Ontario Construction News staff writer
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has been elected second vice president of the 400,000-member union that includes 123 local union across the United States and Canada.
Gallagher, who joined Local 793 in 1985 working in the roadbuilding sector, was elected second vice president after previously serving as seventh vice president. The elections at the 40th IUOE general convention held in Hollywood, Florida from April 30-May 3 also saw delegates vote unanimously to elect general president James Callahan to a third full term with general secretary-treasurer James Sweeney also elected to another five-year term. All 14 current international vice presidents and five trustees who represent members from across North America were elected to serve new terms.
Local 793, which represents more than 18,000 crane and heavy equipment operators and other skilled workers in the construction, industrial and mining sectors in Ontario and Nunavut, had 24 elected delegates at the convention.
Several Local 793 members were appointed to committees by Callahan, with Gallagher appointed to the adjustments committee and treasurer Rick Kerr appointed to the officers report committee.
“I consider it an honour and privilege to be re-elected as a vice president on the general executive board of the IUOE and to represent operating engineers across the country,” Gallagher said. “I will continue to do everything in my power to raise issues that we face in Canada to the IUOE general executive board.” Gallagher, who was elected as business manager in 1996, was appointed as IUOE general vice president in 2011, the first Local 793 member to hold the position since 1972.
Delegates at the convention passed 39 resolutions dealing with skills training, occupational health and safety, economic and labour issues, organizing, and pension and healthcare benefits. Ten amendments to the constitution were also passed.