Hard Hat Fall 2011

Uniting ARCCAW members across Alberta and the Northwest Territories Fall 2011

Golf tournament, apprenticeship contest, tool reviews

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

Save Your ShouldersStretches to strengthen and help prevent injury

Landmark AgreementUnique bargaining process achieves new benchmarks

Project AnnouncementsEdmonton administration building under expansion

Uniting ARCCAW members across Alberta and the Northwest Territories

HH_Fall11_p01.indd 1 10/14/11 11:42:40 AM

Introducing the NEW

12" Double Bevel Sliding

Compound Mitre Saw,

precise enough for fine

woodworking and tough

enough for framing

and deck building.

Cabinetmakers, trim

carpenters, framers,

installers and professional

contractors will love how

this saw zeros in on their

needs. The DWS780 steers

clear of trendy bells and

whistles in favour of the

accuracy, capacity, durability and

portability professionals demand

for day-in, day-out jobsite use.

Simply State of the Art.

Copyright ©2011 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.

XPS™ Cross Cut Positioning System Make accurate cuts without needing to check alignment of a laser

Tall sliding fences support Crown Molding up to 7-1/2" nested

Exclusive Back Fence Design cuts up to 2x16 dimensional lumber at 90° and 2x12 at 45°

Compact, lightweight design (56 lbs.) allows for easy transport and storage

Super efficient dust collection system captures over 75% of dust generated

ACCURACY CAPACITY VERSATILITY PORTABILITY DUST COLLECTION

Jobsite Tested. Contractor Approved.

INTEGRATED

JOBSITES TODAY DEMAND TOUGH, RUGGED, RELIABLE TOOLS.

INTRODUCING A LITHIUM ION SYSTEM OF HIGH PERFORMANCE CORDLESS TOOLS DESIGNED TO DOMINATE TODAY’S JOBSITES. STEP UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL and TOUGHEN UP TO THE MAX.


* Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20 volts. Nominal voltage is 18.** vs. leading 18 Volt lithium ion tools.

MAXIMIZED POWER.

MAXIMIZED RUN-TIMES.

MAXIMIZED DEWALT.

up to 57% faster**

up to 35% more runtime**

/20VMAX

P A R T O F T H E

000HH.DeWalt_DPS_wBL.indd 1 9/14/11 5:45:51 PMHH_Fall11_p02-03.indd 2 10/12/11 11:35:18 AM

Introducing the NEW

12" Double Bevel Sliding

Compound Mitre Saw,

precise enough for fine

woodworking and tough

enough for framing

and deck building.

Cabinetmakers, trim

carpenters, framers,

installers and professional

contractors will love how

this saw zeros in on their

needs. The DWS780 steers

clear of trendy bells and

whistles in favour of the

accuracy, capacity, durability and

portability professionals demand

for day-in, day-out jobsite use.

Simply State of the Art.


XPS™ Cross Cut Positioning System Make accurate cuts without needing to check alignment of a laser

Tall sliding fences support Crown Molding up to 7-1/2" nested

Exclusive Back Fence Design cuts up to 2x16 dimensional lumber at 90° and 2x12 at 45°

Compact, lightweight design (56 lbs.) allows for easy transport and storage

Super efficient dust collection system captures over 75% of dust generated

ACCURACY CAPACITY VERSATILITY PORTABILITY DUST COLLECTION

Jobsite Tested. Contractor Approved.

INTEGRATED

JOBSITES TODAY DEMAND TOUGH, RUGGED, RELIABLE TOOLS.

INTRODUCING A LITHIUM ION SYSTEM OF HIGH PERFORMANCE CORDLESS TOOLS DESIGNED TO DOMINATE TODAY’S JOBSITES. STEP UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL and TOUGHEN UP TO THE MAX.


* Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20 volts. Nominal voltage is 18.** vs. leading 18 Volt lithium ion tools.

MAXIMIZED POWER.

MAXIMIZED RUN-TIMES.

MAXIMIZED DEWALT.

up to 57% faster**

up to 35% more runtime**

/20VMAX

P A R T O F T H E

000HH.DeWalt_DPS_wBL.indd 1 9/14/11 5:45:51 PMHH_Fall11_p02-03.indd 3 10/12/11 11:36:21 AM

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4 HARDHAT FALL2011

Executive Secretary Treasurer’s REPORT

Making Sense of Safety

Martyn A. Piper

Y ou know when you have to repeat things time and time

again they get boring, the activ-ity becomes mundane, we lose interest, stop paying attention to detail and then we typically take shortcuts believing the outcome will be the same regardless.

When you think about safety in this context, the potential outcomes are scary. There is no second chance. There are no opportunities to go back and repeat the exercise again. There are no opportunities to put back a limb, reverse a brain injury or bring someone back to life. No – it’s over, and then we get into “If only I had done this,” “If only I had done that,” “If only I had stopped to think,” “If only I had performed the task as instructed” … but it may all now be too late.

With many things in life, we may have an opportunity to go back and correct past mistakes with little or no conse-quence. However, safety is not one of those! I do not profess to be a safety guru and like most I suffer from the same boredom when the same exercise has to be repeated time and time again. But safety is a different ball game. Think about what happens on a site or in a work-place when someone is severely injured or worse there is loss of life. Everybody feels terrible, everybody feels empty. There is a sense of futility, but nobody knows quite what to do. There may be safety stand

downs, or site closings, collections for the victim’s family, but everybody grieves, everybody shares in the loss. You feel it even if you are not remotely connected to the tragedy personally. We are all in this together after all.

Safety has come a long way in the last 30 years or so. On well-managed sites and in most workplaces, safety is a shared effort. It is not bipartisan. Everybody has an interest, everybody has ownership, everyone has a responsibility and, generally speak-ing, safety is well done when everyone is participating. Policies, procedures, orientations, risk assessments – there are many parts to a well-oiled safety effort. But it is a wasted effort if not everyone is buying in or participating. In today’s workplace there is a greater emphasis on being fit for work so one can reduce the risk of personal injury, and being under the influ-ence of drugs or alcohol is no longer an accepted practice in the workplace. Why? Because collectively we must all work towards eliminating injuries and deaths in the workplace. There can be no greater calling. We must believe it can be done.

These are the reasons I have decided to write about safety in this edition of Hard Hat. I want to personally refresh everyone’s memory of the most important element on any work site and in any workplace. Lately we have been hit with a rash of falling objects, non-compliances to the drug and alcohol policies and slippage with respect to safety overall, and that is unaccept-able. Please, I ask all of you to rededicate your efforts to a safe and clean workplace where everyone goes home the way they arrived. Don’t put me in the position where I have to make that phone call to a victim’s family and friends to tell them someone they love is lying in a hospital bed critically injured or, worse yet, that special someone is never coming home again. I have been there and it is, I believe, one of the hardest things anyone would ever have to do. Let’s collectively turn our attention to the task at hand, redouble our efforts and make a difference. There are no second chances when it comes to safety!

HH_Fall11_p04-05.indd 4 10/12/11 11:37:49 AM

FEATURES

11 FocusonSafety SyncrudeCanadaLtd.preparesforits majorfallturnaround ByRandyStefanizyn

12 LandmarkAgreement Newcollectiveagreementprovides long-termstabilityforallpaties ByLisaRicciotti

18 HeroicEfforts KBRemployeesspringintoactionto saveaco-worker’slife ByRobinSchroffel

20 BreakingNewGround Edmontonfacilityundergoesexpansion; Calgarygetsanewadminbuilding ByRobinSchroffel

22 fit@work Stretchestosaveyourshoulders ByKimTannas

25 NotesFromCanadaCouncil ReportonthenationalmeetinginAugust

DEPARTMENTS

4 NoteFromtheExecutive SecretaryTreasurer ByMartynPiper

6 SiteLines Golftournament;1325familypicnic; HabitatforHumanityproject; FutureofTradeWinds;CEFAPupdates

10 GearedUp Toolstohelpyouworkbetter

24 KidZone Pencilfactsthatwillamazeyou

26 Training&ApprenticeshipReport ByLenBryden

27 MeettheInstructor28 MeettheApprentice

29 Training&Events;InMemoriam

30 PartingShot

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Edmonton 780-471-3200 FortMcMurray 780-743-1442 Calgary 403-283-0747 CarpentersTrainingCentre 780-455-6532 CarpentersHealthandWelfare 780-477-9131 CarpentersPension 780-477-9131 IndustrialWorkers 403-283-0747 MillwrightLocal1460 780-430-1460 LocalUnion1325and2103Dispatch 1-888-944-0818

PUBLISHEdFoR:

AlbertaRegionalCouncilofCarpenters&AlliedWorkers

15210–123AvenueEdmonton,AlbertaT5V0A3

Tel:(780)474-8599/Fax:(780)474-8910www.albertacarpenters.com

PUBLISHEdBy:

VenturePublishingInc.10259–105Street

Edmonton,AlbertaT5J1E3Toll-free:1-866-227-4276Phone:(780)990-0839Fax:(780)425-4921

www.venturepublishing.ca

PUBLISHERRuth Kelly

ASSoCIATEPUBLISHERJoyce Byrne

ARCCAWEdIToRMartynA.Piper

EdIToRKimTannas

ARTdIRECToRCharlesBurke

ASSoCIATEARTdIRECToRAndreadeBoer

ASSISTANTARTdIRECToRColinSpence

PRodUCTIoNMANAGERVanleeRobblee

PRodUCTIoNCooRdINAToRBetty-LouSmith

CoNTRIBUTINGWRITERSAnnaliseKlingbeil,LisaRicciotti,

RobinSchroffel,CaitWillsCoNTRIBUTINGPHoToGRAPHERS

ANdILLUSTRAToRSBuffyGoodman,HeffO’Reilly,KellyRedinger,

ChrisTaitVICE-PRESIdENT,SALES

AnitaMcGillisAdVERTISINGREPRESENTATIVE

LisaRichardsSALESASSISTANT

JuliaEhliContents©2011byARCCAWInc.

Nopartofthispublicationshouldbereproducedwithoutwrittenpermission.

Important Phone Numbers

HARdHAT FALL 2011 5

oNTHECoVER:TrevorSchlesinger(left)andBillWarwick

Photo:KellyRedinger

12

Fall11

Contents

20

9

HH_Fall11_p04-05.indd 5 10/12/11 11:38:42 AM

6 HARDHAT FALL 2011

Site Lines News in Brief A roundup of news and events from around the region

BY ANNALISE KLINGBEIL

Golf Tournament a HitPerfect weather, a sold-out event and thousands of dollars raised for juvenile diabetes made the 11th annual Barrie Regan Golf Tournament a big success. “The weather was a perfect day for golf,” says executive secretary-treasurer Martyn Piper. “Not too hot, not too cold. Just right.”

A total of 144 attendees hit the links at the Legends Golf and Country Club on Friday, July 15, raising in excess of $15,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “All in all, I felt it was a very successful day,” says Piper.

A special thanks to all of the volunteers who gave generously of their time and talents to put the event together.RESULTS:Longest Putt (Men): Dennis LittlechildLongest Putt (Ladies): Lil McDermottLongest Drive (Ladies): Michelle RinguetteLongest Drive (Men): Jake BakerClosest to the Pin: Peter BolzeWinning Team: Colin Chambers, Chris Crouten, Jake Baker, Devin Sparrow

Fun in the SunNearly 200 union members and their families enjoyed barbecued food, entertainment, warm weather, games and much more at the annual Local 1325 summer picnic.

“The family picnic, first and foremost, allows members to get together and have a social afternoon with people that they might not normally see, and to meet the families of other members,” says Bob Provencher, project manager with the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters. “As well, it is something we like to do for the kids. The emphasis is the kids.”

There was plenty to keep the kids occupied at the August 14 event including live entertainment provided by Lester Le Breton, basketball nets, electronic games, two bouncy houses, face painters and balloonists.

Provencher would like to extend a big thanks to all the members and friends who attended, and to the many volunteers and Local 1325 executive members who helped cook and serve food.

The winning team proudly displays the tournament trophy

Lester Le Breton (left) and Aaron Hughes (right) entertain picnic guests

The clowns were a big hit with the kidsThe 2011 cooks (L to R) Devon, Derrick, Gord and Moe worked non-stop for four hours

A clown enjoys basketball and a giggle with Jean Orchuk (the clown was winning)

HH_Fall11_p06-09.indd 6 10/12/11 12:20:22 PM

HARDHAT FALL 2011 7

Provincial Carpentry/Scaff olding WinnersThe annual provincial carpentry/scaffolding contest was held July 15 at the Edmonton training centre. Six carpenters and six scaffolders competed. For the carpentry competition, Kyle McLachlan from Ardrossan swept every category to win first place overall. He scored first in Practical, Theory, and Builders Level and Transit Test and went on to represent Alberta at the National Carpentry Competition at the end of August.

On the scaffolding side, Bonnie White of Whitecourt also placed first in both portions (Build, Theory) of the scaffolding contest to win the trophy against five other competitors. Other contestants in the carpentry competition included Mark Curtis (2nd place), Randy Nault (3rd place), Ronald Brad Arts, Jonathan Macrea and Cale McComb. In the scaffolding competition, they included Devin Pearce (2nd place), Jonathan MacDonald (3rd place), Melissa Belliveau, Barry Marcoux and Chris Phillips.

National Competition Inspires CooperationAt the end of the August, representatives and winning contestants from Alberta flew to Quebec City for the National Apprenticeship and Training Advisory Committee (NATAC) UBC Apprenticeship Contest for Carpentry, Drywall and Millwright.

The annual competition allows the best apprentices from across the country to come together and “compete for cash, prizes, and glory,” says Len Bryden, director of training and apprenticeship for the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre.

One millwright and one carpenter represented Alberta in the competition, which took place August 26 to 27. While the Alberta contestants put in a great effort, contestants from Ontario took first place in both carpentry and drywall, while Quebec took first place in the millwright competition.

Beyond the competition, the event, which is held in a different province every year, includes two days of meetings. “It’s a very, very good way to have a better understanding about what’s happening from coast to coast in Canada within a specific trade,” says Bob Hugh, senior business representative-millwrights.

Hugh says the competition builds cooperation amongst members, while the event is also an opportunity for delegates from across the country to share ideas on apprenticeship and training. “We all give reports from our home areas,” Hugh says. “What we’re trying to do is always improve the standard of training in apprenticeship from coast to coast.”

The annual gathering and competition will be coming to Edmonton next year. It will be the first time Edmonton has hosted the carpentry, drywall and millwright contest since 2002. The 2012 competition will take place on August 24 and 25.

Guess the ToolCan you guess the name of this antique tool?

ANSWER ON PAGE 8

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

ANSWER ON PAGE 8ANSWER ON PAGE 8

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

ANSWER ON PAGE 8ANSWER ON PAGE 8

Kyle McLachlan

HH_Fall11_p06-09.indd 7 10/12/11 12:20:50 PM

8 HARDHAT FALL 2011

Site Lines News in Brief A roundup of news and events from around the region

Winds of Change

The future of a program designed to increase the number of aboriginal people in Alberta working in the construction trades may be in jeopardy after it was announced that federal funding would be withdrawn.

The Trade Winds to Success project is a unique partnership between Human Resources and Skill Development Canada, Alberta Employment & Immigration, Oteenow Employment and Training Society, Métis Nation of Alberta and Community Futures Treaty Seven. The program also contracts various union training trust funds for the use of their facilities, including the Alberta Millwrights Local 1460.

Since welcoming the program in the fall of 2008, the Alberta Millwrights has seen over a dozen aboriginal students participate in an eight-week millwright pre-employment course, says Bob Hugh, senior business representative-millwrights. “The ultimate goal is to give them a skill set so that when they enter into the marketplace they’ll be successful and they’ll have some prior knowledge of what’s expected,” Hugh says. “We make sure they have a nice tool kit so they can go out in the field and be productive individuals almost immediately.”

Answer to “Guess the Tool”This is a cranked neck patternmaker’s gouge, used mainly to do precision work in fi ne woodworking.

(From Page 7)

Helping Habitat for HumanityMembers from all the building trade unions are helping to build a home for Habitat for Humanity in central Edmonton. “This year we got together with Habitat and we came up with an idea of doing a home that was 100 per cent union built, by union members, from all the different unions,” says Len Bryden, director of training and apprenticeship for the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre.

Bryden says the union’s history with Habitat for Humanity dates back to 2008, when students began doing work in conjunction with their classes. Bryden recently took the Trade Winds to Success class to the Habitat for Humanity pre-fabrication shop in Edmonton, where students built walls for the house.

Bryden says building a 100 per cent union-built home shows the community that unions care about people. “The Alberta Carpenters Training centre has a close relationship with Habitat for Humanity and we look forward to working with them more in the future,” says Bryden.

Federal dollars, which currently make up two-thirds of the funding, will

cease as of March 2012 but the Trade Winds to Success board is currently seeking private sector funding through contractors and owners to keep the program running.

That’s good news for the Millwrights. Hugh estimates about 50 per cent of the participants have gone on to become successful members of Local 1460. “I think that we’ve had some pretty good success. Everybody that we’ve dispatched has been received as a productive individual. We’ve had lots of positive feedback from employers and some of the clients that we work for about getting involved and trying to provide job opportunities for aboriginal people.”

Answer to“Guess the Tool”This is a cranked neck This is a cranked neck patternmaker’s gouge, patternmaker’s gouge, used mainly to do precision used mainly to do precision work in fi ne woodworking.work in fi ne woodworking.

“Guess the Tool”

HH_Fall11_p06-09.indd 8 10/12/11 12:25:22 PM

HARDHAT FALL 2011 9

CEFAP Updates Clarify RulesThe Construction Employee and Family Assistance Program (CEFAP), an initiative of Construction Labour Relations Alberta that provides assistance to employees dealing with distressing problems, has undergone some minor changes. CEFAP is a plan designed to provide confidential counselling, educational and self-development services to unionized construction and plant maintenance industry employees.

“We have continually consulted with experts and stakeholders to ensure the quality and performance of our plan is of the highest standards and will continue to do so in the future,” says Lynne Harder, administration manager at Construction Labour Relations.

CEFAP services are provided confidentially to employees and their eligible family members, and are accessed by personally contacting the service provider, Homewood Human Solutions (HHS). Aboriginal and multi-language options are available in all offices, and all services can be accessed anywhere in the world. Emergency services are available 24/7 and alcohol and drug counselling services meet all of the requirements of the Canadian Model for providing a Safe Workplace – Alcohol and Drug Guidelines and Work Rule. CEFAP is endorsed by the Building Trades of Alberta and funded by the unionized construction employers working in Alberta and various local union health and welfare trust funds. All in all, the program offers one of the largest and most comprehensive service options in the province.

The program’s updated rules and eligibility criteria were effective July 1, 2011. “Very little has changed,” Harder says. “This process endeavoured to make the rules and eligibility criteria easier to understand and more consistent. We want all of the participating organizations and their employees to not only know what they are, but understand what they are.”

The updated rules and eligibility criteria provide a clearer definition and distinction between Employee and Family Assistance (EFAP) services and Substance Abuse Expert (SAE) Assessment. The update is greatly assisted when dispatch information indicates the collective agreement (either construction, maintenance, or other) that the member is being dispatched under. The final change is that a person seeking SAE assessment needs to provide to HHS certain pieces of evidence that the person has access to. Details on these pieces of evidence can be found at www.clra.org, and will ultimately mean easier and faster access to assessment.

Harder says these updates make the rules and criteria clearer and more concise for employees. A complete review of the SAE assessment is nearing completion, and now HHS has a dedicated department that deals with all things SAE. Harder says whether it is clinical, clerical, intake personnel or assessment personnel, they have developed a comprehensive program and process ensuring that CEFAP provides the best service available.

Scaff olding Course Gets a LiftA Hoisting and Rigging course has been added to both the Level 3 Scaffolding program and the Scaffolding Journeyman Upgrade program. The curriculum for the five-day program comes from the International Training Centre. The program will teach members the fundamental principles of hoisting and rigging. “It will increase the knowledge base of our apprentices and members. It may help to secure further work for the UBC in the future,” says Len Bryden, director of training and apprenticeship for the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre.

HH_Fall11_p06-09.indd 9 10/12/11 12:25:35 PM

maximum of 600 millimetres (two feet), serving as a visual aid that allows users to design and mark decorative details, joinery, rip lines or loose tenons. It can help in determining equally spaced points on a straight line for borders and edges, or in calculating the number of strips that can be cut from a board. The Point-2-Point also has a four-point locking mechanism, which allows users to transfer measurements between boards and over larger areas.

Beyond woodworking, it can also be used for general craftwork, sewing and even in the kitchen – for instance, for laying out buttons on a shirt or measuring out equal-sized cake portions.

The product is currently available in Canada from Elite Tools, KMS Tools & Equipment Ltd. and The Tool Store.ca with prices ranging from $19.99 to $26.99.www.m-powertools.com

STACK AND STOREThe Bosch L-Boxx was introduced last June as an innovative solution for trans-porting and storing tools and so far seems to be living up to the hype, having already won a product of the year award from a German industrial association. The idea behind a stackable, locking tool system is not a new one but the product’s well-thought-out design makes it stand out.

The boxes easily click into one another, allowing you to stack boxes together and carry them as a single unit. Also the inside of the box can be easily configured using the foam inserts provided, preventing items from banging around while being transported.

The L-Boxx is also waterproof, so if you’re caught in a downpour, you at least don’t have to worry about your tools getting soaked. There is even a padlock option on both sides of the lid for added security.

Another unique feature is the variety of carrying options available. The top has a large folding handle that allows you to carry the L-Boxx like a tool box, while a smaller folding handle on the side allows you to carry it like a suitcase. Recessed handles on the sides also allow you to carry it two-handed. The L-Boxx is part of a series of carry-ing cases, all 14 inches wide by 17.5 inches long but varying in height, starting with the L-Boxx-1 at 4.5 inches up to the L-Boxx-4 at 15 inches high. Online prices start at $69 (plus shipping and handling) for the L-Boxx.www.bosch.com

Geared Up

SMART SHARPENERCheck out the Chisel Doctor if you’re looking for a quickand inexpensive way to sharpen your chisel blades. Unlike other sharpening methods – using water stones and diamond laps, for

instance – it uses sandpaper, which has many advantages, says product designer Richard Rex.

“It’s available in all the grits you need, it wears evenly and doesn’t hollow out like a stone. In addition, sandpaper won’t burn the edge like a grinding wheel (no quenching needed), and it’s easy to replace when worn.”

Weighing just under 15 ounces, the tool is a steel forging that holds any type of blade ranging in width from 1/8 inch to two inches.

The chisel is held in place by a hefty clamp bar and two large thumbnuts, which are ball-nosed to allow the bar to lie flat on tapered blades. After clamping the chisel in place, you simply has to rub the blade back and forth a few times on various grits of sandpaper that are mounted on a flat rigid surface.

The Chisel Doctor can be used to sharpen wood chisels, hand planes and spokeshaves. When the sandpaper gets worn, replacement sandpaper can be purchased from the manufacturer but store-bought sandpaper can also be used.

“Because the Chisel Doctor is just about indestructible, it can be tossed into the tool bag for routine honing on the construction site. It is equally at home in the shop, and has been well-received by professional woodworkers who give it high marks for speed and efficiency,” adds Rex.

The product can be ordered online for US$44.95 (plus $4.95 for shipping).www.thechiseldoctor.com

TO THE POINTM.Power’s Point-2-Point layout measuring tool makeseasy work of setting out a row of screws or dowels. Just extend it fully and bring the mechanism down to the required size. Lock the setting in place with the pinch bolts and you’re ready to start marking things out.

The tool features eight stainless steel points and extends to a

Tools to help you work better

10 HARDHAT FALL 2011

HH_Fall11_p10-11.indd 10 10/12/11 11:39:12 AM

Iwant to thank Martyn Piper for providingthis opportunity for an article in the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied

Workers’ Hard Hat magazine.Syncrude Canada Ltd. is preparing for its

major fall turnaround, which is scheduled to start this fall.

Project Polaris provides an opportunity for world-class safety performance, and our friends from Local 1325, 1460 and other trade skill professionals from the Building Trades of Alberta will expect the same in safety excellence during the execution of the turnaround.

Syncrude Canada Ltd. does not take its relationship with the Building Trades lightly. We have invested significantly in this professional labour stream during the past 30 years. The BTA has been partners in our success in construction and maintenance activities to the tune of approximately 245 million hours.

We expect world-class safety and productivity. It is a major contributor to inspire young people to the career and opportunity offered in a skilled trade.

The Syncrude Safety Summit was held August 22, 2011, and was well attended by all stakeholders from the various union locals, contractors and Syncrude senior leadership.

As you would appreciate, the focus on safety is important to all on work sites but just as important to all of our families whom we rely on and who rely on us every day of every year.

Three individuals put on very passionate and thought-provoking presentations:• Building trades were represented by U/A 488, who discussed their approach to injury mitigation based on four hand injuries in our fall turnaround 2010.• Contractors were represented by CASCA (RSL Mechanical), who focused their presentation on positive and timely interventions.• Syncrude was represented by a senior area leader of extraction, who presented on eye injuries and the potential of this life- changing event.

Please contact your business agents or business manager for more details on these presentations.

Syncrude realizes it has a duty to provide a safe site, develop challenging and well-planned work packages with fair estimates and materials suitable for execution within schedule. The rest is up to our contractors and their professional craftspeople. We rely on you to get the job done safely, professionally and repeatedly. Intervene when necessary and hold each other accountable.

Please support all our stakeholders with their mandate to keep our site safe and reliable. Syncrude is proud of its good relationship with the Building Trades.

Please follow your codes of conduct, codes of excellence and pride in workmanship to make Project Polaris the safest and most productive in our history.

Focus on Safety Working together to ensure safety excellence at Syncrude’s fall turnaround

Randy Stefanizyn, Manager, Labour Relations, Syncrude Canada Ltd.

HARDHAT FALL 2011 11

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HH_Fall11_p12-15.indd 12 10/12/11 12:33:26 PM

New bargaining process provides long-term stability for both workers and contractors

ometimes you have to run smack into a brick wall before you realize things have to change. Alberta’s building trade unions hit that proverbial wall in 2007, when difficult bargaining for collective agreements was followed by law-

suits against the provincial government which challenged sections of the Alberta Labour Relations Code, led by the carpenters, plumber and pip-efitters, electricians and boilermakers unions.

But in 2011 the collective agreement process was dramatically differ-ent. The result is a historic agreement, hailed by the trade unions, indus-try and government as a new landmark in labour relations.

Using an innovative approach to negotiations, 18 of Alberta’s 24 build-ing trade union groups – including the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers (ARCCAW) – have now signed agree-ments with Alberta’s construction employer associations that, for the first time ever in Alberta, establish terms and conditions common to all building trade unions.

A shared agreement across the trades is unprecedented, and the terms arrived at are as well. New consensus was reached on long-standing issues surrounding site travel and personal time off, and special project agreements were shaped for urban and remote work sites. Most signifi-cantly, a new formula for wage increases was devised that’s linked to

the price of oil and the consumer price index, replacing the tradition of percentage increases on hourly rates. Topping it all off, these 18 labour agreements are set for an unusually long period of four years. In the past, agreements were typically for two-year terms.

“It’s a remarkable demonstration of solidarity across the unions,” says ARCCAW executive secretary-treasurer Martyn Piper. “We were able to sit down and agree on one settlement that fits all, showing industry that the building trade unions are on the same page.”

Contractors are equally happy with the results of the new process. “We came out with more effective working relationships than going in,” notes Neil Tidsbury, president of Construction Labour Relations -Alberta, the group representing contractors. “The more collaborative approach resulted in benchmarks we’ve never achieved before, which will make it easier to secure union work in a competitive environment and give longer term stability for both contractors and workers.”

All of which begs the question: How did these big changes hap-pen and why now? Piper says the sea change in attitudes and approaches began during the 2007 union lawsuits, now referred to as the “constitu-tional challenge.” Its purpose was to challenge labour code regulations which ruled that once 75 per cent of the building trade unions ratified

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14 HARDHAT FALL2011

collective agreements, the remainder had to accept similar terms under binding arbitration, without the right to strike.

This meant that the unions that were “first out of the chute set the pattern for the rest,” says Lyle Kanee, vice-chair of the labour relations boards in Alberta and Ontario. Working together on the challenge made union leaders aware that the collective agreement process across the trades was flawed and that they could be more effective working together as a group instead of negotiating separately. So rather than engaging in a lengthy court battle with the province, the unions put their energy into new legislation which created a different form of bargaining.

In May 2010, all unions agreed to a joint collective agreement pro-cess and the concepts of “Big Table” and “Little Table” were born. In Big Table negotiations, the unions would attempt to reach agree-ment on terms and conditions that would apply across the industry, but still have Little Table discussions where each union would work out issues specific to their trade. Union and contractor representa-tives also agreed to use a facilitator and bargaining coordinator to keep the process moving, to stick to a strict timetable and see the process through to the end. Kanee was independently engaged as the facilitator and Mike Kozielec as the coordinator. Both men have a long history in labour relations and are well-respected in union and contractor asso-ciation circles.

The process began in September 2010, months earlier than usual, with twice-weekly meetings in Edmonton and many lively discus-sions. “We rolled up our sleeves and started working together,” says Tidsbury. By December, the group had formulated agree-ments that then went out to each union’s membership for a vote. As of late July, 18 unions had approved the collective agreement, and the remain-ing unsigned bargaining units were in the final stages of their negotiating processes.

If that all sounds simple, it wasn’t. “We didn’t get to agreement by sitting around and singing ‘Kumbaya,’ ” says Kanee. “As always, both the unions and the contractors had their own mandates. But this time we used a different kind of bargaining. And that made all the difference.”

Kanee explains that the norm for union/contractor discussions is what’s called positional bargaining. “That’s when each side stakes out their territory, then tries to get as much as they can.” Or as bargaining coordinator Kozielec puts it: “The old approach is based on an over-abundance of testosterone where the last man standing after 72 hours without sleep, surrounded by cold cups of coffee and stale doughnuts, is the winner.”

The new method that replaced this adversarial style is called shared-interests bargaining. “Instead of focusing on differences of opinion, each side looks at what they have in common,” Kanee explains. “And for the contractors and the union, that came down to ‘We both want to get the work.’ Initially there was skepticism about whether this process would work, but participants quickly saw the benefits and abandoned the old-school “take-it-or-leave-it” approach and started thinking out-side the box for creative solutions. All showed a real dedication to the process and a desire to make it succeed.”

“There were the stresses, tensions and sandpaper that go along with any collective agreement negotiations,” says Tidsbury, giving the con-tractors’ perspective. “But we worked past those by focusing on our com-mon interest in a better work future. It was ‘our’ deal, not one side over the other.”

Beyond the new shared-interests bargaining approach, Kanee believes all participants recognized that the work environment in Alberta had changed and unions and contractors had to adapt to the

new reality. “Unions recognize that they can’t put their heads in the sand and ignore the fact that there’s increasing competition for work from alternative unions and non-union companies. And contractors were looking for new terms with unions that would provide more stability by avoiding the threat of work dis-ruptions from strikes or labour disputes in the middle of a long

project,” he says.The 2008 economic downturn was also a wake-up call to both sides

that new approaches were needed on issues such as wages. The 2007 agreement was negotiated during boom times of high oil prices, with high wage increases to match. “But after the 2008 crash, those wage increases were out of sync with the market reality,” says Tidsbury. The result was that union workers had negotiated nice salary increases, but as Piper notes, “We’d priced ourselves out of the market.”

Bruce Moffatt, business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers, summed up the dilemma in his comments to the Edmonton Journal: “Sometimes having the work is the most important thing, as opposed to having a very generous agreement that nobody’s working under.”

The new collective agreement avoids this potential pitfall by linking wage increases to the price of oil, as well as the consumer price index. If the price of oil goes up, union workers will share in the increased prof-its. But if oil prices plummet, union wages will remain at a level that keeps them in line with contractors’ budgets, while still ensuring them a decent standard of living and keeping them employed. It’s a win-win for both sides.

“Sometimes having the work is the most important thing, as opposed to having a very generous agreement that nobody’s working under.”–BruceMoffatt,businessmanager,InternationalUnionofOperatingEngineers

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Negotiating the unique wage formulae, including a first-year freeze on wage increases, was challenging, but together union and con-tractor representatives got it done. Then they went further to address other labour issues. “Contractors had concerns about rising levels of absenteeism and late work starts,” says Piper. “But thanks to our open discussions, we were able to show them that often the reasons our members need time off are valid. They need to go to the dentist, see a lawyer or attend a spe-cial event with their kids.”

In consideration of both sides, new terms were worked out for authorized time off, which gives workers the flexibility to deal with per-sonal matters without affecting overtime qualification. And to show their commitment to providing contractors with a safe, reliable workforce, unions agreed to opt in for random drug testing. In turn, contractors have adopted the new thresholds for drug testing currently used in the U.S. that rely on oral swabs rather than urine testing, which is more agreeable to workers.

Addressing the issues of paid site-travel time and standardized agreements for special projects was more contentious, but with the new willingness to give and take, agreements acceptable to both union workers and contrac-tors were worked out. “For site travel, we now have significant breakthrough on a problem we have been working to resolve for over 20 years,” says Piper. “And the new Special Project Needs Agreements (SPNA) means contractors no lon-ger have to come back to the union each time to work out a deal, which makes ‘hiring union’ more attractive to contractors. We’re also very pleased that we negotiated flights in and out to remote work sites. We’ve had too many mem-ber deaths and accidents on the highways.”

Looking back, Kanee says there were times

he wasn’t sure the new negotiation process would succeed, and he credits the unions with tremendous leadership in explaining something so new and different to their members. He couldn’t be happier with the final outcome. “I believe the new collective agreement will serve the unions well. Contractors want two things: stability and flexibility. That sounds contradic-tory, but what they’re looking for is the guarantee of a stable workforce, with the flexibility to adjust costs if markets change. This agreement delivers both, and that addresses issues the union has had about its competitiveness in the marketplace. The result should be more work for union members, at good pay under safe conditions.”

“There’s a high level of mutual satisfaction with the process,” agrees Tidsbury. “We may tweak a few things next time around, but we’ve all agreed to apply this method to the next round of bargaining.” It’s taken a long time, but finally there’s a new way for the building trades to conduct their collective agreement process in Alberta.

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LIFESAVERS: Trevor Schlesinger (left) and Bill Warwick (right) didn’t hesitate to take action when co-worker Chuck Strand suff ered a major heart attack on the job


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orkplace incidents don’t just happen out on the job

site. Trevor Schlesinger, craft support superintendent with

global engineering and construction company KBR and Local 1325 member, can attest to that. This summer, Schlesinger’s quick actions and lifesaving techniques, along with those of KBR quality control inspector Bill Warwick, literally saved a co-worker’s life who suffered a major heart attack while doing some routine paperwork around the office.

Nelson Gordon, a project manager with KBR, came on site moments after the incident occurred and witnessed Schlesinger and Warwick’s hero ic efforts. “If it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t be here,” says Gordon.

On July 17, Schlesinger was working in a trailer office complex at Imperial Oil’s Strathcona refin-ery when general superintendent Chuck Strand came in. “He put two hands on the photocopier and dropped,” recalls Schlesinger. It took a few moments before it was clear what was happening. “We didn’t know if he was having a seizure or any-thing until he started turning blue in the face.”

That’s when Schlesinger and Warwick sprung into action. Instincts kicking in, the two checked for life signs and began performing CPR. “He had zero pulse,” says Schlesinger. “It was a pretty scary situation.”

“I don’t know if it was because I was trained in basic first aid or what but I just immediately figured, ‘Hey, somebody’s got to help this guy,’ ” says Warwick.

An ambulance was called within 30 seconds,

and the pair worked on him for about seven minutes before the refin-ery’s emergency response team arrived with an automated external defibrillator machine. During the next 20 minutes, Schlesinger and Warwick continued to perform CPR and Strand was shocked a total of four times with the AED. It was a harrowing wait for the ambulance as he was revived, lost and brought back again. “He finally got a pulse back and they got him breathing. He was not breathing on his own,” says Nelson. “Two or three minutes later, he stopped breathing again. They revived him again.”

When the ambulance showed up, the paramedics plugged him into a heart monitor and, all things considered, the results were almost miraculous. “Boom, he had a heart rate,” says Schlesinger.

Once in the hospital, Strand received a stint in his heart and was back home within three days. And barely a month after the incredible ordeal, he received full clearance to head back to work.

Nelson has the highest praise for Schlesinger and Warwick’s actions. “They’re true heroes, that’s all I can say,” he says.

Strand agrees. “I think I was pretty damn fortunate to have those two gentlemen here. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I would be here. That’s pretty much what the hospital has told me and if there wasn’t a defibrillator on site, they also told me my chances [of survival] were zero.”

But Warwick says he only did what he thinks anybody else would have done in the same circumstance. “I don’t feel like a hero. I just feel like I did what I had to do.”

The incident has, understandably, had KBR mulling over workplace safety, says Nelson. “[We’re] looking at our overall staff to make sure that we do have adequate training for all of our staff. Do we always have the right people where we need them at the timing that we need them? We want to make sure that we’re covered. Hopefully it never happens again.”

In this case, there’s no question that Schlesinger and Warwick were where they were needed at the right time. “We had lost the guy. And because of the actions of Bill and Trevor, they saved his life,” says Nelson.

The quick actions of Trevor Schlesinger and Bill Warwick helped save a co-worker’s life

WBy ROBIN SCHROFFEL With files from KIM TANNAS Photo by KELLY REDINGER

Heroic EFFORTS

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Project PROFILE

MEN AT WORK: On site at the expansion to the Provincial Training and Administration Centre in Edmonton. From left to right: Brad Parsons, Keith Raab, Glen Urbanovitch, Mike Cote (Lexon superintendent), Robert Hoff man and Kevin Wart

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New projects underway include the expansion of the Edmonton administration and training facility as well as the purchase of a new building in Calgary

t’s been a busy season for ARCCAW with three new projects on the go.All in different stages of development, these projects range from land purchase to facility construction to securing a space for a stronger regional council presence in Calgary.

Earlier this year, two acres of land immediately adjacent to the Edmonton facility’s northern boundary were purchased for $1.2 million. ARCCAW took possession of the property on September 1, 2011, after completing the due diligence requirements in early August. The land purchase brings ARCCAW’s Edmonton holdings to a total of seven acres. According to Bob Provencher, project manager for the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters Corporation, the purpose of purchasing this land is to hold the property for future projects. In the meantime, it’ll be put into service for scaffolding and storage, he says.

Construction of a 9,000-square-foot shop expansion on the northeast corner of ARCCAW’s Edmonton property began in mid-July. Designed by ONPA Architects and contracted to union contractor Lexon Construction Inc. after a formal bid pro-cess, the pre-engineered building is on track to be completed on time and within bud-get, according to Provencher. When work is wrapped up around Christmas of 2011, the facility will provide 3,000 square feet of shop and storage space for ARCCAW, an expanded storage space for the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre and a 3,000-square-foot training centre and shop expansion for Millwrights 1460.

Meanwhile, in Calgary, ARCCAW closed the purchase of a building and property in the city’s northeast quadrant on August 17. The regional council’s intention is to provide a better and more modern service facility to the membership in Calgary, says Provencher. The building will house regional council staff and a meeting facility. “If perception is reality, then we need to stamp a positive face on our business in Calgary and it’s time for a brand-new, state-of-the-art administration facility that the mem-bers will be proud of,” says Martyn Piper, executive secretary treasurer of ARCCAW.

The Calgary project, which has a budget of $7.2 million, is currently in the design development stage. Provencher and Piper are carrying out an assessment in con-junction with ONPA to determine whether renovation or full demolition is required. Following this process, it will move ahead into blueprint development and required permit applications, and the contractor bid process is set to begin toward the end of 2011. Construction is expected to begin in January of 2012, with an expected con-struction period of nine to 12 months.


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BreakingNEW GROUND

By ROBIN SCHROFFEL

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he shoulder is a combination of several joints attached by multiple muscles, tendons and ligaments that allow for a large range of motion in many different directions. This is the very reason that the shoulder can be vulnerable to a large

assortment of problems.About 20 per cent of the general population experiences shoulder

problems and 40 per cent of those will last longer than a year. Of those general shoulder problems, 40 to 65 per cent are from something called “shoulder impingements,” explains Matt Smith, certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist.

“It’s basically an imbalance or a bone spur that reduces the amount of space in the shoulder, resulting in pain, weakness and loss of motion caused by pinching of the rotator cuff muscles when moving your shoul-

TBy KIM TANNAS | Photography by BUFFY GOODMAN


To prevent injury, use proper form while doing repetitive motions and take shoulder pain seriously when it happens

der, especially above your head.” says Smith.For carpenters and scaffolders it can be trig-

gered by repetitive motions such as constantly lifting heavy objects above your head or using a hammer in awkward positions.

The most important thing to keep in mind with any kind of shoulder pain is to take it seri-ously, emphasizes Smith. That means getting it checked out by a professional as soon as you start experiencing any kind of pain. “It’s a lot easier to deal with in the beginning stages before it gets severe to the point where you can’t lift your shoulder up, let alone be produc-tive at work.”

To prevent this type of injury, make sure you are using proper form while doing repetitive motions, especially when you are lifting things above your head, he says. Ensure you are put-ting yourself in a strong position, with good posture such as shoulder blades back together and down while keeping your back tight. It’s easy to get tired and take shortcuts which can lead to imbalances and problems over time.

If you are experiencing nagging shoulder pain, some of the following exercises may help. Keep in mind that treatment varies based on the condition, postural problem and progres-sion of injury. As always, if you have recently injured yourself, it’s important to get a proper assessment from a doctor or physiotherapist before attempting any of these exercises.

For any questions or if you would like more information on getting a free movement and postural assessment, please contact Matt Smith by email at [email protected]. He is the manager of ARCCAW’s in-house health centre, specializing in the health and fitness of trade workers, and is a Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Certified Personal Trainer and National Academy of Sports Medicine Corrective Exercise Specialist.

Matt Smith, CSEP-CPT, NASM-CESMatt Smith, CSEP-CPT, NASM-CES

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To prevent injury, use proper form while doing repetitive motions and take shoulder pain seriously when it happens

Neck and Trap StretchesBoth stretches involve standing or sitting with one arm behind back (back of hand on low back) and moving head towards opposite shoulder. The first stretch is simply trying to touch the ear to the shoulder while looking forward and the second involves looking downward into pants pocket. They stretch slightly different muscles in the neck and shoulder area and should be held for 30-45 seconds on each side.

Lat StretchKneeling down on mat, place hands/forearms on exercise ball with thumbs facing upwards. Slowly lean forward, rolling ball down forearms until stretch is felt. Keep shoulder blades together and head in neutral position between arms. To increase stretch, take deep breaths. Hold for 30-45 seconds.

Prone CobraLying forward on exercise ball, keep legs and hips squeezed tight with palms facing each other. From starting position slowly move arms back, tightening shoulder blades together and rotating thumbs behind you. Hold this end position for two seconds before taking four seconds to moving back to start position. Perform 12 repetitions. Feel free to start with no resistance if dumbbells are too much.

Rotator Cuff (posterior)Lying on one side, take a very light dumbbell and rotate arm away from the body, pivoting around the elbow. (Too much weight will trigger larger muscle groups which takes away from strengthening the rotator cuff.) A small towel can be placed under the armpit to reduce tension and place shoulder in an optimal position. Movement should be slow and controlled, holding the end position for two seconds and lowering the weight with a count of four seconds. Repeat on each side one to two times.

Squat to RowPerform this exercise last as it is designed to integrate the entire body together so that the muscles learn to work together. In a quarter squat position while holding onto cables or resistance bands, begin to straighten out the body while simultaneously performing a row. While rowing, ensure the shoulders stay back and down. Hold end position for two seconds and slowly release the row while squatting back down to the starting position. Proper form is very important. Complete 12 repetitions one to three times.

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Pencil PowerYou’ve seen round pencils – you probably use them for math at school, drawing at home and maybe even to do the crossword puzzle in the newspaper. But have you ever seen a rectangular pencil? Carpenters use these special rectangular pencils to make markings on lumber. That way, they can make sure they’ve measured properly before they cut the wood. After all, they have to do it right on the fi rst try. But why are they shaped so weird? Simple – it’s to stop them from rolling. Even if you put one down on a sloped roof, it’ll stay right where it is.

Carpenters’ pencils aren’t the only special pencils in a builder’s toolbox. Lumber crayons come in bright colours, and not only do they last 10 times longer than normal crayons, their marks stay on in the rain and won’t fade in the sunlight.

KidZone

Pencil Puzzle

By ROBIN SCHROFFEL

Pencil Facts

L A H U S Q R H B T D F K RT Y X U P R E B M U L M B CT N E M E R U S A E M R Q AY G Q I R Z P N K W O S G RE E V G M S D E R T A J E PS T R E S A R E C D N R B EU I A T W W D A T L K L D NO H X C Q F R D B I X I O TH P B Q R T C O K U E C C EG A L U N A N O I B P N D RG R L O O P Y W Y A A E K NU G C H V R D O A M G P X EF B H L Y C W D N U C P E HW E Y M A R K D W H F X Z X

Put your pencil to paper and see how many words you can find.

buildcarpentercontractorcrayondrawerasergraphitehouselumbermarkmeasurementpencilsawwood

so weird? Simple – it’s to stop them from rolling. Even if you put

builder’s toolbox. Lumber crayons come in bright colours, and

By ROBIN SCHROFFEL

Pencil FactsThere’s more to the common pencil than just

wood, graphite and an eraser. In fact, you just might be surprised by some of these interesting pencil facts. • An average pencil can draw a straight line

over 55 kilometres long. • The world’s most expensive pencil costs more than $12,000 and is made of diamonds and precious metals. • A pencil will write upside down, underwater, and even in space.• The word “pencil” comes from the Latin word pencillus, which means “little tail.” • More than half of the world’s pencils are made in China. • Pencils as we know them have been around for nearly 500 years – they were invented in 1565. • The world’s largest pencil, located in Malaysia, is almost 20 meters (65 feet) long.• A good-sized tree can make about 300,000 pencils.

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pproximately 170 delegates, guests and staff gathered in Quebec City for the

biennial meeting of Canada Council on August 28 and 29. The body chartered under the UBC constitution provides an opportunity for Canadian members to come together to develop positions, debate and discuss issues of particular interest to the UBC in Canada. The forum, which was formally approved in 1993, moves from region to region and this year’s meeting was held in Quebec City in conjunc-tion with the National Apprenticeship contests.

The four locals of the Alberta Regional Coun-cil sent 24 delegates in total, so we were well represented and attendance and engagement was exemplary.

One of the highlights of the convention was the speech by Pat Martin, NDP, MP from Winnipeg Centre, former business manager of Carpenters Local 343 in Winnipeg. He spoke of a post-Jack Layton era in Canada, and despite

A the huge loss to the party, how the new rookie MPs would step up to the plate and take on the federal government when the need arises.

Randy Stefanizyn of Syncrude and Shabbir Hakim, representing AC-TIMS and CISSA, presented on the expected demand for construction and maintenance workers in Alberta in the immediate future and how both groups are developing in a tripartite fashion, as well as processes to bring in Canadians from across the country and if necessary U.S. work-ers in an expedited manner.

Bob Blakely presented on the state of union market share and density in Canada and some of the strategies and programs in play or being de-veloped at the national level to increase the Building Trades profile, with the ultimate goal of winning back more work.

The National Apprenticeship Training and Advisory (NATAC) Com-mittee provided a detailed report on apprenticeship and training across Canada and the progress that is being made to standardize training, and share training resources and material. It is quite evident great strides are being made in this area.

Gus Doyle from Newfoundland was re-elected present of the council, Mike Autzen from the Floor Layers in Vancouver was re-elected secre-tary treasurer. The next meeting of Canada Council will be in New-foundland in 2013.

Held in Quebec City this year, this biennial meeting was a chance to discuss important topics to UBC members such as the future of the NDP and the state of union market share in Canada

By MArtyn PiPernotes From Canada Council

HArDHAt FALL 2011 25

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26 HARDHAT FALL2011

Making a Commitment

Your ACTC staff members all hope everyone had a great summer, and we look forward to a busy fall and winter

season. I want to discuss the importance of commitment to the training programs you sign up for. It is a topic I know I have covered in the past, but even with our no-show fees, we still have some issues surrounding attendance of our classes, and this is across all of our offerings.

Please ensure you attend what you sign up for. Even if you call us to cancel at the last minute, it can sometimes be hard to fill that empty space in only a day or two, and we end up with an empty seat. The training fund works hard to provide the training we all need to do our jobs safely and effectively, and the contractors are counting on us to come through.

As I travel and speak with many different areas of the UBC and its training centres and programs, I can say with confidence we remain at the absolute top of our industry when it comes to our professional operations. That is not to say that we cannot learn from others, because we certainly have used knowledge from other areas to help us here in Alberta. But nowhere else in North America provides the funding dollars and student benefits that we provide here in Alberta.

REPORT Training and Apprenticeship

Len Bryden, Director of Training and Apprenticeship

Alberta Carpenters Training Centre

In most other places, the student is responsible for many or all of the costs associated with training. We all need to remember this and never take for granted what we have in this province, what this Training Trust Fund and Regional Council have built for the benefit of us all.

We are seeing more of a need for Essential Skills training, and we will be putting more emphasis on this and our entry level programs into 2012. All other courses continue with the addition of new offerings all of the time. We have to be able to determine what the balance is between what the contractors need and what the apprentices need when we create our schedules.

One thing I want to really emphasize again is that commitment to training is more important than ever. Sometimes you have to make a choice between thousands of dollars earned right now, or to make nothing for a few weeks (or more!) of training and to make tens of thousands later. Also, sometimes we need to be reminded that being a member of this organization doesn’t give you an automatic right to have everything funded. Sometimes you have to make a little extra investment in your own training as well. Look outside the province and you will see that we have much to be thankful for, and there are so many things that are funded by our employers through our training fund. That’s why we have to keep our levels of commitment high, in order to keep the work and gain more market share.

Be committed to doing your best, and remember we are here to help you achieve the goals you set for yourself. Keep up the good work.

Feel free to contact our office at 780-455-6532 and follow the prompts, or email me directly at [email protected] for information regarding rules, policies or scheduling. Information is also available at www.abcarptc.ab.ca, or link to us through the very informative www.albertacarpenters.com.

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Teaching the BasicsBy CAIT WILLS

Meet the Instructor


or Hughie Bruce, teaching apprentices the ropes is a rewarding experience. Bruce, who has journeyman tickets in carpentry, scaffolding and welding, has taught

hundreds of students in the last six-and-a-half years, most recently at the Calgary branch of the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre.

“There are several different things I teach,” he says, but the one that stands out the most is the Trade Winds to Success Program, a government-run program for aboriginal people to help them get into the trades. “There are two groups at each intake, each with 12 students,” he explains.

“It starts with an eight-week upgrading program that focuses on basic skills like literacy and math. Then I take whoever chooses to be carpenters for eight weeks. I run two of those programs every year and it’s very fulfilling.”

Another course that Bruce instructs is Industrial Technical Training (ITT), which is also offered in Edmonton. It’s a two-week program, and is meant to take people off the street who are – as Bruce puts it, “as green as the grass” – and teach them basic skills like reading a tape measure and using a circular saw.

At the end of the two-week program, the student receives several tickets – Construction Safety Training System (CSTS), H2S Alive, confined space and first aid – which, Bruce says, really helps students because “it saves people who are getting into the trades having to go back and get tickets as they go.”

Bruce also teaches all levels of the ACTC Scaffolder program, and has worked closely with contractors in the southern Alberta area to ensure the training the students receive is relevant to what they should expect to do in the field. “One of the best parts of instructing for me is seeing someone start in the ITT program fresh off the street, and watch them become a journeyman.” In this new regular feature, we will be introducing you to an instructor and a student at one of the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre locations. For more information on course and program offerings, visit www.abcarptc.ab.ca.

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hen asked what Nancy Doblej’sbiggest challenge was during her

participation in the Trade Winds to Success program at the Calgary branch of the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre, it didn’t have anything to do with being a woman in a predominately male environment. Instead, the third-year carpentry apprentice says her challenge was twofold: she was more experienced than many of her fellow students, and she struggled with homesickness, being more than 2,000 kilometres away from friends and family in her hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

“I was already in the residential part of the trade, but a family friend who lives in Calgary heard about Trade Winds and suggested I look into it,” says Doblej, and despite having “never left home on my own,” the 25-year-old signed up for the 16-week program, which begins with basic literacy and ends with instructor Hughie Bruce

W challenging students to meet the stringent standards he maintains for his pupils.

Doblej used the program to supplement her already considerable skill set and, she says, is grateful to be given a chance to work toward her membership with the Alberta-based carpenters’ union.

Even with a baby due in early November, Doblej isn’t putting aside her career plans: she plans to work toward completing the education component of her apprenticeship training post-haste, so she can receive her Red Seal certification and return to the workforce in the immediate future. “Just because I’m expecting doesn’t mean my career has to stop,” she says. “It would be nice to have as much of my schooling done for when I go back to work.

“I think the union learning centres involved with the program are a huge help into the trades, and the Trade Winds program is a good starting point.”

Meet the Student

On site at the Bow tower in Calgary, just outside of the 56th fl oor

By CAIT WILLS

NANCY DOBLEJ

Sunday, December 11, 2011

12:00 p.m. till 3:30 p.m.

Carpenters Union Hall

301-10th Street NW, Calgary

Are you a member of Local 2103

who has children up to 12 years old?

If so, your little ones are invited to a Christmas Party where gifts and goodies will be

distributed to them. All you have to do is call to register them before

November 14 at (403) 283-0747, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday,

telling us the names and ages of your children. That way, you will be certain that each child

willhave a gift under the Christmas tree at the Carpenters Union Hall. See you there!

Please note that the children have to be at the

Christmas Party to receive their gift. Thanks!

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MEETINGS

First Wednesday of each month: Local 1325 meetingThird Thursday of each month: Local 2103 meetingFourth Tuesday of each month: Local 1460 meeting

In Memoriam

LOCAL 1325

James CarsonSeptember 2011, Age 70

Daniel JohnsonAugust 2011, Age 49

Leland JohnsonJuly 2011, Age 87

David KnechtJuly 2011, Age 40

Garland WisemanJuly 2011, Age 59

LOCAL 2103

Dennis RooneyJuly 2011, Age 52

Training + Events UPCOMING

ARCCAW notes with sorrow the passing of the following members.

LOCAL 2103

TRAINING


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 offi ce at 780-455-6532 or toll-free 1-877-455-6532.

EdmontonOSSA Fall Protection: October 22, 25, 28; November 5, 8, 19, 22H2S Alive (Enform Certifi ed): October 23, 30; November 13, 27OSSA Confi ned Space: October 29; November 12, 26Period 1 Carpentry: January 9 to March 2Period 2 Carpentry: March 12 to May 4

CalgaryPre-Employment Carpentry Program: December 5 to February 3

Millwrights Training Centre

Visit www.albertamillwrights.com for a current listing of training courses available.

Get ahead financially.

Speak to us today for:

• Investment planning and advice

• RSP, RRIF, TFSA and RESP guidance

• Mutual Funds, GICs and other investment solutions

• Mortgage and Borrowing services

® Registered trademarks of The Bank of Nova Scotia.

Camille CoderreAccount Manager, Small [email protected]

Proud to support the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters & Allied Workers.

000HH.Scotiabank_1-6H.indd 1 1/13/11 4:19:55 PM


12:00 p.m. till 3:30 p.m.

Carpenters Union Hall

301-10th Street NW, Calgary

Are you a member of Local 2103

who has children up to 12 years old?

If so, your little ones are invited to a Christmas Party where gifts and goodies will be

distributed to them. All you have to do is call to register them before

November 14 at (403) 283-0747, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday,

telling us the names and ages of your children. That way, you will be certain that each child

willhave a gift under the Christmas tree at the Carpenters Union Hall. See you there!

Please note that the children have to be at the

Christmas Party to receive their gift. Thanks!

HH_Fall11_p28-32.indd 29 10/12/11 12:18:52 PM


Originally called the 109th Street Subway, Edmontonians more likely remember the 168-metre-long tunnel that burrowed under the Canadian National Railway tracks between 104th and 105th Avenue as the Rathole. Constructed by Jamieson Construction Co. Ltd. in 1927, the project ran overbudget at a cost of $200,000. It was built in two sections and supported by temporary wooden trestles so that the railroad tracks could still be used during its construction.

As many as 27,000 cars per day passed through the Rathole and, thanks to periodic flooding and hazardous visibility, its days were numbered once trains stopped running downtown in the 1980s. In 2000, the underpass was demolished and 109th Street was constructed at grade.

Tunnel VisionParting Shot

HH_Fall11_p28-32.indd 30 10/12/11 12:19:24 PM

For more information, or to use your skills with Habitat, contact Louise: [email protected] | 780.451.3416 ext 222www.hfh.org

YOUR VOLUNTEERING MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Habitat for Humanity’s UNION BUILT HOMESupported by the Building Trades of Alberta members

000HH.HabHumanity_1-3S.indd 1 9/6/11 2:54:26 PM

The Alberta Regional

Council of Carpenters

and Allied Workers

(ARCCAW) represents

more than 11,000

members working across

several construction

industries, including

carpenters, millwrights,

scaffolders, interior

system mechanics,

roofers and floor layers.

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.

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

Lisa Richards, Account Executive10259-105 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3 • Tel: (780) 990-0819 ext. 246 • Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 ext. 246 • Email: [email protected]

Venture Ad 1-6V.indd 1 9/27/11 2:39:24 PM

All family members are welcome! Children 12 or younger will

receive a gift. Come between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for face

painting and a balloon artist! Luncheon between 12 noon and

1 p.m., followed by a 50-minute magic show.

To ensure space and food for everyone,

and appropriate gifts for children aged 12

and under, pre-registration is a must!

Registrations not accepted

after November 18.

Pre-registration requires the following information:

• Member’s name

• Number of family members attending

• Age and gender of children 12 and under

To pre-register, call Jeannelle at

780-430-1460, ext 2164, or toll-free at

1-877-250-5079 no later than November 18

To ensure space and food for everyone,

and appropriate gifts for children aged 12

HH_Fall11_p28-32.indd 31 10/12/11 12:19:36 PM


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-of-the-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

000.ABCarpTraining_1-2H_nBL.indd 1 1/13/10 3:43:38 PM

20112011Children’sChildren’s

ChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasParty

PartyPartyPartyFOR MEMBERS OF

FOR MEMBERS OF

FOR MEMBERS OF

FOR MEMBERS OF

LOCAL 1325 EDMONTON

LOCAL 1325 EDMONTON


11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Registration deadline:

Friday, November 18, 2011

Register early – space is limited

SANTA WILL BE THERE UNTIL 2:30 P.M. TO WISH

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTRE

14230 – 133 Avenue EdmontonALL FAMILY MEMBERS WELCOME!

Children aged 12 or younger will receive a gift.

CELEBRATION INCLUDES ENTERTAINMENT AND LUNCHEON.

To ensure space for everyone, pre-registration is required for children receiving gifts and for

taking part in the luncheon. No presents will be handed out after 2:30 p.m.

REGISTRATION REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

• Member’s name • Number of family members attending function

• Age and gender of children 12 and underTO PRE-REGISTER, CALL THE EDMONTON OFFICE

AT (780) 471-3200 OR TOLL-FREE (800) 272-7905We will not accept registrations after November 18, 2011.

HH_Fall11_p28-32.indd 32 10/12/11 12:19:46 PM

Documents

Hard Hat Fall 2011