International Union Of Painters & Allied Trades Iupat Ontario Is Working For Its Members

IUPAT Ontario is working for you!
As we enter the second half of 2009 there are numerous issues that affect the IUPAT membership in Ontario, Canada.

• Unemployment in Ontario for all IUPAT trades is between 15-18% and rising among our membership. It is very important to keep in constant contact with your Union office and representatives to receive the latest information on the work situation.

• May 1st brought increases to our wages and benefits. Be absolutely sure all appropriate collective agreement obligations are upheld by your contractor and by yourself to secure a level playing field for all involved.

• Stilts discussions continue and are getting closer to regulation change by the government. The Provincial Labour/Management Committee of the CSAO has referred the stilts regulation to the Construction Legislative Review Committee (CLRC) whereby the committee gave the "green light" to move forward. The training and development along with the regulation changes are winding down. Great job by the committees of Ministry of Labour, and CSAO.

• The 2008 Dental Fee Guide rates will be in effect on July 1st 2009.

The Hazardous Material Worker (235H) learning outcomes have been developed by the steering committee coordinated by MTCU. Next action is on the Minister to waive the grade 10 prerequisite.

Employment Insurance Reform - Ontario Federation Labour

• Legislative Reform is required to promote fairness for workers on the job and in transition: Increase benefits to at least 60% of normal earnings using a worker's best 12 weeks of employment;

• Reduce the qualifying hours to one uniform standard across Canada;

• Eliminate the 2 week waiting period;

• Remove pension income, vacation pay, severance pay, and all other termination monies received at time of lay-off;

• As a result of bankruptcy and insolvency, monies owed to workers must be paid as a priority.
Training:

The OIFSC is now offering all new applicants to the IUPAT and existing members the opportunity to prepare writing the Certificate of Qualification in the Painting and Glass Industries. Registered Apprentices do not qualify for this program. Contact the OIFSC at 416-635-7300 to inquire about the next class and register. Legislation was introduced on May 13th to establish the College of Trades, a regulatory College to modernize Ontario's apprenticeship and skilled trades system. The College of Trades will promote and attract more people to the trades; help make it easier for internationally trained workers to get certified; set training and certification standards to serve skilled trades and the public interest; conduct research to train for the future, and give the skilled trades sector ownership of critical decisions on issues of compulsory certification and apprentice ratios.

Health & Safety:

The STAR program continues to be active. An amendment to the program will now recognize certain training outside of the training centres by discretion of the local union representative.

The CSAO Annual report was recently published with some interesting facts that may interest you:

• Top 3 causes of Loss Time Injuries are over exertion/repetitive strains, struck by/against objects, falls;

• Musculoskeletal -related injuries are the leading cause of injury;

• Occupational disease fatalities increase in particular pleural mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposures;

• Noise-induced hearing loss still a number one cause of allowed non-fatal occupational disease claims.

Vacation Pay:

Please remember that there are two payouts per year (June & December). Applying for early payout of vacation pay is not advised and discouraged. Please contact us or your IUPAT Ontario Union representative for more details.

For more detailed information on this article feel free to visit our website IUPAT.

IUPAT Ontario is the holder of collective bargaining rights for Painters in the Province of Ontario in the Institutional, Commercial and Industrial sectors of the construction industry. For more information, visit www.IUPAT.on.ca.