building niagaratm ibew local 303 niagara - The Business Link ...

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BUILDING NIAGARA
“THE NIAGARA REGION CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS (IBEW) HAS
BEEN PROUDLY SERVING NIAGARA’S MANY ELECTRICAL AND COMMUNICATION WORKERS SINCE 1912…”
Local 303 2011 entry in the St. Catharines Dragon Boat Race.
IBEW LOCAL 303 NIAGARA
Union of electricians, communication workers and linesmen celebrate 100 years of serving every facet
of Niagara’s electrical and construction industry.
BY SCOTT LESLIE
The Business Link
S
trength in numbers may be an overused
phrase but it’s one that’s perfectly suited to
the skilled tradespeople at the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers Local 303 Niagara.
Currently 475 members strong, the Niagara Region
chapter of the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (IBEW) has been proudly serving
Niagara’s many electrical and communication
workers since 1912, providing them with leadership,
employment and a strong collective voice in the
wider electrical industry.
“We’re essentially a private sector group of
businesses,” says Mark Cherney, business representative
for IBEW Local 303. “All our members
live and work in the Niagara area and take great
pride in contributing to our local economy.”
As dedicated electricians, communication workers
and linemen, the members of IBEW Local 303 are able
to tackle a wide range of construction, manufacturing,
maintenance, communication and marine-related
projects. For example, over the years union members
have been involved with high voltage installations,
underground utility servicing, and solar and renewable
energy projects, not to mention traffic signal, fire
alarm and fibre optic cable installations.
Given the union’s years of skill and experience,
Mark says the size or scope of the assignment
doesn’t matter—whether it’s a technical project
like Casino Niagara, doing maintenance on the St.
Lawrence Seaway or helping out with the GM Powertrain
Plant in St. Catharines.
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Members at the new NHS hospital in St. Catharines.
Left to right: Matt Wayland (Political Action/Media Strategist, IBEW First District Canada), Nik Wallenda (renowned daredevil), Mark Cherney
(Business Representative, IBEW Local 303)
Workers preparing to dismantle the electrical equipment of the
tower crane at the Thorold Co-Gen project.
Continued from page 26
“We’re committed to providing Niagara employers
with a professional licensed workforce that can
address their every need,” he says. “We also maintain
a strong code of ethics and promote safe and
productive worksites at all times.”
The Power of History
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
itself was originally founded in 1891 in St. Louis, Missouri,
and would grow to become one of the largest
trade unions in North America. In the case of IBEW
Local 303 Niagara, it received its charter from the
international office in 1912. In those days, the local
union would grow slowly but steadily, bolstered by a
wealth of major building projects like the construction
of the fourth Welland Ship Canal in 1913.
By the 1930s, however, The Great Depression
had hit Niagara hard and many members left the
union and the area altogether, looking for some
reprieve from the region’s crippling unemployment.
To make matters worse, the Welland Ship
Canal project was completed in 1932, and IBEW
Local 303’s membership began to drop—so much
so that union membership was down to only 20
members by 1934.
Despite those years of adversity, IBEW Local
303 was able to overcome several hardships and
reach a greater state of strength and prosperity.
Following the Second World War, the Niagara area
saw a range of new building projects including the
Welland Hospital and various area schools. Local
303 would also amalgamate with unions in Niagara
Falls and Welland, helping their organization to take
on a more region-wide scope.
Through the 1960s and right up until the present
day, IBEW Local 303 has worked on literally billions
of dollars worth of industrial projects across the Niagara
Region—from the Garden City Skyway in St.
Catharines to the international Queenston-Lewiston
Bridge to the Port Weller Dry Docks.
In June 2011, IBEW Local 303 moved its union offices
from Thorold to its current location on 4485 Kent Avenue
in Niagara Falls. There are even plans to build a new
state-of-the-art training facility on site where members
will be able to develop and enhance their skills.
Mark feels their union’s long-storied history is
a big source of strength for them.
“We’ve had a lot of hardworking and dedicated
individuals over the years that have helped us
pave the way for the future,” he says. “With their
help, we’ve been able to provide hope to electrical
workers looking for a good life for themselves
and their families.”
The Benefits of Membership
By becoming part of the IBEW Local 303, members
can enjoy several advantages. For example,
the IBEW Local 303 offers an extensive range of
benefits for members including a fair wage package
and an equitable retirement package. The union also
provides comprehensive health and welfare benefits
including life insurance and major medical coverage
for expenses like private nursing, vision care,
hearing aids and dental care.
“Our pension package is something we’re
very proud of,” Mark says. “A lot of people are
losing their pensions these days. Our pension
plan is supported by the member’s hourly wages
and they collectively decide on the contribution
amount. Our retiring members have the confidence
that something will be waiting for them
at the finish line.”
Partnering with other local and national agencies
allows the union to cultivate steady employment
opportunities for their membership. On a
local basis for instance, IBEW Local 303 has
established a strong working relationship with
the Niagara Peninsula Electrical Contractors Association
(NPECA). This partnership allows IBEW
Local 303 members to work together with local
contractors and offer their electrical skills to a
wide range of employers.
Mark says that over the years, IBEW Local 303
has been able to find work assignments for their
members in such far-off places as the Saskatchewan
oil refineries and the Alberta oil sands.
“The IBEW has a number of affiliates across
Canada,” he explains, “and that enables us to find
work opportunities for our members outside of the
local area. That’s a definite plus when work slows
down here in Niagara.”
In addition to partnerships, the IBEW Local 303
holds a number of regular gatherings that give its
members the opportunity to talk shop and celebrate
its successes. For instance, they hold monthly
general membership meetings to discuss union
business and review their finances. This August 10 th
and 11 th , the IBEW Local 303 will also be hosting
the 26 th annual Ontario Provincial Council IBEW
Slow Pitch Tournament in Niagara Falls in conjunction
with the launch of the first annual Ontario
Provincial Council Bowling Tournament. Hundreds
of IBEW members from across the province will be
in attendance.
Mark says events like these are a great way for
members to get a better sense of what’s going on
in their industry.
“We’re always looking for ways to provide more
networking opportunities and get our members
more involved in the organization,” he says.
Training Grounds
No one can expect to improve unless they’re willing to
take that next step and brush up on their skills. That’s
something that the IBEW Local 303 firmly believes in.
Through the decades, it has offered a broad…
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Members working on a new line at Ontario Paper.
Preparing the Steam Turbine Generator at the Thorold Cogeneration Power Plant.
Continued from page 29
…range of courses designed to help their members
take their skill sets to another level.
“We operate in a highly competitive environment,”
Mark says. “That’s why we offer a vast
array of skills upgrading courses that keep our
members ahead of the curve. This makes them
more employable and gives our contractors a
competitive advantage.”
At IBEW Local 303, its courses run the gamut
from apprenticeship training and ongoing skills
training for journeymen to setting training standards
that enhance the workforce and emphasize
a safe work site. Currently, all courses are held at
the offices of the Niagara Construction Association
on 34 Scott Street West in St. Catharines. (A training
centre is expected to be completed at the union’s
Kent Avenue location later this year.)
In order to administer the apprenticeship program,
the IBEW Local 303 has established a Joint Apprenticeship
Council in partnership with NPECA and the
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. This
volunteer council takes care of several duties including
developing program standards for new candidates,
monitoring the progress of each apprentice
and conducting annual reviews, and acting as a mentor
for potential on-the-job problems or issues.
To date, the apprenticeship program has been an
incredible success. The completion rate of their program
is well over 90%, and many of their apprentices
have gone on to win gold medals or place in
the top three in various national and provincial skills
competitions. These apprenticeship completion rates
are consistently above the provincial average.
Mark says one of the IBEW Local 303’s key mandates
has been its commitment to developing the
tradespeople of today and tomorrow.
“We adjust our training courses so we can make
sure we’ll have the skills our contractors need,” he
explains. “That means helping apprentices and journeymen
update their skills and developing quality
foremen. It’s all about trying to produce the tradespeople
we need for our industry’s future.”
Recent Projects
Over the years, the team at IBEW Local 303 have
never been ones to turn down a challenge—and
there’s no bigger assignment than the mighty Niagara
Falls. This past June, international daredevil
Nik Wallenda decided to bring his high wire act to
Niagara and had plans to walk over the Canadian
Horseshoe Falls. And members of the IBEW Local
303 were called into action.
In order to bear Wallenda’s weight, a seven ton, 1,800
foot steel cable would need to be stretched from Terrapin
Point on Goat Island on the American side to the
finish line at Table Rock in Canada and drilled 65 feet
into solid rock. IBEW Local 1249 of East Syracuse and the
O’Connell Electric Company of Victor, N.Y. were called in
to secure the cable while members of IBEW Local 303
were on hand to provide extra support if needed.
Since the cable was so heavy, a much lighter
high-tension nylon cable had to be flown across
first via helicopter to guide the larger cable that
was finally pulled into place. The job required a lot
of manpower, three days of working around the
clock, and nearly a year of actual planning time. But
when Nik Wallenda successfully completed his walk
on the night of June 15 th , the members of the IBEW
could take a lot of pride in the project.
“We had a front row seat,” Mark explains. “It
was a great opportunity for us to meet with many
of the higher-ups on the project and let them know
about the kind of skills we have to offer.”
The union members always have a number of
projects on their plate. Currently, IBEW Local 303
is working with PCL Constructors Canada Inc., a
Toronto-based construction firm that’s building the
new Niagara Health System healthcare complex in
St. Catharines. Here, IBEW Local 303 did the complete
electrical and communications work on the
new hospital and had over 300 of their members
working on the assignment.
“Right now, we still have 120 members working
on site so we can have the hospital open on schedule,”
Mark says. “We’ve really seen huge benefits
from the entire project. We’ve had three years of
steady work creating more opportunities and allowing
new members to join our union as well as creating
apprenticeship opportunities to young workers
in the Niagara Region because of it.”
A Commitment to Community
IBEW Local 303 has always been committed to giving
back to the local community. But Mark says
that over the past four years, IBEW Local 303 has
really made a concerted effort to be more community-minded.
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Continued from page 30
“Our business is very cyclical,” he explains. “When
the construction phase is finished and the building is
up and running a sizable portion of our job is done. We
also work with our contractors to maintain the building’s
electrical system for the client once the project
is completed. When our members are working, we’re
able to engage in projects outside of normal business
that help better the communities we live in.”
Last August for instance, IBEW Local 303 held
its very first annual charity golf tournament at the
Legends on the Niagara golf course in Niagara Falls.
Held for its membership, IBEW Local 303 was able to
raise $6,670 for Hospice Niagara, a palliative health
care agency in St. Catharines, through member contributions,
donations from various sponsors, and a
silent auction. The IBEW Local 303 is planning to
support a new worthy cause every year. In 2012, all
their fundraising initiatives will help raise money for
Habitat for Humanity Niagara.
“Our members are very aware of the important role
we all play in supporting our communities,” Mark says
of their commitment to Niagara, “and we’re looking at
several initiatives to demonstrate we do more than just
power up the facilities that shape our region.”
A great example of the union’s generosity is the
Kiwanis Aquatics Centre—a $19.6-million community
facility that recently opened on Carlton Street
in St. Catharines and includes a leisure pool and a
25-metre lane pool. The members of IBEW Local 303
were pleased to support the project by providing
over $35,000 in labour and materials towards the
centre’s scoreboard, timing system, and touch pads
which will all be used for swimming competitions.
Mark says that much of their community giving
stems from the success they’ve experienced of late.
“The industrial area is really our bread and butter,”
he explains, “so when a company like John
Deere leaves town, it’s a significant hit on us. Fortunately,
we’ve enjoyed considerable employment
over the last five years with a number of projects like
the new hospital, the Thorold Cogeneration Plant
and our work at General Motors.”
On July 26, 2012, IBEW Local 303 will be officially
100 years old—and it’s shaping up to be a busy
year for their membership. Mark says their members
already have several new jobs on the go such as the
$160-million Cytec Canada expansion in Niagara
Falls and the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience
Research Complex for Brock University. But resting
on their laurels isn’t part of the agenda.
“We’ve got a lot of projects coming up,” Mark
explains, “but it’s important for us to keep getting
the word out about what we can do. There’s a lot
of competition out there but we’ve definitely got
what it takes to get the job done.”
tel: 905.354.4303
4485 Kent Avenue, Niagara Falls
mailbox@ibewlocal303.com
www.ibewlocal303.com
Workers installing a Motor Control Centre (MCC) unit at the Thorold Cogeneration Power Plant.
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