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workers through an unparalleled commitment to Ontario’s private enterprise system did not produce
training that is reflected in safer workplaces. I think
that those two features are especially appealing to
young people who may be contemplating a career in
construction.
Lastly, the strength of Ontario’s construction
workers lies in the collective power to have a
meaningful say in our workplace. The need for
emboldened workers asserting their rights grows in
tandem with the drift that we are witnessing in the
broader economy which is moving towards greater
precariousness, inequality, and the proliferation of
casual (as opposed to stable) work. In some ways, if
systemic patterns of exploitation and worker
discontent, there would be no need for unions.
The reality, however, is that economic disparities
are a permanent feature of free market economics
and collective worker action is therefore needed
to confront and correct those disparities, resulting
in a more balanced economy. Preserving a strong
middle-class is not something that happens on its
own; rather, organized labour is an essential part of
maintaining an advanced economy in the province
of Ontario, and the Building Trades are proud to
contribute to that effort.
www.ontariobuildingtrades.com
APRIL 2021 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA 31