Construction of much needed new housing throughout the Greater Toronto Area is being delayed because Local 183 of the Labourers International Union of North America is preventing members of Local 1891 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades from doing their work.  

This is all in aid of an attempt by LIUNA to interfere with stucco/EIFS contractors represented by IUPAT.

‘Thousands of new housing units under construction are affected by this action’, says Ontario Construction Consortium (OCC) Phil Gillies.   ‘It is attempt by one union to poach members of a rival.  But the unlawful action by LIUNA fails to recognize the contracts that exist between contractors and IUPAT.’

On March 4 the Ontario Labour Relations Board ruled that Local 183 threatened an unlawful strike and committed acts that would lead bricklayers to engage in an unlawful strike, by illegally threatening bricklayers from jobsites if they contracted stucco contractors not bound to a Local 183 collective agreement.   

LIUNA’s unlawful actions have failed to recognize that many of the stucco workers are already bound to an agreement with IUPAT Local 1891.  Over 400 workers represented by IUPAT are working for 8 contractors under a legal agreement brokered by the Interior Systems Contractors Association.

‘The actions of Local 183 are very disturbing and selfish, given the negative impact on homebuyers and workers within the residential construction industry’, says Ron Johnson.

executive director of the Interior Systems Contractors Association (ISCA).  ‘It has resulted in essential workers not being able to go to work to support their families’.

At issue is some 4,000 homes under construction across the GTA.

Despite the OLRB ruling Local 183 continues to disrupt the industry and the rights of hundreds of IUPAT members.  Home completions are being delayed and workers are being prevented from earning a living.

Gillies concluded, ‘Local 183 must stop interfering and delaying the construction of new homes and abide by the OLRB ruling.  And in so doing they must respect the rights of workers represented by IUPAT’.

Background on OCC:  

Formed in 2018, the Ontario Construction Consortium is an organization dedicated to strengthening the construction industry through Advocacy, Education, Networking and Workforce Development.