Over 15K Ontario Carpenters Have Gone On Strike Today & So Many Projects Will Be Impacted
Ontario may see some construction delays.
Crane in Toronto skyline. Right: Construction site in Toronto.
More than 15,000 Carpenters' District Council of Ontario workers went on strike on May 9 at 12:01 a.m. across the province, and some construction sites may see some delays.
Mike Yorke, president of the Carpenters' District Council of Ontario, told Narcity that workers went on strike after members voted to turn down an offer from employers in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector because they felt it "wasn't sufficient" given the current "crisis of affordability."
The strike includes workers from a very "diverse skill set and scope of work," from "smaller contractors to huge gold mines, Parliament Hill [and] massive office complexes in cities like Toronto and Ottawa," according to Yorke.
Yorks says the strike could impact projects like the gold mines in Sudbury, commercial office towers in Toronto like TD Bank and more.
"There's a number of other projects large and small that are going to be impacted."
Why are workers striking?
Yorke says it comes down to compensation.
"This is what we heard loud and clear from our members from one end of the province to the other: 'Comeback with a good deal from the contractors. Cost of living is through the roof.'"
Yorks says members of the union are dealing with the cost of rent in cities like Toronto and Ottawa, costly groceries, gas to and from job sites, parking fees and more as the cost of living rises.
"Our members say, 'No, we've got to get this under control.'"
Additionally, Yorke says it comes down to building a foundation for future carpenters.
"I heard loud and clear from our members that we need to take care of our next generation. We need to make sure that the young men and women coming into our industry and into our trade get the proper training and are shown to have a viable career path in construction."
"You're making a sacrifice today for the next generation of workers tomorrow."
When will negotiations resume?
Yorke says they are looking to get back to the bargaining table this Thursday. In the meantime, you may see workers on various picket lines.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.