IBB industrial members in Eastern Canada will get more and better representation services thanks to a new District structure approved by the union's recent 33rd Consolidated Convention.

The 11 industrial locals in Ontario and Atlantic Canada will get a full-time business manager to help with negotiating new contracts, handling grievances and other issues. The locals will also be able to communicate more effectively with each other through regular District meetings.

"We've been working to get a District established in Eastern Canada, like the one members have in Western Canada," says Rob Lauzon, the union's Assistant Director of Industrial Sector Operations for Canada. "Our work paid off at the convention."

The new business manager will deal only with issues affecting the industrial locals and will not represent construction locals.

First meeting

The first meeting of all the locals in the new District is scheduled for September 30 in Burlington, ON. That meeting will adopt bylaws and receive nominations for the election of the new Business Manager/Secretary Treasurer of District Lodge D-10. The new business manager will be elected at a further meeting in Moncton, NB, in late October.

"It will be a big advantage for the Eastern locals to have their own business manager," Lauzon said. "That representative will be elected rather than appointed."

The new District will be funded in part from the portion of union dues that goes to the international and in part by contributions from the locals.

Lauzon, who had been planning to retire at the end of the year, will stay on the job for an extra three months to train the new business manager.

The initial meeting for the formation of a Cement District for Eastern Canada will convene at 9:00 am on Friday, September 30th in Burlington, ON.

Arrangements have been made with the:

Admiral Inn
3500 Billings Court
Burlington, Ontario
L7N 3N6

All Questions related to this can be directed towards Rob Lauzon.