PEOPLE
Since that time, Bette’s been active as chief steward and a member of the health & safety committee. She attended the Locals 175 & 633 Bylaw & Policy Conference, as well as various courses. Currently she’s taking a computer course through the Local in Belleville and also completed the Union’s self-defence course. Bette likes to learn everything she can. She takes her knowledge back to the workplace where she helps out on various committee “teams” and with other activities at the nursing home where she works. These include palliative care, continuing care and wellness. When asked for more information about the teams she says: “We just had a wellness committee meeting. We’re planning a potluck lunch and looking for a motivational speaker for a stress workshop. Would you know anyone who could speak?” And then she quickly adds: “NOT me!” Bette also makes time for her hobby, which is baton twirling. She organizes and coaches a contingent of about 20 children, ages 4 to 15. The group includes one boy. He is five years of age, has muscular dystrophy and is “the star of the show.” They perform in parades and in nursing homes. Jean Patenaude of Ridgewood Industries in Cornwall won the award for outstanding contributions in the area of Health & Safety. She is an exceptionally hard-working and dedicated member who has volunteered her time and energy for about 10 years “off and on” as a health & safety committee member. She says: “I do it because I don’t want to see people get hurt, and I want to have the safest possible workplace.” About two years ago, there was a horrific accident at Ridgewood. A young man’s hand was severed by a high-speed industrial saw. Jean was chosen to join the team to investigate the incident and ensure that no similar accident would ever occur in their plant again.
JEAN PATENAUDE
First, the equipment was reviewed by the manufacturers’ representatives and various inside and outside electricians. Then Jean worked along side the certified management member to establish new operating procedures. Once the representative from the Ministry of Labour was satisfied that the new procedures were sufficient to prevent a future accident, the machinery where the accident occurred was allowed to operate again. Jean says: “Given the kind of environment we have, paper cuts and other minor accidents are somewhat inevitable. But we want to be as sure as we possibly can that no one ever suffers a serious, lost-time injury again. We’ve done all that we can to implement procedures, everywhere, to ensure a safe workplace.” Workers at the plant manufacture Ready-to-Assemble furniture. As a result of the accident, some workers quit their jobs and at least one other, who was emotionally traumatized by the accident, has been unable to return to work. Fortunately, doctors were able to reattach the severed hand and the young man was able to regain some mobility in his fingers. He is now retraining to work in Human Resources. Co-worker Debra Levac, who nominated Jean for the honour, says: “Jean is a friend to all and usually the first person anyone wants to see when something goes wrong at work or in their personal life. She is not afraid to fight for our rights.”
TED DAWES
Ted Dawes of Minute Maid in Peterborough won for exceptional contributions to fundraising for leukemia research. He was nominated by his coworker Marc Duquette. Marc said: “Ted is actively involved in the Peterborough minor hockey league as both coach and fan, he enthusiastically supports his Local Union and is our cornerstone of leukemia fundraising.” In the last five years the Ted-On-The-Roof event has raised $41,437 for leukemia research, including a record-breaking $14,000 in 2006. But Ted is quick to say it’s not just him that’s raising the money. It’s the entire Ted-On-The-Roof team, which is made up of dozens of committee members and volunteers. He is assisted by family, co-workers, friends and members of the wider community who just want to help. Ted’s fundraising efforts really began about six years ago when his thenplant chair, Paul Hardwick, posted a notice for the Havelock walk-a-thon. Ted had already made plans for a family vacation but thought maybe he could help raise money by doing something “crazy” himself. So he collected pledges to shave his head and raised $800. Then he came up with the roof concept. He hit a few snags finding a suitable roof, but fortunatately Dave Morello of Morello’s YIG in Peterborough was delighted to make his store’s roof available. CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE A
DECEMBER 2006