Certified tradespeople in Ontario are continuing their fight against an amendment to a budget bill they say would lead to unskilled workers flooding job sites.
A bus load of electricians, plumbers, and pipefitters protested outside of Deputy Premier Deb Matthews' constituency office on Piccadilly St. on Friday. The protest was one of six taking place throughout the province against a section of Bill 70 known as schedule 17. The trades professionals believe the amendment would weaken enforcement that keeps general labourers for performing the tasks of certified tradespeople.
"They're planning on putting unskilled workers on the job to do compulsory trades work. That's unacceptable as far as we are concerned," said Jim DuMaresq, president of Local 120 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. "There are a lot of people who worked very hard through apprenticeships, a lot of people who work very hard as journeymen. They all hold a license and we believe that is the way it should stay."
DuMaresq said they had hoped Matthews would be available to discuss their concerns but were told she is currently out of town.
"We didn't have a chance to talk to Deb but we were promised that we will get answers to our questions and Deb will reconvene whenever she can," said DuMaresq.
In addition to costing skilled trades jobs, DeMaresq believes the safety of Ontarians would be at stake as people who aren't properly trained and licensed could potentially be allowed to do the work of an electrician.
Other protests were simultaneously held in Kitchener, Hamilton, Toronto, and Ottawa.