Brampton, Georgetown, Milton and Oakville Sub Council

About The Brampton, Georgetown, Milton, Oakville (BGMO) Skilled Trades Area Council

Welcome to the BGMO. The Brampton, Georgetown, Milton and Oakville Area Sub Council operates under the Unifor National Skilled Trades Council. Our council has 5 main objectives.

  • To proceed at all times within the constitution of Unifor
  • To assist in organizing the unorganized Skilled Trades Workers
  • To maintain and expand the unity and cooperation in Unifor
  • To work towards the improvement of all Skilled Trades workers thorugh the established constitutional committees and other bargaining and legislative agencies of our national union
  • To work toward a closer collaboration with other bona fide unions similar to our own in order that these aims and objectives may be more generally realized

Unifor Skilled Trades – A Proud History

The Skilled Trades Council has and always will be the voice for the Skilled Trades members in our union. The history of the Skilled Trades Council dates back to 1938, when United Auto Workers (UAW) formed the first Trades Council in Detroit. In 1958 the UAW abolished the American arm of the Skilled Trades Council. In Canada, the Canadian Skilled Trades Council successfully fought to continue to be recognized.

At one time, Skilled Trades had no representation on the union’s National Executive Board (NEB). The first recognition we received came in 1994 under CAW President Buzz Hargrove. At the 2013 founding Convention of Unifor, the National Skilled Trades Council was enshrined in the Constitution. The Chairperson of the National Silled Trades Council Executive is automatically the representative for Skilled Trsdes on the National Executive Board. The delegates and the Executive Board of the Unifor Skilled Trades Council are rank-and-file Unifor Skilled Trades workers. Quebec has a recognized position on the Executive Board. The Chairperson is duly elected to the position by Skilled Trade delegates to the National Skilled Trades Council as per the Council bylaws, which are approved by the National Executive Board.

Area sub-councils across Canada continue to grow in strength, with the opportunity to form new Area Councils where there are a sufficient number of Skilled Trades members to support it. The Skilled Trades Council meets three times per year, rotating the meting locations between Area Councils across Canada.

The Skilled Trades Council Does The Following

  • Has active committees including Apprenticeship, Resolution, Bylaws and New Technology
  • The Executive of the National Skilled Trades Council is also the Advisory Board for the National Executive Board on Skilled Trades related issues, or policy
  • The Area Councils process Unifor Skilled Trades Council Journey-persons cards, which ensure the tradesperson has completed a bonafide apprenticeship or meets the qualifications of a journey-person as laid out in the Skilled Trades policy manual
  • The journey-person card provides preferential employment opportunities at other Unifor certified locations.
  • The Skilled Trades policy manual is a record of the policies of the Skilled Trades dating back to the UAW and CAW and now enshrines policies developed by Unifor
  • The Skilled Trades website which provides information submitted by delegates, along with job opportunities that arise across Canada.
  • When the Skilled Trades delegates meet three times per year, it brings delegates from across Canada together, as a resource, to discuss, debate and to network with other Skilled Trades in different sectors of our union
  • The Council is responsible for assisting with the Skilled Trades Bargaining and New Technology Conference, which is out on by the National Unifor Skilled Trades Department every three years

Skilled Trades Council Resolutions That Have Turned Into Bargaining Gains

1987 – One half hour dues per year referred to the Constitutional Convention. Issue of a wage differential between Skilled Trades and non-trades.

1990 – Improved wage differential, special Skilled Trades increases

1993 – Pension differential between Skilled Trades and non-skilled established

1996 – Work ownership for Skilled Trades established, and apprenticeship numbers

1999 – Apprenticeship numbers, 85-point pension, increased pension differential, and a new fund for Skilled Trades Union Education Program (STEUP) at the Unifor Family Education Center in Port Elgin, Ontario

2022 – Apprenticeship, SPA training replacements, New Technology Committees

2005 – TSSA certification, wage and pension improvements, LOA for international Canadian relief work, Katrina, Habitat for Humanity, and AFN projects across Canada (Social Commitment). Skilled Trades Coordinators.

2015 – Paid time off for relief work and Canadian Community Fund established

2016 – The first Skilled Trades Bargaining and NewTechnology Conference took place. The Skilled Trades Council Executive updated the Skilled Trades Policy Manual. This manual contains the Policies and Procedures of the National Union, affecting Skilled Trades

2020 – 5% and 10% shift premiums were reinstated, the 20% differential (Wage & Pensions) was re-established. Added a Special Skilled Trades Wage Adjustment

How The Skilled Trades Council Works For Our Members

All these gains made by the Skilled Trades over the years evolved from resolutions that were discussed and debated by the Skilled Trades Council Delegates. It was the Skilled Trades Bargaining Committees from the many different local unions that turned these resolutions into success at the bargaining table.

The Skilled Trades Council does not bargain Collective Agreements. The Skilled Trades Council supports the process leading up to bargaining, by providing Skilled Trades Resolutions and attending and participating in the Skilled Trades Bargaining and New Technology Conference. Once the resolutions have been discussed, debated and passed at the Conference, they then go to the National Canadian Council and are endorsed by the whole union.

The Skilled Trades Resolutions are then used by Bargaining Committees and National Staff Representatives in negotiating for Skilled Trades programms across Canada. The Unifor Skilled Trades Department will provide assistance to these Bargaining Committees and National Representatives.

The Skilled Trades Area Sub-Councils provide resources and a forum for the Skilled Trades members to raise their specific skilled trade’s issues, wether it is on training, contracting out, apprenticeship, trades certification or other government policy issues. The Council provides a forum to hold these discussions, and then move them to the National Skilled Trades Council meetings.

The National Skilled Trades department participates in various Council meetings and provides all the delegates an up-to-date report of what is happening with the Skilled Trades across Canada.

The Unifor National Union looks to the National Skilled Trades Council as a voice for the Skilled Trades. The Unifor National President and/or the designated senior National Representative responsible for Skilled Trades also attend the UNSTC conferences held three times a year. Therefore, Skilled Trades issues are kept front and centre with the leaders in Unifor.

As you can see, the Council is important if Skilled Trades want their issues dealt with, either with a company between bargaining, raised at the government level, or to have policy set by the Union to deal with specific Skilled Trades concerns.

Resolutions At The Skilled Trades Council

The Council processes Skilled Trades Resolutions that are required to be presented in Collective Bargaining for Skilled Trades across Canada. Skilled Trades Resolutions arise from the Skilled Trades Area Councils, such as the BGMO, which have representatives on the Resolutions Committee at the Skilled Trades Bargaining Conference. The Resolutions are voted on by delegates at the Skilled Trades Bargaining Conference and if passed are adopted at the next Unifor National Canadian Council or Convention.

What You Can Do For The Skilled Trades Council

The Unifor Skilled Trades Council, like any organization, is only as strong as its membership. In order to be an affective organization that unites Skilled Trades workers from all Unifor Locals we need maximum support and participation. In other words – WE NEED YOU!

Produced by the Unifor National Skilled Trades Department