The IUPAT Ontario Council is pleased to see Toronto City Council take an important step toward voluntarily recognizing ICI agreements in the residential construction sector.
On June 24, Toronto City Council voted to begin negotiations on Voluntary Recognition Agreements with several building trades unions, including the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), for residential construction work on City projects.
This decision builds on the City’s existing relationships with unionized trades in the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sector and represents meaningful progress for skilled tradespeople across Toronto.
What The Proposed Agreements Include
The proposed agreements include several important provisions, including:
- Recognition of bargaining rights in the residential sector
- Protections for small construction companies
- A dispute resolution process designed to avoid delays to construction projects
- A focus on construction work only, excluding the operation and maintenance of completed buildings
Thank You to Everyone Who Helped Make This Possible
This milestone is the result of many months of collaboration and advocacy by the Central Ontario Building Trades (COBT), its affiliated unions and industry partners.
The IUPAT Ontario Council would like to thank Mayor Olivia Chow and Toronto City Council for working collaboratively with the Central Ontario Building Trades throughout this process. We also extend our appreciation to the many union representatives, organizers and apprentices who attended the Council meeting to show their support. Their presence demonstrated the strength, professionalism and unity of Ontario’s unionized construction industry.
Looking Ahead
While there is still work to do, this is an encouraging step toward creating more opportunities for skilled union tradespeople and continuing to build a strong, safe and highly trained construction workforce across Ontario.
