Share
The Unifor National Skilled Trades Council focused on maintaining a strong Skilled Trades workforce for the future, with discussions on increasing apprenticeship opportunities, training for women in the trades, the impact of automation, and the need to protect standards against attempts to water down qualifications.
“Without apprenticeships there is no us. There is no journeyperson because you need the apprentice to become the journeyperson, so we have a responsibility to pass the torch,” Unifor National Skilled Trades Council Chair Ken Anderson told delegates.
The Skilled Trades delegates from across the country met October 31 – November 2 in Thunder Bay, Ontario for the final Council meeting of the year.
Unifor National Skilled Trades Director John Breslin addressed the growing Skilled Trades shortage and the barriers to securing apprenticeships, including the need for government EI reform and resistance from employers to dedicate resources to hire and train apprentices.
“You can dispel the myth – let employers know they do need to invest in apprenticeships. We’re in a dilemma,” said Breslin. “The problem is while the return on training investment (ROTI) is positive, many employers are still reluctant to invest in apprentices.”
Unifor’s Women in Skilled Trades and Technology Awareness program, which provides hands on training and support to open paths for women to work in Skilled Trades, was cited as a successful example of attracting non-traditional candidates to the trades.
“We do an incredible amount of work to run the women in trades program and we’re seeing a tremendous success rate,” said Anderson. “We would love to expand access to the program, but training is limited to workplaces that have apprenticeship opportunities. I urge those who bargain our collective agreements to take the opportunity to advance women in trades.”
Unifor’s collaboration and efforts to support community colleges across the country were highlighted as a bridge to the next generation of workers, including the union’s grant to several Ontario colleges to support women in the Skilled Trades.
“We need input in our communities and in our community colleges. We really do have to make sure that we are in on the conversations to make sure that we do what is best for our members,” said Anderson.
As part of that ongoing dialogue, Confederation College Dean of Engineering Technology & Trades John Kantola and Recruitment Coordinator Mandy Wright presented information to delegates on embedded pathways to the Skilled Trades and apprenticeship training for post-secondary students.
Delegates then took to the microphones to share updates on conditions at their workplaces, collective bargaining issues and strategies, efforts to attract and maintain qualified tradespeople and the ramifications of technological change in their industries.
“We need to stay on top of it to make sure the traditional trades stay. and if that means within our facilities that we have to take on more training then that is what we need to do,” said Anderson.
“New tech language in our collective agreements is always changing and it will continue to change. We just need to stay in front of it and ensure that the Skilled Trades will be part and parcel of the new technology.”
The need for continued training and education for Skilled Trades members was also stressed. During his report, John Breslin pointed members to the Ellis Chart as a resource to provide information on trades training and certification programs in Canada’s 13 apprenticeship systems for each of the 300+ trades designated in Canadian provinces and territories.
Delegates were also encouraged to give back to their communities as the National Skilled Trades Council awarded the Bob Chernecki Charity of Choice to the Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA), which services Northwestern Ontario. RFDA Executive Director Volker Kromm spoke of the charity’s work to support job education programs as he accepted the $4,000 donation.
“I have two jobs, to feed people and to close food banks and the only way to close food banks is to get people back to work,” said Kromm.
Paul Menezes, Local 112 Skilled Trades Committeeperson, Bombardier Unit, was acclaimed to the Member-at-large position on the Unifor National Skilled Trades Council Executive Committee and was sworn in by Shane Wark, Unifor Assistant to the National Officers.
The next National Skilled Trades Council will take place March 7-9, 2025, in Peterborough, Ontario.
View the Thunder Bay Skilled Trades Council photo gallery here.
