Organizing for a Stronger Workforce: Building Unity and Opportunity
UBC Millwright Local 1410 Kingston is on a mission to strengthen the millwright workforce through organizing, apprenticeship development, and workforce retention. Recent efforts have brought 68 new members and a new bargaining unit into the Millwright Regional Council (MRC), a milestone that highlights the value of collective action in securing opportunities for our communities and protecting skilled workers.
Scott Thompson, Business Representative with Local 1410 worked with the MRC and the bargaining unit to secure this representation but also emphasizes the importance of apprenticeship development in these efforts. “We have always valued apprentice training at Local 1410 – when you work as an apprentice with the MRC you are receiving the best training and hands on experience in the country and when a contractor or owner hires one of our apprentices, they know they’re getting someone that they can count on every day for skills, safety, and dedication to the job even on the most demanding and complex projects in Canada.
The Kingston Local is now looking to expand its organizing efforts into Ottawa, a city with a substantial non-union workforce and growing infrastructure opportunities. With the federal government’s Build Canada initiative, including major defense and industrial projects, now is the time to ensure that skilled Canadian workers are trained, retained, and fully prepared for the jobs these projects demand. Organizing in Ottawa not only strengthens the union’s presence but also guarantees access to high-quality work that benefits both union contractors and skilled workers.
Mark Beardsworth, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Millwright Regional Council, puts it plainly: “The future of Canada’s infrastructure depends on skilled, trained, and organized millwrights. By securing meaningful projects and bringing more workers into the union, we ensure that apprentices have real opportunities, projects get completed safely and efficiently, and our members can build lasting careers.”
This approach ties organizing directly to the long-term health of the trade. Without a strong apprenticeship pipeline and a committed union workforce, the market risks shortages of skilled millwrights, limited opportunities for the next generation, and decreased quality and safety on major projects. By organizing today, Local 1410 Kingston is not just growing membership, it is building a workforce that will sustain Canada’s infrastructure projects for decades to come.
Union membership isn’t just about protection; it’s about opportunity, stability, and shaping the future of the trade. For millwrights in Ottawa and beyond, the message is clear: joining a union opens doors to top-tier work, supports apprenticeships, and strengthens the workforce for generations to come.
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
