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Unifor welcomes the appointment of the union's Director of Skilled Trades, John Breslin, to the new Board of Skilled Trades Ontario to help ensure the voice of skilled trades workers across the province is heard.
"Our union was optimistic that the successor agency to the Ontario College of Trades would deliver on the priorities skilled trades workers have been lobbying for throughout the last two years," said John Breslin, Unifor's skilled trades. "I am pleased to have a seat on the board to represent skilled trades workers."
Unifor was relieved to see the creation of Skilled Trades Ontario in May 2021 after years of dedicated lobbying, negotiations and public consultations by the union's National Skilled Trades Council and the National Skilled Trades Department.
The new agency's mandate includes establishing apprenticeship programs and training standards, advising government on prescribing trades designations, and trades certification.
"It was vital after the college was scrapped in 2018 to have the government commit to maintain compulsory trades in Ontario," said Dave Cassidy, Unifor National Skilled Trades Chairperson. "Our union now has an opportunity to directly address the concerns of skilled tradespeople and build modernized apprenticeship programs across the province. We must address the looming shortage of skilled trades workers which means attracting young workers and workers from marginalized communities." said Cassidy.
Unifor's National Skilled Trades Council continues to work closely with educational, youth and community-based organizations to provide information and outreach programming to young workers, Indigenous and racialized workers, and women, all who are all underrepresented in the sector.
