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Mayor Tory and Pinball Clemons at Hammer Heads Group 34
Graduation at Ironworkers Local 721 March 2019
The Central Ontario Building Trades (COBT) & the Hammer Heads Program

Schedule 9 of Bill 66, Restoring itself. We started meeting with the Mayor and the offices of a
Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2019, multitude of Councillors both in favour of and/or opposed to our
created by the Provincial Government, objectives. Our Committee set forth to remind the City of Toronto
presented a huge challenge for labour and the Toronto District School Board of the mutually beneficial
and to the future of our membership. partnership they have always enjoyed resulting in first-rate work
The Schedule amended the Labour completed by highly trained and qualified unionized journeypersons
Relations Act, 1995 to deem municipalities and various other and apprentices.
entities to be non-construction employers, thereby negating any
We quickly realized that we had quite a fight on our hands and the
existing Collective Agreements these municipalities and entities
only way we were going to turn this around was to come together
may have had in place with construction unions. Several
in true solidarity to fight as a collective unit. As trade unionists,
municipalities were impacted with the City of Toronto leading the
we fight on a daily basis to uphold and enforce our Collective
way with nine Collective Agreements, some dating back to 1978.
Agreements; Bill 66 was a direct blow to us and we needed to
From the inception of Bill 66, the Central Ontario Building Trades fight to protect the rights of the workers we represent. Recognizing
(COBT) realized the danger to the livelihood of our membership our combined power in this situation, the COBT joined forces with
that this Bill represented and was 100% opposed to this Bill. We Carpenters Local 27 and LiUNA Local 183 and presented a united,
immediately organized a Working Committee comprised of IBEW cohesive front to Toronto City Council. We had to put our
Local 353, UA Local 46, DC 46 Painters Local 557 and Glaziers differences aside and work together for the common good – this
Local 1819, Ironworkers Local 721, Sheet Metal Workers Local has always been our strength. We have seen time and time again
30, Bricklayers Local 2, Insulators Local 95, Carpenters Local 27, that the voices of the many are so much stronger than the voices
the Maintenance and Construction Skilled Trades Council (MCSTC) of the few and we knew we would be able to make a huge impact
and Elevators Local 50 to ensure that there would no impact to by standing united as one.
our members.
What really turned the discussion around with the City and brought
When consulted about the Bill, our Committee requested that the them on board, aside from the level of craftsmanship our
Bill be eliminated. Once we learned the government was adamant members have always displayed, was our combined commitment
in maintaining it, we worked towards getting an amendment and efforts shown through the City’s social procurement policies
passed through the relationship we built with Premier Ford over and the role that Hammer Heads plays in helping cities tackle
the years on Hammer Heads. Instead of eliminating our Collective youth unemployment. The Hammer Heads Program is a shining
Agreements straight away, as the original Bill was drafted, an example of our commitment to engaging youth from under-
amendment was passed by the government, placing the burden resourced communities. Hammer Heads alone has started 474
of “opting-out” at all local levels. Without eliminating the Bill apprenticeships, not to mention the extra work that some of our
entirely, this was the lesser of two evils and gave us the ability to affiliates and other trade unions do on their own. Hammer Heads
fight another day. With the amendment now in place, we shifted has also removed 155 youth from Ontario Works support totaling
our focus to the local level, which was a major undertaking in just over $3.5 million in savings for the government.

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