b'FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GRAEME AITKENT havewebargained1 Havethesechangesbeenenough?IputItmostofthetrades,theissueisofconcern The vast majority of people want to be part of the solution.Just help them to get there. forth that they have not, as we have not seenandnegotiationsastohowtodealwith ForhowlongwithasignificantnoticeableincreaseinECAOitareongoing.Tothatextent,thehours contractormarketshare,norisIBEWreports should not mask the difficult issue of ourlabourpartnerswithoutsignificantmembershipviewedagainstthebackdropmarket share.2change?Iunderstandthattherearethoseof the tremendous increases in electrical and whofeeltherehasbeenchange;however,communicationsworkbeingperformed.strikesmethatcollaborativeproblem has it been significant and/or advanced ourFurther,whetherfromtheperspectiveofidentificationandsolving,reachingfor position as Ontarios unionized electrical andIBEW members or ECAO members, thosecommon goals and a developing a meaningful, communications community? It is my viewofuswhohavebeeninthecommunityongoing partnership must necessarily lead to that we require a new view of, and approachforanylengthoftimecancertainlylookmoresignificant,mutuallybeneficialresults to, collective bargaining. back and see that so many issues remainthan taking sides, horse trading, and coming There have been but three noticeable changesunresolved, ignored or pushed forward to theto the table to make improvements to our to our system of collective agreement renewalnext round. agreement(s) only once every three years.in recent memory. ItmaybereasonablefortheIBEW/CCOIrecognizetheradicaldeparturesuchan The last round of bargaining, for the 2019- andtheirmemberstoposit,thereisntaapproachwouldbe.Ialsoknowitwould require time to think, examine, contemplate, 2022PrincipalAgreement,sawthemostproblemwiththeJointProposalsystem.andfurtherdiscuss.Itismysinceredesire recent alteration (albeit in my view, a ratherAfter all, the IBEW/CCO have managed tohere to begin the discussion. Our community slightalteration)withtheintroductionofnegotiate significant real wage gains for theirmembersareleadersinconstruction.The independent,third-partymediatorsatthemembersundertheJointProposalsystem.ECAO-IBEWCCOpartnershipisthe leveloflocalbargaining.ItishopedthatButisthisconsideredasuccessfulsystemstrongest such partnership in Ontario. Surely, this is headed for expansion into additional(or sets of results) for both parties and theirwe can embark on open and honest dialogue areasandsectorsforrenewalofthemembers? Have they accomplished both ofaboutcreatinganindustrythatensures 2022-2025 agreement. thepartiesstatedgoalsunderthissystem?continuedgrowth,health,andsuccessfor Introduction of the Joint Proposal process inRecall that the two key expectations of theour industry. 1978 changed the manner in which ECAOCommercial Industrial Relations (CIR)-based system at the forefront of the design of theTomoveawayfromorimproveuponthe andIBEWCCOnegotiatedthroughtheJointProposalwere(i)toresolvedisputesJointProposalfortherenewalofcollective introductionofamechanismtoprotectwithout work stoppages and (ii) to increaseagreementsinourcommunity,theremust wage increases avoid work stoppages (strikemarket share. The first goal has been achieved.besubstantialstakeholderinvolvementin orlockout).ThereislittledoubtthatbyThere have been no work stoppages under thetheredesign.Theremustbetransparency, guaranteeingourclientsthatworkwillJoint Proposal.and ongoing accountability to our respective continueattheexpirationofthecurrentmemberships of such change. We are fortunate agreement, some stability has been broughtMarket share has not, however, in the eyestohavesavvy,experiencedanddedicated to the process. Please read the article on theoftheECAOandthiswriter,increased.IindividualsrepresentingtheIBEWCCO, history of the Joint Proposal in this magazine. acknowledge that there are differing opinionsECAO, and our industry. I believe everyone Alsodocumentedwithinthesepagesisand ideas on how to measure market share.vested in our community wants to be part of perhaps the most significant change to ourHowever, my view was also expressed by thethe solution. We simply need to take the first bargaining process: the 1977 legislation thatselector during the 2016 round of bargaining,step, and hopefully we can all take that step createdprovincialemployerandemployeewhen he wrote, in part: together soon.bargainingagentsandtherequirementtoSecond,myunderstandingbasedon1Furlong, Gary; Agree Dispute Resolution; Leaders bargainprovinciallyacrosstheentireICIsubmissions at the hearing is that the marketin Mediation, Arbitration, Training, Partnering, Facilitation, Coaching and Ombudsman, http://www.sector of the construction industry, yet thatshare picture is not quite as rosy and problemagreeinc.com/was 44 years ago.free as it was painted by the union. As with2Ibid at paragraph 78www.ecao.org8'