1 min read

Season 6, Episode 217

Creating opportunities for more individuals in Northern Ontario

LIUNA Local 607

 

Guest Name:


Andy and Brian Nieweglowski

Guest Website:


LIUNA Local 607 

Guest Social Media:


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Joining the America’s Work Force Union Podcast from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, a father-son duo is shaping the future of skilled trades training and diversity at LIUNA Local 607. Andy Nieweglowski, Local 607 Director of Training, and Brian Nieweglowski, Local 607 Manager in Training, have revamped the Local’s training center, creating opportunities for the next generation of skilled tradesmen and tradeswomen.

The Nieweglowskis spotlighted Local 607’s efforts to boost union density among women in the trades. Andy and Brian detailed how government funding is being used to break down barriers for women entering the construction industry — offering specialized training cohorts and providing childcare, lodging, toolkits and direct transportation to make the trades more accessible. Their intentional, hands-on approach, they said, has been met with an overwhelming response and is creating real opportunities for women in Northern Ontario.

The impact of their work has been immediate and impressive. With full employment in the Local’s jurisdiction and more demand for labor than the Local can fill, the LiUNA 607’s women’s program quickly received huge interest, as there were more than 120 applications for the initial 24 slots. Andy said the Local has “hit the nail on the head” with this approach. The funding they’ve received — nearly $1 million from the Ontario government’s Skills Development Fund — isn’t just going to train more women for construction roles; it’s a recognition of the need for fresh ideas in the trades.

Finally, both Andy and Brian emphasized the impact of supportive labor policy and political leadership. The positive effects of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s commitment to investing in skilled trades are highlighted, showcasing how the right political decisions can fuel the growth and inclusivity of unions, ultimately benefiting workers and their families.

To learn more about innovative union training programs and get the latest on labor organizing, tune in to this episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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Creating opportunities for more individuals in Northern Ontario

Joining the America’s Work Force Union Podcast from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, a father-son duo is shaping the future of skilled trades training...

Read More