Uniting ARCCAW members across Alberta
Fall 2012
Alberta Millwright takes top prize at UBC competition
Your Inner Athlete Fitness tips for the tradesperson
Hello Hollywood
Carpenters get a taste of movie magic
nament Golf tourrs, tool winne idZone K reviews,
Exceptional Interiors Drytec builds a business based on respect
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REPORT
The Importance of Volunteering Martyn A. Piper
A
s fall is quickly upon us, we are stepping out of another summer and approaching the cold of winter. In the not too distant future the holiday season will be upon us, and looking ahead to the future I would like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of volunteerism in our union. Members are likely familiar with the union executive and staff who work and volunteer some of their free time on the membership’s behalf, but some members do not realize the large number of other members who volunteer their time. Members who volunteer do so with the goal of making our union, our workplaces and our communities better places. Here are just some examples of activities in which time is committed by our union’s members through volunteer activities. In our work sites and camps, we have volunteers selling tickets for cheque pools. These members do this on their own time. The money raised goes to the Building Trades of Alberta Charitable Foundation. Our member volunteers have been donating their time to these activities for over 10 years, thereby contributing to the over $5 million directed by the Charitable Foundation to charitable organizations. These charities include diabetes research, support for military families, STARS Air Ambulance, Special Olympics Alberta, the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, E4C School Lunch Program and a host of other charitable organizations. Members of our union also donate their time to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Calgary Stampede Barbecue,
motorcycle rides for charity and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In addition to volunteering time and effort to assist with community organizations, members of our union take the time to volunteer in activities within our union community. Whenever our union puts on events or participates in activities, it is our members’ spirit of volunteering that makes these events happen and is crucial to their success. This includes a long list of members who work on the locals’ picnics, kids’ Christmas parties, pin presentations, retiree clubs, attend and help out at meetings and participate on committees (such as the Women’s Committee). Even something as simple as putting chairs away at the end of meetings is crucial. Recently, the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre hosted our union’s Canadian Skills Competition in Edmonton. The event was wellattended with competitors from across the country. The ability to make such an event a success depends on the commitment of the members who volunteer. There were, again, a significant number of volunteers from our locals, and the competition was a huge success. I wanted to take this opportunity to mention some of these things and stress the importance of the strong core of members who volunteer in our union. This is also another opportunity the union provides our members. Volunteers find there is a sense of personal achievement in helping others. Volunteering can help develop leadership skills. Most importantly, volunteering enables our members to strengthen the fellowship and camaraderie within the community that is our union, thereby strengthening our union. With that, I would like to offer a big “thank you” to all of our members who volunteer. Keep up the good work. If you have not been volunteering in the past, please think about the many different ways that you may be able to help either within the union or within the community at large. If you can’t think of something, just contact a union representative and we will find a way for you to help contribute. I’ll finish with a quote from Booker T. Washington: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”
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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
Executive Secretary Treasurer’s
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 FEATURES
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
Fall 12
10 fit@work Is being a tradesperson similar to being a professional athlete? By Matt Smith
12 Spirit of Competition
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 PUBLISHER
Edmonton hosts the 20th annual apprenticeship contest By Lisa Ricciotti
18 A Brief View of Our Union Listings of Regional Council executive boards, delegates and committees
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21 Frameworks of Respect
Ruth Kelly
Drytec Interiors is a young company with a bright future By Gisele Aparicio-Hull
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Joyce Byrne
ARCCAW EDITOR
Martyn A. Piper
DEPARTMENTS
EDITOR
Kim Tannas
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ART DIRECTOR
Charles Burke
By Martyn Piper
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Andrea deBoer
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Colin Spence
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Betty-Lou Smith
PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN
Brent Felzien
Note From the Executive Secretary Treasurer
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Site Lines Made for the movies; Teeing up for charity; Local 1325 summer picnic; Cabinetmaker Mike Srejic puts his skills on display; Family fun day at Calaway Park; Stampede picnic
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Gisele Aparicio-Hull, Bobbi-Sue Menard, Lisa Ricciotti, Robin Schroffel, Matt Smith CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
Buffy Goodman, 3TEN Photo - Eugene Uhuad
24 Geared Up Tools to help you work better
27 KidZone
12
Going to extremes
VICE-PRESIDENT, SALES
Anita McGillis
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
David Frazier
SALES ASSISTANT
Karen Crane, Jenn Rush Contents © 2012 by ARCCAW Inc. No part of this publication should be reproduced without written permission.
24 Local 1460 Millwrights Report By Bob Hugh
25 Training and Apprenticeship Report By Len Bryden
28 Meet the Instructor 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
29 Meet the Apprentice 30 Training & Events; In Memoriam ON THE COVER: Alberta millwright contestant Tyler Shipton placed first in his trade category at the UBC’s Annual National Apprenticeship Competition on August 25.
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Site Lines
News in Brief
A roundup of news and events from around the region BY Gisele Aparicio-Hull
Golf Tournament Scores for Charity A total of 160 union members, service providers and vendors brought their best swing to the Legends Golf and Country Club for the 12th annual Barrie Regan Golf Tournament on Friday, July 20. “Overall it was a success,” says Martyn Piper, executive secretary treasurer of ARRCAW. “It’s a great networking affair. It’s a fun day but more importantly we are raising money for a good cause.” Close to $12,000 was raised this year for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a longtime charity of choice for the tournament, in support of leading research efforts made at the University of Alberta. “Any contribution is good but that’s a sizable amount,” says Piper. Teams of four hit the links with the lowest grossing score taking this year’s winner title. Aside from bragging rights, the winning team members get their names etched on the trophy that’s passed on from year to year. A big thanks goes out to Linda Helmeczi and the many volunteers for giving their time to make the event a success.
This year’s winners: Winning Team: Chris Crouter, Jake Baker, Dale Guggenmos, Denis Tadic Longest Drive (Ladies): Christine Baurenschmidt Longest Drive (Men): Mike Carew Longest Putt (Ladies): Amanda Betker Longest Putt (Men): Dale Harvey Closest to the Pin: Pat Smith
Summer Eats and Family Fun A hot, 26 C day with food, music and entertainment was the perfect setting for the annual Local 1325 summer picnic held on August 12. “Our volunteers stepped up to the plate,” says trustee Leonard Lopatynski, who organized the event alongside recording secretary Moe Rahime. “Everything is done strictly on a volunteer basis, and without our executive support and our volunteers, this picnic wouldn’t happen.” Close to 200 union and family members feasted on a barbecue spread, cooled themselves off with ice cream and were entertained by two musical acts. Kids had a variety of activities to choose from, including bouncy castles, air baseball, air bowling and basketball. “It gives a chance for people who work on job sites and don’t get to see each other to mingle and see everyone’s additions to their families,” says Lopatynski.
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Hollywood Connection
Jeremy Kozina (left) and Ed MacKinnon at Elbow Falls at the end of the first day of the two-day stair tower erection
Jeremy Kozina (left) Ed MacKinnon (right) at a staging area near Elbow Falls, pre-material mobilization; wire basket and pallet of stair treads were pre-slung in netting at Aluma’s Calgary yard
Helicopters, movie stars, explosions… not a typical day for three union members who found themselves working on the set of this summer’s action blockbuster The Bourne Legacy. The three-man crew from union company Aluma Systems were a part of movie-making magic in preparation for two
Guess the Tool Can you guess the name of this antique tool?
ANSWER ON PAGE 8
The falls at the end of day one
of the film’s pivotal scenes shot in Kananaskis Country, including the opening scene where main character Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner, jumps out of freezing water at Elbow Falls. “They only had one opportunity to do that shot,” explains Rob Wetherell, construction superintendent for Aluma Systems, Calgary Division, who led the team. “The scene was shot at an inaccessible side of the Elbow River, so we built stair-tower access on the McLean Creek side so they could bring the crew in and down that stair tower.” “It would have been unfeasible to bring them all in by helicopter to try and get that shot done in one day.” Journeyman scaffolder Ed Mackinnon and third-year apprentice Jeremy Kozina accompanied Wetherell for Aluma’s first feature film project. The stair tower at Elbow Falls was built in January of 2012, and the team also constructed a short stage close to Fortress Mountain for a cabin explosion scene two months prior. It was built on the hillside behind
Chopper flying in a bundle of three meter standards, weighing 1,800 pounds. A pilot-controlled sling release is located just above the load
the cabin as a location where the film crew could blow snow in order to increase the amount of snow for the shot. Although Wetherell ranks the complexity of both scaffolds as fairly simple, he says the unique circumstances behind the job made this experience stand out for him. On a few different occasions he accompanied the film’s head of photography to scope locations in a low-flying helicopter through the Rocky Mountains, and the team was also flown to the job site by helicopter, along with all their materials. “It’s a different game with movies than it is with construction,” he says. “That was pretty neat.” And in the scaffolding trade where he describes the opportunity to see your work as “rare,” this is one project the team can revisit time and time again. “This is something that is actually documented where we can say ‘I did this for this part of this movie,’ ” says Wetherell. “Even in the trailer, both of those scenes are in it so I was able to show my wife. It was neat that way for sure.” HARDHAT FALL 2012
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Site Lines
News in Brief
A roundup of news and events from around the region
World-Class Workmanship Among his extensive portfolio of projects, Mike Srejic tends to favour “the most complicated ones.” Why? Because even after more than 40 years as a professional cabinetmaker, his love for the craft still centres around putting his skills to the test to deliver a flawless, finished product. “I’m one of those 40-plus year Mike Srejic apprentices,” he jokes. “I’m always trying for perfection, I find pleasure in that. I’m not saying I’m near perfect but I’m trying to get as close as possible.” Despite his modesty, products of Srejic’s craftsmanship are admired and displayed throughout ARRCAW’s offices and training centres in the form of shelves, podiums, countertops and cabinets. ARRCAW project manager Bob Provencher, who hired Srejic in 2010, is proud and feels lucky to have him as part of his team. “He’s a pretty humble man, but if you’ve ever seen his work, it’s absolutely stunning,” he says. “His work is world class and that’s not exaggerating.” The foundation of Srejic’s training began in his home country of Serbia, and in 1971 he came to Canada and began practising in the trade. He owes some of his well-honed skills to work experiences with some of the best craftsmen in the world and, of course, good old-fashioned hard work. “Like in any other trade, the learning never stops,” he says. “Even today, I’m still learning by practising.”
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And he’s more than happy to pass on his knowledge to his fellow tradespeople, including Provencher, who says even after his own many decades of experience, “I learn something from Mike every single time I’m around him.” Srejic’s son, Petar, also benefited from this knowledge. He took after his father to become a cabinetmaker and studied as one of his apprentices. Srejic is eager to share the tricks of the trade that continues to give him a rewarding and fulfilling career. The challenge of taking raw material and a few lines drawn on paper to create something extraordinary gives him so much pleasure, that he’s in an enviable position where his job feels like anything but work. “I don’t see my work as a difficult task. I see my work as something that I like doing,” he says. “To me, a wood workshop is my playground and I never get tired of it.”
Answer to “Guess the Tool”
Record Numbers at Stampede Breakfast
This tool is called called a bell hanger’s gimlet, which can be used to bore small holes. (From Page 7)
The Local 2103 Calgary office parking lot was open to the community for a taste of the Old West in celebration of the Calgary Stampede. This year’s Stampede Breakfast on July 14th was “the best year ever” with close to 1,000 breakfasts served. “The country music was the crowddrawer. People would come to the sidewalk and look in and we’d invite them in,” says organizer Stephen Brazil, Local 2103 executive trustee. “This shows the presence of the carpenters’ union in Calgary, but the main benefit is giving back to the community. We want to be a part of this community, so here’s our way of saying thank you.” Brazil jokes at one point that the whole 9-1-1 response team was in attendance, with EMS staff, firefighters and police coming in to feast on the traditional western breakfast of pancakes, sausages and beans.
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C
Thrills and Frills at Calaway Park In the midst of laughter and screams heard from the top of the roller-coaster, Local 2103 members and their families came together in camaraderie at the Calaway Park Family Fun Day. Close to 100 union and family members came to the park on August 11 to enjoy a full day of rides and a lunch provided by the union. Organizer Stephen Brazil, Local 2103 executive trustee, says with everyone working so hard throughout the year, it’s important to give back to the families a day reserved for nothing but fun. “It’s just that little aspect of bringing the family together and closer at least one day of the year,” he says. “It’s about getting out, having fun, forgetting work and enjoying the family spirit.”
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Trade Athletes
How similar is a trade to being in a professional sport?
By MATT SMITH
B
eing a professional athlete is an exciting career that comes with great amounts of respect and recognition but over the long term it can place a large amount of stress on the physical and emotional well-being of the individual. This can come in the form of brutal injuries or simple chronic wear and tear, but can also extend to the sacrifice and pressure it puts on home life while being on the road for weeks at a time. Specific challenges for professional athletes can result from large amounts of travel throughout the year, staying in hotel rooms when they’re on the road, and of course the demands of performing their sport. An athlete’s in-season schedule can be a very intense experience and many look forward
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to recovering and preparing for the next year demanding on the body and mind over longer when it’s all over. periods of time. Does this not describe another group of peoThe focus of this article is not to simply say ple very closely? We could easily replace the work less, eat better and get in the gym once in word athlete with a while. It’s meant Performance on the job is tradesperson and to bring a slightly it would still very important but staying healthy and different perspecmuch make sense. injury-free should have greater tive to why it might Minus the seven be a good idea to focus since without this well-oiled be more conscious figure salaries, machine we call a body, how can of how our jobs there are many similarities between affect our physiwe perform in the first place? the two. cal and mental One major difference between the two, how- health. Being aware of some of the basic simiever, is that tradespeople have no off-season and larities between athletes and tradespeople can therefore neglecting some basic training and help emphasize the reasons for keeping your proper eating habits to reduce potential risks body healthy and properly fuelled and also the can really take its toll. This can be extremely potential problems of being in a career where
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it’s common to be working long hours or away from home over long periods of time. Here are some of the commonalities between tradespeople and professional athletes: Their bodies are their livelihood. Performance on the job is important but staying healthy and injury-free should have greater focus since without this well-oiled machine we call a body, how can we perform in the first place? Unfortunately, a body in risk of being injured is a liability many don’t think about until it’s too late. Taking simple measures of addressing any major tight muscle groups with a basic stretching program or increasing a little bit of our strength and endurance can be a great place to start in making sure performance stays tip top. Even if we never get hurt, it’s sometimes nice when getting out of bed in the morning isn’t the biggest challenge of the day.
training for our specific job. These principles can be effective in troubleshooting the effects of a demanding lifestyle and will ultimately help get us home safe and feeling good. In addition, becoming more aware of potential physical and sometimes emotional risks involved with being a tradesperson or athlete can direct us toward finding solutions to them as they arise. Remember, an ignorant mind is a mind moulded by circumstance. Being conscious is much safer than waiting for something to happen or wondering why it happened. If you’d like more information on what was presented in this article or have any questions about training and assessments, please contact Matthew by emailing matt@smithtrained. com. Working with all types of trades and athletes, Matthew is a Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist through the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, National Strength and Conditioning Association and National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Matt Smith, CSEP-CPT, NASM-CES
Hectic work schedules. Putting aside the fact that a consistent weekly schedule is not something a tradesperson usually signs up for, athletes and workers alike will usually find themselves away from home large portions of the year and/or working long shifts whether or not they are feeling up to the challenge. Professional athletes often have their season extended into playoffs while tradespeople often are called on to work extra shifts: are you prepared for the extra time spent away from families and friends? Living arrangements and travel. Both the trades and professional sports involve a lot of travelling and commuting to work, which can be taxing both mentally and physically. The effect of being crammed into a hotel room or camp for weeks on end where proper nutrition can be difficult to come by is something that we might not feel right away, but over years and years it can become more evident. Some of the risks involved might include having low energy and being mentally fatigued – and these are effects that can transfer over to our work performance. In the end, there are not many differences between tradespeople and athletes, and in both occupations it’s important to follow basic principles of eating better, staying fit and
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Edmonton shines as host city to the 20th anniversary of the national apprenticeship contest By Lisa Ricciotti
L
en Bryden sounds like he’s just run the 100-metre dash. He barely picks up my call before voice mail can kick in, but he doesn’t have time for chit-chat. Bryden is busy. As the director of training and apprenticeship for the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre, he’s trying to be six places at once, pulling together 1,001 last-minute details for the National Apprenticeship Competition, now just days away. This year it’s in Edmonton and he’s determined everything will run as smoothly as a well-oiled machine. Expectations are high since 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of the high-powered competition that attracts the top final-year apprentices and brand-new journeypersons from across Canada in the carpentry, drywall and millwright trades. There’s also some serious hometown pride at stake. It’s a big honour to host the hands-on competition, along with its two lead-up days of written exams, events and meetings and it’s been 10 long years since Edmonton had the privilege. “The last time in Edmonton was 2002 and it was held in a parking lot at West Edmonton Mall,” says Bryden. “It was great. This time, we’re aiming for awesome.” Bryden must have some pull with the weather gods. Earlier in the week, the city experienced a prairie version of a tropical monsoon, with endless rain, heat and high winds. Then two days ago, a freak hailstorm pounded the city. But today, August 25, there’s nothing but clear skies and cooler temperatures. Perfect working weather for the nine-hour competition ahead for 25 apprentices, roughly one per province for each of the three trades. I follow the whine of power saws and nail guns, descending to Louise McKinney Park. Could organizers have picked a more picturesque setting? Towering above is the castle-like grandeur of the historic Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, temporarily home for contestants and competition guests, while below lies the natural beauty of the North Saskatchewan River and Edmonton’s river valley.
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Today there’s a new addition to the park, a humungous white tent that could fit a small circus. It’s popped up overnight – 220 feet long and 60 feet wide – just off the walking paths where early morning risers jog, adjacent to the park’s traditional Chinese Garden. Usually the large stone lion statues in the garden look fierce and formidable, but today they’re overshadowed by the impressive tent. My first impression can be summed up in one word – awesome! Len Bryden must be proud. Under the big top, contestants are already hard at it – carpenters on the left, drywallers on the right and the millwrights across the back. The previous evening featured fun and frolic aboard the Edmonton Queen paddlewheel riverboat, including a dinner cruise and entertainment, but today is strictly business. Competitors have their game faces on and have already put in an hour’s work when I enter the tent. Unlike the carpentry and the drywalling areas where each provincial representative has a separate workstation and an individual project to complete, the millwrights rotate between
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ed a hypnotist who found many cooperative subjects willing to go under with often hilarious results. I ask if any of them were hypnotized to ease pre-competition jitters? No, they laugh, but maybe they should have. “I was so tense during that first hour that I had to walk away to calm down,” admits Bradley Small, a drywaller from Newfoundland. “But then you settle in and focus on what you have to do.” Some apprentices have already experienced a competition, qualifying for the national event by winning at the provincial level. Others, generally from smaller provinces, were selected because they had the highest scores on their written apprentice exams, and this competition is their first. Regardless, most feel like they’ve conquered their nerves and are in the zone now. Surprisingly, most also agree that there’s no temptation to look around to see how other competitors are tackling their project. workstations to complete three distinct but already it’s apparent that some apprentices “I’m here for fun and to do my best for my tasks – alignment, bearing and measuring and work faster than others. Does that mean they province,” says Bradley. “I’ll do it my way; mechanical fitting. What exactly millwrights are the current frontrunners? “It’s not a race,” there’s no time to worry about the other guys. do has always been mysterious to me, so I head explains Jim Archer, a millwright trainer with Besides, I was too busy with all those radius for their area first, hoping for enlightenment. Local 1460 who’s wearing a white judge’s lengths and curves, something I haven’t run I see nine intense-looking competitors. All hard hat today. “We’re evaluating their work into on the job for a while!” are hunched over various pieces of machinery, continuously, not just the final product. And As the competition resumes, I decide totally focused on their tasks. In their craft, some of the fastest have made mistakes already! to keep things interesting by choosing a millimetres matter. Carpenters may measure Points are given for completion time, but the favourite from each trade to cheer on. Of twice and cut once, but the millwrights seem quality of work and their overall work and safety course it’s natural to root for Alberta, so for to measure and adjust, then measure and practices are just as important. Often you can’t the millwrights I go with Local 1460’s Tyler adjust repeatedly. Shipton. From the drywallers, I I drift away, drawn to the drama “Working against the clock means making lean toward Bradley Small since of watching sheets of plywood and he’s trying so hard and has a great decisions fast. It means this isn’t my best drywall transformed into a finished attitude. work – but I did my best.” product. None of the carpenters and Among the carpenters, I’m Bradley Small, drywall competitor, Newfoundland drywallers had a clue what they’d tempted to pick Tim Allen from and Labrador be working on until the competition B.C., based on his name alone, or began, but now all is revealed. local favourite Kyle Hoodendoom. Blueprints are posted at each station and savvy tell who’s won until we add up the final score But a twist of fate makes the decision for me. spectators can watch projects take shape and sheets.” Manitoba’s Justin Laroche was doing well gauge who’s getting it right, who’s having The apprentices have now been working with his doghouse, keeping up with paceproblems and who seems to be ahead. for almost three hours straight. Although setter Brian Gauthier from Ontario, when The drywallers are creating a mini-structure spectators are wearing jackets and sweaters, he misfires his nail gun and puts one into his that’s art deco-ish in design, a challenging things are heating up for the competitors. Their hand. puzzle of streamlined symmetrical angles and T-shirts are beginning to show evidence of That’s gotta hurt, but Justin wants to yank geometric curves. The carpenters’ task? Well, sweat, and some safety goggles are beginning to it out and carry on. Of course the safety guys they’re busy building doghouses, but aren’t your steam up. The clock is on and so’s the pressure. think otherwise; he must go to emergency at typical backyard variety. These will be posh A buzzer sounds – break time! the nearest hospital. “I’ll be back!” he vows, pooch palaces – deluxe canine quarters with knowing that one slip has just ruined his a peaked shingled roof, shuttered windows, I approach a small cluster of apprentices chances of victory. He’s the new underdog of insulation and a subdivided interior. Once and ask if they can talk. No problem, I’m told, as doghouse builders, but Justin’s still acting like completed, they’ll be donated to the Edmonton long as I don’t give them any tips. Not the remota champ. He’s got my vote! Humane Society, which will auction them off to est chance of that, I think to myself. Instead the Lunch! The competitors devour loaded raise funds for the city’s homeless pets. current topic of discussion is last night’s riverplates and the media descend with cameras It’s still very early in the timed competition, boat cruise. The onboard entertainment includand recorders. The doghouse angle is a big HARDHAT FALL 2012
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hit, as the Humane Society brings in some hounds that are up for adoption to test them out. Then it’s back to the tools, for the final stretch. The two drywallers from Ontario continue to lead the way, with one contestant finishing about an hour and a half early. The millwrights keep on milling, while most of the carpenters are now tackling the challenge of rafters and roofing. Justin is back in the game, hand bandaged, but still well ahead of many other doghouse builders. It now looks
like not all the doghouses will be completed, but a judge reassures me that they’ll all go back to the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre, to be finished or in some cases fixed, and all will go to the Humane Society. The crowd passes the time swapping stories. With instructors and union reps from different training centres and locals across Canada, there’s lots of information to share. Too soon for some of the contestants, it’s all over. “Working against the clock means making decisions fast,” says Bradley.
“It means this isn’t my best work – but I did my best.” Who won? The contestants will remain in suspense until the evening award banquet at the Hotel Macdonald, after the judges have thoroughly checked their work and tallied up scores. My best guess is one of the Ontario drywallers, and either B.C. or Ontario for the carpenters. For the millwrights … who knows? For me, they remain as mysterious as ever, although their dedication and meticulous work has earned my respect.
And the Winners Are…
Overall, Ontario dominated, but Alberta took home a piece of the hardware with an impressive win from Tyler Shipton for the millwrights. “I never did well in school,” said an emotional Shipton at the ceremony. “Being a millwright is the first thing I’ve been good at. Winning this means so much to me.”
DRYWALL 1. Darcy Mitchell Ontario 2. Christian Berger Ontario 3. Matthew Smith Nova Scotia 14
MILLWRIGHT 1. Tyler Shipton Alberta 2. Gilbert Bedard Saskatchewan 3. Michael Champagne Ontario
CARPENTRY 1. Brian Gauthier Ontario 2. Tim Allen British Columbia 3. Nolan Weimer Saskatchewan
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Always Wear Safety Goggles. Copyright 速 Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
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TRADITION. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION. These words are everything you know Stanley Tools represents. This is the kind of variety, quality and innovation professional contractors and do-it-yourselfers alike have come to expect from Stanley, and those characteristics are clearly thought of for every tool we offer. We work continually to design products with real-world benefits that will see you through to the end of job after job. Whether you are doing your first home project or completing a full room renovation, Stanley has the tools you need for the job. STANLEY. TOOLS THAT GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT. www.stanleyhandtools.ca
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A Brief View Of Our Union Local Union Membership elects Executive Board (accountable to membership) • Membership considers and passes motions governing the Local Union at monthly meetings Local Union Executive Board responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • Oversight and management of Local Union affairs • Maintain and disclose to membership detailed and accurate financial records • Hold regular monthly meetings • Record and maintain minutes • President appoints committees • Executive Board appoints Trust Fund Trustees • Execute duly passed motions • Fully accountable to the general membership Local Union elects delegates to the Regional Council *Number of delegates based on local membership Delegates elect Regional Council Executive Board and Executive Secretary Treasurer • Delegates consider and pass motions governing the Regional Council at quarterly meetings
Regional Council Executive Board responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • Oversight of Regional Council affairs • Authorize staff recruitment and final selection • Hold quarterly meetings • Maintain and disclose to delegates detailed and accurate financial records • Fully accountable to the delegate body of the Regional Council Executive Secretary Treasurer (EST) *EST is essentially the Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Council, with the accompanying responsibilities and the required authority to execute those responsibilities. The EST is accountable to the Executive Board of the Regional Council and to the delegate body of the Regional Council. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • The general management of financial and business affairs • Record and maintain minutes • Management of contract disputes • Grievance procedures • Recruit and hire all staff - Final approval by Executive Committee
* All paid staff employed by Regional Council – Local Unions do not employ any paid staff • Appoints committees • Appoint professionals and consultants as required (lawyers, accountants, etc.) • Develop relationships with partner organizations • Develop relationships with government representatives and elected officials • Representative to the UBC General Executive Board • Report to the Regional Council Executive Board • Report to Regional Council Delegate Body • Ensure the management and execution of duly passed motions by the Delegate Body • The foregoing information represents a limited description of the governance of Local Unions and the Regional Council. Publications contain ing the UBC Constitution and Alberta Regional Council Trade Rules and Bylaws should be consulted for further information.
DELEGATES (Elected 2012) Crystal Bowen Len Bryden Greg Budd Rob Carlson Bob Cook Mike Dunlop Randy Dwernychuk Dave Dwyer Chester Fergusson Todd Gartner Doug Germaine Bob Hardy Doug Hogan Gord Hrycun Dave Hunter Terry James
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1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325
Devin Jean-Louis Ralph Jewitt Len Lopatynski George Pekarchik Martyn Piper Wilf Pipke Bob Provencher Moe Rahime Steve Rossignol Derrick Schulte Grover Sewell Martin Smith Greg Smith Brandi Thorne Dave Todd Searle Turton
1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325
Perry Walsh 1325 Greg White 1325 Richard Winkenweder 1325 Tom Debeljak 1460 Hank Ell 1460 Gord Evers 1460 Bob Hugh 1460 Dave Knight 1460 Mike Lahti 1460 Ted Remenda 1460 Stephen Brazil 2103 Hughie Bruce 2103 Mike Cooper 2103 Randy Eirich 2103 Gary Loroff 2103 Joe Maloney 2103
April Parsons Bruce Payne Tim Virtanen Sean Watkinson Shane Whitmore Paul Zarbatany Joe Budac Clint Kittle Ed Lonsdale Philip Banh Vince Pariseau Bob Sawatzky Bill Weireter
2103 2103 2103 2103 2103 2103 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010
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UBC Organization Chart UBC International General Executive Board Central District
Southern District
Eastern District
Western District
Mid-Western District
Canadian District
Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers
Local Union 1325 Edmonton Construction
Local Union 2103 Calgary Construction
Local Union 2010 Province-Wide Industrial Shops
Local Union 1460 Province-Wide Millwrights
Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers Delegate Body Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers Executive Board Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers Executive Committee
EXECUTIVE BOARDS ALBERTA REGIONAL COUNCIL EXECUTIVE BOARD Bob Hugh, President Greg Budd, Vice-President Martyn Piper, Executive Secretary Treasurer Bob Arnestad, Trustee Gord Evers, Trustee Paul Zarbatany, Trustee Bill Weireter, Warden Shane Whitmore, Conductor Gary Loroff, Executive Committee Member Moe Rahime, Executive Committee Member Robert Provencher, Executive Committee Member/Finance Chair LOCAL UNION 1460 MILLWRIGHTS David Knight, President Neal Hugh, Vice-President Stan Howell, Recording Secretary Bob Hugh, Financial Secretary Ken Walker, Treasurer Philip (Wei) Yun, Conductor Tom Debeljak, Warden Hans Kruger, Trustee Kyle Middleton, Trustee Grant Ireland, Trustee
LOCAL UNION 2010 EXECUTIVE William Weireter, President Robert Sawatzky, Vice-President Vince Pariseau, Recording Secretary Bhajan (Ben) Kang, Financial Secretary Renato Danzo, Treasurer Edwin Lonsdale, Trustee Clint Kittle, Trustee Joseph Budac, Trustee Fabian Cherewko, Conductor Chris Robinson, Warden
LOCAL UNION 2103 EXECUTIVE Paul Zarbatany, President Bruce Payne, Vice-President Mathew McLeod, Recording Secretary Mike Cooper, Treasurer Gary Loroff, Financial Secretary Stephen Brazil, Trustee Merritt Broughton, Trustee Joseph D. Wagner, Trustee Tim Virtanen, Warden Hughie Bruce, Conductor
LOCAL UNION 1325 EXECUTIVE Mike Dunlop, President Brandi Thorne, Vice-President Moe Rahime, Recording Secretary Al Minaker, Treasurer Rob Carlson, Financial Secretary Doug Germaine, Conductor Dave Hunter, Warden Leonard Lopatynski, Trustee John Northcott, Trustee Perry Walsh, Trustee
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No Show Fees Alberta Carpenters Training Centre If you register for any of the following courses through the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre and fail to attend and not notify the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre, you will be charged the following NO SHOW Fees. Scaffold Training Industrial Technical Training (ITT) Level One Scaffolding Level Two Scaffolding Level Three Scaffolding Scaffold Journeyman Upgrade Carpentry Training AIT Period One Carpentry AIT Period Two Carpentry Enhancement Training 1st Aid/ CPR Blueprint Reading CSTS H2S Alive Hoisting & Rigging Insulating Concrete Forms OSSA Confined Space OSSA Fall Protection
$100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $700 $700 $135 $250 $50 $135 $250 $200 $150 $150
*any other Enhancement Training will be the full cost of the course
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND A COURSE THAT YOU HAVE REGISTERED FOR AND YOU NEED TO CANCEL, CALL AND LEAVE A MESSAGE AT 780-455-6532 EXT. 4226. Millwright Training Centre Members or probationary apprentices: if you do not notify the Millwright Training Centre that you are unable to attend a course you are registered in, you will be billed a “no show” fee of $100. No show fees for any other courses scheduled outside the Millwright Training Centre will be the full cost of the course. NAIT hoisting and rigging course is subject to a $450 no show fee.
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Frameworks of RESPECT By GISELE APARICIO-HULL
With its focus on quality and customer service, Drytec Interiors has a promising future ahead
V NEW SHOP BUILDING: Carpenters Local 1325 in Edmonton
ictor Pereira’s ultimate goal is to make everyone his company touches – from customers to employees – happy. The way to accomplish that is to show respect, he says. It’s a key to success that Pereira, the president and owner of Drytec Interiors, owes to his Portugese family background. “My parents always told me to respect your boss and the person who’s in charge and to respect everybody,” he says. Drytec Interiors has been in the interior systems business since May 2011, providing design-assist and construction services for several clients across Alberta, including Bird Construction, PCL and the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers. That usually involves providing all of the interior package for a building, including support framework, drywall, acoustical ceilings, insulation and piping. At not even two years old, the company has been busy from day one and has been on a steady incline ever since. Starting up the business is a risk that has paid off for the husband and soon-to-be father of three. “It’s hard to start, and you have to put your time into something that you don’t know is going to work,” says Pereira, who by the end of the year will need to hire more than 40 employees. “But it has been pretty good. I’ve been busy through the last year and a half. I have a lot of projects coming and it’s better than I was expecting, way better than I was expecting.” If you ask Drytec client Bob Provencher, project manager at ARRCAW, this is far from a coincidence. Provencher, who has seen HARDHAT FALL 2012
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Drytec’s development from its infancy, says Pereira’s success is well- remembers asking himself, “Why not start my own company and see what I have to offer?” earned, thanks to his combination of diligent craftsmanship, honWhat Pereira offers Drytec and everyone who does business with the esty and excellent work ethic. company is a foundation built on hard work, innovation and treating “The number one thing clients are looking for today is the ability to communicate with their contractor, that everything is going to be everyone with respect. “Even the workers that I have, I try to offer the made right,” says Provencher. “And Vic brings that to the table. He’s most that I can to them, so that they can feel comfortable and feel happy to go to work the next morning; that’s what I like to do.” not a guy who collects his money and he’s gone. If you have a probAnd Pereira recognizes happy workers are more likely to foster the lem, you call Vic and he’s going to come back and make sure you’re company’s commitment to contaken care of. And that’s big in “If you have a problem, you call Vic and he’s sistently delivering good, qualtoday’s world.” ity work, no matter the size of the Pereira’s passion for the going to come back and make sure you’re craft began 18 years ago after taken care of. And that’s big in today’s world,” project. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a $1,000 discovering the creativity and says Bob Provencher. job or $5-million job, I care for all discipline involved in becoming an interior systems mechanic. “There’s a lot of imagination, you the jobs and I respect them the same,” he explains. “My thing is to make the client happy and give them a good final product. That’s the way you can be creative and I like perfection. I like the way you can mould get the next job.” drywall and you can do a lot of stuff with it that you can’t do with Provencher describes Drytec under Pereira’s leadership as a success other stuff, like steel.” story of a tradesman developing into a contractor, something the union As a union member and tradesperson, Pereira helped construct would like to see more of its members do. ARRCAW’s head office in Edmonton. Provencher later approached Although it’s hard work, Pereira recommends this path for the right him to complete renovation and repair work on the building, and person. His words of advice: “If they have that dream, if they have the once that was successfully completed, presented him with the opportunity to bid as an interior systems contractor to help develop background and if they’re comfortable to open a company, they should a 10,000-square-foot storage and shop facility on the same campus. go ahead and do it and don’t look back, because it’s a great opportunity.” With contracts signed into the end of next year, Pereira is cautious but The timing couldn’t have been better, as Pereira had already been thinking about starting his own company. As a tradesperson, he had optimistic about Drytec’s future. “It’s hard to predict three or four years ahead. It changes fast sometimes but for the next year I’ll be pretty busy,” some ideas on improving quality control and the customer service he says. experience. He also wanted to be more influential in the projects “And I hope it will last for a long, long time.” he was involved with. When Provencher approached him, Pereira
OPERATING ENGINEERS BUILDING: Local 955 in Fort McMurray
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LOCAL 1325 CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY RE CENT L A UR t on CULT dmon
gifts . eiving p.m. c n e o r e nc h ildren 2:30 nd lu 142 for ch out after will e mb a r d e t m e g r n i n y mil r you inme ion is requ e handed All fa aged 12 o t er t a ill b n trat e s -regis presents w ren de e u r l p c , n Child i o ion: ne t io n rmat ver yo ncheon. N a e r o f r b n o e i f Cel ing the lu p ace ollow sure s ng part in f n e e o h i T a nction res t or tak Sant here equi ing fu er and f r d n n t e t o t i ers a d und me ill be 0 p.m. strat w e Regi mber’s na mily memb ren 12 an c 3 2: y 905 n offi • Me ber of fa er of child until ish Merr onto 0) 272-7 2012 m m d u d n • N and ge (80 to w ristmas he E 16, e call t toll-free mber e , v r Ch all! o • Ag e t r N gis 200 o er t f e r a to s e n r To p 0) 471-3 registratio 8 t at (7 accep 2012 r 2, ill not e 12. w b e W em 6, 20 c . 1 e r m D e . b ay, ovem :0 0 p Sund .–3 ay, N ited d m i . r F a 0 is lim dline: 11:0 n dea – space o i t a r t Regis ter early s i g e R
E AN e! venue A ITALI 3 elcom eive a gift. 3 1 w – s er 30 rec
12 0 2 , er 9 p.m. b m ce 3:30 ll e D , y ill on Ha ry a t d . n Su 00 p.m rs Uni , Calga 12: pente et NW 103 ? 2 r e l r a a C St oc ars old e L h f t o will b e 0 s r 1 e y i e d b oo 12 y, nd g efore 301 Frida mem p to ifts a
b o ere g ter them onday t ach child u a dren u h o w M y y ! Part hat e rom regis Are as chil mas s call to 30 p.m. f certain t you there t s i r h i : e C e 4 o b h to d to a and will ll. Se who vited you have :00 a.m. ay, you Union Ha n i e 8 ar tw ll
s en ers ha .A e one to them 7, betwe ildren. T Carpent l t t i l e at th your tributed 283-074 f your ch ee at the , e o b s ! s o o If tr di 3) ave t t. Thanks h t (40 and ages hristmas a n e 4 C r 1 mes ildr ir gif a mbe r the he ch eive the t t a Nove us the n ift unde rec e th g g e not Party to s tellin illhave a a e l P w tmas Chris
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Geared Up Tools to help you work faster and smarter
AUTOMATED ADJUSTMENT Since its spring 2012 launch, the Auto-Adjust Toggle Clamp from Bessey Tools has become the go-to tool for carpenters, woodworkers and metal workers looking for an easy setup clamp that will effortlessly match whatever piece of material is being worked on. The auto-adjustment feature handles variations in workpiece thickness of one inch while maintaining clamp pressure. The Auto-Adjust Toggle Clamp is available in three styles: horizontal low to handle workpiece height up to 1 9⁄16 inches; horizontal high auto-adjusts to variations up to 2 3⁄8 inches; and the inline model, which auto-adjusts to width variations of up to 1 3⁄16 inch. Clamping force can be adjusted within a range of 25 to 550 pounds of pressure with the turn of an integrated screw. The swivel foot has a non-marring plastic cap and the toggle will automatically adjust to different heights of wood while maintaining a steady pressure. The clamp has up to 700 pounds of holding capacity. It’s easy to install with one-time setup, optimized to use a 1⁄4 inch (M6) fastener. The Bessey Auto-Adjust Toggle Clamps sell for approximately $22 each and are available at retailers across Alberta. Visit www.besseytools.com for more information. SINGLE UNIT, MULTIPLE POINTS Bosch has introduced a new laser level designed for multi-point projects in a single unit, rather than working with two or more levels on a job. The new GCL 25 five point self-levelling alignment laser with cross-line is designed for tradespeople and craftsmen in need of a versatile tool for daily use . It has one-button operation that allows for quick
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switches between the multiple self-levelling modes and the slope mode. The five laser points are visible up to 100 feet away and offer accuracy of a quarter inch for points and an eighth of an inch for cross lines with laser visibility up to 33 feet. The GCL 25 starts with the basics, including self-levelling, plumb up and down, horizontal levelling, alignment, right angle setting and laser cross line. Additional features have been designed to speed up the process for multi-point jobs. The GCL 25 can transfer points to the ceiling or lighting installations using plumb points, square for room partitions or walls using the five-point mode and lay out frame tracks. The GCL 25 will be available at online and in-store retailers this fall. Visit www. boschtools.com for more information. MEASURING UP The new Stanley FatMax 25 foot magnetic tape measure (model FMHT33865, metric model FMHT33866) has an impressive 11 feet of blade standout combined with an effective and accurate magnetic end. Designed to be tough, the magnet is a powerful rare earth magnet with a holding force of up to four pounds. The end of the blade is coated with BladeArmor on the first three inches to deliver durability of the hook end and the blade is coated with Mylar polyester film for long life. “We are proud to be introducing a new magnetic tape measure that is accurate and provides both long reach and a power magnet, making it the perfect choice for pros in a host of different trades,” says Scott Moore, vice-president of marketing, Stanley Black & Decker.” The Stanley FatMax 25 sells for approximately $27.99 and is available at retailers across Alberta. Visit www.stanleytools.com for more information.
FALL 2012
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REPORT
Training and Apprenticeship
Busy Times for ACTC
S
pring and summer of 2012 have certainly proven to be the busiest the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre has seen. Last year we were facing an unprecedented number of members looking for spots in our scaffold training program. We then created enough classes for the 2012-2013 schedule province-wide to address this backlog. We continue to run hundreds through our internationally recognized scaffold training program every few months in this province, and we continue to develop, review and improve our training delivery on an ongoing basis. We focus on quality control. We focus on professionalism. We focus on excellence for our members and contractors. That’s what separates us from the competition that wants our jobs and our contracts, the same competitors and contractors that are hell-bent on lowering our wages and benefits to increase overall corporate profits. Research the wages and benefits of a carpenter and/or scaffold erector in any part of the southern United “right to work” States. You will soon see what I am talking about. The minute we lose our focus, our resolve and our unity is when we go to work creating wealth for others and see our take-home pay and benefits cut by as much as half. Don’t think it can’t happen because it already has, and there is a large group of people that wants it to happen here in Alberta, if not all across Canada. On the topic of scaffolding, I am writing this article from what can seem like a second office or home at times – our International Training Centre in Las Vegas, where I am currently working on curriculum review and redevelopment of our International Scaffold Training Manual, to be used throughout North America. Instructors George Pekarchik and Randy Dwernychuk and I have been tasked with this important project, representing Canada and our scaffold industry’s needs. We have been asked in years previous to assist with development of scaffold training programs on all levels for the International, hard work that ACTC staff members Randy, George and myself take on gladly and treat very seriously. Why does the International Brotherhood of Carpenters continue to request our assistance in development of training manuals and actual scaffold training programs to spread all over North America, from coast to coast to northern coast? Because we have proven what we do works, year after year. Our contractors know it, and the International knows it, and it drives our competition absolutely crazy. It should make our Alberta members, as well as our contractors, other UBC training centres teaching scaffolding and all of our scaffold instructors across Canada very proud to know we have the recognition we deserve in this field. We are carpenters with a major in scaffolding. I have heard that more than once in our International dealings. This August we had the pleasure to host the Canadian National Apprenticeship contest in Edmonton. Congratulations to all
26 apprentice/new JM Carpenters/Drywall/ Millwright competitors from across Canada that attended, and thanks to all the ACTC and millwright staff, many volunteers, and generous sponsors for helping to make this a well-attended and well-run event. The carpenter apprentices built custom deluxe doghouses (an actual miniature house, fully insulated with rafters, shingles and siding and an attached solar panel to power a small porch light as an added Len Bryden, bonus!) Definitely some of Director of Training and Apprenticeship the nicest custom doghouses Alberta Carpenters Training Centre most have ever seen! We will be delivering 12 completed projects to the Edmonton Humane Society for them to help raise funds for their organization. If you are interested in purchasing one, contact the Edmonton Humane Society after October 8 to ask how you can get one for your pampered pet. Great job by the drywallers and millwrights as well! Be sure to read the article in this issue for more information regarding the NAC2012, and check out millwright Bob Hugh’s article as he speaks more about the national contest. Watch for changes to our required work experience hours for the scaffold program coming in 2013, more great training sessions for the remainder of 2012 and into 2013 for Hoisting and Rigging, Forklift, Telescoping Rough Terrain Forklift, Aerial Work Platform, Commercial Door Hardware, all of our ongoing safety training classes, First and Second Period Carpentry Apprenticeship classes, and more. Contact us or visit our website at www.abcarptc.ab.ca for more information and to register for training. After such a busy 2012 so far, we would like to think that things would slow down for a bit into the fall for the ACTC. Not the case. After a busy spring, busier summer and a quick holiday to catch my breath, I will be right back at it. As usual, I want to remind all apprentices and members that all training is valuable, and we at the ACTC are here to answer your questions and help you succeed within our organization. Stick together, support one another in good times and bad, and stay strong. Now we all need to keep working at our respective jobs and keep this Carpenters Union strong, productive and proud. That takes all of us. The staff at ACTC and myself are going to do our part. Will you?
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REPORT
Local 1460 Millwrights
First Place for Local 1460 Apprentice
M
ore than 200 delegates and 26 of the country’s finest UBC millwright, carpenter and drywall apprentices recently converged on Edmonton for the National Apprenticeship Competition. Nobody left unimpressed. Believe me! And no one was prouder at the competition’s end than the Alberta Millwright Training Centre staff, because one of our own, Tyler Shipton, placed first in the millwright competition. The Canada-wide National Apprenticeship Competition is held in conjunction with an annual two-day National Apprenticeship and Training Advisory Committee (NATAC) meeting of trainers from every province. Tom Debelajk and I represented the Alberta Millwright Training Trust Fund at these meetings. To me, the effort that goes into this competition proves UBC’s commitment to excellence in tradesmanship and to ensuring that the next generation is motivated to uphold professional standards that have been proudly passed down for hundreds of years. The August 25 competition required months of planning, dozens of volunteers and a large investment of time and materials. It was held in a 220-foot long, 60-foot wide tent at Louise McKinney Park in Edmonton’s river valley. Competitors were given plans (carpenters and drywallers) or task assignments (millwrights) at 8:00 a.m. and worked feverishly to finish by the 4:00 p.m. deadline. Judges from Alberta and several other provinces monitored their performance, from planning the job to final execution. The challenges of staging this competition were formidable. Once the tent was erected, we needed to supply it with generated power (and a complete backup system) and supplies like water, tables and chairs, and services ranging from security, porta-potties and chartered buses to food caterers and more. Volunteers at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre teamed up to pre-build 26 individual platforms for the competitors to work on, and to acquire endless lifts of plywood, lumber, drywall and other supplies they’d require for their projects. Myshak Sales & Rentals donated the use of two 40-foot highboys to transport our props and tools, the work platforms and project materials to and from the competition site. KBIM, our largest millwright-only employer, picked up the costs for the tractor and the operators’ wages. Companies like DeWalt donated an incredible amount of value by providing tools for the competitors and as prizes. And the City of Edmonton generously
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Bob Hugh, Senior Business Representative - Millwrights allowed us the use of the park, free of charge! I was proud to serve on the organizing committee along with committee chairman Len Bryden of the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre. We would not have succeeded without the help of the highly organized duo of Kim Belbin of the ACTC and our own Lisa Wilson. My thanks go to the many ACTC staff, carpenter and millwright members who volunteered so many hours of hard work to pull the competition together, and to Dave Knight, Grant Ireland and Jim Archer who, along with Lloyd Horley, our Saskatchewan brother, judged the millwright competition. Congratulations, Tyler Shipton!
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KidZone
By ROBIN SCHROFFEL Find your way through the building maze. Start on the ground floor.
Extreme Construction Eating bugs. Riding motorcycles through mud.Whitewater rafting. People love to take things to extremes, and construction is no different. All around the world, you can see extreme building projects that took years to plan and that cost millions, sometimes even billions, of dollars to build. One example is the world’s biggest dam. It’s in China and crosses the Yangtze River. It’s called the Three Gorges Dam, and it’s 2,335 metres long and 181 metres high. That’s the length of 233 football fields, and it’s made of enough steel to build 63 Eiffel Towers! In Europe, one of the coolest construction projects ever was the CERN Large Hadron Collidor. It’s a giant scientific instrument built 100 metres underground so that scientists can study the tiniest particles on Earth. It’s shaped like a circle and is 27 kilometres around, crossing the border between France and Switzerland. If you were driving the normal speed limit in your neighbourhood, it would take about half an hour to get around it.
Ancient Extremes Extreme construction projects are nothing new. Hundreds, and even thousands of years ago, people were building big and beautiful things. Below, we share some of the most extreme construction projects of their time. All of them have stood the test of time: with a little travelling, you can still see all of them today. THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA Where: Egypt When: About 2560 B.C.E. What: Giant stone pyramids rising out of the desert.
ANGKOR WAT Where: Cambodia When: Circa 1100 B.C.E. What: A large, beautiful religious temple surrounded by a moat. THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA Where: China When: About 220 B.C.E. What: A giant protective wall stretching 21,196 kilometres long across the country.
Word Scramble
CAPPADOCIA Where: Turkey When: About 300 A.D. What: Underground cities that included churches, temples, stables and homes.
Try to unscramble these words. (Hint: all of them are mentioned somewhere on this page.) MACHU PICCHU Where: Peru When: About 1460 A.D. What: A fortified city on top of a mountain, built by the Inca people.
RKGNAO TAW CHUMA CHCPIU RAEGT LLAW FO HCNAI PACPDOAICA RHEET OGSREG AMD HARDHAT FALL 2012
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Meet the Instructor
By ROBIN SCHROFFEL
Labour of Love F
PHOTO: EUGENE/3TEN
or centuries, the trades have worked in much the same way: experienced journeymen pass down to apprentices the knowledge and skills they’ve accumulated over many years. That sense of tradition is what keeps millwright instructor Jim Archer, a veteran who’s practised the trade for more than 50 years, teaching students even through his semi-retirement. “It’s good to pass that onto somebody that’s young and coming up, and hopefully when they get older they’ll be able to pass it on also,” he says. “That’s how we keep a skilled workforce.” Archer first entered the mechanical trade in his native England at 16, completing a five-year apprenticeship before an advertisement for work at an Alberta coal mine caught his eye. In 1969, he headed across the pond and signed on at the mine as a mechanical engineer. After a short time, Archer left the coal biz and joined Local 1460, doing general construction work within the millwright trade at oil refineries, gas plants and the like. Eventually, he took a job at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) teaching millwright apprentices. Between NAIT and later, a position at SAIT, Archer spent about 15 years instructing before going back to the job site. Soon, he began training union members at the Provincial Millwright Training Centre in Edmonton. The author of one manual for millwrights, IPT’s Industrial Hydraulics Training Manual, and co-author of another on rotating equipment, Archer’s thorough grounding in the principles and practices of the trade combined with his passion for new technologies makes him an inspiring instructor. His enthusiasm – Archer professes love for all the courses he teaches, from rigging to steam turbines to alignment – doesn’t hurt, either. The training centre keeps up to date with the latest equipment, including high-tech laser alignment products, and Archer relishes the opportunity to put that equipment to use. “I enjoy change,” he says. Advancements in technology provide a compelling reason for union members to take Archer’s courses. In fact, most of his students are journeymen upgrading, keeping their
skills fresh and learning to use the newest equipment. Alignment, in particular, is one course that journeymen can always benefit from. “Alignment is one of these things that if you don’t continually do it, you tend to lose your skills and forget a little bit,” Archer says. “[Laser alignment] could even be something they haven’t done at all – some of them might have done the old style using dial indicators.” Archer’s courses aren’t run on a full-time basis, which suits him just fine: it allows him to spend more time at his home base in Cochrane, coming up to Edmonton for just a few weeks at a time. He really doesn’t need the work: for the lifelong tradesman, it’s a labour of love. “I do the instructing more to help everybody out and pass on whatever skills I can.”
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Meet the Apprentice
yler Shipton is the first to admit he was a bit of a slacker in high school. In fact, he says he barely scraped through with his diploma. But as a fourth-year millwright apprentice, he’s completely turned things around. For the past three years, Shipton has been recognized as the top apprentice in his class and in August, he topped that honour by winning first prize for millwrights in the 2012 National Apprenticeship Awards, beating out eight other representatives from across the country. The award means a lot to Shipton, who confides that he wasn’t expecting to win. He recalls looking over to his table of family and friends during the ceremony as they shook their heads, thinking he wasn’t going to win, and says he almost cried when the judges called his name. “I felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be the best in something,” he says. “This is like the Grammy of millwrighting.” To prepare for the competition, which lasted two days and included both a written component and practical exams like alignment, a bearing scrape and a bearing installation, Shipton worked closely with Dave Knight, president of Local 1460, to brush up on his skills. While Shipton’s technical abilities were advanced enough to win the apprenticeship competition, he says that it’s the people skills he’s picked up through the union that have proven the most valuable to him. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is being part of a team and learning how to work with other people,” he says. “How to speak to people, how to get them to do the things you want them to do and how to take direction.” The importance of keeping a positive attitude on the job site has also made a lasting impression on Shipton. No matter how much money you’re making, if morale is low then it could be the worst job in the world, he explains. But even a crummy job can be improved by creating a positive atmosphere. “If it’s -50 C outside but you have a good crew, the day goes by better and everyone works safer.” It’s an attitude that will help Shipton when he transitions to a journeyman next year. The rite of passage is one he takes extremely seriously. “One day, we all have to become journeymen. I want to make sure that, when the time comes, I’m not going to be letting anyone down, that I’ll be proficient in what I do and that I will be able to lead one day,” he says. But
Shipton is conscious of how much work that entails. “I still have a lot to learn.” Describing himself as a perfectionist with a serious work ethic, Shipton credits his success to developing a routine, knowing where his focus needs to be and learning how to study. “I can’t be out with my buddies all the time. There has to be a balance in there,” he says. “It’s absolutely worth the sacrifice.”
PHOTO: EUGENE/3TEN
Winning Attitude T
By ROBIN SCHROFFEL
TYLER SHIPTON HARDHAT FALL 2012
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UPCOMING
Training + Events
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 Alberta Carpenters Training Centre The following is a sampling of training courses that are open for registration at the time of publication of this edition of Hard Hat. For full listings or more information on training courses, visit www. abcarptc.ab.ca or phone the Edmonton office: 780-455-6532 or toll-free 1-877-455-6532. All courses are at the Edmonton location, unless otherwise indicated. H2S Alive: (Enform Certified): Nov. 4, 18, 25, 2012 OSSA Fall Protection: Nov. 3, 6, 9, 2012 OSSA Confined Space: Nov. 10, 16, 24, 2012
In Memoriam ARCCAW notes with sorrow the passing of the following members.
Aerial Work Platform: Nov. 14 to 15, 2012; Nov. 28 to 29, 2012
Your
LOCAL 1325
Standard First Aid and CPR: Nov. 17 to 18, 2012
From Mos Othe that safe CEF edu the man thes idea
James Bibaud August 2011, Age 83
Industrial Technical Training: Feb. 19 to March 3, 2013
David Bourke July 2012, Age 58
Forklift Training Course: Nov. 12 to 13, 2012; Nov. 26 to 27, 2012 Blueprint Reading: Dec. 17 to 21 Commercial Door Hardware Installation: Feb. 11 to 15, 2013 (Calgary); May 27 to May 31, 2013
Dennis Gudmundson July 2012, Age 61 Local 2010
Who
Eugene Gendron August 2012, Age 63
Scaffolding Level 2: April 8 to 26, 2013; June 24 to July 12, 2013 (Fort McMurray)
CEF Con emp
Local 1460
Period 2 Carpentry: March 11 to May 3, 2013
Joseph Colnar April 2012, Age 64
MILLWRIGHTS TRAINING CENTRE
C
Who
CEF mem and
Visit www.albertamillwrights.com for a current listing of training courses available
How
Alberta Carpenters Training Centre
By c assi con acce
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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Confidential personal assistance and self-development services for employees and their dependents Your Construction Employee & Family Assistance Program
Is CEFAP Confidential?
From time to time we all face difficult or stressful events in our lives. Most of the time we handle these personal challenges fairly well. Other times, our personal issues can become significant enough that they begin to interfere with our effectiveness, happiness or safety, both at work and at home. CEFAP is a plan designed to provide confidential counselling, educational and self-development services to people employed in the unionized construction and plant maintenance industries to help manage these issues. While CEFAP can be used for crisis intervention, the ideal time to use the plan is before problems get out of hand.
Yes, CEFAP is a confidential service. Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) counsellors are required by law to maintain the strictest confidentiality. One who inquires about or receives services will only be identified with that person’s written approval.
Who Sponsors CEFAP?
Alcohol and Drug Issues
CEFAP is endorsed by the Building Trades of Alberta and Unionized Contractors. Funding for the program is provided by unionized employers, and various local Union Health & Welfare Trust Plans.
Alcohol and Drug counselling services provided by Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) meet all of the requirements of the Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace-Alcohol and Drug Guidelines and Work Rule. Counselling and return to work assessments are conducted by professionals with specialized training in dealing with alcohol and/or drug use issues.
Who is Eligible for Services? CEFAP services are provided to employees and their eligible family members according to the participation of sponsoring organizations and employers as well as plan eligibility rules.
How Are Services Accessed? By contacting Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) you will be assisted in setting up an appointment at a time and office location convenient to you. Education and self-development services can be accessed through the Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) website.
Language and Aboriginal Options Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) provides multi-language options in all offices. For aboriginal workers, options for receiving assistance from approved Healers, Elders and aboriginal treatment facilities are also available.
A unique feature of CEFAP is the provision for coverage of some or all of the fees charged by approved residential facilities, to assist an eligible employee and each eligible family member. This provision is administered by Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) in a confidential manner.
Emergency Services are available 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week through the Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) Toll-Free Numbers
What Does CEFAP Offer? CEFAP covers counselling, education and self-development services in addition to assessment and referral when required, for a full spectrum of personal issues including, but not limited to: • separation /divorce/custody • financial and legal difficulties • alcohol and drug dependency • gambling and other addictions • smoking cessation • eating disorders
• difficulties with children • anger management • sexual harassment and abuse • bereavement • child/elder care resources • retirement planning
• dietician services • physical fitness assessment • single parenting • sleep difficulties • health & wellness companion
E-Learning Courses Human Solutions™ (Wilson Banwell) provides access to the latest in leading edge learning with self-paced, confidential and interactive online courses. All online visits are treated just like counselling sessions, ensuring privacy and confidentiality.
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For Immediate Response North America Wide:
International Access: (Call collect) 604-689-1717
English 1-800-663-1142 French 1-866-398-9505 Hearing 1-888-384-1152
Internet Services Available at: www.humansolutions.ca www.wilsonbanwell.com
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EDUCATION FOR THE REAL WORLD
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