Operating Engineer - Summer 2014

Local Spotlight
Operating Engineers Local 3 celebrates 75 Years
More than 5,500 attend 75th Anniversary event at Six Flags
Local 793 Memorial Garden Breaks Ground
A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY
was held June 9 for a memorial garden
and pavilion to be built at Local 793’s
head office in Oakville, Ontario.
More than 150 dignitaries, union
staff, business reps and officers, safety
officials, building trades representatives,
construction employers, and family
members of four operators who’ve died
under such circumstances attended an
hour-long ceremony at the site.
The structure is being built on a corner
of the union’s head office property to
honor members who’ve been killed in
construction site accidents or died as a
result of an occupational illness.
At the groundbreaking, Local 793
Business Manager and IUOE Vice
President Mike Gallagher spoke about
the significance of the garden and
pavilion to the union and also the
importance of industry partners and
health and safety agencies working
together to make construction sites
safer.
He said that too many workers are
still being killed in construction site
accidents in Ontario and it is time for
the industry to come together and
put some mettle behind its words. He
noted that 225 workers were killed in
construction site accidents in Ontario
between 2003 and 2013.
Gallagher told the audience that
the garden and pavilion will be a
fitting tribute to those who’ve died in
construction accidents.
Local 793 President Joe Redshaw
was emcee for the groundbreaking. He
said worker deaths occur far too often
on construction sites and are largely
ignored by the media.
Canadian News
Ontario Labour Minister Kevin
Flynn told the audience that industry
stakeholders must work together to
ensure the fatalities are stopped.
“We owe it to the families who’ve
come out here today to re-double our
efforts,” he said, referring to family
members of deceased operators who
attended the ceremony.
The garden and pavilion were
designed by Hamilton-area artist
Patrick Bermingham. The pavilion will
consist of three outer arches and two
inner arches, creating a quiet place for
reflection for Local 793 members and
the families of those who have died.
Names of the deceased members will be
engraved on the arches. The structure
should be completed by September
2014.
Local 3 Business Manager Russ Burns
gets drenched during the dolphin show.
AT 9:30 A.M. SHARP, the gates opened on June 28 only
for Operating Engineers Local 3 members, their families and
guests at the giant Six Flags Discovery Kingdom theme park
in Vallejo, California.
Many had the mission of riding every roller coaster at
least once, while others were excited about watching the
tiger show, petting a stingray or sitting on an elephant. Some
kids wanted to get as wet as possible on the water rides (Local
3 Business Manager Russ Burns achieved this during the
dolphin show), and several retirees just wanted to stay in the
shade and visit.
No matter what the guests did or how old they were,
everyone had fun celebrating 75 years of Local 3 excellence,
which began in 1939. When families walked through the exit
gates at the end of the day, they were well-fed, well-exercised
and happy.
Besides being one of the largest construction trades locals
in the country, Local 3 is also a lot of fun. Here’s to the next
75 years!
Local 3’s Joe Gaidosh, far right, enjoys an elephant
ride with, from left: Matthew Cornejo, Leti Arroyo
and Peggy McCormick.
20 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER SUMMER 2014 21