Hello Brothers & Sisters,

The 43rd Canadian general election is upon us and each and every one of us should be prepared to mark our “X” on the 21st or on the advanced polls should you desire.

At this time in Canadian history we must decide if change, for the sake of change, is in the best interest of families in general and the Union Movement as a whole. We, as unionized trades, are socially progressive as we are always trying to improve working conditions as well as provide meaningful pension and health and welfare benefits for our members. But due to the cyclical nature of construction we are, for the most part, conservative in our values. We are always concerned on how rising taxes and seemingly unchecked spending affect our families. What we must not do is confuse our conservative values with the Conservative party.

All we have to do is look at what Doug Ford is doing to this province in his hunt for “inefficiencies”, and we can easily see what his partners in the Federal Conservatives would do as well. Here is a partial list of Ford’s accomplishments to date;

Environment

• Ended Cap & Trade at a cost of 3 billion
• Cut 700 + green energy projects
• Slashed 50% of flood management funds
• Ended Drive Clean
• Ended electric & hydrogen vehicle incentives

Health

• Ended pharmacare program at a cost to your health and welfare plan
• Cut new mental health funding from 2.1 billion over four years to 1.9 billion over 10 years
• Cut one million from Leave the Pack Behind, a youth quit smoking program
• Dissolved local health units before having an alternative plan in place

Education

• Removed 100 million budgeted for school repairs
• Removed 25 million from education for tutors, leadership programs etc.
• Reduced financial assistance by 300 million for college and university students
• Scrapped Ontario College of Trades resulting in a lowering of apprenticeship ratio to 1:1 as well as introducing “skill sets” which will water down our trade allowing others to do our work

Justice

• Reduced legal aid by 30%
• Withheld 14.8 million for new and existing sexual assault centers
• Dissolved Ontario’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

Social Services

• Cut one billion across the board
• Cancelled minimum wage increase and P.E.L. days
• Cut W.S.I.B. payments to workers by 30%
• Cut library service funding in half
• Cut 84.5 million  for children and at risk youth

To sum up Brothers and Sisters we must place our mark on October 21st but please do so with an intelligent, informed approach. We must temper our need to get spending under control with the fact that cuts to spending, under a Conservative Government, also includes cuts to the social safety net that help the less fortunate in our society. That, in my view, is not what our organization has or will ever, stand for.

In Solidarity,

Pat Dool, Business Manager, Financial Secretary/Treasurer

Please be advised that in order to be dispatched to work you must have, at minimum, the following up-to-date certificates;

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TRADES (unless you are a JM welder)

WHMIS 2015

WORKING AT HEIGHTS

WORKER HEALTH & SAFETY AWARENESS 

— Dan Rojik

To all Members,

Please see the attached poster and information explaining the U.A. Wellness Program. This is the same program that your 628 Health & Welfare plan had in place but is now offered nationally. A positive step forward for the health and well being for all of our Brothers and Sisters nationally.

Fraternally,

Pat Dool, Business Manager

UA PIPEFITTERS WELLNESS PROGRAM

WELLNESS PROGRAM – OVERVIEW

When you are scheduled to attend a Working at Heights refresher course you MUST bring your official certificate from the Ministry. If you cannot find your card and we do not have a copy, you can contact the Ministry of Labour’s Prevention office at 1-877-202-0008 to request your number.

Dan Rojik

There will be a CSA Rigging Course starting Sunday, March 10th. This is a 40 hour course which runs Sunday – Thursday with the exam being done on Friday.

If you are interested please contact Dan at the union hall – 623-1041.

Please be advised that after coffee and donuts on Friday, December 21st (9:00 am until noon) the union hall will be closed. We will reopen Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019.

If there is a matter of urgency, Pat can be reached at 620-4006 or Dan at 621-7345.

We wish everyone a very merry Holiday Season and a happy and healthy New Year!

Pat Dool
Business Manager

As indicated in the union benefits newsletter we will be having a Pension / Health & Welfare update meeting on January 16, 2019 at the Victoria Inn. Doors will open at 6:00 pm with the meeting to commence at approximately 6:30. There will be coffee available.

Paul Gillis and Baljit Mehta will be on hand from Union Benefits as well as Mark Davis our actuarial consultant.

Hope to see you there.

Pat Dool

Business Manager/Financial Secretary

Write Your MPP. This does affect you…..(see link to letter below)

BILL 47

Pat Dool

Business Manager

Good Day Brothers & Sisters,

Today it is legal to smoke recreationally. I would be remiss in my duties if I were not to remind all members that the Standard of Excellence zero tolerance policy is still to be adhered to. It is mandatory for all of us to be fit for duty when the work day begins. Ours is a fast pace and often dangerous environment and a momentary lapse in concentration or judgement could be detrimental to yourself or your co-worker. Our ultimate goal is to return home after a days work intact and healthy.
That being said I have the utmost faith that the members of our crafts will continue to use sound judgement in their use of any recreational substance.

Fraternally,
Pat Dool
Business Manger/Financial Secretary

There will be a G3 Challenge Course January 19 – January 25, 2019. This course will be 8:30-4:00 each day for a total of 49 hours.

If you are interested in this course please contact me at the Union Hall.

Dan Rojik