Hard Hat - Summer 2010

Uniting ARCCAW members across Alberta and the Northwest Territories

Summer 2010

Building Trades Unions raise millions for charity

Upgrader Plan New coalition aims to boost job outlook

Energizing the Province

Government Relations A new era of collaboration with the trades

Constructing the Keephills 3 power plant

KidZone ,B Trust Fuursary nd Appli training cation, updates ,

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

Executive Secretary Treasurer’s

REPORT

Have Unions Outlived Their Usefulness?

Martyn A. Piper

H

ave you ever been among a circle

of friends, work colleagues, family or group, where somebody chirps up and says “Unions have outlived their usefulness”? Well, let me tell you in a few short words why in my opinion that is not true.

A union is a collective group of likeminded people banding together to further their economic prosperity through freedom of association and the ability to bargain collectively. Aligned with that mandate, it is the goal of unions to continually work towards the creation of a fair and just society, ensuring an equitable distribution of the wealth we as workers help to create, striving to be able to live in a world free of oppression where democracy is supreme, and supporting and helping those who are less fortunate or cannot help themselves. Enshrined in these lofty goals is the desire to work towards a world where everyone is entitled to and able to access free public education, health care and shelter.

It is my belief that not much has changed in the last hundred years or so that would suggest we have accomplished our collective mission. In fact, the truth is we will likely never be done our work. Social progression has no end.

Have things improved for working people generally and particularly in the western world? The answer is undoubtedly – yes.

However, what the most recent financial crisis so starkly demonstrated is that working people, particularly low and middle income workers, and people in less affluent countries, pay a huge price

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HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

when the grim reapers of debt, unemployment, illness and economic chaos come knocking at the door. The reality is that most people are living a lifestyle they cannot really afford and living on credit which camouflages a hidden and nasty truth. We have all seen editorials, commentaries and reports which support this alarming fact. This shows that the “gains” in workers’ standards of living are in many instances artificial.

Those who have created this mess, and have profited hugely from the creation of a debt-laden society propping up these artificial living standards, are in many cases long gone or yet to be found. It is hard not to apportion blame, but that is a story for another day.

The United States is a prime example of working people being coerced into living beyond their means, living from paycheque to paycheque, and in many instances the perceived equity in their homes. That the lives of the many have improved over the last hundred years or so is true, but it seems that one slip-up and the precipice is all too close.

The same holds true for countries that borrow money to support their economies, interest payments, and debt loads which do not go away – instead they continually accumulate. And let’s be serious, any gains that have come about in our social, political and economic world have not come about because someone decided one day to be Santa Claus. All gains have come about because of the struggles of workers and others through social agitation, non-governmental organizations

(NGOs), the existence and agitation of trade unions, as well as heroes such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, to name just a few.

Without getting on the environmental bandwagon, we should ask ourselves whether the environmentalist cause would be as strong as it is today if certain groups in our society had not woken up to global warming, the indestructibility of plastic, recycling and protection of the rain forests.

Maybe if somebody had listened to the opposition to offshore drilling way back when, the Gulf Coast may have been afforded some protection from the catastrophe it now faces. These are all matters over which unions advocate, agitate and struggle to improve and make a difference.

So, when you hear someone say that unions have outlasted their usefulness in our society, don’t believe it. There is nothing wrong with being objective.

There is nothing wrong with peaceful protest. There is nothing wrong with going against the grain. And, there is nothing wrong with being a part of an organization that will always be at the forefront of the desire to create a better world for our members and the people of the world.

Our mission will always be to safeguard our gains and to work constructively to ensure legislative fairness, justice and good sound local, national and international public policy.

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

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

Summer 10

FEATURES

10 Constructive Giving

Payday raffles on the job site generate big bucks for charitable causes across the province

By Lisa Ricciotti

19 Project Profile

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

Ruth Kelly

Associate Publisher

Joyce Byrne

ARCCAW editor

10

22 Economic Outlook

Publisher

Keephills 3 State-of-the-art scaffolding at the province’s most advanced coal-fired power plant

By Jim Veenbaas

A new coalition hopes to boost the economy by locking in contracts to build upgraders

By Tricia Radison

25 Trades Talk

Martyn A. Piper Editor

Kim Tannas Art Director

Charles Burke

assistant art director

Rodrigo López Orozco

Production COORDINATOR

Betty-Lou Smith

contributing writers

Lindsey Norris, Tricia Radison, Lisa Ricciotti, Jim Veenbaas contributing PhotographerS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Buffy Goodman, Heff O’Reilly, George Wilson Vice-President, Sales

Anita McGillis

Advertising Representative

Tara Kochan

Sales Assistant

Stefanie Jackson

Q&A with Minister of Advanced Education and Technology Doug Horner

By Tricia Radison

DEPARTMENTS

19

4 Note From the Executive

Secretary Treasurer

By Martyn Piper

6 Site Lines

News and views from around the region

22

26 Local 1460 Millwrights Report

By Bob Hugh

27 Training and Apprenticeship Report

By Len J. Bryden 28 KidZone

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

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

Make something amazing this summer; Connect the dots; Send in your photos

30 Parting Shot 31 In Memoriam 31 Training & Events

ON THE COVER Martyn Piper, Irene Fraleigh and Ron Harry Photographed by Buffy Goodman

10 HARDHAT SUMMER 2010 5

Site Lines

News in Brief

A roundup of news and events from around the region

Trade Olympics The Alberta Carpenters Training Centre hosts tomorrow’s up-and-comers On April 20, 65 local high school students competed in various trades at the Edmonton Regional Skills Canada competition. NAIT hosted the auto service, culinary arts and welding competitions while the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre hosted the carpentry event.

The training centre provided the materials, tools and judges for the competition. The assignment? To build a park bench out of two-by-fours.

“We were looking for measurements that matched the drawings, correct cuts and joins, and overall esthetic impressions,” says Len Bryden, director of training and apprenticeship at the training centre.

Four winners of 16 participants then went on to compete in the provincial skills competition at the Edmonton Expo Centre on May 12 and 13. The event featured more than 700 high school and post-secondary students in 42 trade and technology competitions.

New for this year was the provincial government’s announcement of up to $10,000 in scholarship money for event winners. Students receive $500 toward their post-secondary education for each gold medal they win at provincial and national skills competitions, and an additional $9,000 for those who go on to represent Canada at the biannual WorldSkills Competition.

WINNING WAYS: The Alberta Carpenters Training Centre hosted the regional Skills Canada competition in April, and the Expo Centre hosted the provincial competition in May. A highlight at the provincial competition was the opportunity for the training centre to host Try-a-Trade, in which students could try their hand at some basic carpentry tasks

Step Right Up… The provincial skills competition at the Edmonton Expo Centre is always a whirlwind of talented trades in action. This year, young people got a chance to try their hand at basic carpentry under the supervision of training centre instructors and students at an interactive Try-a-Trade display.

Len Bryden says it was the first year the training 6

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SUMMER 2010

Class in Session The new training centre calendar was released April 15, and while classes filled up quickly, don’t despair if it looks like there is no availability. “The demand is still high, but there are always some cancellations,” says director of training and apprenticeship Len Bryden. “We do have classes that are full on the books, but it is still worth checking into.” Also, Bryden notes that the training centres have responded to popular demand by creating more hoisting and rigging classes.

In other training news, the Fort McMurray Training Centre continues to run in high gear. All levels of scaffold training are still being offered in the reopened centre, with classes scheduled through to June 2011. In addition, Oil Sands Safety Association (OSSA) accreditation classes are held on an as-needed basis, usually every second Saturday.

The OSSA accreditation, which was created by employers in Fort McMurray so they could be assured that people were receiving training at a consistent level, is now required on many job sites in northern Alberta.

Site to See The Alberta Carpenters Training Centre website is being revamped, with a new, user-friendly look.

Check it out at www.abcarptc.ab.ca. www.abcarptc.ab.ca

centre has been asked to host it, and they jumped at the opportunity to get young people excited about working with wood and using their hands.

“The students were able to take a piece of wood and use a number of stations with different power tools to carve an object. They were supervised very closely,” he adds.

Thanks to instructor Wilf Pipke and all the instructors and students from the Period-2 Carpentry class who staffed the event.

Guess the Tool Can you guess the name of this antique tool?

Answer on page 9 HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

7

Site Lines Sisters in the Brotherhood What happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas Historically, being involved in a union has meant being involved in political action, whether that meant joining marches for better wages or protests to improve safety measures.

The tradition continues today, even if the action is more likely to occur in a boardroom than on a street corner. One way women can learn how to make their voice heard is at the Sisters in the Brotherhood conferences. The third such conference, held June 17-20 at the UBC International Training Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada, brought women from across North America together.

While women have often been members and employees in industrial shops and factory settings, Martyn Piper, executive secretary treasurer of ARCCAW, says it has only been the last five to 10 years where the number of women has begun to increase in other occupations, such as construction.

The conference is one way to continue that progression. “I think the trade union movement has always been progressive, in terms of women’s rights and respect, so you would hope we are continuing the tradition of advancing the cause of women,” Piper says.

Ten members from ARCCAW attended the conference, titled Breaking New Ground, and participated in workshops about how to be an active member, create jobs through community activism, and increase women’s voices in local and national politics – a sector where women remain under-represented.

Want to Get Involved?

Participants who attend the Sisters in the Brotherhood conferences are sponsored by their council or local, so there’s no expense to the individual. When selecting individuals to attend, the locals look for people who are actively engaged in the union and can represent the organization well.

Martyn Piper explains, “The women who go are very knowledgeable about our organization, how it works, how it functions and how it adds value to the discussion.”

Melissa Belliveau 8

HARDHAT

SUMMER 2010

What’s in a Cabinet?

ARCCAW members put their trades together to build cabinets worthy of the contents When a carpenter needs to exhibit something special, a storebought display case simply won’t do. Like the dwelling of a home builder or the junction box of an electrician, the craftsmanship of the objects around them becomes a demonstration of their skills.

So when the new Provincial Training Centre and Administration Building in Edmonton needed two cabinets – one to hold charters for Locals 1325, 1460 and the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers, and the other to display antique millwright tools – a trip to Ikea was not an option.

“When we took over this building, we needed a cabinet that was appropriate to display the three charters,” says Bob Provencher, project manager with the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters Corporation, who designed the cabinet. As well as being on display, the charters are included in a ceremony performed when a union member passes away. The other cabinet was requested by the millwrights. Bob Hugh, senior business representative with Local 1460, has been collecting old millwright tools, some up to 90 years old, for over four decades.

So cabinetmaker Mike Srejic (Local 2010) and carpenter Jake Waldner (Local 1325) fine-tuned the design and constructed two solid-maple cabinets. “Mike and Jake each have more than 40 years’ experience in their respective trades,” says Provencher. “If these two cabinets were sold in a store, they would have a value in the neighbourhood of $10,000. It demonstrates that within our trade family we have people with the ability to make fine cabinetry and fine furniture.”

Geared Up Tools to help you work better Featured: Hytorc 1MXT, the hydraulic wrench that won’t get you all wound up

SKILLS ON DISPLAY: Cabinetmaker Mike Srejic and carpenter Jake Waldner built two solid maple cabinets for the Provincial Training Centre and Administration Building in Edmonton. The display case holds three charters, while the cabinet, above, was built for the establishment of a modest museum and archives for the millwrights, reflecting the history of the millwrighting trade and its continuous focus on the highest achievable levels of precision

Answer to “Guess the Tool” ((from from page 7) 7) It’s a toothing plane, used for prepping a surface prior to applying a veneer.

Sometimes you want to build equity. Like in real estate, finance and employment practices. But “sweat equity” – which is how Bob Hugh of Millwrights Local 1460 described what was required to deal with bolts before the 3/4” square drive Hytorc arrived in Edmonton last September – is not one of them.

The Hy-1MXT has replaced the need for the various wrenches, hammer wrenches and sledgehammers usually required when assembling or dismantling equipment. “You can get very high torque that is much easier on manpower rather than sheer brute force – it’s quick, efficient, predictable, has accurate settings and is used in about all industries,” says Hugh.

Tools like these aren’t for amateurs. Anything under hydraulic pressure has the potential to cause injury if a leak occurs, so the training offered in Edmonton is mandatory to use it, and is also a prerequisite to some of the training programs in Las Vegas.

There are seminars held for clients so union members can demonstrate that they can use the equipment safely too. “It’s very important that we are familiar with the new tools that are available and correct usage of those tools,” says Hugh. “It is all designed to bring value-added to our members, contractors and our clients.”

At a price tag hovering around $30,000 for the Hy-1MXT and associated paraphernalia of cart and ratchet links, you might call it a bargain.

Hytorc 1MXT Specs Maximum torque: Minimum torque: Accuracy: Weight: Radius:

1,390 ft. lbs 200 ft. lbs 3%, plus or minus 4.45 lbs 1 – 1/16”

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

9

EVERYBODY WINS: Martyn Piper, executive secretary treasurer of ARCCAW (left) with Irene Fraleigh and Ron Harry of the Building Trades of Alberta Charitable Foundation

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HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

Constructive Giving

By LISA RICCIOTTI | Photography by BUFFY GOODMAN

Payday raffles create a winning scenario for union workers and the charitable causes they support across the province

M

ay 20 was a payday one lucky worker at Shell’s Scotford upgrader project will never forget. Up for grabs was $496,224 – the largest prize ever in the history of cheque pool raffles run on job sites throughout the province by the Building Trades of Alberta (BTA). By the end of his shift, a slightly shell-shocked but ecstatic scaffolder took home a week’s pay – and almost half a million dollars extra – having traded his winning ticket for a significant return on his $40 investment.

Cashing in big is every ticket buyer’s dream as they ante up for weekly payday pools. Yet winners aren’t the only ones who benefit from these hot-ticket raffles. So do a long list of Alberta causes, from such wellknown health-care organizations as STARS Air Ambulance and the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Canada (DRIFCan) to educational institutes to numerous grassroots community projects.

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010 11

Fundraising for worthy Alberta causes is the true motivation behind these draws, whose proceeds are split on an 80:20 ratio. The lion’s share earned from ticket sales becomes an attractive cash pot for the winner, which guarantees widespread participation on job sites; the remainder is donated to BTA’s charitable foundation. So although the May 20th draw resulted in an awesome prize for a happy tradesman, it also earned $123,000 for the foundation. “And that makes us very, very happy too,” says Irene Fraleigh, the foundation’s licensed raffle manager.

It’s a classic win-win situation for all involved. As Fraleigh explains: “Participation is 100 per cent voluntary, but the raffles are extremely popular. They’re a lot of fun; workers like them and they want them. At the same time, the Building Trades of Alberta Charitable Foundation has raised more than $5 million for good works in the past five years, and 99 per cent of that total came from cheque pool raffles.”

Building Trades of Alberta, which represents 60,000 members in 15 trade unions including the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW), officially set up its foundation in 2001. Its philanthropic efforts, however, date back to 1991, when interested volunteers began raising money for diabetes research, calling themselves DADs, or Dollars Against Diabetes. After formalizing its fundraising activities into a foundation, BTA was later able to expand its efforts to payday pools, which are subject to Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission regulations.

Not surprisingly, raising money for diabetes research remains a focus of the foundation. To date it’s given more than $100,000 to support juvenile diabetes research, and has also pledged $2.25 million to DRIFCan for the University of Alberta’s islet transplant program.

“We’re now just $300,000 away from that goal,” says Fraleigh. Other large gifts include $500,000 to STARS over the last few years, and more than $100,000 to the Northern Lights hospital in Fort McMurray.

The big donation for 2010, however, is the foundation’s $1-million commitment to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital for the construction of its new high-tech rehabilitation centre in Edmonton, scheduled to open in fall 2010.

As well, five of BTA’s affiliated unions have made donations: ARCCAW, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (Local 146), the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (Local Union 488) and the Construction & General Workers (Local 92) are donating $500,000 each, and the Sheet Metal Workers International (Local 8) is donating $20,000. This amounts to a total contribution of $3.02 million from the Alberta trades. This combined support is so significant that the new $4-million world12

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

THe KindesT CuT Sometimes buying a payday pool ticket to support Alberta causes isn’t enough.

Sometimes ARCCAW members see a need and respond directly, organizing their own fundraisers. A prime example is Leah Redmond, a 13-year carpenter and scaffolder, who decided to sacrifice her shoulder-length hair to raise money for cancer research.

Redmond was moved to show her support for cancer patients after Wendy Payne, the wife of fellow Local 1325 member Tony Payne, was diagnosed with cancer and lost her hair following chemotherapy. Joined by local member Terry Hall, Redmond shaved her head bald, along with Tony, his son and teenaged grandson. The team raised $5,000, with Redmond raising $1,000 herself. “Being bald really made me think what those being treated for cancer go through,” Redmond says. “My grandmother died of cancer, so I wanted to help.” Many months later, Redmond’s happy to finally have enough hair to use a brush again, but has no regrets about her buzz cut for the cure.

class rehabilitation centre will be named the Building Trades of Alberta Courage Centre.

“This is the greatest recognition the efforts of our tradespeople have received to date,” says Fraleigh. “With the support of affiliates such as ARCCAW, we’ve created a huge success. Having their substantial contributions means the Courage Centre is truly supported by the unionized construction workers throughout Alberta. It’s a show of their solidarity, strength and pride in our province.”

Why such a significant donation to this project? Each donation request, small or large, is evaluated against criteria set by the BTA Charitable Foundation. “First and foremost,” says Fraleigh, “we always ask, ‘How can this organization or activity positively impact the lives of our members and our members’ communities?’ The Courage Centre has the potential to touch so many people, whether that’s workers injured on the jobs or their children and families. It will make such a big difference to Albertans.”

Ron Harry, BTA’s executive director and president of its charitable foundation, delivered the same message at the Glenrose Hospital’s Courage Campaign gala in April. “Our support of the new Building Trades of Alberta Courage Centre confirms our philosophy to invest in and support programs and facilities that benefit all Albertans,” said Harry. “The scope of the centre is all-inclusive, covering the range from pediatric to geriatric rehabilitation.”

Harry also used the words of two notables to explain why Alberta’s tradespeople – carpenters, scaffolders, boilermakers, plumbers, pipefitters and more – continually rally around causes such as the Courage Centre. The first was an apropos quotation from Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give.”

The second quote was Margaret Mead’s: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Mead wasn’t talking about the many job stewards and other union volunteers who give up their coffee breaks and lunch hours to sell raffle tickets, but the words fit. All those $10 to $40 tickets add up. At some sites like Scotford, Fraleigh notes that union members sell as many as 6,000 tickets weekly. At smaller operations, the total might only be 100. Regardless, their pooled efforts are having an impressive impact.

Some of that revenue will equip the new BTA Courage Centre with the latest technology, like robotics, computer simulation and videoconferencing, to improve the lives of patients and families affected by major illnesses, injuries and chronic conditions. For example, instead of doing repetitive exercises to build strength, children with cerebral palsy will play computerized games, balance on virtual snowboards or treadmill walk in a virtual reality environment that simulates the grounds of Disneyland.

Adults recovering from strokes will regain driving skills safely with computerized technology that simulates conditions from busy downtown traffic to icy winter roads; seniors can stay independent with “brain-fitness” and physi-

LEADING-EDGE THERAPY: Bruce Helmbold, speech-language pathologist at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, with Chelsea, who is benefi ting from some of the latest advances in rehabilitation techology, generously supported through the creation of the Building Trades of Alberta Courage Centre

cal exercises done in their own homes while computerized devices link them to trained Glenrose staff.

Other dollars earned from raffles will be used for more mundane, but equally vital purposes, like the foundation’s purchase of 1,062 pairs of woollen socks for the homeless at the Hope Mission and George Spady Centre last December, as temperatures dipped below -40 C. Or, funds could be earmarked for community projects, such as BTA’s donations to help Mundare relocate its library, or for local youth emergency shelters.

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010 13

Executive director Ron Harry calls the Building Trades of Alberta Courage Centre another important chapter in the foundation’s history and gives credit where it’s due: “I’d like to personally thank all ticket-sellers for their hard work, and every union worker for supporting our charitable efforts to make these donations possible.”

Building Homes, Building Hope Other ARCCAW members are showing their community support with a different kind of donation – the gift of their time. In 2009, ARCCAW members contributed a total of 500 volunteer hours to Habitat for Humanity Edmonton, as they nailed, sawed and erected scaffolding during the construction of affordable duplexes and multi-family homes.

“It’s a natural fit,” says Len Bryden, director of training and apprenticeship at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre. “And it’s something myself and executive secretary treasurer Martyn Piper have wanted to do for a long time. But initially it was hard to get our busy members involved.” That changed after Bryden invited Habitat staff to visit the training centre and explain the program to apprentices. Taking the ice-breaker one step further, Bryden then decided to turn Habitat’s call for scaffolding helpers into a teachable moment. He loaded up a bus of apprentices and put them to work on two-day “field trips” as Habitat volunteers. “Apprentices get practical experience on a real work site; Habitat gets the expertise they need to put up scaffolding,” Bryden notes. “It’s good for the apprentices and good for the community. We’re definitely making a difference.”

The apprentices’ work with Habitat created a buzz with other local

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members that’s paid off. Now when Bryden puts a call for volunteers out via the union website, more members respond to help on their own time. Next Bryden plans to expand the training centre’s on-site involvement to include framing work as well as scaffolding. Also, he’s looking for a couple of keen volunteers from the regular membership who’ll take the lead in organizing volunteer teams to work with Habitat on an ongoing basis. “And if you know any retired members interested in working on Habitat homes, let me know,” Bryden says. “Our retirees make perfect Habitat volunteers.”

To get involved, sign up online at www.hfh.org or contact a volunteer coordinator at 780-479-3566.

Carpenters’ Local 1325 Bursary Trust Fund Application Year 2010

Edmonton Office #133, 15210-123 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5V 0A3 Ph: (780) 733-2160

Fax: (780) 477-7143

Fort McMurray Office Bay 6, 266 MacKay Cres.

Fort McMurray, AB T9H 5C6 Ph: (780) 743-1442

HISTORY Have you received a Bursary Award from Local 1325 Bursary Trust Fund previously? ____________ If yes, please state date: _________________________ DEPENDENT INFORMATION

*Include copy of Birth Certificate

Name: _____________________________________________________ SIN #_______________________________ Address: _________________________________ City: ________________________________________________ Province: ____________________ Postal Code: __________________ Ph: _________________________________ Applicant’s relationship to member: ___________________ Date of Birth ____________________________________

Month Day Year HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION School of Graduation: ____________________________ Address: __________________________________ City: ______________________ Postal Code:_____________ Graduation Date: ______________________ Grade 12 Diploma YES/NO: __________

*Please include transcript

POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION INFORMATION Institution Name: ______________________________ Address: ___________________________­­­­_________ City: _______________________ Province: ____________________ Postal Code: __________________ Institution/Registrar Phone: ____________________ Course of Study applied for: ______________________ Commencement date: ___________________ Date of acceptance: ________________________ Length of Course of Study: _________________ Post-secondary: Years completed to date: ________________ MEMBER’S INFORMATION Name: _______________________________ Address: ___________________________________________ City: ________________ Province: ___________________ Postal Code: ________________________ Phone: ______________________ Member UBC#_____________________________________________ * Additional information may be attached * Terms contained in application are defined in Schedule A * Inquiries to: Diana Stubbard at (780) 733-2160 HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

15

Carpenters’ Local 1325 Bursary Trust Fund Waiver Authorization Year 2010 Edmonton Office #133, 15210-123 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5V 0A3 Ph: (780) 733-2160 Fax: (780) 477-7143

Fort McMurray Office Bay 6, 266 MacKay Crescent Fort McMurray, AB T9H 5C6 Ph: (780) 743-1442

APPLICANT WAIVER AUTHORIZATION

Applicant hereby authorizes LU 1325 Bursary Trust Fund Administration to: • Release social insurance number to Canada Customs and Revenue Agency • Obtain dependent information from ACAW Health & Welfare Plan • Obtain enrollment and/or attendance information from: Educational Institution: ____________________________________________

Address_________________________ Phone: _________________________ Applicant Name (print clearly): ______________________________________

Applicant Signature: ________________________ Date: _________________

Witness Signature: ________________________ Date: _________________ This waiver forms part of your application. All information contained within the application including authorizations and/or releases shall be used only and expressly for the purposes of completing and administering the application process.

Inquiries can be made by contacting Diana Stubbard at (780) 733-2160.

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Carpenters’ Local 1325 Bursary Trust Fund Year 2010 APPLICATION RULES AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Application shall be received at the office of Local 1325 no later than August 31st and must include:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

current name, address and phone number of applicant and member copy of birth certificate of applicant copy of high school transcript name, address and phone number of post-secondary institution and/or registrar verification of the registration acceptance applicant waiver application (must be signed in all cases)

• If supporting documents are not available at the time of application, please call Diana Stubbard at (780) 733-2160 for time extension.

• Timely receipt of application and supporting documents at the offices of Local 1325 is solely the responsibility of the applicant.

75% of “Bursary Fund” income • The formula for award shall be:

(current fiscal year, ending June 30th)

number of applicants • Maximum award $1,000.00 • Maximum of two (2) awards • Applications for bursary award must be for a post-secondary program commencing within a twelve (12) month period following August 31st of application year.

• Each bursary payment requires a separate application (birth certificate & high school transcript are not required on 2nd application).

• Bursary awards (dollar amount) shall be declared by Carpenters’ Local 1325 Treasurer at the September General Meeting.

• Bursary award payment shall be made November 1st in the year of the application or at verification of commencement of course, whichever is later.

• Please refer to Schedule “A”, page 4.

Inquiries can be made by contacting Diana Stubbard at (780) 733-2160.

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

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Carpenters’ Local 1325 Bursary Trust Fund Year 2010

SCHEDULE “A”

DEFINITIONS: APPLICANT: (a) a dependent child, of a member of UBC Local 1325. (b) a person who has not reached their 25th birthday as of August 31 of the year of application.

3 Dependency status is determined by the Bursary Fund Trustees (verification using Alberta Carpenters and Allied Workers Health & Welfare Trust Fund records).

MEMBER shall mean: • A person in good standing of Local 1325 for two (2) consecutive years at August 31 of the application year.

3 Good Standing status shall be verified by UBC Local 1325 Ultra System.

• The mother/father/legal guardian of applicant.

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION: • A post-secondary program requiring a high school diploma at a Post-Secondary Educational Institution recognized by “Alberta Learning.”

• A post-secondary program must be a minimum of two (2) years in duration. (Exceptions may be considered for condensed post-secondary programs (requires a written appeal, by the applicant, to the Bursary Trust Fund Committee).

• Only post-secondary programs requiring full-time attendance will be considered.

• Trade school attendance shall not be considered for the purposes of a bursary award.

3 Additional information relevant to your application may be attached.

3 Inquiries to Diana Stubbard at (780) 733-2160.

Robert Provencher Bursary Chair 18

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

Up

Powering

By JIM VEENBAAS Photography by GEORGE WILSON

Members build state-of-the-art scaffolding and new skills as the province’s most advanced coal-fired power plant takes shape HARDHAT

SUMMER 2010

19

W

hen Jayson Labossiere arrived for work at

deserved to be there.”

Although the bulk of work at Keephills 3 has taken place over the last two years, with more than 1,000 people working on the project at any given time, the preparation work started in 2007. The power plant is slated to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2011. It will produce the same amount of power as the four aging units in Wabamum, scheduled to be shut down later this year by TransAlta, but will emit 60 to 80 per cent less sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury, and 24 per cent less carbon dioxide.

At the heart of the project is a super-critical boiler that produces steam to power the plant’s massive turbines and will ultimately create enough electricity for 150,000 homes. The 250-foot-high structure is an

the Keephills 3 construction site in September 2008, it was basically an empty space. There were concrete pilings and some excavation work, but little else at the site 70 kilometres west of Edmonton, where TransAlta and Capital Power are building a $1.8-billion power plant.

“When I got here, you could see from one end of the site to the other. There were no buildings at all, just some concrete in the ground.

The main girder beams to support the boiler were still being installed, but not much else was happening,” says Labossiere, journeyman scaffolder and member of Local 1325 of the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers.

Labossiere has seen the empty site grow into the most advanced coal-fired power plant in the province, capable of producing 450 megawatts of power. Hundreds of 1325 “At other job sites, you might build hanging scaffolding 20 members have worked on the project, which is now more than 80 per cent complete and starting to wind feet off the ground, but here you have scaffolding that is 250 down. feet off the ground with 800 people working below you.”

One of the biggest employers for Local 1325 is Aluma Systems, which has hired 200 members and has the contract to supply all scaffolding for the project. In little more engineering marvel – taking pulverized coal and than two years, the company has erected 120 truckloads of burning it at a peak temperature of 1,400 C and at a rate of 250 tonnes scaffolding – more than 3,000 tonnes of steel. Labossiere has been per hour. At the height of construction, hundreds of tradespeople were right there, building the platforms while developing the skills and inside the massive boiler structure. Aluma Systems was charged with experience to advance from a second-year apprentice to journeyman. the task of building scaffolds to support workers at the top of the struc“This is one of the most challenging job sites I’ve ever worked at. ture, while leaving the bottom clear of equipment for workers on the The experience has been phenomenal for all the apprentices out here. ground.

You get a little bit of everything – systems scaffolding, hangars, tube “We designed and fabricated a platform that was hung from the top and cladding, drop hangars – pretty much anything you can think of. I think I might have moved 30 tonnes of steel myself,” jokes Labossiere. of the boiler. It was state of the art, never been done before. The platform was lowered about 150 feet from the top of the boiler and then we “At other job sites, you might build hanging scaffolding 20 feet erected a scaffold on top of the platform to access all the walls and the off the ground, but here you have scaffolding that is 250 feet off top end of the boiler. There’s 100 tonnes of scaffold sitting on this thing, the ground with 800 people all over the place working below you. and they had up to 50 boilermakers at a time working on it,” says Craig It’s made me so much more confident in my skills. If you can work Fillion, project manager for Aluma Systems. over that many people, then you pretty much feel confident doing If the boiler is the heart of the project, the supporting infrastructure anything. I went to school believing I was a journeyman and that I

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makes up the other vital organs. The water treatment plant, fly ash silos, turbine hall, cooling towers, offices, water pump house, control building, SITE TOUR: Aluma Systems supervisor Jason Perry (left) dragline, boiler house and with UBC training staff from southern California coal bunkers were all built or erected in the last two years. The sheer size of the buildings and the material needed to put it all together is staggering. The six coal bunkers are five storeys high. Nearly two kilometres of water line and four kilometres of utility piping are buried underneath the site. The condenser sits on a 12-foot-thick concrete platform, which is supported by 320 piles, buried 60 to 80 feet below the concrete.

“If you were to drive by this project, all you would see is this big, mustard-coloured square box, but if you go inside, there are so many people there and so much going on. This has been an excellent project for our members,” says George Wilson, business representative for central and northern Alberta for Local 1325. “The amount of material and labour being used out there is mind-blasting. There’s scaffolding and piping getting welded and cable getting pulled and switches being terminated. It’s hard to describe, almost like going inside an anthill.”

The biggest challenge for 1325 and the contractors has been finding and retaining skilled workers. When it’s all tallied, the number of man-hours will likely exceed 4.5 million – Aluma Systems will come close to 700,000 itself – and filling those positions has been a struggle for everyone, especially during the early days when the economy was nearly as hot as the boiler.

“Three years ago there was so much work going on all at once. A lot of large industrial projects were starting at the same time. It was good, but we had difficulty supplying those projects with manpower. It gave people the ability to do a lot of cherry-picking and it created some poor attitudes toward commitment, staying on a job, productivity and attendance,” says Wilson.

“I spent a lot of time out there speaking to the foremen and trying to help them out with pride and performance. I spoke with all the apprentices, with no supervisors there or management, to bring them up to speed on the commitment they should have. We want to be better than our competitors. We want our guys to be there on time every day with all our certificates and accreditation, and show our clients that union is the No. 1 choice.”

Despite those staffing challenges, the work is getting done on time, with excellent quality and remarkably few injuries. As the project winds down, the workers will be leaving over the next few months, but for young guys like Labossiere, the project will stay fresh in their minds for a long time. He earned his ticket on the job, but more importantly, gained experience and skills that will benefit him his entire career.

“I hope the next job I’m on is just as enjoyable as this, just as challenging. Aluma Systems and the people we work for have allowed all the apprentices to build and develop their skills. You get all these curve balls thrown at you and you do so many different things. It will be hard to go back to the same old, same old,” says Labossiere.

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21

Upgrader plan “like cold beer on a hot day” in uncertain economy

By TRICIA RADISON Illustration by HEFF O’REILLY

Estimated number of construction jobs to be created at the Kearl Lake project

Person years of employment created in the construction industry if four upgraders are built

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A

newly formed coalition is hoping to get the Government of Alberta to act quickly when it comes to building upgraders in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, providing construction jobs and boosting the provincial economy.

Organized by the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association, the coalition is concerned that oil sands companies are looking elsewhere for their refining needs and may sign contracts with upgrading facilities in the United States. If that happens, warns Neil Shelly, executive director of AIHA, Alberta will have missed its chance to add value to its raw resource.

“Once the supply agreements are locked in, they are usually locked in for a very long term, 20 to 30 years sometimes,” says Shelly. “If we don’t act soon on this one and those contracts are made – and those are legally binding contracts – we can’t come back in two or three years and say we’ll address that later.”

According to AIHA, building four upgraders will create 52,000 person years of employment for the construction industry and 10,960 years for the engineering industry. A predicted 1,000 permanent jobs would be created with another 3,000 jobs opening up in the supply, service and maintenance fields.

With experts predicting a slow end to 2010, upgrader construction can’t

Value of the 52 oil sands projects on record with the Alberta Inventory of Major Projects in 2010

come quickly enough for some. Shelly says that major projects in the heartland region like the Scotford Upgrader and the Keephills 3 Power Plant are winding down and there’s not much on the horizon to replace them. The response to the plan, he says, is like the response to cold beer on a hot day.

Others echo Shelly’s concerns. “I don’t see any new work on the drawing board,” says Martyn Piper, executive director of the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW). “The oil sands projects that have been announced, other than Kearl Lake, are all of the SAGD variety, which is not as labour intensive.” Piper expects Kearl Lake to create about 5,000 jobs. “We put 9,000 people to work out at Shell Scotford,” he offers in comparison.

The new action in the oil sands is, however, a positive sign that things are improving. In April 2010 the Alberta Inventory of Major Projects showed 52 oil sands projects worth $142.6 billion on the books. While several of those are on hold – including major projects such as the $10-billion Fort Hills oil sands mine and the $22-billion Scotford Upgrader 2 – and many more are in the proposal stages, the six SAGD projects underway or scheduled to begin amount to several billions of dollars of investment.

“We’ve seen the price of oil get back to around the $75 to $80 range, which has been fairly consistent, and when it’s in that range we know activity starts to pick up,” says George Gritziotis, executive director of the Construction Sector Council.

Prediction by Construction Sector Council of the total value of institutional, commercial and industrial investment for 2014

Number of new construction jobs to be created by 2018, while 30,000 jobs will be lost to retirement or mortality

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

23

“We’ve seen the price of oil get back to around the $75 to $80 range, and when it’s in that range we know activity starts to pick up,” says George Gritziotis, executive director of the Construction Sector Council.

“Some of the losses that we saw in 2009 are restoring themselves in 2010 and we’re forecasting that that will continue into 2011 as oil sands projects begin to come on stream again.”

The Construction Sector Council is predicting that institutional, commercial and industrial investment will total $4.156 billion in 2010, down from $4.167 billion in 2009. Those figures are expected to climb to $4.387 billion in 2011 and continue trending upward, surpassing the 2008 level of $4.907 billion in 2014 when it hits $5.035 billion. Growth is expected to be continuous but gradual through 2018.

But optimism is tempered by uncertainty on the global playing field. “The world is a pretty small playing area and with the droughts in China and the problems in the European market with Spain, Portugal and Greece, there is concern that it will have an impact here in Alberta’s oil and gas industry, which really is the driver of the bus here,” says Dave Smith, executive vice-president of the Calgary Construction Association.

According to Smith, Calgary contractors are beginning to consider reducing manpower as investment is expected to shrink in the fourth quarter of 2010 and the situation for 2011 remains unknown.

Tightened government spending and a saturated office market are to blame.

“The general consensus [is that] the market will remain flat with a possibility of a downward reduction in construction costs anywhere between three and five per cent in the next 12-month period,” says Smith, adding that upgraders and oil sands projects would lead to increased investment in Calgary and Edmonton.

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SUMMER 2010

Although investment has been down, unemployment rates didn’t climb to the levels seen during past recessions, in which average peak unemployment hit levels as high as 25 and 30 per cent, says Gritziotis. “We saw unemployment rates down around 11 per cent and, traditionally, 12 per cent is an average or normal unemployment rate in the industry,” he says.

The relatively low unemployment rate is due to changing demographics and could mean labour shortages in the near future, even in a period of very slow growth. “We’re anticipating pockets of pressure, especially if there’s maintenance work and other activities being scheduled at the same time,” says Gritziotis. “You could end up in 2010, 2011, with shortage issues, depending on where the activity is taking place and the kind of trades that are being required.”

By 2018, about 30,000 workers in the trades will be lost to retirement and mortality while 24,000 new jobs are expected to be created. Changing demographics have experts worried about the ability of industry to meet demand. Constructing four new upgraders would complicate the situation. Gritziotis says scheduling and planning will be high priority activities if AIHA’s coalition is successful.

“If you’re scheduling projects on top of each other, you’re creating pressure in the labour market,” he says. “Let’s talk about how we can plan [projects] going into the future, understanding what the demand picture looks like. Which is something we didn’t do a whole lot in the run up to 2008.”

Trades Talk

By TRICIA RADISON

Minister Doug Horner on apprenticeships, labour demands and training facilities Doug Horner, minister of Advanced Education and Technology, recently visited ARCCAW’s training centre in Edmonton.

Hard Hat caught up with Minister Horner to get his thoughts on some of the top issues affecting the trades today.

Hard Hat: You recently toured ARCCAW’s new training facility. What did you think of it?

Doug Horner: It’s a fabulous facility. They’ve done a very nice job of space and allocation and the functionality of the space appears to be very, very good. I’m very impressed.

What are the top issues of concern for your ministry today?

DH: There’s a lot of issues. When you talk about the employers and ensuring that we have the right training available for the right mix of students at the right time, with apprenticeship training that is always a challenge because there are waves of demand that come forward, depending on what the economy is doing.

Certainly we’re working on trying to get more kids interested in the trades and working with the high schools so that kids have a view of what the trades can be. I think people for a long time have said we want a degree and they haven’t really looked at the trades as a viable alternative. I think that’s changing in a big way, so we have to be ready for that.

The challenge is that [labour demand] can be cyclical. We had a slowdown over the last year, and that’s been somewhat problematic because you’ve got to readjust your capacity. I think the long-term outlook is very, very positive, but we have to be cognizant of the fact that a lot of this is taxpayer money and we want to be sure that we’re getting value. So one of the things that we have done is that we have Greg Weadick, who is the parliamentary assistant for Advanced Education and Technology, looking at how do we utilize facilities such as [ARCCAW’s training centre] that are not necessarily part of our public education system but could be utilized by us as needed.

What would that look like?

DH: It might be that we have a surge in demand and we need to be able to utilize some facilities that would be approved through the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board to deliver apprenticeship training for whatever level or class or year. We might be able to enter into some sort of an agreement with those facilities to handle that surge for us.

That’s speculative at this point, but I think it is something we need to look at in the interests of the taxpayer and the student.

ON SITE: Minister Doug Horner with a carpentry student at the training centre

You had quite a bit of interest in the Trade Winds to Success program. Why is that?

DH: I think anything that helps us show how aboriginal students can stay in school and continue on to a career in the trades in any location of their choice [is positive]. Any time we can get success there, it’s very, very important because that is the youngest segment of our population and also the fastest growing.

When we talk about students in the future, and demand in terms of the industry, there’s a resource and we should be trying to do as much as we possibly can.

Is there anything else that you think ARCCAW members should know?

DH: I think that there’s a new era of collaboration and understanding with organized labour in the province. I think we have a better understanding of each other’s needs as we move forward and I certainly believe that our government is interested in pursuing those collaborative efforts that help both of us, in terms of there’s a recognition that as the economy grows, the benefits to the trades grow as well. We’re both in this thing together and we both have common objectives.

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

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REPORT

Local 1460 Millwrights

Training News and Event Updates Bob Hugh, Senior Business Representative - Millwrights

W

We would like to thank both Dow Chemical and Jacobs Industrial for their assistance in arranging the equipment donations. This equipment will enable us to provide our contractors and clients with the most professional, highly skilled millwrights in Alberta.

• The United Brotherhood of Carpenters held a women’s conference from June 17 to 20, 2010, at the International Training Centre in Las Vegas. The workshops and speakers were designed to educate and encourage women to become more involved in their local union. I would like to thank Bianca Bigras, Cindy-Lee Hanna, Casie Murdoch and Celine Stevenson for their attendance at this worthwhile conference.

• Millwrights Local Union 1460 will be sending four elected delegates to the 40th general convention in Las Vegas, starting on Aug. 16, 2010. The elected delegates are Gord Evers, Bob Hugh, Dave Knight and Mike Lahti.

• The Alberta Regional Council has seven newly elected millwright delegates, Tom Debeljak, Hank Ell, Gord Evers, Bob Hugh, Dave Knight, Mike Lahti and Ted Remenda. Their term of office is July 1, 2010, until June 30, 2013. This is the most delegates our local has ever elected to the regional council.

• We have engaged the services of Regan Productions Ltd. to produce a short video loop, showcasing our ability to build and maintain large steam turbines.

(This project will in large be funded by the Alberta Regional Council). We need to educate government regulatory boards, potential clients and the contractors about the value-added we deliver, on budget, on schedule!

• The fifth annual Millwrights Retirees Social was held on June 1, 2010. Once again it was a huge success.

FUTURE MILLWRIGHTS: Peter Gopher and Special guests included Mary Mucha, Ursula Buller Desiree Church, recent graduates of the Trade Winds and Walter Cameron. Guy and Pat Dunand once again to Success millwright pre-apprenticeship program volunteered to organize this special event; thank you for making it a success.

e have a number of news items and recent developments to share from Local 1460.

• Millwrights Local Union 1460 is proud to announce our first ever millwrights preapprenticeship partnership with Trade Winds to Success has concluded with employment opportunities for the participants. We plan to host another eight-week Millwright Pre-Apprenticeship course September and October of this year.

• Dow Chemical has made a large donation of surplus equipment to our Training Centre.

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REPORT

Training and Apprenticeship

High Demand for Quality Training Len J. Bryden Director of Training and Apprenticeship Alberta Carpenters Training Centre

S

ummer is typically the busiest time of the year for carpenters and construction workers. It is also a busy time for our training centres, as predictions regarding the need for a better and more consistently trained workforce for our industries all seem to be coming true.

When jobs are plentiful and people are working, training can and does take a back seat. But with many new members and existing members finding their jobs coming to an end or slowing down, training demand has shot up. Even some of our contractors are taking a slowdown in our industry as an opportunity to hire only trained workers with different sorts of certification.

So my message is the same as always: take the time to get the training you need in your respective craft or allied trade when the opportunity is there. It may never necessarily be “perfect timing,” as now we are seeing many members with three, four, or more years of membership, as well as all of the new members we have brought into our organization, all clamouring for coveted training spots.

Understand that we must respect the members who have qualified and registered

for various classes and we need to focus on giving them the best training possible. Building or renting more facilities and moving to a “quantity” over “quality” training system is never what this brotherhood was about, or should strive to become. There are many factors to consider when planning and utilizing training fund monies for all the training that is provided through our Training Trust Fund, and we must put more focus on the members that we are training, as well as developing strategies to provide training to all those who need it in the best, most efficient way possible without decreasing quality or unregulated spending.

We continue with all of our levels of scaffold training in all three centres, as well as more in-house safety courses in Edmonton, and Hoisting and Rigging as a standalone and as part of our Level 3 and JM Upgrade programs. We also continue to form positive relationships and partnerships with our provincial representatives of government in the pursuit to offer a solid carpentry apprentice program that our students and contractors can be proud of. We have been able to replace much of our older scaffold shop materials with new materials to continue our programs for many years to come. We have also been able to help thousands of members receive a training student allowance when they qualify and live outside a local training centre area, giving them a fair opportunity to receive the same training as any other member.

We are a fair, organized and proud union with a bright future and offer a great career choice for those who decide to pursue it.

I wrote before in this column about the challenges of apprenticeship. Keep working hard to achieve your goals, work proud and be safe.

HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

27

KidZone

Make Something Amazing Building things is a great way to beat summertime boredom, whether it’s an indoor fort made out of chairs and blankets or a birdhouse made from Popsicle sticks. If you’re ready to get creative and build a project using real tools, here are a few ideas to get you started: • Try a summer camp. Check with your local college or trade school for some unique hands-on day camps. For example, SAIT in Calgary has weeklong camps where you can design and build your own product or even weld a dinosaur.

• Take a trip to the library or a bookstore for ideas on projects you and an adult can build together. Books such as The Kids’ Building Workshop: 15 Woodworking Projects for Kids and Parents to Build Together by J. Craig and Barbara Robertson will have you hammering with confidence in no time.

• Check with the home building stores in your area to see if they offer kids’ workshops. Get an adult to take you to one of these free sessions that will teach you to build anything from a toolbox to a periscope.

Safety First

Keep in mind that building projects should only be taken on under the supervision of a capable adult. Make sure you (and your adult supervisor!) know some safety basics before you get started. Here are a few things to remember: • Wear properly fitted safety equipment, such as safety goggles.

• If you’re not sure about how to use a tool properly, always ask for help.

• Don’t rush. Take your time and you’ll be less likely to make mistakes.

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We Waonttos!

Your Ph

d ’ve built an f what you o ges re a tu p e ic p be in th Send in a ject could ro p r r u e o m y f o your sum ail a photo gazine. Em nd age to a e m a of our ma n r with you g . n lo a t c lishing.ca proje nturepub e t your v u o @ b s a a n it b ktan tell us a u o y if t a It ’d be gre o! ro p ject to

15

16

Connect the Dots

14

This tool is used to hold a piece of wood or metal in place and it’s named after a letter in the alphabet. Connect the dots and guess what it is.

17

18

28 29

19

26 27

20 21

25 6

1

7

24

30

12 11

23 22

5 8

answer: It’s a C-clamp.

9

10

1

4

2

3

crossword puzzle Across 4 4 A basic tool for driving a nail into a piece of wood.

6 They may be extinct but you can still visit these prehistoric beasts in Drumheller.

7 The best place to keep tools when you’re not using them.

9 These tasty treats on a stick will cool you off on hot sum7 mer days.

10 In submarines, these are used to see what’s happening above the water.

Down 1 It’s filled with books that you can borrow on almost anything you can imagine.

9 2 Take your time working with tools and you’ll be less likely to make these.

3 A nesting place for birds, often a good building project for beginners.

5 This means to build, make or carve something using wood.

8 Wear these to protect your eyes from injury when you’re working with tools.

3

5 6

8

10

Solution: Across: 4. hammer; 6. dinosaurs; 7. toolbox; 9. popsicle; 10. periscope Down: 1. library; 2. mistakes; 3. birdhouse; 5. woodworking; 8. goggles

2

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HARDHAT SUMMER 2010

29

CITY OF EDMONTON ARCHIVES EA-88-170

Parting Shot

Crowning Accomplishment

In 1907, two years after Alberta became a province, construction began on the Legislature Building at the site where the old Fort Edmonton had been located. It wouldn’t be completed until early 1913 at a price tag of more than $2 million. Delays in construction were due to the discovery of quicksand, which necessitated concrete piles to be driven in before the footings could be set into the ground. Designed in the beaux arts style, this historic landmark features a long list of imported materials, including Paskapoo sandstone from Calgary’s Glenbow Quarry and solid red mahogany from Belize.

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SUMMER 2010

In Memoriam ARCCAW notes with sorrow the passing of the following members.

LOCAL 1325 Richard Begg April 2010, Age 52 Sid Jacobs May 2010, Age 92 Robert Jansen April 2010, Age 32 Gary Shirtliff April 2010, Age 65 Cyril Welch March 2010, Age 71 LOCAL 2103 Gregory Harach May 2010, Age 73 Ralph Lund February 2010, Age 74 Steve Poznekoff March 2010, Age 33 Local 1460 David (Chad) Farr April 2010, Age 67

UPCOMING

Training + Events General Events National Apprenticeship Contest The winner of the July 9-10 provincial carpentry competition will compete in this national event.

Date: Sept. 8-10 Location: Ottawa More information: Contact Len Bryden at 780454-6699, or email lbryden@abcarptc.ab.ca.

Meetings First Wednesday of each month: Local 1325 meeting Third Thursday of each month: Local 2103 meeting Fourth Tuesday of each month: Local 1460 meeting Training The new training schedule for 2010-2011 became available in the spring, with listings to July 2011, and classes are filling up quickly. Here are some that still have openings. Visit www.abcarptc.ab.ca or phone the Edmonton office for more information: 780-455-6532 or toll-free 1-877-455-6532.

Alberta Carpenters Training Centre Edmonton OSSA Fall Protection: July 31, Aug. 10, 14, 19, 31, Sept. 9, 11, 21, 25 OSSA Confined Space: Aug. 7, 21, Sept. 4, 18 H2S Alive (Enform Certified): Aug. 8, Aug. 22, Sept. 5, 19 Industrial Technical Training: Sept. 27 to Oct. 10; Nov. 29 to Dec. 12 Pre-Employment Carpentry Program: Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 Standard First Aid & CPR: Oct. 9 to Oct. 10; Nov. 20 to 21; Dec. 4 to 5 Calgary Pre-Employment Carpentry Program: Aug. 16 to Oct. 7 Hoisting and Rigging: Oct. 12 to 15 Fort McMurray To register for classes, you must be a Fort McMurray resident.

Scaffolding Level 1: Sept. 7 to Sept. 24, 2010 Nov. 29 to Dec. 17

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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