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Local 625 organizer Tom Griffiths (front row, right) with
some of the Local 625 members working for newly
organized Hi Lan Electric in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
Front row from left are: Jeff Ross, Chris Oakes, Terry
Stevens, Matthew Wardell and Griffiths. Back row, Tim
Peitzsche, Rick Slaunwhite, Jeff Campbell, Pat
Doubleday, Willie Murray, Laurie Burris and Noel
Williams.

Hi Lan Electric is now an IBEW contractor, thanks to aggressive organizing by Local 625 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In late 2003, Hi Lan was a member of Merit Contractors Association, Canadas version of the ABC, and was unknown in Local 625s jurisdiction. When Hi Lan bid a job in Bridgewater, "it provided an opportunity to salt them right from the beginning," said organizer Tom Griffiths. Hi Lan got the contract and a lot of resumes and phone calls from Local 625 members.

When Local 625 applied for certification of Hi Lan, the company approached Griffiths and met with him and Business Manager Cordell Cole. In March 2004, Hi Lan signed a recognition agreement, used 30 members on that first job and has employed Local 625 members on several jobs since.

Local 625 also had a recent success when its charges against Linair Electric of Truro resulted in owner Blair Aucoin pleading guilty to employing persons prohibited from working in the electrical trade, Griffiths said. A one-to-one journeyman to apprentice ratio is required by Nova Scotia law, Griffiths said, and Linair "had tried to do renovation job with one journeyman and four apprenticestwo of whom were not registered as apprentice construction electricians.

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