Hard Hat - Winter 2010

Uniting ARCCAW members across Alberta and the Northwest Territories

Tax Saving Tips Keep more cash in your pocket

In the Spotlight Industrial shops across the province

Winter 2010

Avoid the Ditch Advice for safe winter driving

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #40063788 Return undeliverable mail to 200-15210 123 Ave Edmonton,AB T5V 0A3

Executive Secretary Treasurer’s

REPORT

Plan Wisely for a Changing Future Martyn A. Piper

A

s this edition of Hard Hat arrives

at your home, 2010 will be well underway. There is no doubt as the years roll by that time seems to move ever faster. Have you stopped to think about what you will be doing or what your kids will be doing when the second decade of this century arrives in 2020? Many of your kids will be grown up and out making a living. Some of you will be pensioned off. Where will our union be? How much market share will we have? One thing is for sure: time does not stop and the world is forever changing.

My plans, your plans and our union’s plans cannot be made just for today or tomorrow or next month. They must be made for the long term. We, as builders, know that when you build a house or a structure, you plan and draw what you are going to build. You need to visualize it conceptually and envision what it will be like to live or work in it once it is built.

Our union is no different. Our planning is ongoing; we know where we want to be.

We have good ideas about how to get there, but one thing we don’t know and can’t control is how external forces might influence our future. As a case in point, last month one of the biggest climate conferences took place in Copenhagen. World leaders, activists, climate experts and NGOs gathered in an attempt to develop a global policy that would ensure a healthy planet for years to come. While the outcome and deliverables are questionable at best, the reality is the climate debate is heating up (excuse the pun!) and is not going away any time soon.

Alberta, the focal point for many global activists, is very much front and centre in the climate debate, maybe unfairly, but we are clearly being challenged with respect to

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allegedly scarring the northern landscape and emitting high-intensity carbon. Our provincial politicians and energy industry experts claim both are being overstated and that our leading-edge technology of carbon capture and carbon sequestration will provide an opportunity for Alberta to demonstrate to the world our ability to harvest oilsands in an environmentally responsible fashion. Yes, this is serious stuff. However, what matters is how this debate affects you.

It is important to understand that it will not be business as usual going forward. It never has been and never will be, as new and developing technologies ensure ongoing change. Some argue that the world needs our oil and, given our supply, we will be in business for years to come. Others argue that alternative fuel sources are just around the corner. Regardless, this debate can and will impact us sometime in the future, so we must stay tuned in.

You may never work in the oilsands, but the cumulative spinoff effects of the energy business impact all Albertans in some way, shape or form. It is interesting to hear, as one tours various job site lunchrooms, members debating over the future of world oil prices.

Some members who read newspapers appear to be as interested in oil prices as they are in the hockey scores. Why? Because they know their next job may depend on it.

So as we prepare for the next decade, let’s plan wisely, prepare for the unexpected, monitor those external forces that can impact our world, set in place long-term strategic plans that, notwithstanding some catastrophic event, ensure this union will be here for many years to come. With that said, all the best to you and yours for 2010 and forward.

ANNOUNCEMENTS On Dec. 5, 2009, the delegates to the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers recommended a change to section 12 (a) of the council bylaws to reduce working dues for Locals 1325, 2103 and 1460 from 2.75 per cent to 2.25 per cent of gross wages. This would be effective May 1, 2010, and is subject to the approval of the three locals.

On Dec. 5, 2009, the delegates to ARCCAW approved an increase to job steward stipends from $25 to $50 monthly, effective February 2010. It is subject to reports being filed with the office by the 15th of the following month, attendance at local union meetings (otherwise reduced to $25), completion or registration for the construction job steward course and a letter of appointment to contractor from the representative being on file. Stipends will be paid into the member’s dues account.

Effective May 2, 2010, retirees of the Carpenters and Allied Workers pension plan who are 60 years of age and receiving a pension will, upon appropriate credentials being submitted to employer upon sign-on, be able to receive their pension contribution on the wages. Details will be communicated to eligible members at a later date.

Each of the above announcements is in brief and highlights changes but should not be construed verbatim as more details will be forthcoming.

Undeliverable mail should be directed to ARCCAW 200-15210 123 Ave Edmonton,AB T5V 0A3 Email: lhelmeczi@albertacarpenters.com Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement # 40063788

Contents Winter 10

PUBLISHED FOR:

Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters & Allied Workers 15210 – 123 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5V 0A3 Tel: (780) 474-8599 / Fax: (780) 474-8910 www.albertacarpenters.com PUBLISHED BY:

Venture Publishing Inc. 10259 – 105 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1E3 Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 Phone: (780) 990-0839 Fax: (780) 425-4921 www.venturepublishing.ca

FEATURES 12 Project Profile Triple M Housing Neither wind nor fire could keep this Lethbridge company and its dedicated workers from building quality factory engineered homes

By Tricia Radison

18 Beat the Taxman Tax tips and financial planning advice to keep more money in your pocket in 2010

By Caitlin Crawshaw

PUBLISHER

Ruth Kelly

23 Masters of Their Craft

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Part 1 of a two-part series featuring industrial shops across the region

By Lisa Ricciotti

Joyce Byrne

ARCCAW EDITOR

Martyn A. Piper EDITOR

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DEPARTMENTS

Kim Tannas

2 Note From the Executive

ART DIRECTOR

Charles Burke

Secretary Treasurer

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

By Martyn Piper

Rodrigo López Orozco

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Vanlee Robblee

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Betty-Lou Smith

4 Site Lines News and views from around the region

10 KidZone

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caitlin Crawshaw, Lindsey Norris, Tricia Radison, Lisa Ricciotti CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Rob Olson, Heff O’Reilly

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Snapshots from the kids’ Christmas parties

21 Trade Rules and Bylaws Report

By Bill Alton

VICE-PRESIDENT, SALES

Anita McGillis

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

Tara Kochan

26 Trust Funds Board Chair’s Report

By R.J. Provencher

SALES ASSISTANT

Stefanie Jackson

27 Local 1460 Millwrights Report

Contents © 2010 by ARCCAW Inc. No part of this publication should be reproduced without written permission.

By Bob Hugh

28 Training and Apprenticeship Report

Important Phone Numbers Edmonton Fort McMurray Calgary Carpenters Training Centre Carpenters Health and Welfare Carpenters Pension Industrial Workers Millwright Local 1460 Local Union 1325 and 2103 Dispatch

780-471-3200 780-743-1442 403-283-0747 780-455-6532 780-477-9131 780-477-9131 403-283-0747 780-430-1460 1-888-944-0818

By Len J. Bryden

29 Training + Events 30 Parting Shot ON THE COVER Loren Enns (left), Tim Forbes & Adam Pakla of Triple M Housing Photographed by Rob Olson

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Site Lines

News in Brief

A roundup of news and events from around the region

We Were There ARCCAW at WorldSkills 2009 It is one of the few instances where you may see a hairdresser working on the same site as a welder. WorldSkills 2009, the biannual competition that sees experts from 51 countries competing in 45 skills, was a very good year for Canada. The 38-member team brought home six medals, improving on the 2007 record of six medals set by the team in 2007. ARCCAW was a gold sponsor. “We wanted to support the craft and progress of trades- people worldwide,” says Bob Provencher, a project manager for Alberta and the Northwest Territories who attended the event. It was a great advertisement for the trades: more than 50,000 school students from across the province travelled to Calgary to watch and participate.

Jake Waldner, a 40-year ARCCAW member, with journeymen carpenters from Germany in work attire who travelled to Canada as part of a one-year work experience requirement

A Brief History of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters In 1869, a young journeyman took a job at a piano shop to support his family after his father joined the union army. In that piano shop, 17-year-old Peter J. McGuire successfully fought a wage cut, and for his efforts was harassed from his position. He hopped freight trains to travel from city to city, making speeches promoting better hours and working conditions and earned the label “disturber of the peace” from

1881

The UBC is born, largely due to the efforts of general secretary Peter J. McGuire, who organized the Chicago convention that created the union’s constitution and structure.

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1882

the New York Times. In 1881, McGuire’s efforts were formally realized when a four-day convention ended with the birth of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. Eleven years passed before the first Alberta local was created (Local 75, in Calgary), and a century after that, the union remains strong in Wild Rose Country. Here, a timeline of the UBC’s challenges and most significant victories.

Sept. 5: The first Labour Day is celebrated with a parade in New York, though it did not become a federal holiday until 1894.

1886

May 1: 340,000 workers across the United States went on strike, and won higher wages and better conditions in 53 cities. Membership grew to 21,423 from 5,789 the year before.

One of the projects built by carpenters as part of the competition. Complex joints and angles, plus a zero tolerance for mistakes, are part of the challenge

Deconstruction: What’s in a Symbol?

The UBC emblem was adopted in 1884 as a symbol of the union’s ideals. Like all good symbols, each element has a carefully considered meaning.

5 1

4 6

2 3 WorldSkills graphics depict tradespeople as purposeful, skilled and motivated, with increasing numbers of women in the industry

Jake Waldner with students at WorldSkills carrying ARCCAW bags, which proved to be one of the hottest giveaway items at the event

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It wouldn’t be a proper symbol without some Latin. This phrase translates to “Labour Conquers All Things.”

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The ruler signifies the Golden Rule – essentially the “do unto others” philosophy.

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Stay on track in your life and work. (Of course, in modern times, this could equally apply to driving to projects in distant locations.)

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Not just pretty colours: the pale blue is meant to represent the purity of labour; the dark red, the blood of the workers.

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The shield represents the concept that all members are bound to protect the interests of the organization and its members.

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And because not everything always has a greater meaning: the jack plane, a simple symbol of the trade.

1892

1902

1902

1904

The first Alberta UBC local, Local 75, is formed in Calgary.

R.A. Brockelbank, president of Local 1055, is elected to the Calgary City Council, becoming the first labour representative to hold elected office at any level of government in Alberta.

Nov. 11: Energetic organizer Robert Robinson creates three locals in Alberta, including Local 1325, in what would become the City of Edmonton. Local 1325 operates under the same charter today and is the senior construction local in Alberta.

Local 1779 is formed in Calgary and grows to become the single largest union local in Alberta by 1952.

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Site Lines Winter Driving Tips Winter poses entirely new challenges to those who work in the trades: extreme cold, slippery surfaces and snow and hail can make any job site tricky. But most ARCCAW members agree that the single most important safety concern in the winter is driving. Since so many members tend to drive the highways – particularly infamous Highway 63 to Fort McMurray – you’re likely familiar with the basics: cellphone, a flashlight and a properly winterized vehicle. Here, a few things you might not have thought of.

• Alberta Transportation suggests people check road reports at www.ama.ab.ca. Click on “road reports” for up-tothe-minute conditions on your route. Not online? Call 1-877262-4997.

• Always keep the vehicle’s gas tank at least half full (it reduces moisture problems in the fuel system).

• Bring along a snow shovel and a sandbag (or kitty litter or road salt) in case your vehicle gets stuck.

• Keep an extra container of windshield washer fluid in the vehicle.

• Bring a map and be prepared to take an alternate route.

• Never use cruise control on slippery roads, or roads that have the possibility of being slippery.

• Rear-wheel drive vehicles need different actions in the event of a skid than front-wheel vehicles. In rear-wheel skids, you ought to steer just enough in the opposite direction to prevent a counter skid.

• Check your battery. Many coldweather breakdowns are due to a battery that is not delivering full cranking power.

Full Steam Ahead

The Alberta Millwrights Training Centre now has a seven-stage steam turbine, compliments of Robert Goodrick with Interpro Technical Services. We are currently developing a steam turbine course, utilizing the technical data documentation check sheets also provided to us from Robert Goodrick. This will ensure our members are familiar with industry procedures and data documentation.

The Alberta Millwrights Training Centre is committed to providing hands-on, task-orientated, valueadded training for our members, our contractors and our clients.

– Bob Hugh, Local 1460

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS

1910

Membership of the UBC reaches 200,000.

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1917

Nov. 7: 1,300 building trades in Massachusetts strike on all militaryrelated projects to protest the use of open-shop builders.

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1918

April: The 1917 tension is finally resolved when the federal government approves a new system guaranteeing union shops in areas that had them before the war.

1921

January: As part of the infamous antiunion campaign “American Plan,” contractors in Chicago insist on a wage cut and lock out workers when demands are rejected.

Are Unions Tweeting?

Mike Cooper (right) presents Stan Keeping of Local 2103 with a pin for 50 years as a member in good standing and a watch for 55 years. Keeping is currently the foreman at the Calgary airport expansion project.

Guess the Tool

Which trade used this antique measuring tool?

The international trade union online news service, LabourStart, has conducted a survey of union activists asking who uses Twitter.

Twitter is a free online social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as “tweets.” Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author’s profile page and delivered to the author’s subscribers.

LabourStart’s survey got responses from 1,593 trade unionists around the world. The largest group of respondents came from the U.K. with 360, followed by Canada with 333, the U.S. with 305 and Australia with 270.

Fewer than a third of those responding had an account with Twitter (31.1 per cent). Only 9.1 per cent frequently send out tweets, while 15.4 per cent sometimes send them.

Only 99 of the 1,593 respondents frequently tweet about union issues and double that number occasionally do.

Forty said they signed up to “Twibe” – the union twitterers’ group; 285 said they’d never heard of Twibe but quickly signed up, resulting in a sudden increase in twibers.

Only 5.1 per cent of the respondents frequently “retweet” – forward other tweeters’ messages. Only 1.8 per cent do this for tweets sent out by LabourStart.

A majority – 56 per cent – didn’t know if their union used Twitter. Thirty per cent said their union didn’t use Twitter, while fewer than 15 per cent said their union does.

The respondents use other social networks, including Facebook (75.7 per cent), YouTube (37.1 per cent), UnionBook (18.1 per cent) and Flickr (11.7 per cent). The number using other social networks like Bebo, MySpace, Delicious, Second Life and Digg was tiny – less than six per cent.

–LabourStart/CALM

Answer on page 9

1921

June: A federal judge cuts wages even lower than the initial contractors proposed. The UBC fights the decision, but membership in many unions declines.

1935 1940 Margaret Ellings becomes the first woman initiated into the UBC.

Many unions had called for a national unemployment program, and the Canadian government finally introduces one. Under its terms, only 42 per cent of workers are eligible.

1954

March 12: Existing Local 1779 in Calgary grows so large that the UBC forms Local 2103. Local 2103 member George A. McDougall initiates the Holidays with Pay Act.

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Site Lines Changing Demographics Alberta’s labour force by the numbers The economic recession shook up Alberta’s employment situation, with employers once again holding the upper hand and many interprovincial migrants leaving the province to head home to the Maritimes, B.C. and Saskatchewan. Here, a breakdown of how the dust has settled.

2009

3.7% Alberta’s unemployment rate in 2008, when it was the lowest in Canada

5.8%

Percentage of total construction jobs in Canada lost between October 2008 and October 2009

Alberta’s unemployment rate in October 2009 (seasonally adjusted)

Number of people already living in Canada who moved to Alberta in the second quarter of 2009

2009

4,737

Number of people who left Alberta to move to British Columbia

7. 5%

13.2%

Number of people who moved to Alberta during the same time in 2008

7,137 51%

Unemployment rate in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2008, the highest in the country

Percentage of migrants to Alberta who came from Ontario in the second quarter of 2009

6,089 Number of people who moved to Alberta from another country (approximately the same as 2008 levels)

50

Number of people who left Alberta to move to Newfoundland

Number of people who died in Alberta Number of babies born in Alberta in the second quarter of 2009

Sources: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, Statistics Canada, Alberta Employment and Immigration

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS

1961

UBCJA locals 2508 (millworkers from Drumheller) and 2560 (floorlayers) join the Calgary and District Council.

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1969

Though 80 per cent of all construction in the U.S. was still handled by union workers, nonunion work was growing, and a corporate/ political roundtable was formed to limit construction bills. It weakened legislation that protected construction workers’ wages.

1984

A decline in membership leads Calgary locals 1779 and 2103 to merge.

1995

UBC general president Douglas J. McCarron (still president today) announces that the organization must change with the times and initiates a massive reorganization.

Scaffolders Course Returns to Fort Mac The Fort McMurray Training Centre reopens to great demand

Preferred Group Rates Exclusively for ARCCAW Members Visit us online for a no-obligation home and auto insurance quote at:

www.marsh.ca/arccaw Call Marsh’s Private Client Services at:

1 877 476 6727

or watch your mail for more information to follow.

000.Marsh_1-6H_nBL.indd 1

After a year-long hiatus, the scaffolding apprenticeship program is once again being offered in Fort McMurray – and not a moment too soon. The recession hit even booming Fort Mac. “A lot of projects were shelved when the recession hit, and with all the people out of work, the demand for training has shot right up,” says Len Bryden, the provincial training co-ordinator at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre. The three-week Level 1 scaffolding program begins Jan. 18, with another Level 1 starting Feb. 15. Bryden says more dates will be added, so if the 12-member class is full, stay tuned. Schedules for scaffolding Levels 2 and 3, and the potential for other offerings, perhaps safety-related training programs, may also be offered at the Fort McMurray Training Centre in the future.

12/15/09 2:49:11 PM

The Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW) represents more than 11,000 members working across several construction industries, including carpenters, millwrights, scaffolders, interior system mechanics, roofers and floor layers.

Answer to “Guess the Tool”

(from page 7) A blacksmith used this tool, which is called a traveller, to measure the circumference of a wagon wheel in order to forge the metal surround of the wheels.

Today

The UBC represents approximately 520,000 workers, with 50,000 in Canada and 10,000 in Alberta.

For further details or to discuss your advertising needs, contact:

If you have products or services that demand the attention of the construction industry and want to reach this key target audience, Hard Hat provides a unique forum to access more than 11,000 of the sector’s key decision makers.

Tara Kochan, Account Executive 10259-105 Street Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3 Tel: (780) 990-0819 ext. 241 Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 ext. 241 Email: tkochan@venturepublishing.ca HARDHAT WINTER 2010 9

KidZone

Christmas Parties

Santa was kept busy chatting and giving out gifts to nearly 60 children at the Millwrights Children’s Christmas party.

Peggy, the face painting artist, created customized paintings of exceptional quality and Magic Mike enthralled everyone with his hour-long magic show. Special thanks to Jeannelle Lavelle, Dave Knight, Stephen Joy and Neal Hugh for making the party a huge success.

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“Crazy Oopsy Daisy” handed out goodies while “Bugly Bright” intrigued children with some of her slithery and creepy-crawly friends at the Local 1325 Christmas party in Edmonton. Children also enjoyed balloon-making, face-painting and gifts from Santa. Thanks to organizers Diana Stubbard and Bob Provencher and volunteers Len Lopatynski, Moe Rahime, Christine Beauchesne, Maureen Provencher, Derrick Schulte and Rob Carlson. Over 500 people attended the party at the Italian Cultural Centre.

Children at the Local 2010/2103 Christmas party, held at the Carpenters’ Union Hall in Calgary, enjoyed face painting, Christmas ornament decorating and of course a visit from Santa and his elves, who distributed gifts and goodies. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the party a highlight of the holiday season.

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Project PROFILE

TOP OF HIS GAME: Terry Brown puts the ďŹ nishing touches on the roof framework of a Triple M home, built to exacting standards in order to survive the rigours of transport

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A Solid Foundation This Lethbridge modular home builder constructs high-quality products and high-quality employeemanagement relationships

By TRICIA RADISON Photography by Rob Olson

H

as a new house popped up unexpectedly in your neighbourhood? Chances are Triple M Housing and its approximately 200 employees who are union members built it.

Based in Lethbridge, the company churns out around 800 modular homes each year using an assembly-line approach.

Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers – everyone you’d expect to find at a residential job site – do what needs to be done and send the house down the line for the next step. Each house takes two weeks to build and is then trucked to its final destination. Triple M homes can be found from Winnipeg to Vancouver Island and in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, as well as in some U.S. states.

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Project PROFILE Tenaciousness and teamwork have kept Triple M Housing thriving through the normal ups and downs of the housing market as well as through some unexpected challenges. In 2007, a mighty wind tore through Lethbridge, taking a section of the production facility’s roof. Employees agreed to add another shift for a couple of months to keep production up while the roof was repaired.

Then, on a Tuesday night in fall 2007, the same building caught fire, burning to the ground. It could have been the end of the company, but again, employees and management rallied.

“By Wednesday morning, we were having a breakfast meeting and assigning duties and figuring out how long it was going to take to get one of our other buildings up to speed to get back into production,” says Ron Angyal, vice-president of operations at Triple M. It took two months to rig up a full production line in another building but the team was back at work in a third building four days after the fire. Staff spent a year working in what Angyal describes as extremely

cramped quarters. “I give a lot of credit to the employees for hanging in there,” he says.

Today Triple M operates out of a new state-of-the-art production facility. The $25-million building provides 120,000 square feet of working space on the main floor with an extra 24,000 square feet of production space on an indoor mezzanine.

The building was constructed to allow for the most efficient production layout possible, something that couldn’t be done when trying to lie out the line in an existing building.

TOP: Elzbieta Gzyl checks for minor flaws while priming the interior of a newly built home BOTTOM LEFT: A crew diligently works on a pair of manufactured homes on the production line at Triple M Housing BELOW: Paul Arseneault screws in drywall under a pre-assembled roof

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In addition to the improved layout, new equipment, like special hoists, has made the company more efficient, and UBCJA Local 2103 Business Agent Bruce Payne says that, in general, Triple M’s employees enjoy working in the new facility.

“It’s safe and clean and the company is actively taking steps to keep morale up within the shop,” he says.

In an industry subject to high turnover, Triple M has many long-term employees; about one-third have been with the company longer than 10 years with several staying on for over 25 years. The working conditions and the high value put on both safety and quality are often attractive for employees who share those values. Continuous inspections ensure the finest product possible while monthly safety meetings, a safety committee, and immediate attention to safety concerns keep incident rates declining.

The relationship between the union and management, which Payne describes as wonderful and healthy, may help as well.

ABOVE: Les Mulatz trims a countertop while Donovan Huff, right, and Linda Fraser work in the background BELOW: Perry Cleaver works in wall fabrication while guiding a remote hoist

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There’s plenty you can do to keep more cash in your pocket in the year ahead

the TAXman

By CAITLIN CRAWSHAW Illustration by HEFF O’REILLY

I

t’s easy to have a love-hate relationship with money: it feels good to see your bank account topped up every month, but cash diminishes faster than we’d like it to.

In fact, many Canadians get to the end of the money before the end of the month. According to a study by the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, Canadian household debt swelled to $1.3 trillion in 2008. About one-third of the respondents polled said they weren’t saving for the future and those in the red said their debt increased to 42 per cent from 35 per cent between 2007 and 2008.

Fortunately, there are plenty of little things that you can do to avoid becoming a statistic in 2010.

Get Disciplined Being at the job site 15 minutes early every day has helped you get ahead. It’s not sexy, but discipline goes a long way in the financial realm, too.

Spending within your means starts with budgeting. Financial whiz Gail Vaz-Oxlade, host of television’s Til Debt Do Us Part, says you should allocate 35 per cent of your income to housing, 15 per cent to transportation, 25 per cent to life (food, clothing, fitness classes, etc.), 15 per cent to debt and 10 per cent to savings.

If you’re self-employed, budgeting is trickier since income fluctuates. To keep from falling short, budget around last year’s averages, says Edmonton financial adviser Tim Carruthers. Remember that a fantastic month doesn’t necessarily signal a trend.

Have a Cushion There are no guarantees in life: jobs can be lost, spouses get sick and roofs cave in. “An emergency fund is something that everyone should have on hand, regardless of how they earn their income,” says Carruthers. Selfemployed people take note: tax savings don’t count – dipping into them in times of need will only postpone the problem.

Make Tax Preparation a Priority They say the only predictable things in life are death and taxes. Fortunately, the latter is in your control. “Taxes have the biggest impact on anything in your life financially,” says Carruthers.

HARDHAT WINTER 2010 19

Marsh’s Private Client Services offers discounted group insurance rates

M The employed have it easy – taxes are taken off automatically. The self-employed need to save for what they’ll owe later. To estimate this, use last year’s earnings to predict this year’s tax bracket, say experts.

Most people need to put aside 30 per cent, but more is better, says Rita Sharma, an Edmonton certified management accountant.

Add what you don’t use to an RRSP or other savings.

Don’t forget that if you’re self-employed and make $30,000 or more, you’ll need to put away another five per cent of your earnings for GST. Regardless of whether you’re employed or self-employed, keep your receipts from workrelated purchases. Tradespeople can write off a portion of the tools and other items they buy for work.

You, Inc.?

The corporate tax rate (14 per cent in Alberta) and income splitting (paying your spouse or kids dividends) means incorporating is beneficial to some self-employed folks, says Calgary certified management accountant Pete Elliott.

Incorporating also protects personal assets from lawsuits. But since the costs can outweigh the benefits, get an expert’s opinion.

Get a Good Accountant Not everyone with a hammer can hit the nail on the head. The same is true in accounting: a brass sign is no guarantee of expertise.

Find a licensed certified management accountant, chartered accountant or certified general accountant – these bodies hold their members to professional standards. Look for someone who’s aware of tax trends, like Bill C56 (which would allow self-employed people to pay into Employment Insurance), and who listens, says Sharma. “Make sure the accountant you hire has time for you.”

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embers of the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW), their spouses, dependent children, as well as retirees now have access to discounted group rates for insurance from Marsh’s Private Client Services (PCS). PCS specializes in the design, placement, and servicing of personal insurance.

Personalized and knowledgeable service has made PCS one of Canada’s leading insurance brokerage businesses for more than 50 years. PCS is a practice of Marsh Canada Limited and operates in offices across the country, offering the strength and stability of a national company with a commitment to personalized service at the local level.

PCS representatives are insurance brokers and, as such, work for their clients, not the insurance company. By clearly explaining coverage options and limitations, they help clients define their insurance needs and obtain broad coverage at a competitive price.

Marsh’s Private Client Services provides access to discounted group rates for your auto and residential insurance, and the potential eligibility for additional discounts.

MEMBERS ONLY: ARCCAW members can get an instant online, no-obligation insurance quote at www.marsh.ca/arccaw

One of the key advantages to dealing with PCS is that in the event of a claim, your dedicated client manager is available to make sure you understand the implications and procedures involved in the claim. You can take comfort in knowing that there’s an expert on your side.

PCS also offers an emergency claims service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, plus convenient payment options, including a monthly, pre-authorized payment plan with no service charges – a three per cent savings. As a bonus, you can earn Air Miles with your paid insurance premiums.

Clients also have easy program access by calling toll-free at 1 877 476 6727 to obtain a quote, request policy changes or report a claim.

Members of ARCCAW can get an instant online, no-obligation insurance quote at www. marsh.ca/arccaw. If you do not meet the underwriting criteria of the group program, PCS can also provide a quotation from an alternate insurance company.

Additional information on ARCCAW’s Group Automobile and Residential Insurance Program will be coming directly to members in the coming weeks.

Trade Rules and Bylaws

REPORT

Trade Rule Updates on Track Bill Alton, Chair of the Trade Rules and Bylaws Committee

T

he Carpenters at Local 1325 and 2103 have completed their work towards updating the Trade Rules. These are the common rules which govern the two locals.

Bylaws which govern each local were also considered individually at this time.

These rules are the guidelines that allow a smooth and fair dispatch process as well as providing guidance for other local issues concerning the membership of the halls. They are in addition to the International Constitution

which governs the operation of all locals in the UBC. The rules are for the union and by the union. They do not include or involve the contractors we work for.

The process has taken about 10 months with the first committee meetings starting in Edmonton in mid-February 2009. It is not complete yet. Two hurdles must still be cleared. The Regional Council delegates will have to give assent to the changes and, following that, the International Executive must approve of each proposed change.

We can expect the remaining steps to take until June since the next Regional Council meeting is in March, and International Executive approval must follow that, but at this point the Trade

The Trade Rules and Bylaws Committee at a special called meeting; From left to right: Doug Hogan, Derrick Schulte, Greg Budd, Bill Alton and Doug Germaine HARDHAT WINTER 2010

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Trade Rules and Bylaws REPORT

Rules have passed the voting process with both locals. Our lawyer has vetted the proposals and with the work of the locals complete, one could say the heavy lifting is behind us.

Special called meetings allowed an opportunity for the members to express their approval or disapproval. There were 20 changes proposed to the Trade Rules and all have majority approval.

As for the bylaws, Calgary’s bylaws passed entirely, Edmonton’s bylaws passed with one exception. That exception was a proposal to move all meetings to Wednesday evening, eliminating Saturday meetings four times a year. The membership has not supported that proposal.

Local 1325 members attend a special called meeting, where any concerns about the trade rules and bylaws are addressed before going to a vote

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The best news for the Brotherhood is that attendance and participation at the meetings was very good in all centres: Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary and Lethbridge. Debate was lively and informed and for the first time members voted on the individual proposed changes rather than the entire document. This allowed anyone with concerns about any single issue to vote against that article and not have to condemn the entire document. In the opinion of the Edmonton and Calgary committees, that allowed for a more accurate reflection to the will of the membership. The value of this was proven by the defeat of a single proposal to the Edmonton bylaws.

As committee chair in Edmonton, and on behalf of Calgary committee chair Paul Zarbatany, I want to thank the committee members of both1325 and 2103 for their diligence and their service to the collective good of our halls. I want to thank members throughout the province for exercising their right to vote and participating in the process which keeps our rules and our union current and vital.

Part one of a two-part series profiling ARCCAW industrial shops across Alberta

Masters

By Lisa Ricciotti

of Their Craft

More than 10,000 brothers and sisters in four locals make up the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers – and it’s time to shine the spotlight on the “and Allied Workers” part of our ARCCAW acronym. In addition to traditional carpentry work done on construction sites, ARCCAW members are employed at industrial and manufacturing plants that aren’t automatically top of mind when the public hears the “Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters” part of our name. Some ARCCAW workers are building modular structures, creating display cases for high-end retailers like Prada and Louis Vuitton, pre-building entire houses in factory settings, and creating precast concrete for bridges, parkades and big-box stores as well as concrete pipe up to 10 feet high. And a few are even busy blowing things up for a living, dynamiting Gap Mountain to produce lime. In this first of a two-part series, we feature five plants where ARCCAW tradespeople including painters, scaffolders, mechanics, electricians, roofers, drywallers, machine operators, metal workers, productions workers, labourers – and yes, carpenters too – do quality work in a union environment.

Lafarge Construction Materials Alberta Precast

When: 1947 What: Precast concrete Where: Edmonton Who: 100 to 125 employees, including concrete finishers, rebar workers, iron workers, welders and carpenters

As the largest supplier of cement products in North America, Lafarge produces precast concrete at an Edmonton plant for its northern Alberta markets. “If you’ve been in a big-box store, you’ve seen our work,” says Peter Yurkiw, general manager of the precast division. In addition to creating precast walls, cladding and other elements for buildings ranging from highrises to recreational facilities to warehouses, precast concrete is used as bridge girders and decks, for numerous oilfield structures, parkades and road infrastructure.

Yurkiw notes that because precast concrete is prefabricated in a controlled production envi-

ronment in the Lafarge plant, then delivered to the client, the result is a better quality product, with reduced site time for construction managers. As well, much precast concrete is also pre-stressed and pre-tensioned. “And you can’t do that on site,” says Yurkiw. Lafarge Precast, which recently doubled its plant size with a 70,000-square-foot addition, is currently busy building a parkade in Red Deer and the Anthony Henday/Stoney Plain Road intersection. “And next time you drive into Edmonton from the south, look at the retaining walls with the little prairie rose embedded designs,” says Yurkiw.

“That’s our work too.”

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Graymont Western Canada Inc. When: 1989 (site originally established in 1885) What: Lime production Where: Exshaw Who: 60 employees including welders, electricians, millwrights, blasters, machine operators, labourers and baggers Working at Graymont’s Exshaw plant is a blast – literally. The process of creating lime begins with blowing rock out of Gap Mountain about 45 minutes from Calgary. First, drillers identify areas rich in naturally occurring limestone, then blasters dynamite the rock into three-foot boulders. That rubble is trucked back to the plant where it’s crushed into half-inch to two-and-a-quarter-inch stone. “And then we cook it,” says plant manager Sébastien Villeneuve.

“Cooking” means baking the limestone in coal-fired kilns at extreme temperatures of 1,200 F for about three hours. “Heat causes a chemical reaction, turning limestone (calcium carbonate) into quicklime (calcium oxide),” explains Villeneuve. “It goes in grey and comes out white.” The newly transformed lime may again be crushed finer, depending on its end use.

Graymont produces different products at Exshaw – high calcium quicklime, hydrated lime, pulverized limestone and screened limestone – tonnes and tonnes of it. “We average about 600 tonnes daily,” says Villeneuve. Some is bagged on site, but 80 per cent is loaded in bulk onto trucks or rail cars, destined for a remarkable variety of uses. It might be eaten by a cow as calcium in its feed.

Or, it might end up on your roof as shingles. The oil industry takes advantage of lime’s pollution control properties to remove acidic gases, particularly sulphur dioxide. Lime is also widely used in water treatment, to correct the pH of acidic water, remove impurities such as silica and arsenic, soften hard water and treat sewage.

The pulp and paper industry uses lime to make paper brighter and as filler. The steel industry is a major consumer, using lime to convert iron into pig iron and remove impurities during processing (pig iron is one of the main raw materials used to make steel). Lime also helps the gold and copper industries recover those precious metals during processing. As well, lime adds years to the life of our highways in hot-mix asphalt, and is a truly versatile building construction material, used in masonry, mortar, stucco and plasters.

The list goes on for one of the oldest materials used by mankind.

Fortunately, there’s lots of mountain left.

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PTI Travco Modular Structures When: 1977, originally in Grande Prairie What: Modular buildings Where: Nisku Who: Approximately 200 employees including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, welders, sheet-metal workers, painters and general labourers Ken MacLean, director of marketing and communications, hasn’t worked at any of the remote jobs where accommodations are supplied by PTI Travco Modular Structures, but he knows what’s most important to anyone who does. “It’s all about quality of life,” MacLean emphasizes. “The site is a worker’s home, often for three weeks at a time. Our goal is offering the comforts of home, even when far from it.”

Although PTI designs and manufactures weather stations, office complexes, mobile laboratories and residential housing from its 40,000-square-foot facility in Nisku, its specialty is workforce accommodations. Some are temporary, like those leased to drilling rigs; others are large, permanent modular structures for the energy industry such as CNRL Horizon’s camp 85 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. It’s one of the largest projects PTI has undertaken, delivered in three phases and housing 5,000 workers.

“These are truly mini-villages,” says MacLean. “We provide everything needed in a small town.” That includes not just threestorey modular dormitories, but large dining rooms and kitchens; TV, exercise and games rooms; and even atriums. PTI has also created upscale lodge-type units for oilpatch workers, featuring private and executive suite rooms, including Conklin Lodge, Beaver River Executive Lodge and the Athabasca Lodge. Next up for PTI is a $460-million contract to add 3,100 rooms to its existing 2,900-room Wapasu Creek Lodge for Imperial Oil’s Kearl oilsands operation.

That means the Nisku plant will be busy. “Units are 90 per cent finished by the time they’re trucked up to the sites,” MacLean explains. “From framing to electrical to finishing, it’s all built in the shop. We use an assembly line process, all done indoors, for excellent quality control.” Once trucked up to the camp, modular units are set on foundations, lifted into place by cranes.

“Attracting staff to distant locations isn’t easy,” MacLean notes.

“But recruiters tell us PTI camps are an incentive.” Compliments go to the executive chefs some camps employ. But a larger part goes to the Nisku trades workers, who put those attractive camps together.

Sunac Woodwork and Sunac Metal Work When: 1990 What: Architectural millwork, woodwork and metalwork Where: Edmonton Who: 50 employees including carpenters, cabinet-makers, machinists and metal workers Next time you indulge in some high-end browsing, look beyond the Prada handbag, Louis Vuitton luggage, Fendi fashions and bottles of Escada cologne to consider the equally luxurious settings that show them off. There’s a good chance that handsome display case was made in Edmonton, by the skilled craftspeople at Sunac Woodwork or Sunac Metal Work.

The companion shops’ speciality is what vice-president Ralph Hahn describes as “high-end architectural millwork, woodwork and metalwork for the retail, residential and commercial markets,” and you’ll find those high-end brands – Louis Vuitton, Prada, Fendi and Escada – on their client list. Other recent projects include design and installations for the University of Augustana library, the Red Deer Civic Buildings, Grant MacEwan University and Intact Insurance. Hahn is also proud of some of the latest work his staff did to create a very handsome mahogany wall unit with glass doors, custom-designed for an upscale home.

“We work very closely with clients, whether they’re homeowners, architects or designers, to interpret their concepts,” says Hahn.

“Our challenge is transferring their ideas into buildable wood and metal products, with a high attention to detail.” A glance at the gallery section of Canus Construction’s website (Sunac is a subdivision), www.canusconstruction.com, says more than a thousand words could about how well Hahn’s team succeeds in fulfilling that objective. To get those eye-catching results, Hahn relies on a highly trained work crew to deliver products second to none. “We work with both apprentices and journeypeople, but all receive extra training in our shops to ensure the level of quality we’re known for,” Hahn explains. “We’re only as good as our people.”

Hahn candidly admits the current economic downturn has caused a slowdown in his business, but he’s optimistic nonetheless.

“Previously we exported 80 per cent of our product to the U.S., but that market isn’t strong right now. So we’re turning our attention more to local markets, especially Edmonton.” Here’s hoping more of Sunac’s gorgeous displays beautify your favourite shopping centre soon.

ATCO Structures & Logistics Ltd. When: 1947 What: Modular structures Where: Alberta manufacturing locations in Calgary and Spruce Grove Who: 200-plus employees including carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, sheet-metal workers and production workers Did Calgary entrepreneurs Samuel D. Southern and his son Ron D. have any notion what was ahead when they pooled their life savings of $4,000 to purchase 15 utility trailers as rental units back in 1947? The family operation expanded beyond their wildest dreams into ATCO Ltd., an Alberta-based corporation with more than 7,700 employees and $9.9 billion in assets. Under ATCO Ltd., ATCO Structures & Logistics is the brand synonymous with modular structures worldwide. ASL serves clients in more than 100 countries with manufacturing plants in the United States, South America, the Middle East, Australia and, of course, Alberta. Along the way, ASL pioneered innovations now standard in the industry, and continues to set new standards for quality and choice in temporary and permanent infrastructure solutions.

Made-in-Alberta ASL modular structures are found across Western Canada, from temporary office buildings at construction sites, to workforce housing for drill camps, to spacious school classrooms. As well, ASL specializes in large state-of-the-art workforce accommodation complexes for the oilsands industry. Notable sites include Suncor Energy’s 1,100-room workforce complex and Shell’s Albian Village, with a 115,000-square-foot core building containing a gymnasium, running track, fitness centre, lounge and meeting rooms, as well as permanent dormitories for 600 workers and dining and kitchen facilities. In 2008, ASL opened the award-winning Creeburn Lake Lodge 56 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, a joint partnership with the Fort McKay First Nation. Following the success of this 500-bed hotel-like facility, ASL completed Barge Landing Lodge, another Fort McKay First Nation joint venture, which also offers premium accommodations for energy sector workers.

In November 2009, the company launched its latest innovation, a line of permanent modular buildings called ATCO Urban Space that can be designed and engineered to meet green LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.

These suit a wide range of uses, from schools and medical clinics to condominiums and community centres. A current stunning example is the pitched-roof Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel permanent staff housing. Samuel Southern would be very proud of how his company looks six decades later.

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Trust Funds Board Chair’s

REPORT

Looking Forward

O

n behalf of the Boards of Trustees of the ACAW Trust Funds, I am pleased to present this annual message to our membership.

ACAW Pension Plan Let me begin by saying 2009 was a year of challenges for Canadian pension plans including ours. The year 2008 saw world stock indexes off by as much as 45 per cent, interest rates at historic lows, and most G-20 economies in recession. The resulting market losses and low earnings environment severely impacted the valuations of most pension plans.

Many plans were forced to reduce benefits to meet their obligations going forward.

Early in 2009, the effects of the intervening actions of the G-20 governments started to take hold. At this writing, world markets have recovered a large portion of 2008 losses, credit markets have stabilized, and many important economies have moved out of recession.

The ACAW Pension Plan’s investment policies and strategies are reviewed and fine-tuned annually, to recognize present and near term market conditions. However, the board continues to maintain a disciplined focus on long-term time horizons, utilizing conservative and diversified investment strategies.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for and committed to ensuring that the pension plan is able to fulfil its promises, which include both preserving the long-term security of the funds and maximizing investment returns within acceptable risk tolerance levels. Historically, the ACAW Board of Trustees has taken a conservative approach to investment policies, procedures and the management thereof and will continue to do so. Despite the negative market events of the last 18 months, the board is cautiously optimistic going forward. We are not contemplating any benefit reduction at this time.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Alan Konkin as an employer trustee to both the Pension Board and the Health and Wellness Board. Alan is the vice-presidentof human resources for PTI Group Inc. As a respected senior manager in the construction industry, Alan is a welcome addition to both boards.

I am also please to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Lombardo as interim general manager of ACAW Trust Funds. Liz (as she likes to be known) joined our staff in June 2009. Liz comes to us from Telus Corp. and brings 27 years’ experience in pension administration.

In keeping with the board’s policy of member communication, member meetings are in the planning stage. Details of time, dates and location will be announced prior to March 31, 2010. New Member Pension 26

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R.J. Provencher Board Chair ACAW Trust Funds

booklets are currently being published and are expected to be mailed in early February 2010. Member Pension Benefit Statements will be mailed in early June 2010.

Health and Wellness Plan The change of name from “Health and Welfare Plan” to “Health and Wellness Plan” came as a result of many requests, from members and staff alike. It was felt the new name was positive, modern and better represented the overall intent of the plan. The Board of Trustees agreed and hence the new name.

As with the ACAW Pension Plan, the ACAW Health and Wellness Plan Board of Trustees is responsible for and committed to ensuring that the plan is able to fulfil its benefit promises. The board is tasked with preserving the long-term security of the plan funds and maximizing investment returns within acceptable risk tolerance levels.

The board is also responsible for the monitoring of fund contributions, researching benefit costs and utilization levels fully, to ensure the financial viability of plan benefits.

Plan changes and improvements will be effective Jan. 1, 2010.

Some improvement highlights are: • ACAW Dental Fee Guide has increased by 10 per cent.

• Annual maximum basic dental increased to $2,500 from $2,200 • Annual maximum major dental increased to $3,000 from $2,500 • Eligible services of chiropractors, physiotherapists, licensed massage therapists, podiatrists, qualified speech therapists and naturopaths increased to $450 per practitioner per year from $320 per practitioner per year Member Health & Wellness Plan booklets are currently being published and are expected to be mailed in early February 2010. We encourage you to read the booklet carefully, so as to become familiar with the benefits available to you.

On behalf of the ACAW Trust Funds Boards of Trustees and staff, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our members and their families a happy and prosperous New Year.

Local 1460 Millwrights

REPORT

2009 Year in Review Bob Hugh, Senior Business Representative – Millwrights

T

his past year featured a number of highlights for Local 1460 Alberta Millwrights.

January/February: Various meetings were held with Shell, Petro-Canada, Suncor and others over low oil prices and the viability for expansions or building new projects.

March 20: Local 1460 hosted a grouting seminar with Chinook Industrial.

Sept. 1-7: Calgary hosted the WorldSkills 2009 competition.

Sept. 28-30: Four local 1460 delegates attended the Building Trades of Alberta Convention in Kananaskis.

Oct. 17: Health and Welfare, Pension and Training Trust meetings were held.

Oct. 30: Dow Chemical and Jacobs Industrial toured the Alberta Millwright Training Centre in Edmonton.

Nov. 18: Local 1460 hosted a Grouting Seminar with Chinook Industrial.

May 25: The first two Trade Winds to Success apprentices were dispatched.

June 4: The fourth annual Retirees’ Social was a success.

July 13-15: Alberta Millwrights hosted a Canada-wide Millwright Conference with every province represented.

Aug. 20-22: The UBC National Apprentice Contest was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Congratulations to member Andrew Hansen who placed third.

Dec. 6: The second annual Millwright Children’s Christmas Party was held (see photos on pages 10, 11).

Training Summary • 19 courses were held at the Millwright Training Centre, with four held off-site, exclusive of such courses such as Confined Space, Fall Arrest, and Aerial Platform, etc.

• 145 members spent 3,848 hours training in house and 1,152 hours training off-site for a total of 5,000 training hours.

• There are now over 50 members eligible for Gas and Steam Turbine Certificate Training in Las Vegas.

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Training and Apprenticeship

REPORT

The Challenge of Apprenticeship Len J. Bryden Director of Training and Apprenticeship Alberta Carpenters Training Centre

A

nyone who has completed an apprenticeship in any trade will tell you the same thing: it wasn’t easy. We deal primarily with two apprenticeship programs within our Carpenter Training Centres in Alberta: carpentry in conjunction with Alberta Industry Training, and our in-house scaffolder apprenticeship program. The number of people who have been trained and are waiting to be trained is impressive, and we are doing what we can, as fast as we can, to accommodate members who are looking for training, particularly in our scaffolder program. In fact, our Fort McMurray centre will be open for scaffolder training in January 2010 to help with the load. Check with us for a schedule of classes available, or at our website at www.abcarptc.ab.ca.

We have formed great relationships and partnerships with our provincial government over the past few years, and currently have written agreements with Alberta Employment and Immigration. One of these agreements allows members who have been laid off and who want to participate in training through our centres to collect EI benefits for any of our carpentry and scaffolding apprenticeship programs. If you are qualified to collect benefits, funding can be obtained once the proper steps are completed.

The courses covered under this EI agreement

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include the 14-day Industrial Technical Training (ITT), Levels 1, 2 and 3 Scaffold, the four-week JM Carpenter Scaffolder Upgrade, and ACTC Pre-Employment Carpentry.

In addition to EI funding, there are also provincial student assistance and loans, as well as the Federal Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, that are available for government-accredited apprenticeship programs like carpentry. These are just some of the ways to help you deal with the challenges of completing an apprenticeship, namely the financial ones. Our government, both provincially and federally, and our union have worked very hard to take the barriers away, or at least make them smaller for our apprentices. (If you are a JM reading this, give it to an apprentice!)

A number of safety training courses may be required for you to get dispatched to a certain job, and many of these are fully reimbursable, except for a $10 registration fee. (Or, depending on where it is offered, you may only be required to pay the $10 fee upfront and be done with it.) These kinds of benefits have been available to members for 10plus years now. All tuition fees for carpentry are covered and reimbursable (as well as books and shop fees as of this year!). Period 1 and 2 Carpentry courses are delivered at our Edmonton centre, and your costs are covered as a member when you walk in. We have travel allowances and accommodation funding for out-of-area apprentices who have to travel to our centre for ITT and all scaffold programs.

When members tell us they are unable to take training because they can’t afford it, we sympathize, but we also ask the members to look a little deeper at the value they can receive from completing an apprenticeship in carpentry and scaffolding. It is a challenge. It might mean “beans and rice, rice and beans” for a while as you must sometimes sacrifice a few things to reach your goals, but these sacrifices will only enhance you as an individual and this great organization as a whole.

I remain confident our members are up to the challenge.

UPCOMING

Training + Events

General Events

Training

2010 Edmonton Regional Skills Canada Competition

Many courses taking place in the next few months have already filled up. Here are a few that still have space.

Go to www.abcarptc.ab.ca for updated course listings.

The Edmonton training centre will host students competing in the Skills Canada carpentry event. Top performers at the regional competition will earn a spot at the 18th Provincial Skills Canada competition in May. Date: April 20, 2010 Location: Alberta Carpenters Training Centre, Edmonton More information: www.skillsalberta.com/programs/RegionalSkills Competitions.aspx

Alberta Carpenters Training Centre Edmonton Pre-employment Carpentry Program: March 1 to April 23, 2010 Period 2 Carpentry: May 10 to July 2, 2010 Calgary Hoisting and Rigging: April 9 to 11, 2010 Hoisting and Rigging: May 14 to May 16, 2010 Fort McMurray The Fort McMurray Training Centre is up and running, with lots of openings for Scaffolding Level 1 and 2 courses still available.

Scaffolding Level 1: March 8 to 26, 2010 April 26 to May 14, 2010 Scaffolding Level 2: March 29 to April 16, 2010 May 17 to June 4, 2010

2009 Regional Skills Canada Competition

Meetings Regional Council Executive meeting: March 5, 2010 Delegate meeting: March 6, 2010 First Wednesday of each month: Local 1325 meeting Third Thursday of each month: Local 2103 meeting Fourth Tuesday of each month: Local 1460 meeting

Alberta Millwright Training Centre Visit www.albertamillwrights.com for more information.

Compressor Intake 1: Feb. 1 to 3, 2010 Compressor Intake 2: Feb. 8 to 10, 2010 NAIT 3-Day Hoisting and Rigging: Feb. 5 to 7, 2010 1-Day Hoisting and Rigging: Feb. 12, 2010 GE Gas Turbine Familiarization: Feb. 15 to 17, 2010 16 Hour Millwright Safety Course: Feb. 18 to 19, 2010

Note: Period 1 and 2 Carpentry: All classes require government-registered apprentices. To register with us at the ACTC you must have your blue book and be in good standing.

Alberta Construction Safety Association ”Making Safety A Way Of Life”

National Construction Safety Officer Program Qualifying Program for Gold Seal Construction Safety Coordinator www.acsa-safety.org Edmonton 1-800-661-2272 • Calgary 1-800-661-0390 Ft. McMurray 780-715-2157

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Parting Shot

Laying the Cornerstone

In September 1908, dignitaries celebrated the laying of the cornerstone at Calgary’s old city hall.

The red granite plaque is embedded on the northwest side of the main entrance to the building and is engraved with the names of the mayor and aldermen as well as the city clerk and architect.

Construction on the building began in 1907 and was completed in 1911 at a cost of $300,000.

The sandstone building, with its 100-foot clock tower, is now a designated historic site. In 1985, it was joined by a new municipal building where the majority of city governance takes place.

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73,000 Albertans serving 3,000,000 more.

With more than 73,000 members AUPE is Alberta’s largest — and strongest — union. We work to get our members what they deserve — fair wages, safety and job security. In turn they give Albertans what they deserve — quality service.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Your Working People. www.aupe.org

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1/14/10 11:23:34 AM

Alberta Carpenters Training Centre We’ve trained North America’s best scaffolders for 15 years.

The Alberta Carpenters Training Centre has delivered its 3-year Scaffolder Apprenticeship and Carpenter JM Upgrade Scaffold Programs, as well as dozens of other safety and skill training programs, to thousands of students in three training centres – Edmonton, Ft. McMurray & Calgary – since 1994.

Our new $23 million centre includes two state-ofthe-art scaffold shops, including one purpose-built to accommodate suspended scaffolding.

ACTC-trained scaffolders work on some of the world’s largest mega-projects. Many of the scaffolds they design and build are unique, highly-complicated, and critical to both human safety and worker productivity.

www.abcarptc.ab.ca

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HARDHAT WINTER 2010 1/13/10 3:43:38 PM 31

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