Simcoe North MPP irate at ratio-review system

Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop has a new bone to pick with the Ontario College of Trades.

Dunlop, the Progressive Conservative critic for skilled trades and apprenticeship reform, has written to the attorney general of Ontario asking for an independent investigation of the apprentice-to-journeyman ratio review completed by a Ontario College of Trades panel in 2013.

Dunlop said the panels chair, Bernie Fishbein, failed to disclose a 20-year working relationship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union.

The guy that used to be the electrical union lawyer is now the chairman of the ratio-review committee, Dunlop said Tuesday. Its completely not fair.

In Ontario, the first two licensed electricians at each business can each have an apprentice. After that, it moves to a ratio of three journeymen to every one apprentice. To hire a third apprentice, three more journeymen would have to be hired.

Dunlop said, 295 electrical companies in Ontario wrote to the ratio-review panel. The majority asked for a one-to-one ratio, while three supported remaining at three to one.

Dunlop said electricians asked for at least a ratio of one-to-one apprentice to journeyman. Alberta and British Columbia allow two apprentices for every journeyman.

Unions are saying this is a safety issue, he said. Thats completely garbage. There is no substance to that whatsoever.

Dunlop said the panel, chaired by Fishbein, ended up siding with the union.

An electrical contractor has alleged in court documents filed in December 2013 the chair of the Ontario College of Trades ratio-review panel for the electrician trades was in a conflict of interest, Dunlop said.

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Simcoe North MPP irate at ratio-review system