The Ironworker Locals in the province of Alberta were established in the late 1940’s by the men who had done the outside erection for the unionized fabrication shops in the province.

After the Second World War most of the shops in Alberta were under the jurisdiction of the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union. In 1949, there was a move by this organization to assimilate the erection crews. Many of these men had worked in other areas and were familiar with the Ironworkers and preferred to belong to their International Organization.

In 1949, General Organizer George Holland from Spokane, Washington, was asked to come to Canada to organize for the Ironworkers. Two locals were rapidly formed, Local 720 in Edmonton to take care of the northern part of the province and Local 725 to handle the south. A charter was signed by General President J.H. Lyons Sr., and General Secretary J.R. Downes, was granted to Local 725 on the Fourth of May, 1950.

The original members included in the application for our charter were as follows: Brothers Gustave Bienvenu, Frank Butlin, Thomas Donahue, Anton Grenovitch, William Kemp, Fred Kinsman, Charles Nicholls, Tony Richter, Bert Riswald and Leslie Anton Staples. The first Business Agent was Brother Tony Richter.

Local 725’s jurisdictional area covers about 150,000 square kilometers between the city of Red Deer in the north and the United States’ border in the south.

On March 22, 1951, Local 725 received their first certification from the Alberta Board of Industrial Relations as the recognized bargaining agent from the employees of Dominion Bridge Company Ltd. On May 21st, 1951, Locals 720 and 725 signed a one-year province wide agreement with this company giving journeymen Ironworkers $1.80 per hour. This agreement was signed for Local 725 by brother Tony Richter and brother Leo Chikinda.

The first benefit program for local 725 members was a Health and Welfare plan that began in 1959 with a contribution of 5 cents per hour. The premium for complete coverage at that time was $4.62 per member per month. A very successful multi-employer pension plan for all members was instituted in the Collective Agreement of April 1970 with a contribution 10 cents per hour. In 1974 reciprocal agreements were signed with several other Canadian locals. July 1, 1988, Local 725 entered into the International Reciprocal Agreement, which meant that if a member had “boomed out” and was working in another local’s jurisdiction, when he left his pension contributions as well as Health and Welfare contributions would go with him back to his home local.

Through it’s over 70 years, Ironworkers Local 725 has had many high periods as well as low periods. The ability and willingness of the membership to stick together and not lose sight of what was fought for, has rewarded the membership with what they have today. With pride the local’s membership consists of much diversity with many of our members being female, indigenous and new Canadians.

Ironworkers Local 725 membership can be proud of their pioneers whose foresight and determination made it possible for the lifestyle that they can all now enjoy. The future is bright, together the membership of Local 725 along with their elected officials will continue to set the bar in safety, productivity, diversity, training and innovation in the ironworking industry.