IUOE Local 772!
PANDEMIC PAY AWARDED TO LOCAL 772 HEALTHCARE WORKERS
IUOE 772 has successfully lobbied the Ontario government for pandemic pay for all healthcare members including those working for third-party contractors.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ONTARIO: INTERACTIVE ANALYTICS
Collective Bargaining Ontario provides neutral collective bargaining information and resources for use by the labour relations community, the public and all levels of government. Developed by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, this website features resources and tools that provide labour relations information and trends in Ontario via interactive graphs and charts, searchable databases and reports. These resources are aimed at supporting successful collective bargaining and a stable labour relations climate by providing access to open and transparent information. Access the interactive reports here: https://www.lrs.labour.gov.on.ca/en/ca_data_hub.htm
LOCAL 772 CONTINUES TO DELIVER ON TRAINING
Local 772 provides an all-encompassing training session for Shop Stewards that includes the grievance process, arbitrations and human rights with guest speakers.
Any Stewards interested in attending an upcoming session that have not attended a previous session are asked to contact us at 905-527-5250 (Hamilton) or 613-748-0546 (Ottawa).
ONTARIO'S NEW WAGE CAP LEGISLATION
On June 5, 2019, the Ford Government introduced Bill 124 – the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019. If passed, Bill 124 would impose a series of 3-year “moderation periods” – in the form of salary and compensation caps – on a variety of public sector unionized and non-unionized workplaces. In effect, the bill would eliminate the right of unions to bargain the most important part of any collective agreement — wages and compensation.
Read more here and the FAQ's here (English) or here and the FAQ's here (French).
WHEN WE VOTE WE POWER CANADA
Like it or not, politics impacts all aspects of our lives. In Canada, we are very lucky to have the opportunity to say who is leading this country. It is your right, privilege, and duty to vote. Vote for the leaders who will promote the issues that matter to you. Download the flyer here.
UNION MEMBER TESTIMONY
Union Savings is Canada's only not-for-profit, union-run members' benefit program. Over 1,000,000 Canadian union members have discovered the tremendous savings and discounts offered exclusively by Union Savings. Here is a testimonial from a member on the savings they realized going with Union Savings:
“Over the last week I was reviewing home and auto insurance quotes to renew my insurance. I had five quotes including my original Insurance company and RBC. At the end of my review, I went with RBC / Union Savings for a total savings $1700+, for two vehicles and my home. Each of the individual policies were all less than my previous insurer. My coverages were the same or higher and my deductibles were also the same or less. In one particular case, there was substantial savings. In addition to the pricing I also have to say I was provided with very professional and courteous service by two RBC Representatives. They both went beyond the norm to make sure I understood the coverages and that I was getting the best market price. Thought I would share this little good news story and say thank you for the work that you, and the Board, do to ensure the membership have an opportunity to avail of good programs like RBC Insurance. Again thanks!”
Click here to visit the Union Savings website and see all available discounts.
IUOE LOCAL 772 FIGHTS FOR MEMBERS' PENSIONS
On June 5, 2018, members of IUOE Local 772 joined members of other unions including the United Steel Workers, and representatives from the Canadian Alliance of Nuclear Workers, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, the Canadian Labour Congress as well as NDP MP Scott Duvall to protest in solidarity against the Canadian Government removing nuclear workers from the public service pension.
The government is compromising the pension of 3,400 workers at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. These are high-skilled workers who signed up with the industry and the risks that come with it because of the good pay, benefits, and pension. In addition to the basic issue of fairness, the government should consider that with CNL on the verge of decommissioning the Pinawa site in Manitoba, it is the wrong time to drive experienced workers away. After leading on workers for well over a year, the government is revealing they were not negotiating in good faith. We are calling on the government to do right by these workers and stand by their pension promise.
View videos and photos from the event on the Canadian Alliance of Nuclear Workers' Facebook page here and the Alliance's website here and Twitter account here.
WORKING TOGETHER TO PREVENT O.E. SHORTAGE
The TSSA, IPE and IUOE Local 772 are continuing to work to address the looming shortage of Operating Engineers in Ontario. One of the fixes that we can all improve upon is acceptance of OE college students for their practical experience towards their qualifying steam time.
Please refer to the attached letter here for more information on the issue and how you can help.
TSSA SAFETY EXCHANGE VIDEO BLOG
The TSSA’s Director of Boilers and Pressure Vessels and Operating Engineers Mike Adams delivers discussions about new developments and current issues in the BPV/OE sector.
In this episode of Safety Matters, TSSA’s Director of Boilers and Pressure Vessels and Operating Engineers Mike Adams joins host Greg Kerr to talk about new developments and current issues in the BPV/OE sector. Watch the video here: http://www.tssablog.org/archives/5022
TSSA APPROVED OPERATING (POWER) ENGINEER TRAINING PROVIDERS
The TSSA has compiled a list of Ontario providers offering training, examination and certification. Find details here.
POWER ENGINEERING RECRUITMENT VIDEO
The TSSA had a real concern – a critical shortage of power engineers which meant shutting down vital components of our society. So a recruitment video was produced that would be shown to high school students across the province to show our young audience what a power engineer really does in an informative, dynamic, and relevant way. View the video here.