www.ecao.org 10 W We hope by the time this magazine is published that all other construction trades will have concluded provincial bargaining. While writing this article, the Sheet Metal Union was on strike and a handful of other trade unions and employer bargaining agents were still in bargaining, while being in legal strike positions. The Electrical Trade Bargaining Agency (ETBA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Construction Council of Ontario (IBEW CCO) were fortunate to conclude provincial bargaining on February Reflections on Bargaining 13, 2019. The ETBA/IBEW Joint Proposal, our no strike, no lock-out agreement, was signed off on October 1, 2018, and ratified in November 2018. There are, no doubt, mixed emotions about the ETBA/IBEW Joint Proposal, which has been negotiated during, or prior to, each round of bargaining since 1992. We have ended up with higher-than-negotiated wage increases due to the post negotiated wage adjustment. This has been part of the Joint Proposal since 1992. There have been nego- tiations resulting with no language changes and a wage increase. Parties have left bar- gaining wondering why our many bargaining representatives have spent so much time when nothing apparent was accomplished. It can be frustrating to those involved who take time from their businesses for the betterment of the industry; those to whom we are grateful for their time and dedication. There are many people involved and there are different, and often, competing interests and market conditions. All of the efforts are part of the process that will eventually get us where we need to be. BARGAINING By Jodi Travers, Manager Labour Relations, Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario