Better Pay & Strong Representation
Collective agreements negotiated, enforced, and defended on your behalf. Fair, equitable wages that reflect your skills and experience — with your rights protected every step of the way.
About LiUNA Local 1089
Representing construction labourers across Sarnia-Lambton since 1951.
About Local 1089
Construction labourers, organized since 1951.
LiUNA Local 1089 was chartered in Sarnia on May 1, 1951, and today represents over 1,300 construction labourers across Sarnia-Lambton and the surrounding region. We are part of the Labourers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) — founded in 1903 and now more than half a million members strong across Canada and the United States.
From pay to training to retirement, Local 1089 members live better — and it shows in every aspect of their working lives. Our mission is simple: ensure every member's voice is heard, protect workplace rights, promote safe working conditions, and deliver fair compensation for hard work.
By the Numbers
1,300+
Members across Sarnia-Lambton
9
Industries we work in
70+
LiUNA training centres in North America
$0
Cost of training for members
Why LiUNA
The union difference
Working men and women see the union difference in every pay cheque — and well beyond it.
Industry-Leading Training
LiUNA offers one of the best continuing free-education systems in the world. Dozens of courses at no cost, hands-on experience, and opportunities to advance across the skilled trades.
A Safer Workplace
Safety isn't optional — it's a priority. Members are trained to recognize and prevent hazards, and empowered to speak up about unsafe conditions to protect themselves and their co-workers.
Standing Up for Members
Every member's voice heard. Workplace rights protected. Safe conditions promoted. Fair compensation delivered for a fair day's work. That's the commitment behind every Local 1089 card.
What We Do
A diverse, skilled workforce
LiUNA Local 1089 members work across a wide range of industries throughout Sarnia-Lambton:
- Commercial and industrial construction
- Maintenance and shutdown work
- Road building and paving
- Pipeline and utilities
- Slope stabilization
- Demolition and shoring
- Industrial plants
- Janitorial services
- Traffic control
Whatever the project, our members bring the training, reliability, and craftsmanship that signatory contractors count on.
Our Story
From 1903 to today
A few of the milestones behind 75 years of Local 1089.
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1903
LiUNA is founded
Delegates from 23 independent local unions meet in Washington, D.C. and form what becomes the Labourers' International Union of North America — built to win fair pay, safer workplaces, and dignity for labourers.
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1951
Local 1089 is chartered
On May 1, 1951, LiUNA Local 1089 is chartered in Sarnia, strengthening the union's presence in Ontario and laying the foundation for generations of skilled, dedicated labourers.
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1994
The St. Clair Tunnel replacement opens
Local 1089 labourers help build the new rail tunnel beneath the St. Clair River — supporting excavation, operating equipment, and reinforcing tunnel walls alongside the Excalibore boring machine.
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1997
The Blue Water Bridge twin span opens
Local 1089 helps construct the second, twin span of the Blue Water Bridge across the St. Clair River — officially opened on July 12, 1997.
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2026
Seventy-five years strong
Local 1089 marks 75 years of building Sarnia-Lambton — the refineries, roads, schools, and hospitals that keep the region moving, built by generations of skilled members.
Our Leadership
Executive Board
Meet the elected officers and board members who lead Local 1089.
Tony Valenti
Business Manager
Adam Farr
Secretary-Treasurer
Dani Maola
President
Victor Teixeira
Vice-President
Michael Chisholm
Recording Secretary
James Black
Executive Board Member
Tony Benini
Executive Board Member
Where We Work
Our facilities
Owned by the hard-working men and women of LiUNA Local 1089, our site at 1255 Confederation Street in Sarnia is home to our Union Hall and Member Services. As our administrative centre, it supports members through dispatch, benefits, and essential services — and offers community rooms along with indoor and outdoor recreational spaces.
Next door, our state-of-the-art LiUNA Training Centre features advanced technological classrooms and indoor, year-round training bays that replicate real job-site conditions, so members receive top-quality, hands-on training in every season. And our Mobile Unit brings training and resources directly into the community, expanding access wherever members are.
For Contractors
Why contractors partner with Local 1089
We work hand-in-hand with our signatory contractors to create safe, professional, and productive workplaces. Contractors choose LiUNA Local 1089 for the value our members bring:
- A highly trained, skilled, and reliable workforce
- Training that meets or exceeds regulatory standards
- Improved job-site safety and reduced accident rates
- Support with hiring requirements and project agreements
- Strong advocacy for the construction industry
LiUNA also holds its members and leadership to the highest standards through its Canadian Ethical Practices Code — ensuring transparency, accountability, protection against conflicts of interest, and strong democratic practices within the union.
Get in touch
On the Job
Our members at work
Across Sarnia-Lambton, on every kind of project.
Join Us
Be part of a union that values your work.
Local 1089 protects your future and helps you build a better life. Whether you're an experienced labourer or just starting out, there's a place for you here.