A Better Wage Is Only the Beginning
“I joined the hall to get a better wage,” says Chris Leeds, a member of UBC Millwright Local 2309 Toronto.
That was the reason to make a change. What kept him there was the working life he found: professionalism, people committed to passing on their skills, and a variety of work that held his interest. His experience of the union was about more than the rate on his paycheque.
For qualified Journeymen considering their next move, that distinction matters. You have already put years into learning the trade and earning your qualifications. The question is what kind of working life you want to build with them.
The Millwright Regional Council (MRC) is recruiting qualified Millwrights to join UBC Millwrights. If you already have a job, the decision means weighing a change against a working life you know. Better pay is a reason to look. The terms behind it, and how the work would fit your life, deserve the same attention.
What Comes with the Wage
For UBC Millwrights represented by the MRC, collective agreements provide pension, benefits, holiday pay and vacation pay alongside the hourly wage. These provisions affect what the job contributes to your life now and what you are building for retirement. They belong in the comparison with your current employment, even if the hourly rates look similar.
“Better wages may open the door, but we want Millwrights to build a career with us. That means strong wages and benefits, continued training, representation and access to opportunities across our industries. When experienced Millwrights choose to join the UBC, they strengthen our workforce and our ability to create more opportunities for every member.”
— Mark Beardsworth, Executive Secretary-Treasurer and Chief Executive Officer, Millwright Regional Council
The MRC’s provincial wage lookup is a starting point. Rates, contributions and deductions vary by province. Membership includes dues, so compare the full package and its costs, rather than treating the advertised rate as the whole offer.
The collective agreement also establishes terms that the union can help you uphold. If there is a dispute over pay or working conditions, a union representative can help address it through the grievance process. You have someone to turn to who represents your interests as a member.
For an experienced tradesperson, that support has value beyond the next paycheque. Knowing your job well does not mean you should have to handle every employment issue on your own.
The People You Work With
Leeds’ experience speaks to another part of the decision: whether the people around you take the trade as seriously as you do. He valued the willingness to pass on knowledge and the professionalism he found in the union. Those qualities helped make membership worth keeping.
An established Millwright can still want to learn, take on different work or develop toward a supervisory role. MRC training extends from apprentices through superintendents. Continuing to develop your skills is part of membership, not something that ends once you qualify.
Understanding the Move
Interesting work has to fit the rest of your life. Travel may be an opportunity for one Millwright and a barrier for another. If you are considering leaving steady employment, the likely pattern of work matters as much as the rate.
In the MRC, your Local’s business representative handles dispatch. The workers list helps determine the order of assignments; members return to it after completing a job, and contractors may also request members by name. Membership can connect you with work beyond your home area, but it does not guarantee an immediate assignment or uninterrupted employment.
There are obligations to understand, too. MRC’s published guidance says Millwright work must go through the Local union hall, including between calls. Joining is a commitment to working through the union, not simply another place to look for an occasional job.
Before giving notice at your current job, establish what work is available for your experience, where it is, and what travel or shifts it involves. Confirm the employment package and how dispatch would work for you. These are the details that let you make a considered move.
The MRC application has a route for qualified applicants: select “I am a Journeyperson Millwright” and provide your certification details, experience and resume. Your existing skills are the starting point for that conversation.
Leeds came for the wage and found reasons to stay. For a qualified Millwright considering the same step, the question is what membership would add to the career already underway. Bring your experience to UBC Millwrights and discuss what joining would mean for you.
About the Millwright Regional Council
The Millwright Regional Council (MRC) is composed of twelve affiliated Local Unions of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) across Canada. The UBC Millwrights are vital partners in diverse industries such as energy, automotive, aerospace, food processing, and pharmaceuticals. ubcmillwrights.ca
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Bredin
Director of Communications
Millwright Regional Council
416-757-5161
abredin@ubcmillwrights.ca
