www.ecao.org 6 A FROM THE PRESIDENT, MARK LLOYD As you open this edition of the Ontario Electrical Contractor I trust that you are gearing up for, or are in the midst of, a very busy and productive time for your business. With that in mind I remind you to also make it a safe time for you and your employees; increased levels of work and additional workers provide more opportunities for accidents. So let’s ensure that we are all putting health and safety at the forefront of our job planning and execution. As many, or most of you, have heard on the airwaves throughout the province from Enzo Garritano, President and Chief Operating Officer of IHSA, “Do your part and keep your promise.” I am certain ECAO members will continue to set health and safety standards in our industry. We are in the final year of our current Principal Agreement with the IBEW/ CCO. Our Electrical Trade Bargaining Agency (ETBA) wants to arrive at a fair deal, without a work-stoppage, and well before the end of this agreement. To that end, we have put our position to the IBEW that simply: we are willing to enter into a Joint Proposal without a PNWA (Post-Negotiated Wage Adjustment), we want meaningful discussions on language, and that local bargaining should begin first in June or July of this year. We reiterated that we do not want a work-stoppage and expressed our view that IBEW/CCO and their members likely share our aversion to any interruption in work. Please stay informed and involved with this round of bargaining. ECAO and ETBA will be providing updates as talks develop. You will also find an article in this issue on the history and development of legislated provincial bargaining to provide some background on the manner in which bargaining is conducted in our industry. ECAO engages a number of service providers who assist in making our members more efficient, competitive, and productive. One of these service providers, TeksMed Services, a WSIB claims management service, seems underutilized by ECAO contractors. Some of our members may not be aware that TeksMed offers a complete WSIB claims management solution to all ECAO members at no extra cost. Their Workability program is proven to mitigate lost time and its effects with a focus on employee health and ability. Their approach to managing time loss helps employees stay productive, avoid wage loss and keep a positive connection to the workplace. At the same time, they support employers by reducing the amount of time spent on claim administration while lowering WSIB costs, saving both time and money. Services include: return to work management, legal representation, expedited health care, comprehensive reporting, ARO and WSIAT appeals, as well as in-person representation. I hope you have a tremendous summer, that you join us and enjoy Barcelona, as well as begin to think of getting to the ECAO Annual General Meeting September 12-13 at Blue Mountain Resort. 4-2 One con 705-734-6279 or 1-800-661-9023 www.skipwith.ca AS A PROUD ECAO ASSOCIATE MEMBER WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY! 1-3 Employees - Flexibility and low cost options 4-250 Employees - Match current or design your own plan One contact - daily support, booklets, coverage, claims, invoicing NO COST TO QUOTE - JUST CALL US 705-734-6279 or 1-800-661-9023 info@skipwith.ca www.skipwith.ca Reliable, friendly and knowledgeable AS A PROUD ECAO ASSOCIATE MEMBER WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY! 1-3 Employees - Flexibility and low cost options 4-250 Employees - Match current or design your own plan One contact - daily support, booklets, coverage, claims, invoicing TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION - JUST CALL US 705-734-62 i Reliable, f One contact - daily s NO COST TO 705-734-6279 or 1-800-661-9023 info@skipwith.ca www.skipwith.ca Reliable, friendly and knowledgeable AS A PROUD ECAO ASSOCIATE MEMBER WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY! 1-3 Employees - Flexibility and low cost options 4-250 Employees - Match current or design your own plan One contact - daily support, booklets, coverage, claims, invoicing NO COST TO QUOTE - JUST CALL US 705-734-6279 or 1-800-661-9023 info@skipwith.ca www.skipwith.ca Reliable, friendly and knowledgeable AS A PROUD ECAO ASSOCIATE MEMBER WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY! 1-3 Employees - Flexibility and low cost options 4-250 Employees - Match current or design your own plan One contact - daily support, booklets, coverage, claims, invoicing NO COST TO QUOTE - JUST CALL US Skipwith is pleased to announce its merger with HealthSource Plus, a People Corporation Company. Please refer to announcement details inside!