You keep Canada’s critical systems running. You deserve a say in how you’re treated.
Local 2228 represents the technologists, technicians, tradespeople and media professionals behind air navigation, Arctic radar, national defence, marine safety, radio spectrum, public safety, broadcasting and power generation. Work in electronics, telecommunications or technical systems and don’t have a union yet? Let’s talk — confidentially.
- Confidential: your employer is never told
- Members across Canada
- Chartered in 1967
The people behind the systems Canada depends on
Our members work coast to coast to coast for NAV CANADA, more than a dozen federal departments and agencies, Nasittuq, Chugach Dynamic Solutions, Rogers, CKUA Radio, Yellow Pages and Evolugen.
Air navigation
Radar, navigation aids and communications systems that keep Canadian airspace safe.
NAV CANADAArctic operations
Technicians, mechanics, heavy equipment operators, logistics staff and cooks who keep the North Warning System radar sites (successor to the DEW Line) and a Cambridge Bay monitoring station running.
Nasittuq · Chugach Dynamic SolutionsNational defence
Electronic and communications systems that support Canada’s defence operations.
National DefenceMarine safety
Electronics behind marine navigation and communications on Canada’s coasts and waterways.
Canadian Coast Guard · Fisheries and OceansRadio spectrum
Radio frequency allocation and spectrum monitoring.
ISED CanadaPublic safety and security
Electronic systems at the RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency, Correctional Service Canada, Global Affairs Canada and the Privy Council Office.
Federal public serviceScience, transport and health
Electronic systems that support transportation, natural resources, weather and climate monitoring, and public health.
Transport Canada · NRCan · ECCC · Health CanadaBroadcasting and media
Journalists, producers, announcers, broadcast technicians and IT staff who keep TV and radio on the air, plus digital media sales consultants.
Rogers (Citytv, OMNI) · CKUA Radio · Yellow PagesPower generation
Electricians, mechanics and operators who maintain hydroelectric stations in Quebec’s Outaouais region.
Evolugen (Brookfield Renewable)Built for the realities of technical work
A collective agreement puts what matters to technical professionals in writing, and makes it enforceable.
On-call and standby
Being reachable after hours is work. Standby and call-back pay mean your evenings and weekends aren’t free labour.
Shift work and overtime
Fair schedules, proper rest between shifts, and overtime rules you can actually enforce.
Training and certification
Employer-supported training that keeps your skills and certifications current as technology evolves.
Technological change
Advance notice and a real voice when new systems, automation or contracting-out affect your job.
Remote sites and travel
Safety standards, travel rules and support when the job takes you to remote sites, towers and stations.
Fair pay and progression
Transparent pay scales and classification, fair promotions, and a grievance process when things go wrong.
How union technologists compare
Measured against national wage data and the minimums set by law.
Even the first step of the NAV CANADA technologist scale (ANS-TEC-1, $88,976 in 2026) beats the national median for electronics technologists by 28%. The top step reaches $121,432.
National median: about $69,400 a yearJob Bank, Government of Canada · NOC 22310 · $35.58/h (Nov. 2025) × 37.5 h × 52 weeksMany of our members start with three weeks of paid vacation, growing to as much as six with seniority.
Legal minimum: 2 weeks (4 only after 10 years)Canada Labour Code, s. 184Notice the employer must give the union before a technological change that affects a significant number of employees in a unionized, federally regulated workplace.
Without a union: no such notice requiredCanada Labour Code, s. 52The numbers speak for themselves
Unionized employees in Canada earned 9.5% more per hour on average in 2025.
About $6,500 more a year for a full-time employee.*
For every dollar men earned, women earned 96¢ with a union, compared with 84¢ without one.
The gender pay gap is much smaller in unionized workplaces.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0066-01, Employee wages by job permanency and union coverage, annual. 2025 data (released January 2026); average hourly wages, employees 15 years and over, Canada. *$3.37 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks.
Heard these before?
Click a myth to see the facts.
Myth“Unions are for trades, not tech.”
Tech is our core: most of our members are electronics technologists. But Local 2228 is more than one trade. From Arctic radar sites to TV newsrooms, we also represent journalists and producers, announcers, IT staff, electricians and mechanics, heavy equipment operators, logistics staff, chefs, custodians, labourers and sales consultants. Whatever your job, there’s a place for you here.
Myth“Dues would cost more than I’d gain.”
In 2025, unionized employees in Canada earned 9.5% more per hour on average. That’s several times what Local 2228 dues are set at, and union dues are tax-deductible.
Myth“My employer will find out and hold it against me.”
Your conversations with us are confidential. Under Canadian labour law, employers can’t intimidate, threaten, discipline or fire you for joining or supporting a union.
Myth“Organizing is slow and bureaucratic.”
The Local guides your organizing committee step by step, from the first conversation to certification. You focus on your co-workers; we handle the paperwork and the legal process.
From first conversation to first contract
Motivated but not sure where to start? Here’s the path, and we’re with you at every step.
Quietly gauge interest
Have low-key conversations with co-workers you trust. Use personal phones and email, not work devices.
Form an organizing committee
Bring together a small group across shifts, sites and roles. The Local trains and supports you.
Map the issues
Gather information on pay, schedules, on-call, safety and how decisions get made.
Build support
Talk one-on-one with co-workers about what they want to change. Support is built person to person.
Know your rights
Learn what the law protects during an organizing drive. We’ll walk you through it.
Counter anti-union tactics
Mandatory meetings, sudden perks or rumours about job losses? Tell us right away and we’ll help you respond.
Win certification
Once enough co-workers sign membership cards, the Local applies for certification. A secret-ballot vote may follow.
Bargain your first contract
Elect your bargaining team, set priorities together and vote on your first collective agreement.
Your right to organize is protected by law
Canadian labour laws prohibit employers from interfering with union organizing or punishing employees who take part. If anything worries you, tell us right away.
Other than the obvious things like wages and benefits, it also gives me a stronger voice in the workplace, and I have provided support when dealing with workplace issues.
Start a confidential conversation
Tell us a little about yourself. Only your name and a personal email are required.
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Already work in a Local 2228 unit?
Complete the bilingual membership application and follow the instructions on the form.
