News Archive

NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED IN ICI SHEET

METAL
Bargaining Update

April 22, 2025
Mississauga, ON – Your Sheet Metal Negotiating Committee met with the Ontario Sheet Metal
Contractors’ Association (OSMCA) on April 15 and 16 to continue negotiating revised terms to
the Sheet Metal ICI Collective Agreement.
Despite the Negotiating Committee’s best efforts we have not been able to persuade
representatives from OSMCA to agree to a fair increase on any local issues related to zone,
travel, or board. And we remain far apart on adequate compensation for Forepersons. The
Negotiating Committee emphasizes that not one single local union has reached any agreement
with their OSMCA counterparts on local monetary issues.
We are continuing negotiations on Tuesday April 29 and Wednesday April 30. At that time we
will be focused on securing reasonable agreements on local matters and seeking a fair wage
increase that includes hours earned on pension and benefits for all overtime hours worked.
However we are preparing for the possibility that OSMCA may be unwilling to meet the needs
of our members on these outstanding matters before May 1, 2025.
TO OUR MEMBERS WORKING IN ICI SHEET METAL THERE IS A STRONG
POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY BE FORCED ON STRIKE TO SECURE A FAIR
SETTLEMENT.
WE WILL BE IN A LEGAL STRIKE POSITION AS EARLY AS MAY 1, 2025.
If the Negotiating Committee is unable to reach a tentative agreement to recommend for
ratification we will notify you right away if and when we are going to commence a strike action.
Until then please report to work as regularly scheduled.
As more information becomes available we will provide further updates.
Please return to this webpage or your Local’s website and/or social media for all future updates.
In Solidarity

Your Sheet Metal Negotiating Committee

ROOFING BARGAINING UPDATE
By OSMWRC  (https://osmwrc.com/author/osmwrc/)/ April 9, 2025
Notice to all members of Sheet Metal Workers International Association employed in ICI Roofing in the Province of Ontario
Mississauga – The Roofing Negotiating Committee and your Ontario elected leadership are writing to provide the most recent update to 2025 Roofing Negotiations. Your Negotiating Committee met with representatives of the Labour Relations Section of the Ontario Industrial Roofing Contractors’ Association on April 1 and 2 20025 in Toronto. Significant progress was made and we are scheduled to continue negotiations on April 22, 23 and 24 2025.
At this time we have not exchanged any monetary proposals with the Employers but hope to make further progress in the next two weeks. We understand that members are very concerned with the length of daily and weekly hours of work. We have brought these concerns to the attention of the Employers. In the event that we cannot get a fair resolution for hours of work and the wage package it may be necessary to schedule strike votes. However at this time your Negotiating Committee is cautiously optimistic on the progress of negotiations.
Your Negotiating Committee will provide a further update on negotiations as information becomes available
Please return to this webpage or your Local’s website and/or social media for all future updates.
In Solidarity
Roofing Negotiating Committee

SHEET METAL ICI BARGAINING UPDATE
Notice to all members of Sheet Metal Workers International Association employed in ICI
Sheet Metal in the Province of Ontario
April 7, 2025
The Sheet Metal Negotiating Committee and your Ontario elected leadership are writing to provide the most recent update to Sheet Metal Negotiations. Your Negotiating Committee is scheduled to continue negotiations on April 15 and 16, 2025.
The Ontario Sheet Metal Workers' and Roofers' Conference has tallied the ballots from the Strike Votes held throughout Ontario during the past 2 weeks. All SMWIA Local Unions (30, 47, 235, 269, 397, 473, 504, 537 and 562) held Strike Votes. Our members voted over 95% to pursue a strike action in the event negotiations do not result in a Ratified Collective Agreement.
Your Negotiating Committee heard loud a clear that our members require the following from negotiations:
~Maintain and protect the independence of our hiring halls;
~Generate hours earned in overtime for pension and benefits; and
~A fair increase to our wage package.
The Negotiating Committee will provide a further update on negotiations as information becomes available.
Please return to this webpage or your Local's website and/or social media for all future updates.
In Solidarity
Sheet Metal Negotiating Committee

Local 562 membership,
Sheet Metal Workers Only Strike Vote

Strike Vote: Thursday April 03 2025
5pm-8pm Polish Legion
601 Wellington St W, Kitchener

Members NOT eligible to vote:

Salaried Union Officials

Owner members
Supervisors

Estimators

Non working Foremen

members working in the residential sector on April 03/25

members working in EPSCA or Production

Retirees

Roofers

To be eligible for strike pay in the event of a strike, members must have their dues paid in advance of the month. May's dues must be paid before the end of April and continue to be paid in advance of each month throughout any work stoppage. No exceptions.

Yours in Solidarity,

Rob Weiler Business Manager SMWIA Local 562

Information on contract negotiations will be provided before the strike vote. This vote is necessary to allow all local unions to be in a strike position for May 01 if a tentative agreement has not been reached. Make every effort to attend. A 2/3 majority strike mandate is necessary to qualify for strike pay from SMART International.

Please see attached letter from the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers’ and Roofers’ Conference on eligibility to vote.






Attached Letter;

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS EMPLOYED IN ICI SHEETMETAL

YOU UNION IS SCHEDULING A STRIKE VOTE

March 21, 2025



Mississauga, ON - Your Sheet Metal Negotiating Committee has been meeting with the Ontario
Sheet Metal Contractors’ Association to negotiate a renewal to our ICI Collective Agreement.
In order to give us the most leverage possible your leadership has determined we need a strong
strike mandate. While progress has been made on some issues we remain far apart on hours earned
in overtime for pension and benefits, protecting our hiring halls and a fair wage package.
To be eligible to participate in the Sheet Metal ICI Strike Vote, you must be currently working
in the ICI or on your local union hiring hall list. Members currently employed as Roofers, or in
the Residential and EPSCA sectors are not eligible to participate in this Strike Vote. Traveller's
working in ICI Sheet Metal are eligible to vote in the local union they are currently working in.
Please look to your local union’s websites and social media pages for the specific information on
time and location of strike votes.
Please return to this webpage or your Local’s website and/or social media for all future updates.
In Solidarity

Sheet Metal Negotiating Committee.


WHAT IS A STRIKE VOTE? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – STRIKE VOTES IN ICI SECTOR OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
1. WHAT IS A STRIKE?
A strike is defined as “a cessation of work, a refusal to work or to continue to work by employees in combination or in concert or in accordance with a common understanding, or a slow down or other concerted activity on the part of employees designed to restrict or limit output.”
It is a collective action taken by all workers in a bargaining unit to put pressure on the employer to take their concerns seriously by withdrawing all or some of their labour.
It is the fundamental basis by which unions regulate the employment relationship with employers.
“The strike is the weapon of the oppressed, of men capable of
appreciating justice and having the courage to resist wrong and
contend for principle." - Eugene V. Debs

A strike vote is the process by which the Union polls its members to assess the level of support of the members to engage in a strike.
The vote is conducted by secret ballot and is organized by each Local Union. All members of that trade that are working in the bargaining unit are entitled to participate in the strike vote.
3. WHAT ARE THE MEMBERS VOTING ON IN A STRIKE VOTE?
During a strike vote members are empowering the Negotiating Committee for a clear mandate to call a strike, if and when necessary and appropriate to do so.
In a strike vote, members are provided with only two options:
1) Vote in favour of authorizing a strike; or
2) Vote against authorizing a strike.
4. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN AN ICI SECTOR STRIKE VOTE?
Section 165 of the Labour Relations Act 1995 sets out the eligibility requirements to cast a ballot in a strike vote. In order to be eligible to cast a ballot in an ICI strike vote you must be either:
(a) Employed in the bargaining unit on the date of the vote; or
(b) a member of the Union, not employed on the date of the vote (i.e. on the hiring all list).
In the ICI Sheet Metal Strike Vote, only sheet metal workers, sheet metal workers apprentices, sheeters, sheeters’ assistants, material handlers, gasfitters, and testing and balance technicians employed in the ICI sector on the date of the strike vote can participate or those unemployed members on the ICI Sheet Metal hiring hall/unemployed lists.
5. WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE SHEET METAL ICI STRIKE VOTES
a) Members working in Production, Residential or the EPSCA Collective Agreement b) Retirees
c) Roofers working under the ICI or Residential Roofing Agreements
d) Supervisors, Estimators, General Foremen and other excluded management positions e) Owner members.
f) Members of the Union that are unemployed but not on the ICI hiring hall list.
There is no discretion or exceptions to the eligibility requirements. Anyone who does not qualify under the legislation will not be permitted to vote.
6. WHAT IF I WORK IN MULTIPLE SECTORS, AM I ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?
You are only eligible to vote if you are working in the bargaining unit (i.e. in Sheet Metal ICI sector) on the date of the vote.
For example, if you work for a contractor who does both ICI and Residential work and you are currently employed on a Residential project at the time of the vote, you are not eligible to cast a strike vote in ICI Sheet Metal.
7. I PAY UNION DUES AND AM A MEMBER OF THE UNION, WHY CAN’T I VOTE IN THE ICI SHEET METAL STRIKE VOTE?
Your membership in the Union does not determine whether you can participate in a strike vote in any Sector of the Construction Industry or a particular collective agreement If you are not employed in the ICI Sheet Metal or on the hiring hall/unemployed list then you cannot participate in a strike vote in that bargaining unit.
8. WILL I BE PAID IF WE ARE ON STRIKE?
Pursuant to Section 4 of the International Association of Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation Workers’ (SMART) Constitution, members may qualify for strike benefits if certain conditions are met. The SMART Constitution requires that a strike vote of two thirds (2/3) of members casting ballots, vote in favour of a strike in order for members to be eligible for strike pay.
The payment of strike benefits is at the sole discretion of the SMART General President. Should there be a strike, the Local Unions will apply to the General President seeking strike benefits.
9. IF WE VOTE IN FAVOUR OF A STRIKE, DO WE GO ON STRIKE IMMEDIATELY?
The earliest that a strike can commence in ICI Sheet Metal is May 1, 2025.
10. DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STRIKE?
If the Union authorizes a legal strike of all Locals, it will do so for all employees working under the Sheet Metal ICI Collective Agreement.
If you are employed as a Roofer in ICI or Residential Roofing, under the EPSCA Collective Agreements or working under a Residential Collective Agreement then you cannot go on strike. Only employees working under the ICI Sheet Metal Agreement or on the Local Union hiring hall/unemployed list, are authorized to go on strike.
And as all our members know, our union fully honour strike votes and strike actions. If your bargaining unit or sector of the construction industry (Sheet Metal ICI) is on strike, no one goes back to work until we all do.No, there are certain timelines and other requirements outlined in the Labour Relations Act, that dictate when the Union may commence a strike. Members are required to continue to attend at work as normal until the Union notifies that a strike is commencing.
Following the vote, you will be notified by you Local Union/Ontario Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers Conference (Employee Bargaining Agency) if and when it authorizes/calls a strike

In solidarity,

Rob Weiler
Business Manager
SMWIA local 562