Crane Operators Strike Halts Construction Across Province
Posted May 23, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto is a booming metropolis where everything is always being built up. Or it was until Wednesday. That’s when at least 2,000 crane and other heavy equipment operators walked off the job in a bid for more money and fewer changes to their working conditions.
The strike idled projects across the province within hours, including the construction of a power station in Toronto’s port lands – and that may be just the beginning. “We never like to see this kind of work stoppage,” agrees Mike Smith of construction firm EllisDon. “It certainly hurts our progress.”
The workers from the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 793, keep the cranes moving, the bulldozers crushing and operate other heavy machinery at industrial, commercial and institutional construction sites. No one’s sure just how many current projects have been idled by the walkout, but the longer it continues, the more will be halted – and the costs of the stoppage are going to start adding up.
As so often happens, money is at the root of the problem. Contractors are offering about three percent a year over three years. But the workers, citing increased demand for their services, want a lot more. “The less than three percent a year was soundly rejected by the membership,” responds union spokesman Ken Lew. “Certainly, we’re seeking more than that.” But he wouldn’t say how much more. Workers are also worried about hours and safety.
This strike may not be a constructive one. There are no new talks scheduled as more projects and more workers fall idle. “Some sites have tower cranes, so they’re quite susceptible to operators going out,” Smith admits.
