Protest at new fire hall site held by local ironworkers
- Ron Giofu
- 21 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A protest at the new Amherstburg fire station now under construction near the intersection of Simcoe St. and Meloche Road revolves around workers used on the site and where local ironworkers say those workers are from.
Ironworkers who work under Ironworkers Local 700 say they are looking for work but many don’t have it, alleging that out-of-town, non-unionized workers are on the job at the new fire station.
Terry McGee, who is with Ironworkers Local 700, said he is among those who aren’t working right now and they want to see the work in the hands of local, unionized employees.
McGee and his colleagues have been along Simcoe St. near the new fire station site as well as monitoring a gate within the Libro Centre site with picket signs trying to raise public awareness of their cause.
“We’re shutting the job down,” he said. “We have local apprentices that need the work here.”
Signs carried by the workers carried such messages as “Keep you tax money local,” “We Are Standing for Local Workers,” and “Don’t Outsource Local Skilled Trades” among other statements.
McGee said they want to see the job done by local, unionized staff and that they are willing to work with those on the job in getting them signed with the union.
“We’re out of work,” said McGee. “We’ll be here as long as it takes.”
A crane tried to enter the site late Tuesday morning but access was blocked.
McGee noted they are keeping the protest peaceful and want to let the public aware of what they desire.
Mayor Michael Prue said he can understand the desire to see work done locally and by union staff, but the town followed a tender process and the bid was awarded.
“We passed the bylaw and hired Niacon Aug. 24 (2024),” said Prue. “They were the lowest bid.”
Prue said Niacon’s bid was roughly $1 million lower than the second lowest bid.
“It’s their job to hire the subcontractors,” he said.
While stating he is a fan of people being able to protest, the mayor said he doesn’t know why the town is the subject of this one.
“I don’t know why the protest is about us,” said Prue. “I don’t know what they want us to do. We can’t break a signed contract.”
There are a number of projects going on around the Windsor-Essex County region, Prue added, and a lot of local workers are busy with other jobs.
“I guess they can find staff wherever they can find it,” he said.
The town’s job during the tendering process is to make sure the bids are compliant, which he said they were. He added the law states the lowest bidder gets the tender.
The River Town Times contacted Niacon about the union members’ claims, but the company did not wish to comment.
By Ron Giofu