Local 493 was issued its charter by the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) in 1955 to represent workers in Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins and surrounding areas.
Currently, Local 493 represents over 1000 members in construction and industrial units. All union employers must hire their employees through Local 493 for work covered by their collective agreements.
Members are dispatched by the union to signatory contractors based on their standing on the out of work list or their qualifications.
The Local Union collectively bargains with contractors and or associations which in turn provide health, welfare and pension coverage. Training is also a key factor to Local 493, so members have the necessary skills and qualifications when dispatched to signatory contractors. The local union is also heavily involved in organizing non-union contractors.
Recently Algoma Energy Solutions signed a provincial agreement with LiUNA due to the hard work of our organizers and OPDC. Because of this the company will be employing close to 200 members across the province in the Broader Power sector on different solar farm projects.
Since 2005 Local 493 has signed over 40 new companies and has created hundreds of thousands of man hours of work for its members not to mention Pension and Health and Welfare benefits for their families.
With the contributions from employers towards our training funds, Local 493 in turn provides contractors with highly skilled members and apprentices. The supply of this manpower allows our signatory contractors to complete its jobs on time and on budget. It also allows them to hire trained apprentices and give them much needed on the job training.
In discussions with contractors and the union we are able to work together so that our members are employed on the project and are covered by a collective agreement. The partnership between labour and management is a formula that is tried and true and has worked for decades in our area and throughout the province.
LiUNA Ontario Provincial District Council, Local 493 and all locals throughout the province meet regularly with all levels of government to get projects started such as Hwy 69 four-laning and the Ring of Fire project to name just a couple that have and will bring good paying jobs to our members.
These are but a few ways LiUNA works to create jobs for our hard working men and women.
Don’t forget it is you, the member who creates a lot of work as well due to your dedication and commitment to your union and your job.
