Changing of the Guard

The Ontario construction scene is a vital, growing part of CLAC. During the past decades, I’ve had the privilege of meeting many of you as we’ve fought together to ensure that all construction workers have access to an open, fair market. You experience these skirmishes on the job site, while CLAC staff face them on the legal and political level.

CLAC often finds itself up against old labour—which wants to control and monopolize the market and their members—and nonunion advocates, who try to undercut the market. Throughout the challenges, CLAC’s construction membership in Ontario has more than doubled in the past decade. This is due to your continuing support, hard work, and commitment to a new way for labour that respects worker choice, encourages partnership, and displays a can-do attitude.

CLAC staff work hard to back you up. When meeting with politicians, they push for fair and open tendering, showing politicians that CLAC labour is not only a good choice for workers, but also for contractors and government. CLAC is not only a full-service union whose skilled members get the job done on time and on budget, but we also work safer than our competitors. CLAC also has well-established benefits and retirement savings plans and our agreements and services continue to improve.

As a former construction worker, I’ve been deeply involved in construction issues prior to my career with CLAC, and for the past 39 years as a representative and eleven years as the Ontario director. I am now retiring as Ontario director and am handing over the reins to Ian DeWaard, who has served as the Cambridge director for eight years. He is eminently qualified to lead this province into the future. I hope that you will give him the same support and respect that you have shown me.

The fight for workers’ rights in construction is not over. Workers deserve respect, union choice, access to work, and solid representation. I know we are on the right side of history. I see only a bright future for CLAC construction members in Ontario. Thank you for your support and may you continue to be blessed in the future!