Uniting ARCCAW members across Alberta
Winter 2015
Vegas Mentorship
Sisters in the Brotherhood connect at ITC Conference
Recruitment pitch lures workers to careers in the skilled trades End of an Era
Local 1460’s Bob Hugh retires
ACTC exp an Trade Win ds west; tools; me ds nets et new chair BTA’s man;
HEATED WORK JACKETS
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HIGH MEDIUM LOW
D EWALT HEATED WORK JACKETS. DESIGNED FOR CONSTANT WEAR The jackets, when used with a DEWALT 20V MAX* or 12V MAX* battery, are capable of providing hours of core body warmth and continuous heat†. Each jacket offers a water- and wind-resistant outer shell, an LED controller with 3 temperature settings plus pre-heat mode, and at least 3 core body heating zones. The heating power is transferred from the battery to the jacket by a USB power source that is also capable of charging up to 2 electronic devices that are USB-compatible. Tailored Tough to DEFROST any Worksite.
* With respect to 20V MAX*, maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20 volts. Nominal voltage is 18. *With respect to 12V MAX*, maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 12 volts. Nominal voltage is 10.8. † Actual run time varies depending on battery type and heat setting Copyright ©2013 D E WALT. The following are examples of trademarks for one or more D E WALT power tools and accessories: the yellow and black color scheme; the “D”-shaped air intake grill; the array of pyramids on the handgrip; the kit box configuration; and the array of lozenge-shaped humps on the surface of the tool.
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Copyright ©2014 DEWALT. The following are examples of trademarks for one or more DEWALT power tools and accessories: The yellow and black color scheme; the “D”-shaped air intake grill; the array of pyramids on the handgrip; the kit box configuration; and the array of lozenge-shaped humps on the surface of the tool. *With respect to the DEWALT 20V MAX*: Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20 volts. Nominal voltage is 18.
Executive Secretary Treasurer’s
REPORT
What a Difference a Month Makes Martyn A. Piper
O
ne thing I have come to learn
in life, and perhaps confirmed more so recently, is that there is no such thing as certainty and we should not take things for granted. Just when everything seems to be going right and percolating along nicely, bang! Things just changed almost overnight. Yes, you know where I am going: oil prices! How could it be that no one predicted this? Where are all the economic gurus now? House prices, gas prices, low tax regime, interest rates, the Canadian dollar, public services, new schools, immigration, temporary foreign workers, pick of the jobs – tough luck to the rest of Canada! However, now as the chickens come home to roost, all of us are touched in one way or another due to the price of that black liquid stuff. So now the question becomes – where to from here and for how long is this period of uncertainty going to last? What plans should one make other than to reef in the sheets, put the bow into the wind and ride out the storm. For most working class people this turbulent time presents almost immediate challenges. Very few have assets socked away for a rainy day, simply because workers generally cannot afford such a luxury. The average working person has a significant rent or mortgage burden. For those with mortgages, many are playing the margins with a variable rate that can go up and out of sight at the whim of the financial markets. The same applies to those plastic cards which are all too readily available at the time of purchase, but risky given the interest rates which, if not high enough already, can increase at a moment’s notice. I guess it all
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comes down to jobs and availability of work. Clearly, this latest state of affairs has everyone cautiously looking over their shoulders wondering if they will have a job tomorrow or whether they are likely to have one anytime soon. Alternatively, there is the threat of facing wage cuts or reduced terms and conditions of employment. I would like to be in a position to be able answer these questions; however, at the time of writing this column the only conclusions that I can draw is that most owners – in the oilsands at least – are tightening the screws, looking for cost savings where they can, cancelling project work that can wait, and looking for more with less on maintenance. With respect to commercial work, one has to wonder whether investors will get the jitters about demand for commercial or residential space, circle the wagons and wait for a time when there is more confidence in the Alberta economy. The premier has said publicly he plans to go ahead with new schools; however, given the state of the provincial treasury, it is hard to see how he would risk further expenditures through this period of obvious belt tightening. What a difference a month or two makes, and if you believe the economic strategists, all because a few sheikhs – a cosy cartel and others in far-flung countries that have questionable values and principles, particularly as it relates to human rights – have decided to flood the world oil markets to reduce prices and wreak havoc on economies, such as ours. One question I ask in this dismal economic retreat is: when is the West going to wake up – including the global oil companies who operate here – and stop playing nice with oil producing countries that have no respect for sovereignty, basic human values, and that can jerk our collective chains whenever they feel like it, or worse yet coerce our governments to send our men and women to fight their wars? And on top of that, the Gulf States and other middle eastern countries are notorious in their exploitation of foreign workers who are brought in as the cheap exploited labour supply to build their oil wealth as well as the other construction and labour servitude which takes place in these countries. Too political? No! Just frustrated. Did someone say pipelines? North-south, east-west; that would at least be a start.
Contents 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
Winter 15
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
12 Building Awareness New province-wide campaign aims to recruit workers to jobs in the skilled trades By Jacqueline Louie
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
18 Millwright of Passage Bob Hugh hangs up his coveralls after more than four decades with Local 1460 By Nadia Moharib
20 Christmas Party Recap Photos by Daryll Propp and Joey Podlubny
Ruth Kelly
ARCCAW EDITOR
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23 Sisters Unite UBC conference for women in the trades full of takeaways for work and life By Shelley Williamson
Martyn A. Piper
DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM CONTENT
Mifi Purvis EDITOR
Shelley Williamson ART DIRECTOR
DEPARTMENTS
Charles Burke
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Andrea deBoer
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PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
By Martyn Piper
Betty Feniak Smith
PRODUCTION TECHNICIANS
Brent Felzien, Brandon Hoover CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Len Bryden, Bryan Getson, Jacqueline Louie, Nadia Moharib, Martyn Piper, Erica Viegas CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
Buffy Goodman, Bryce Meyer, JoeyPodlubny, Darryl Propp, Kelly Redinger VICE-PRESIDENT, SALES
Anita McGillis
Note from the Executive Secretary Treasurer
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Site Lines New digs for ACTC; Meet the chairman of BTA; Floorlaying conference; Tribute to Broken Families; Prostate cancer “apprentice”; Tools for Trade Winds; No Labour Code changes
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25 KidZone
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Kathy Kelley
26 Meet the Instructor
SALES ASSISTANT
Julia Ehli
Contents © 2015 by ARCCAW Inc. No part of this publication should be reproduced without written permission.
27 Meet the Apprentice 28 Training & Apprenticeship Report By Len Bryden
29 Safety Report Important Phone Numbers Edmonton 780-471-3200 Fort McMurray 780-743-1442 Calgary 403-283-0747 Carpenters Training Centre 780-455-6532 Carpenters Health and Welfare 780-477-9131 Carpenters Pension 780-477-9131 Industrial Workers 403-283-0747 Millwright Local 1460 780-430-1460 Local Union 1325 and 2103 Dispatch 1-888-944-0818
By Bryan Getson
30 Parting Shot 31 Training & Events; In Memoriam ON THE COVER: Warren Fraleigh, executive director of BTA , is pulling for new blood in the trades. PHOTO: Kelly Redinger WINTER 2015 | HARDHAT
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Site Lines
News in Brief
A roundup of news and events from around the region
Apprenticeship Works on Prostate Cancer It may be slightly out of the Building Trades of Alberta (BTA)’s wheelhouse, but the organization has partnered with Prostate Cancer Canada and the University of Alberta to take a swing at prostate cancer. The BTA announced in January it would donate $80,000, in the form of an “apprenticeship” for a young researcher to work on Dr. John Lewis’ prostate cancer research team at the University of Alberta. The lucky “apprentice” is U of A grad student Srijan Raha, who has studied cancer metastasis through his past research, and says he is delighted to work with Lewis. Another Calgary-area researcher-in-training, yet to be announced, will also benefit from the funding. Lewis’ team is working on a simple blood test to predict the spread of cancer for Albertans living with prostate cancer, so they can decide how to best treat the patient. The test differentiates between prostate cancer that spreads – or metastatic – and that which does not. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in Canada, with one in eight expected to be diagnosed in his lifetime. Four thousand deaths and nearly 24,000 new cases of prostate cancer are expected across the country in 2015.
Warren Fraleigh, executive director of the BTA and president of the Building Trades of Alberta Charitable Foundation, says the donation fits well with the BTA’s membership. “The BTA is proud to participate in the funding of these critical prostate cancer research positions that will help expand on the awareness, prevention and treatment of this menacing disease,” says Fraleigh. Rocco Rossi, CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada is grateful for the BTA contribution. “Their $80,000 commitment further helps us ensure that men will have access to these tests and the knowledge they represent to make decisions that will maximize quality of life.”
Families Remembered Grant Notley Park users have likely noticed an obelisk standing tall as a tribute to broken families as they pass. The four-sided, 14-foot tall by 10-foot wide monument, designed by local artist Memi Von Gaza, shows four families each missing a family member, cast in bronze. First unveiled in 2012 on the International Day of Mourning (April 28) – a day dedicated to remembering workers killed or injured on the job – the obelisk was a joint effort by the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW). Project manager Bob Provencher was helped by ARCCAW members Mike Srejic, Marvin Eskiw, and Jake Waldner, who crafted the concrete base of the monument over just six weeks. The Edmonton and District Labour Council commissioned the project, which is also graced by a tribute poem “Broken Families” by Michael Brown, who won the opportunity in a contest. Brown is also a member of the International Association of machinist and Aerospace Workers. Bruce Fafard, president of the Edmonton and District Labour Council, says the monument, which will also be home to this year’s Day of Mourning ceremony, “is to commemorate health and safety for all workers as well as the workers who have lost their loves while on duty, regardless of whether they work for the union. There are no borders.” Save the Date: The Edmonton and District Labour Council’s will mark the International Day of Mourning this April 28 with a theme of anti-bullying and non-violence in the workplace, and a ceremony at the Broken Families monument in Grant Notley Park from 4-6 p.m. WINTER 2015 | HARDHAT
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Site Lines
News in Brief
A roundup of news and events from around the region
Status Quo for Code After three years, several ministers, even more meetings and a formal review, the Alberta government has decided there will be no changes to the province’s Labour Relations Code at this time. Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, Ric McIver noted in a letter the matter had been laid to rest. Martyn Piper, Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers executive secretary-treasurer says this is good news for industry and union workers. “This means we can get onto the core business of being productive, working safe and being competitive; we are happy the government has decided there are bigger issues,” he says.
New Face of the BTA Training Centre Expands West The Alberta Carpenters Training Centre has expanded west. Len Bryden, director of training and apprenticeship for the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre, says the decision to expand the facilities to include the new Centre West campus was made because the existing space has been insufficient to train a burgeoning crew of carpenters/scaffolders-in-training coming up the ranks. The new space at 12122 154 Street in Edmonton opened its doors to the first scaffolding class back in September. “We pushed hard. It was a fast-track project,” says Bryden of the new 13,000-squarefoot digs, which include a classroom, lunchroom and a large open shop space ideal for setting up scaffolds. “It’s going to add a lot of value to our training programs,” he says. In addition to scaffolding classes, future plans for Centre West will include offering programs and instruction in concrete forms, floorlaying, and ISM (interior systems mechanics/drywall), says Bryden. “We realize there’s a continuing huge demand for skilled workers in the province and the Training Trust Fund is there to meet those needs; this new space is helping us do that.” 8
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The Building Trades of Alberta (BTA) has a new addition, with the appointment of Doug Worobetz to the position of chairman in November 2014. Worobetz has been an Alberta Red Seal Journeyman Sheet Metal Worker since 1984 and is a member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 8, representing those members in the role of business manager. Worobetz has also held the post of business manager with the BTA since June 2006. “It’s a little bit of a different role, but I am familiar with some of the roles just from participating in the executive board meetings,” he says. “I am looking forward to the challenge and I am excited about it.” The Building Trades of Alberta, founded in 1906, represents over 60,000 members in 16 affiliated unions and 22 locals across Alberta. The Building Trades of Alberta Charitable Foundation is supported through its members’ charitable activities. Read more on the organization’s latest recruitment and awareness DOUG WOROBETZ campaign on page 12.
Tool Time for Trade Winds It’s hard to complete a pre-apprenticeship program without the proper tools in hand. That’s why the organizers behind the Trade Winds to Success program run out of the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre approached the generous folks at Canadian Tire in St. Albert for a hand up for its students. For the past several years, once or twice a year, Canadian Tire has been offering up tools at a discounted price for participants in the TWTS program, a 16-week course for aboriginal students looking to get some hands-on experience and a chance at work in the trades. Since 2006, 781 students have completed the Trade Winds to Success program, which purchases and supplies all tools to participants. Len Bryden of the Alberta Carpenters Regional Training Centre appreciates Canadian Tire’s generosity. “It’s helping, because the Trade Winds to Success Society, they are funded provincially, federally and also have corporate donors. Every year or two they have to go through the same steps to get their funding. Any cost savings that we can help with goes right back to the Trade Winds to Success Society.” Len Bryden says carpentry instructor Wilf Pipke first set up the program with Canadian Tire, which sees Trade Winds organizers net discounts of up to 70 per cent on tools of the trade. “Normally, it’s really easy to do with tools because they are on sale throughout the year,” adds Gord Fletcher, St. Albert Canadian Tire store manager. “And because it was a really good reason that they were doing it, it just made sense for us.”
FAIR TRADE: St. Albert store manager Gord Fletcher and hardware manager Tammy Carriere show typical tools they provide at a discount to TWFS.
He says his store will often do the same for other charities and community causes. “For us it’s a no brainer, we just do that sort of thing for big groups.” Tape measures, levels, hammers, saws and drills are among the discounted items being provided to Trade Winds to Success. “A lot of the times our in-house tools, they get great prices on them because we have so many of them,” notes Fletcher. “If it’s been on sale, we will honour that price. Because they are buying so much, it’s just a no-brainer.”
A First for Floorlaying The UBC’s International Training Center in Las Vegas was home to its first-ever conference for the floorlaying industry this January. Derrick Schulte, dispatcher and senior business agent with the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters, accompanied a handful of union contractors to the January 18-20 conference, which included a chance to network with about 300 other flooring industry experts, including manufacturers, from around North America. Members got a crash course on training required for various floorlaying jobs, exposure to some new products, and a chance for contractors to “sell the UBC advantage to manufacturers,” says Schulte. “The contractor reps I took were impressed with the amount of information available as well as the contact they were able to make with the manufacturers and their representatives,” he says. “It was also good for the contractors from across North America to see the types of work available, as well as the systems that were being used.” Schulte says the most innovative product he discovered is a new,
fast-drying urethane for hardwood floors that takes just an hour to set, after passing over it with a UV light. “When you are finished doing that, the floor is ready for public use; you can turn a restaurant over in two hours. Rather than three days, it’s now six hours.” WINTER 2015 | HARDHAT
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Site Lines TWO CHEERS: Master cabinet maker Mike Srejic, right, poses alongside two wine cabinets he crafted for auction at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Denim and Diamonds last November. Barb Armstrong of JDRF, left, says the cabinetry pair, which were filled with two dozen bottles each, sold for $6,200 combined at the fundraiser.
Millwrights from across North America in attendance at January’s Sisters in the Brotherhood conference took some time between seminars to snap a group shot. For more on the Las Vegas conference at the United Brotherhood of Carpenters’ International Training Center, see the story on page 23.
Uniting ARCCAW members across Alberta
If you have products or services that demand the attention of the construction industry and want to reach this key target audience, Hard Hat provides a unique forum to access more than 11,000 of the sector’s key decision makers. The Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW) represents more than 11,000 members working across several construction industries, including carpenters, millwrights, scaffolders, interior system mechanics, roofers and floor layers. For further details or to discuss your advertising needs, contact: Hard Hat Account Executive 10259-105 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3 Tel: (780) 990-0839 ext. 265 • Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 ext. 265 Email: sales@venturepublishing.ca 10
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Summary of Benefit Changes The ACAW Health and Wellness Plan (ACAW H&W Plan) Effective January 1, 2015 The following is a summary of changes made to the ACAW H&W benefits effective January 1, 2015 (with references to the applicable sections of the ACAW H&W Plan Text). The changes apply to services obtained on or after January 1, 2015. This is a summarization and members should refer to the ACAW H&W Plan Text for details of these changes. DISABLED MEMBER REMAINS ELIGIBLE - Subsection 4.20.06 Changes to the ACAW Pension Plan’s unreduced retirement age effective January 1, 2015, have forced corresponding changes on when deductions will commence on a disabled member’s hour bank, as follows: A member who is receiving disability benefits* shall not have 120 hours deducted from his hour bank until the month following attainment of: a) Age 60, if the member was age 55 or older as at January 1, 2015 and eligible to commence an unreduced pension (i.e. no early retirement reduction), or b) Age 65, if the member was under age 55 as at January 1, 2015. Previously, a member who was receiving disability benefits* did not have 120 hours deducted from his hour bank until the month following attainment of age 60. * Disability benefits refers to either of: • Weekly Disability Benefits from the ACAW H&W Plan • sickness benefits from the Employment Insurance Act, • total temporary disability benefits from the Workers Compensation Act, or • a disability pension from the ACAW Pension Plan or Canada Pension Plan. SELF-PAYMENTS - Subsection 4.30.04 A member retiring on or after age 65 who has earned pension in the last 12 months, upon commencement of the member’s first pension payment and once his hour bank is exhausted, is not required to make self-payments to maintain coverage for up to an additional six months. (This one-time 6-month self-payment exception pertains to the first instance of pension commencement on or after age 65 and ceases earlier if the member returns to work. It does not apply where a member re-employs and later re-commences his pension.) DRUGS AND MEDICINES – Subsection 6.20 The maximum coverage for feminine contraceptives was increased from $360 to $500 per family (Member and Dependent in total) per year. Medical marijuana drug products will no longer be covered after January 1, 2015. [NEW] Drugs and medicines that are a methadone drug or related drug product will be 90% covered on a one-time only basis for a maximum of 1 year from the first purchase. The maximum payable for allowable drugs and medicines has increased from $9,000 to $10,000 per family per calendar year. SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL BENEFITS – Subsection 6.40 The maximum coverage for services of a licensed massage therapist, chiropractor, physiotherapist, podiatrist, certified athletic therapist, qualified speech therapist, or naturopath has increased from $600 to $900 per practitioner per person (Member or Dependent), per calendar year. [NEW] Asthma nebulizer or aero chamber will be 90% covered to a maximum of $50 per person (Member or Dependent) per calendar year. [NEW] Purchases of accessories for devices used in the treatment of sleep apnea will be 90% covered subject to a maximum of $150 per person (Member or Dependent) per calendar year. The lifetime maximum payable for allowable supplementary medical benefits has increased from $17,000 to $20,000 per person (Member or Dependent). ACAW DENTAL FEE GUIDE – Subsection 5.10 The maximum dental fees covered by the ACAW H&W Plan have been increased by 20%. The basic/major maximum payable remains at $3,000 per calendar year and the orthodontic lifetime maximum remains at $3,500.
R.J. Provencher, Board Chair WINTER 2015 | HARDHAT
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Building
FIELD RESEARCH: Warren Fraleigh, executive director of the Building Trades of Alberta, says a new campaign geared at attracting awareness and workers to the building trades follows a year of research to gauge Albertans’ knowledge about trades.
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Awareness New province-wide campaign aims to recruit workers to jobs in the skilled trades By JACQUELINE LOUIE | Photography by BRYCE MYER
T
he Building Trades of Alberta (BTA) prides itself
on being Alberta’s No. 1 resource for skilled jobs in the trades. Representing 75,000 skilled building trade professionals working in 16 trade unions in Alberta, the BTA is a one-stop shop in Alberta for the building trades. “This is a great place to come to,” says BTA executive director Warren Fraleigh. “We can give you all the resources you’ll need to have a successful career in the trades. We consider ourselves to be leaders in Alberta’s industrial construction sector, and it’s time we got that out.” To this end, the BTA is embarking on an extensive campaign, together with Calder Bateman, a full-service marketing agency in Edmonton, to raise awareness and encourage recruitment of union members and workers in the trades. Within the Building Trades of Alberta, there are more than 30 compulsory trades and designated occupations, including welders, carpenters, electricians and ironworkers, who are represented by 16 trade unions that form part of the Building Trades family. “We want to ensure that everybody knows about the career options that are available, and that the building trades are an option,” Fraleigh says, noting the unionized construction industry in Alberta is a busy world and that means opportunity. “Bottom line, Alberta is a great place to be in Canada because a lot of things are going on in heavy industry and in the construction world. We have a lot of opportunities here for folks to become involved with.”
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OPPORTUNITIES: One of the messages the BTA campaign strives to get out is that its 16 affiliated unions are the largest employers of apprenticeship in the province.
have to be prepared on an ongoing basis to make sure we’ve always The Building Trades of Alberta not only plays a key role in building got the best possible labour supply for the industry, for contractors infrastructure for oil refineries, upgraders, mines, power plants and other facilities, Fraleigh notes, but the BTA Charitable Foundation also and owners.” The BTA has been working with Calder Bateman since January makes it a point to support a wide range of charitable organizations, 2014. Over the course of the past year, the BTA and Calder Bateman donating nearly $6 million to Alberta charities over the past 10 years. conducted a series of research projects with another partner to The BTA’s new awareness and recruitment campaign is twofold. gauge the level of awareness First, it aims to increase public awareness and exposure of the The BTA’s new awareness and recruitment around the BTA, says Calder building trades; and second, they campaign is twofold. First, it aims to increase Bateman account executive Jordan Mair. From that, they are focusing on recruiting for public awareness and exposure of the developed a 12-week awareness qualified tradespeople in affiliated unions across the board. building trades; and second, they are focusing and recruitment campaign, In terms of how many workers on recruiting for qualified tradespeople in launching at the end of January 2015, slated to run through they need to attract, “one of the affiliated unions across the board. February, March and most of problems with industry, is that April in Edmonton, Calgary, data is really difficult to get in regards to where we’re going,” Fraleigh says, adding “it’s always a mov- Fort McMurray, Red Deer and Grande Prairie. The campaign encompasses radio, online, billboard and airport ing target” and they don’t have a specific number in mind. “Generally advertising; with posters, flight information signs, digital boards speaking, everybody believes we’re going to have challenges with and more at the Fort McMurray, Edmonton and Calgary airports. regard to the labour supply.” The whole objective is to drive people to the BTA’s new website, With the plunging price of oil, there are now fewer concerns about buildingtradesAlberta.ca, and the campaign landing page, the labour supply, compared to when oil was more than $100 a barrel. workabetterlife.ca, which lists all of the different trade union job “Especially if it’s going to be sustained at lower prices, it’s going to opportunities available across Alberta. The website promotes the relieve a considerable amount of pressure,” Fraleigh says. “But we do 14
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BTA as “Alberta’s No. 1 resource for skilled trade jobs,” which is the BTA’s positioning, and includes an explanation of all the other benefits that come with being part of the Building Trades family, including collective agreements, benefit plans and pensions. “If folks are finding out more and getting involved with the trades in Alberta, we will provide all the resources they need to explore a career and a trade, follow through and become members of a trade union and hopefully take advantage of all the benefits the trades have to offer,” Fraleigh says. There is also a hard hat sticker campaign, with the BTA distributing stickers to its affiliated unions, in hopes that workers out on job sites will put the stickers on their hard hats. One of the Building Trades Council’s great partners is the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW), which makes up a large component of the Alberta Building Trades’ membership numbers with approximately 12,000 members, including carpenters, scaffolders and millwrights. “We’ve got extremely strong support from the leadership of the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Trades, including Martyn Piper, executive secretary treasurer of the Regional Council’s executive board. We are grateful for their participation in the Building Trades of Alberta.” The 16 unions associated with the BTA are the largest supporters of apprenticeship in Alberta. Most apprenticeships are four years in length. During that time, an apprentice in the building trades will spend eight weeks each year in school, with the rest of the time spent on the job, being trained by journeymen mentors. “We believe that serving an apprenticeship in the building trades should be recognized, as much as any degree from a post-secondary institution,” Fraleigh says. One of the main differences between an
apprenticeship and a degree, he adds, is that post-secondary students must pay a lot of money in order to earn a degree, “as opposed to going into the building trades, where they are actually earning a wage. When someone starts an apprenticeship in the building trades, it means earning while you learn.” For its clients, who are business owners and contractors, the BTA offers stability in collective agreements. And for tradespeople in the building trades who work under collective agreements, “You know what the wages and benefits are going to be,” Fraleigh says. “We get the people to the jobs in a timely fashion. It’s the unions that provide the opportunities for our members, instead of our members going out to seek the work. Most unions have central dispatches. Contractors call the union to say they need manpower, and the unions dispatch the manpower.” Most union facilities have their own self-contained training centres for members, and the 16 trade unions that make up the Building Trades of Alberta have collectively spent more than $100 million in the past five years in training and infrastructure facilities to ensure their workers receive the best training possible. “We take a lot of pride in ensuring our people are the best trained and have the most up-todate, leading-edge training and technology being developed in the industry,” Fraleigh says. “For somebody looking for a career, if you are looking to earn top wages and benefits, the building trades are definitely the place you want to be looking to. It has everything to do with offering what we believe is a safer, more productive, higher quality work environment,” he says. We keep our jobs on time, on schedule and on budget. The Building Trades of Alberta ensure an ongoing supply of apprentices for industry, to build the workforce of tomorrow.”
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PHOTO: KELLY REDINGER
INSTRUMENTAL: Bob Hugh (left), with long-time colleague and friend Dave Knight, was essential to getting the Alberta Millwrights Training Centre up and running.
Millwright
Passage V eteran millwright Bob Hugh says it might have
been the camaraderie or perhaps opportunities to travel to “exotic” work locations, like Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie. Then again, it might have been the beer. Over more than four decades, many motivators kept him in the trade and as he settles into retirement, the 65-year-old looks back on most of it with rose-coloured glasses. “I was going to Grande Prairie in a ’65 Chrysler with a speckled, rockchipped windshield and my head sticking out of the window because the sun was low on the horizon wondering if I was gonna make it,” Hugh says, adding winter was even worse. When Hugh, the son of a millwright, graduated from high school in 1967, he figured he ought to pursue post-secondary education but couldn’t muster the motivation. “I really wasn’t interested in doing a lot, to be quite honest with you,” he 18
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By NADIA MOHARIB
Bob Hugh hangs up his coveralls after more than four decades with Local 1460 says with a chuckle. “I kind of tricked myself into thinking I was going to go to university or college later in life but it didn’t really tweak my imagination.” With a family connection to the millwright trade, Hugh didn’t have to look far for inspiration and by 1972 was a full-fledged member with Local 1460 Alberta Millwrights. His first job was with Jeffry Manufacturing at the Redwater Imperial Oil fertilizer plant – literally, a cool introduction to the millwright world (given record-setting temperatures outside that winter); it was tempered by a warm reception by fellow tradesmen boasting “a real pride,” in workmanship. “With millwrights, it’s a team effort,” Hugh explains. “You are dependent on your partner or a crew to accomplish the task at hand. I really liked that environment.” And he loved being instrumental when machinery was started up before being turned over to a client. “Sometimes it’s years of work and it’s very exciting to actually see
PHOTO: KELLY REDINGER
your labour put into the item take on its own life and become a producing piece of equipment,” Hugh says. “There are lots of adjustments and troubleshooting, but before you know it you have a plant running.” Just going to work was an adventure. “There was always chatter going on in the lunchroom and a lot of humour. I noticed that doesn’t seem to be the driver of motivation in the lunchroom anymore,” Hugh muses. “People text, people do other things and it’s quieter. “A lot of things we would consider good fun in the early days would probably be risqué today. Nothing was held back – times were a little different.” During Hugh’s tenure, which took him from pulp mills to heavy oil “You hustled a few bucks just doing what you could. I helped a friend sands and manufacturing plants, the number of millwrights in Alberta doing carpet and lino – just something to survive,” he says of those dark grew from about 175 to about 1,600 or 1,700. Meanwhile, pay jumped days. “Interest rates were 16 to 18 per cent, inflation was running ramfrom about $4-an-hour to journeyman rates of about $44.50-an-hour. pant, bigger projects got cancelled and we had members in our local who And, we can’t forget the beer. “The brewery plant was a nice, clean ended up walking away from their houses. environment,” he says. “It actually had a “Organized labour had become complacent hospitality room, and brewery workers could “The first time I was sent to and thought, ‘They can’t build it without us’ have a beer with lunch. It was over 40 years Fort [McMurray] the pavement and they proved, ‘We can build it without you.’ ago – it’s a different world now,” he recalls. It may not have been the most efficient or with “The first time I was sent to Fort [McMurray] ended one mile north of Boyle the pavement ended one mile north of Boyle and it was gravel for the next skilled tradespeople but they definitely sent a message.” and it was gravel for the next three or four three or four hours.” In 1993, Hugh – president of the Alberta hours,” says Hugh, who navigated countless Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW) for 11 Mother Nature forsaken roads to work in the days before fly-in/fly-out years prior to his recent retirement – shifted gears from the front lines to options. “Now, they have a nice, paved highway but with the volume of a full-time position with Local 1460. traffic it’s still dangerous.” Over the years, workplace safety evolved to “Instead of dealing with equipment you get to deal with people. I kind “take precedence over production.” of missed the camaraderie out in the field, the chatter, the crazy, little Hugh was instrumental in seeing a provincial training facility, the Alberta Millwright Training Centre, become reality in 2008. While tak- things that would happen on the job sites,” he says. By the time he pulled the kill switch on his working days, Hugh had ing the helm as its director was a career highlight, there were certainly put in 39 years as an executive member with the union – and has no some lows, including a year-long lockout in the mid-1980s. regrets about his chosen trade. “The measure of success when I was a young man was going to college or university. I didn’t do either. With a trade you can earn as you learn. It’s not a bad way of educating yourself,” he says. “I’ve put my whole life in to it.” Retirement for the fellow also known by his coworkers as “Bobbin,” (“because I’m always bobbing along,” explains Hugh) will mean tinkering on his collection of turn-of-the-century wood box telephones and quality time with his wife and some of their 11 grandchildren. “Honestly, it is something I didn’t get a lot of opportunity to do with my own children,” says Hugh, father to a daughter as well as three sons, who are all millwrights. “Jobs were typically out of town; you miss out on a lot of stuff.” Martyn Piper, ARCCAW executive secretary-treasurer who appointed Hugh as the go-to-guy for millwrights, says Hugh may be gone but won’t be forgotten. “He was always a millwright first, not just a union person,” Piper says of a man he describes as “a consummate diplomat” who’s always committed to his goal. “At the end of the day, I would have to describe Bob as a gentleman who left his mark, a legacy here.” And Piper adds, “He is just a nice guy.” WINTER 2015 | HARDHAT
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Party Time LOCAL 2103 Attendees at Calgary’s Local 2103 annual Christmas festivities at the Executive Royal Hotel were treated to a cookie decorating station, a chance to get up close and personal with some snakes and other crawly creatures – and of course, a visit from St. Nick, himself.
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LOCAL 1325 Santa took a break from his hectic schedule just before the big day, stopping in to Edmonton’s Italian Cultural Centre to drop off presents for the good girls and boys. Among special guests were a magician and a balloon artist, who kept guests of all ages entertained for the afternoon.
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MILLWRIGHTS LOCAL 1460 Double Tree by Hilton was transformed into Santa’s Village for the day as members of Millwrights Local 1460 and their families celebrated the season. Face-painting, a magic show anda a hula-hoop station kept the young ones captivated until the jolly guy in the red suit made his appearance, handing out gifts to kids under 12.
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on the level
SISTERS UNITE UBC conference for women in the trades full of takeaways for work and life By SHELLEY WILLIAMSON
a group of female apprentices and journeymen who attended this year’s Bridging the Way: Sisters in the Brotherhood conference. More than 400 Sisters and a few Brothers made the trek to sunny Nevada in late January to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters’ (UBC) International Training Center, which hosted three days of workshops, conferences and a little bit of celebrating on the famous Las Vegas strip. Norma Guzman, of Local 2010 from Lethbridge, says the rare opportunity was not lost on her. “The energy was invigorating; the slideshows were emotional but very powerful. And I met women from all walks of life as young as 21 with one common goal – to reach out, to support, to recruit and to lead the way for the millennium. I had the chance to meet some of the most inspiring women in our industry.” Guzman says, in addition to structured learning, she also had the chance to get acquainted with fellow tradeswomen from across the continent. “I had the privilege to get to know some of them on a more personal level – and listening to their stories of the challenges and barriers they had to overcome and know that I am not alone. These are stories that will be stored in my heart and in my memories, and when I am discouraged I will dig them up for strength.”
“One speaker even joked that he had a sense, walking into the room, of what we must feel like every day walking onto a [male-dominated] worksite.” Celine Stevenson, from Edmonton’s Local 1460, was the sole millwright from Alberta. Among highlights for her were workshops on financial planning, generational differences, and being part of the UBC. As the UBC sometimes focuses its attention on carpentry and other related trades, she was especially thrilled to share stories and business cards with fellow millwrights, including several from across Canada. “The overall feeling is very much like the simplicity one felt as a young child at a playground, when you could just walk up to any other person you came in contact with and said, ‘Do you want to be
PHOTOS COURTESY CELINE STEVENSON
I
t wasn’t your typical weekend on the Las Vegas strip for
ALBERTA SISTERS: A group of eight journeymen and apprentices from Alberta were among more than 400 women at this year’s Bridging the Way conference in Las Vegas.
my friend?’” she notes. “What I saw and felt both at this conference and the previous one I attended, is that for the most part everyone is totally at ease, walking into a group of women they had never met, introducing themselves and forming fast friendships with people they may never bothered to look at or speak to in another situation.” Though some of the keynote speakers were male, Stevenson says the attending Brothers went out of their way to make the room of 420 women feel at home. “One speaker even joked that he had a sense, walking into the room, of what we must feel like every day walking onto a [male-dominated] worksite,” she says. Brandi Thorne, Local 1325 vice-president and chair of the Alberta Regional Council Sisters in the Brotherhood, selected fellow attendees and helped plan the conference, while Martyn Piper, ARCCAW’s executive secretary treasurer, also accompanied the group. She says the event, which is held every five years, is growing, as is female leadership in trade unions. “As chair of the Sisters in the Brotherhood and working with the international Sisters in the Brotherhood committee, what I am really most excited about is the growth we have seen over the last five years,” says Thorne. “We have more committee chairs as well as women in leadership roles. And it’s this growth in women leaders in the UBC that I am most excited to see; it’s building momentum.” WINTER 2015 | HARDHAT
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Geared Up
By MARTIN DOVER
Work smarter, not harder SCRATCHING THE SURFACE Gone are the days of guessing what’s lurking behind your walls, whether you’re on the job site or simply hanging a picture at home. DEWALT’s new Hand Held Wall Scanner (DCT419) can detect wood, ferrous and non-ferrous metal, plastic and live electric wiring behind wall surfaces. The new scanner – which was based on feedback from DEWALT tool users – has the capability to sense items at a depth of up to three inches behind ceramic tile, concrete or drywall. It also improves on its predecessor, the DCT418’s capabilities, says Greg Weston, of DEWALT Marketing Canada. “Designed to stand up to tough conditions on the job site, we also optimized the software inside the new Hand Held Wall Scanner to deliver innovative and technical solutions for professionals,” he notes. “An improved detection algorithm senses more commonly embedded materials across construction sites, such as a nail in a wood stud.” The detector can scan up to a 9.8-foot wall section. It also includes a tracking bar to count the number of embedded materials detected. Retail price of the DCT419 is $499, including a 12V MAX lithium ion battery pack compatible with dozens of other DEWALT tools, a battery charger, and a kit box. For more information, visit dewalt.com or follow DEWALT on Facebook or Twitter.
CUTS LIKE A KNIFE Got a household or worksite material that’s hard to make a dent in? Stanley’s new lineup of FATMAX snips will help you cut to the chase. The line of 19 snips includes Aviation, Tin and HVAC Snips. The snips feature laser-etched quarter-inch blade markings to help with cutting and eliminate a need to mark a cut, spring-loaded external latches for easier one-hand use, and a low profile. The FATMAX Snips are rated for 18-gauge cold-rolled and 22-gauge stainless steel, while the FATMAX Bulldog Snip is rated for 16-gauge cold-rolled steel or 20-gauge stainless steel. All snips retail from $19.99 to $39.99, are available at Stanley retailers, and carry a limited lifetime warranty. For more information about these or other Stanley products, visit stanleytools.com.
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TAKE IT OUTSIDE DEWALT is taking its tried-and-true reputation for delivering reliable battery-powered tools and bringing it outside with a new line of premium outdoor equipment. Among the offerings are two 40V MAX Brushless String Trimmers, two 40V MAX Brushless Blowers and a 40V MAX Hedge Trimmer. “DEWALT has entered the outdoor equipment category because it can deliver the convenience of cordless with the performance of gas. DEWALT 40V MAX cordless outdoor tools answer the call for power, runtime, and durability – the same performance expected of all DEWALT tools,” says Eric Prendeville, vice-president of DEWALT Outdoor. The 40V MAX Brushless String Trimmer features a choice of 4.0Ah or 6.0Ah Lithium battery, a 15-inch cut area, dual-line bump feed head, and a gear drive design that delivers amplified torque and a consistent cut speed, even under heavy loads. The blower also provides a choice of battery size and boasts up to 400 CFM of air volume and a speed of up to 120 MPH, for quick and easy outdoor cleanup. An ergonomically designed handle and curved tube blower design help prevent arm fatigue during use. Meanwhile, the Hedge Trimmer features a friction clutch, 22-inch laser cut hardened steel blades with a threequarter-inch cut capacity and a removable gear case cover. It can be used with either the 4.0 Ah or 6.0Ah Lithium Ion battery. Available starting in March 2015, the line of outdoor products will be priced from $329-$399. For more information, visit dewalt.com or follow DEWALT on Facebook or Twitter.
Solution: 1. Fish missing from water on bottom left 2. Bird on buoy is missing wing 3.Flag is missing from boat 4.Person is missing from small boat 5.Wave is missing from woman’s hair 6.Feather is missing from fisherman’s cap 7.Missing lighthouse on island 8. Differences in fisherman’s pole 9. Buoy at front of boat is missing a white line 10. Buoy at back of boat is missing a line
Kid Zone Spot the Difference
1
Q: What kind of a shark can build a house?
A: A hammerhead!
2
4
5 7
8
9
10
Down 1. If you need to reach something up high, you might climb one of these 2. Small rectangular block used in construction 3. A handy electronic tool that makes math easier 5. What someone yells out when a tree is falling
Q: What did the fishing pole say to the fish?
A: Catch you later!
6
Solution Across: 4. skyscraper, 6. window, 7. igloo, 8. blueprint, 9. crane, 10. hard hat Down: 1. ladder, 2. brick, 3 calculator, 5. timber
3
Across 4. A very tall building with many storeys 6. Open one of these and let some fresh air in 7. A shelter you can build out of snow 8. A design plan that tells workers how to build something 9. A tall metal structure used for lifting and moving heavy objects (also a type of bird!) 10. A protective helmet worn by construction workers (also the name of this magazine!)
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Meet the Instructor
By ERICA VIEGAS
A Carpenter’s Journey
D
ave Upfold almost turned down his chance to
be a carpenter. His bags were packed for a trip to Central America when he got a call about an opening in a British Columbia carpenter apprentice program – an opportunity that would take him on a different sort of life journey. At 23 years old, Upfold knew taking the apprenticeship would mean gaining skills that would have longevity and could never be taken away. After 36 years in carpentry, he has worked on highrise buildings, in residential construction, custom interior and exterior work – always revelling in the chance to be creative. His preferred jobs have always been the ones where he was able to set his own vision, regardless of time or budget, and come up with something unique. To Upfold, there is merit in trying to push oneself, and in learning new things. “Looking for ways to better myself, I took business courses at BCIT and a provincial instructor training course too, because teaching was always on my mind,” says Upfold, who eventually moved with his family to Alberta. “After a medical surgery, I went to the union hall to inquire about pulling my pension and retiring. Instead, they suggested I might be interested in an instructor position.”
never done. It is a finishing trade and improvements are kept in mind for the next project. The first home Upfold ever bought became such a work in progress, undergoing so many small renovations, that he finally decided it best to use his skills on the worksite and in the instruction room. And as for his initial dream to travel around Central America, Upfold is finally embarking on that adventure within the next year.
“I went to the union hall to inquire about pulling my pension and retiring. Instead, they suggested I might be interested in an instructor position.”
PHOTO: BUFFY GOODMAN
Since May, Upfold has been teaching full-time at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre in Edmonton, and enjoying the chance to share what he has learned during his many years in the trade. While carpentry has always been his main area of interest, he also teaches a number of scaffolding courses. “I love seeing the ‘Aha moment’ in the students’ eyes when they really grasp a concept, and the gratification that comes from knowing I’ve taught them something they will really use on their work sites.” And his students seem to enjoy the way he teaches, too. “Dave had so much patience with us, and actually cared about the industry jobs we were doing. He was so committed to making sure we had the best skills walking out of the course,” says carpentry apprentice Jesse LaBossiere. Upfold is quick to point out that learning about carpentry is
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Meet the Apprentice
By ERICA VIEGAS
Flying High
U
nlike most people, Jesse LaBossiere feels most
alive when he’s hanging more than 250 feet above the ground. In fact, it’s the adrenaline rush of working at extreme heights that got him hooked on scaffolding. But he isn’t the first in his family to work in the trades. LaBossiere’s grandfather spent his career as a boilermaker, letting young Jesse accompany him on family days at work sites. It was no surprise when LaBossiere started working in construction at 19, but he soon wanted a greater challenge and decided to take up a trade like his grandpa. “From the moment I started scaffolding, I loved being up high but also learning new ways of doing things that I had never really considered.” Having recently finished his first Level 1 scaffolding course (of the three levels needed to attain his journeyman certificate) with instructor Dave Upfold, LaBossiere was eager to bring his new skills to the work site. Between each level of instruction, he needs 1,300 hours of work experience, learning both at Edmonton’s Alberta Carpenters Training Centre and from accomplished journeyman mentors on the job. LaBossiere hopes to have his own journeyman ticket in hand within two years.
Through his site experiences, several were supervised by his grandfather. “I knew on those jobs, I couldn’t get away with anything,” he says with a laugh. “I had to be good or it would get back to him. But he adds that he has found a wonderful mentor, too. “It’s nice to have someone relate to what I’m doing. He started as an apprentice and worked his way all the way to the top of big companies, supervising projects. I’d like to follow a career path like his.”
“I would like to take more courses, and possibly also finish my journeyman ticket as a carpenter.”
PHOTO: DARRYL PROPP
Already, he has had a few close calls on site. “You need to have a respect for the height when you are up there. I’ve had something dropped on me from over 20 feet, and nearly missed a pipe that fell beside me,” he says. “When I tell people I’m a scaffolder, they often think I’m crazy, but when the job is done, it’s such a great feeling.” LaBossiere’s work experiences, though mainly based in Edmonton, have taken him to Drayton Valley and Rocky Mountain House. He has worked on gas plants, a highrise building in downtown Edmonton and several construction projects – enjoying the variety of work each day. A scaffolder’s job involves building a temporary work platform to help other tradespeople accomplish their own responsibilities, so he also works alongside many types of tradespeople. “I would like to take more courses, and possibly also finish my journeyman ticket as a carpenter,” says LaBossiere. “I think the two complement each other, and I would like to work with them together.”
JESSE LABOSSIERE WINTER 2015 | HARDHAT
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REPORT
Training and Apprenticeship
New Year, New Training Centre
L
ast year was a time of growth and hard work for all of us.
Whether you were out in the field building, creating, or demolishing and rebuilding, or busy teaching or representing our members, 2014 will go on record as one of the busiest years to date. And as we look ahead, plan and strategize for 2015, the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre and UBC Training Centres across Canada see no slowdown in sight. Last September we successfully opened an additional training centre – which we are calling the ACTC Centre West Campus – near our main Edmonton headquarters. Thanks to the facility, which includes training space, we now have the ability to offer more scaffold As we look ahead, plan and training classes and many strategize for 2015, the Alberta other carpentry skill-related offerings. We have upgraded Carpenters Training Centre and the equipment across our UBC Training Centres across six scaffold training shops Canada see no slowdown in sight. and also continue to improve our carpentry shop and plan to offer more carpentry apprenticeship training in the future.With our UBC member TRAIN records database in full operation, we are entering member data, to be accessible using the member TVC (training verification QR Code card) on a daily basis. It will take some time to upload all training data, so if there are any questions, please speak to one of our ACTC staff at the Edmonton training centre at 780-455-6532. Our Hoisting and Rigging program now comprises the entire second week of our JM Upgrade scaffold programs (we will be offering more stand-alone classes in the future). This is very important and valuable to our members and contractors, as we have now nearly hit the 600 mark for trained members. This is a significant addition which will continue; if you are going to be taking JM Upgrade classes, remember this portion of the training is in the second week, and attendance is mandatory for completion of and credit for the UBC Rigging certification. We are looking at policy changes in our scaffolder programs for those unsuccessful in the practical assessments. As of January 2015, those who do not pass the practical assessment on the first try will have to repeat the entire program. This change is critical, as we have a small minority of members that have proven they need much more time and more work experience to achieve the JM Scaffolder level status through our program. During the past few years, members at the Alberta training centres, elsewhere across Canada and at our partner safety training centres have cited a negative attitude shift in a small minority of our students. Disrespect and harassment of staff or other students is very serious, and will not be tolerated in any of our
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Len J. Bryden, Director of Training and Apprenticeship Alberta Carpenters Training Centre lbryden@abcarptc.ab.ca facilities in Alberta or across Canada. If you or anyone you know feels they are being disrespected or harassed at any of our facilities, please document this and report it to your immediate supervisor or instructor immediately so that it can be dealt with properly and quickly. As bad behaviour is not appreciated and is considered unprofessional, we will be enforcing a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment and disrespect in 2015. As mentioned in previous articles, we as a training fund have the ability to train members in many disciplines and skills. Always plan for the future and take advantage of, but do not take for granted, the training and funding for training that is available to you as a member. Contact our main office at 780-455-6532 if you have any questions, and visit www. abcarptc.ab.ca or see page 31 of this magazine for a list of upcoming courses.
REPORT
Safety
Safe It Out Hazard mitigation is everyone’s job on a worksite, in an office or shop
W
hat is a hazard? A hazard is a situation that poses a level
of threat to life, health, property or the environment. To work safely, all hazards must be mitigated. Hazard mitigation can be described as “any action taken to reduce or eliminate the risk to human life, property and environment.” This is where the term Safe It Out – a simple catchphrase for hazard mitigation – comes into play. Take a look around you; can you identify a hazard? Hazards are not always easily noticeable, but they are everywhere. We are exposed to hazards every day in our workplaces, whether it’s at a construction site, in a shop or even an office environment. We face these hazards day after day and can become accustomed to them, often failing to properly mitigate danger, to prevent an incident from happening. What we need to do is Safe It Out, so the hazards are removed or mitigated to an acceptable level. The best thing about mitigating the hazards is that once you start, it can become contagious. Think of this broken window concept: If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will think that no one cares and that it is an acceptable practice to leave the hazard. These same principles can be If we identify our hazardous applied to job site safety. If we conditions and make the area identify our hazardous conditions and make the area safe, people will safe, people will be less likely be less likely to perform unsafe to perform unsafe acts or work acts or work under hazardous conunder hazardous conditions. ditions. Safe It Out is about taking ownership of your own safety and that of others on your team or in your area, and mitigating the likelihood of an incident happening. It’s also about doing something with the hazards once you’ve recognized them and putting effective controls in place to prevent incidents. Look at the different controls that you could use to prevent a hazard from causing an incident. You can use elimination, engineering controls, substitution,
Bryan Getson, Director of EHS Canada Safway Services Canada, ULC. administrative controls or even personal protective equipment (PPE). These methods are also known as the “hierarchy of control” because they should be considered in the order in which they are presented (it is always best to try to eliminate the hazard first). PPE is always the last line of defence. This process is fairly easy to remember and use, but it can be sometimes hard to change our thought processes to actually put the mitigation plans into place.
MAKE A PLAN - Three tips to help you in with hazard mitigation on your worksite: Look at the hazards around your workplace. The hazards could be an icy yard, sharp edges around equipment, or even furniture, should you use it to climb to get a book in the office. Think ahead to what you can do to make your work site safer. Talking to other people and sharing ideas can help with this because we all have different experiences and knowledge. Safe It Out! Put the controls into place. If you have an icy work area, put down salt or sand. If there are sharp edges in your work space, put up a barrier to prevent a cut. Or it might require a redesign to the office, so that you do not have to reach high overhead, to reach a box or book, for example.
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Parting Shot
Wabamun Generating Station
Built in 1956 and using the latest in coal-fired technology at the time, the main source of income within Wabamun, about 70 kilometres west of Edmonton, was the power plant operated by TransAlta Utilities on the western edge of the village. The station’s main source of fuel was sub bituminous, from the Whitewood mine. As of March 31, 2010, the plant was taken off the grid, and on August 11, 2011, the main building was levelled by a controlled implosion.
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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
In Memoriam
Scaffolding Level One: Feb 17 to Mar 6, 2015 Mar 9 to Mar 27, 2015 Mar 16 to Apr 2, 2015
ARCCAW notes with sorrow the passing of the following members.
Scaffolding Level Two: Mar 16 to Apr 2, 2015 Mar 30 to Apr 17, 2015 Apr 6 to Apr 24, 2015
Sheldon Burry September 25, 2014 Age 45
Alberta Carpenters Training Centre The following is a sample of training courses that are open for registration at the time of publication of this edition of Hard Hat magazine. For full listing or more information on training courses, visit abcarptc.ab.ca or phone the Edmonton office at 780-455-6532 or toll-free at 1-877-455-6532.
Scaffolding Level Three: Mar 9 to Apr 2, 2015 Apr 27 to May 22, 2015
All courses are at the Edmonton location unless otherwise indicated.
Visit www.albertamillwrights.com for a current listing of training courses available.
Period Two Carpentry: Mar 30 to May 22, 2015 MILLWRIGHTS TRAINING CENTRE
LOCAL 1325
Clyde Matchem October 3, 2014 Age 52 Malcolm Wiley November 17, 2014 Age 67 LOCAL 1460 Donald Elmore September 6, 2014 Age 71 William Fred Procyk November 17, 2014 Age 72 Anthony Brashko November 20, 2014 Age 74 Michael T. Yarrow December 5, 2014 Age 55 Frank Rooney December 8, 2014 Age 75 LOCAL 2103 Alaattin Ciplak June 16, 2014 Age 75 Keith Malmgren August 11, 2014 Age 72
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