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More than 80 Skilled Trades members from across the country gathered at the Unifor Skilled Trades Council to discuss key issues and strategize to secure and grow good paying trades jobs.
“Our Skilled Trades members convene three times a year in order to stay on top of common issues and to bring forward workplace concerns that can benefit from the shared experience and wisdom of Council delegates,” said Dave Cassidy, Unifor National Skilled Chair.
In his report to Council, held June 9-11 in Calgary, Cassidy spoke about challenges including automation, the weakening of qualifications and the recruitment and retention of new Skilled Tradespeople. As part of the union’s ongoing work to attract underrepresented workers, Cassidy outlined a new program at Oshawa GM to increase access for women to the trades.
Tim Mitchell, Unifor Assistant to the National Officers, spoke to delegates about the coming retirement wave of Skilled Trades workers in Canada and the need for action now to increase apprenticeships.
“How are we going to replace retiring Skilled Trades workers? It’s a challenge. There needs to be a political solution,” said Mitchell, who also recognized the tremendous community outreach work of Skilled Trades members across the country.
Guest speaker Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour, spoke about the recent Alberta election, the labour movement’s response to the transformation of the oil and gas sectors and the struggle against anti-worker measures in conservative government’s economic policies.
“We can’t wait for business or government. Unifor because of your size, because you are private sector, because of the sectors you represent, because of your policies that put workers first and are not blindly partisan – you have a significant role to play. We need to start demanding better at the bargaining table and of our political allies,” said McGowan. “We need a government that is willing to embrace a different version of the economy that puts workers at the centre.”
The Council selected the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation as the recipient of the annual Bob Chernecki Charity of Choice Award. The $4,000 donation will support the foundation’s mission to invest in excellence in child health, research and family centred care.
The next Skilled Trades Council will take place November 24-26, 2023 at Caesar’s Windsor.
