Hard Hat - Summer 2016

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Uniting Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers across Alberta

Summer 2016

Brent Sanderson balances his scaffolding career with saving lives as a part-time firefighter

BACK ON THEIR FEET When wildfires ripped through Fort McMurray, union members lent a helping hand

ALL ABOARD

Construction is about to get rolling on the Valley Line LRT

ARCC Golf AW’s Ch Gear Tournam arity ed U en Appr p; Meet t t; h entic e; e


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Executive Secretary Treasurer’s

REPORT

Difficult Choices Moving Forward Martyn A. Piper

H

ere we are in the summer

of 2016, and who could have possibly predicted the status of Alberta’s economic affairs and how the current climate is affecting the Union’s status, members’ paycheques and jobs across all our sectors. It was only a short couple of years ago that there were grave predictions about a lack of skilled tradespeople and how we all had to invest in people and training. This is not to say that is not still the case as the baby boomer generation moves on, but given the forecasts for upcoming work, the situation does not appear as dire as it once was. In the last issue of Hard Hat, I wrote about the Alberta Labour Code and its evolution to become the most regressive labour legislation in the country; what I am about to say now takes nothing away from the urgent need for its repeal. However, in the immediate term, we are confronted with challenges not seen in these parts since the 1980s, when we witnessed markets diminishing at breakneck speed, unemployment and ultimately concessions – although one could argue now it was too little too late. Today, in every sector we work in – from manufacturing to construction and maintenance – owners and subsequently contractors are counting the beans and figuring out that, in order to ride the slide of oil prices, they have to find huge cost reductions from operations, maintenance and capital work. Relationships from the past and the spin about a Building Trades-skilled and productive workforce, reliability and safety do not stand a chance in the face of the cost-cutting tsunami.

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016

Everywhere I turn, I am confronted with the same propositions: “How are you going to do it cheaper? You need to shave if you want to be relevant in the future.” And while it is easy to be the tough guy and say no, I know from experience in the ’80s, “no” does not work. We lost ground, we lost market share and we lost membership. We recovered from two of those, but market share we did not. We only have to look to the Gulf Coast to see where “no” gets us: no Building Trades presence and wages at levels lower than anywhere in Canada. The bottom line is, if we want to stay relevant and be in a position to bargain hard on the upswing, we simply have to swallow the poison pill in the short term to stay in the game. I was at a meeting the other day with a large owner and the underlying message was to “cut the fat” with contractors or we would just not be on their sites. In manufacturing, it is no different; we have seen major job losses, with more on the way, unless we can compete in shrinking markets. Moving on from the impending doom and gloom, thank you to all the people in our organization who stepped up to help our member families and the community as the horrible wildfire swept through Fort McMurray (story on page 10). I am proud to say the Council and all the affiliate Local Unions made significant financial contributions of close to $100,000 to the Red Cross, plus provided financial support to the members individually. And I am also pleased to report that the International Union UBC, the Atlantic Regional Council, the Millwrights Regional Council of Ontario and the Pile Drivers in British Columbia have collectively contributed $203,000 to the new Rebuild McMurray Hope Fund, established by the Building Trades of Alberta. For this alone, I am proud to be UBC.

On behalf on the Regional Council, the affiliate Local Unions and the members, I would like to publicly congratulate J’amey Holroyd, training director of the Boilermakers, on her appointment as chair of the Alberta Provincial Apprenticeship Board. J’amey is the first woman to be appointed to this position and the first from a Building Trades Union. Clearly, this government understands diversity and equity as it makes its selections for these positions, and given J’amey’s education, knowledge and experience, we can count on her to ensure our positions on apprenticeship will be listened to and properly considered. Last but not least, a shout-out to our Instructor Training staff and the administrative people who support them. Just this past week, I made one of my infrequent visits to our shops and classrooms where we not only had our regular programming happening, but classes of aboriginal youth from Trade Winds, Women Building Futures and a group of high school girls were also participating in different training initiatives and making significant contributions to developing a new and diverse workforce. That’s it for now. Drive safe, be at work every day, put in eight for eight and be a part of making the difference.


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

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

10 Bouncing Back from ‘The Beast’ As wildfires ripped through Fort Mac, union members helped get their Brothers and Sisters back on their feet By Robin Brunet

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

Summer 16

FEATURES

14 Full-Time Hero Brent Sanderson finds a balance between scaffolding and fighting fires By Lyndsie Bourgon

10

18 All Aboard!

PUBLISHER

Edmonton’s Valley Line LRT is an enormous project, and union members are excited to get working on it By Glenn Cook

Ruth Kelly

ARCCAW EDITOR

Martyn A. Piper EDITOR

20 Tee It Up

Glenn Cook

Annual charity golf tournament benefiting DRIFCan a swinging success at the Garrison Photos by Evan Montgomery

ART DIRECTOR

Charles Burke

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Andrew Wedman

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Betty Feniak

28 Pregnant Women Can Do the Job At 30 weeks pregnant, Patti Tucker isn’t slowing down in her job as a scaffolder By Brandi Thorne

PRODUCTION TECHNICIANS

Brent Felzien, Brandon Hoover CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Colin Belliveau, Robin Brunet, Martin Dover, Ted Remenda, Kim Tannas, Brandi Thorne CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Jared Kelleigh, Evan Montgomery, Darryl Propp, Curtis Trent

DEPARTMENTS

4

Note from the Executive Secretary Treasurer

VICE-PRESIDENT, SALES

Anita McGillis

By Martyn Piper

DIRECTOR OF SALES

6

Sue Timanson

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

Kathy Kelley

18

Site Lines

26 14

23 Millwrights 1460 Report

SALES ASSISTANT

By Ted Remenda

Julia Ehli

Contents © 2016 by ARCCAW Inc. No part of this publication should be reproduced without written permission.

24 Geared Up 25 Kid Zone 26 Meet the Journeyman

Important Phone Numbers Edmonton Fort McMurray Calgary Carpenters Training Centre Carpenters Health and Wellness Carpenters Pension Industrial Workers Millwright Local 1460 Local Union 1325 and 2103 Dispatch

780-471-3200 780-743-1442 403-283-0747 780-455-6532 780-477-9131 780-477-9131 403-283-0747 780-430-1460 1-888-944-0818

27 Meet the Apprentice 29 Training and Apprenticeship Report By Colin Belliveau

30 Parting Shot 31 Training & Events; In Memoriam

ON THE COVER: Brent Sanderson is a journeyman scaffolder and a part-time firefighter in Lac Ste. Anne County PHOTO: Darryl Propp SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT 5


Site Lines

News in Brief

A roundup of news and events from around the region

Gerry Donnelly Retires Walk On After 11 years with the Building Trades of Alberta, Gerry Donnelly is retiring from his position as government relations manager. Born and educated in Ireland, Donnelly immigrated to Canada in 1978 and began working with Boilermaker Local 146. While working as a boilermaker, Donnelly took a keen interest in union politics and volunteered his time for the cause on behalf of the union. “He always had a good interest in politics and made it of personal interest to him,” says Martyn Piper, executive secretary-treasurer of the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers. “Gerry was able to get along with most people wherever he stood on an issue,” says Piper. “Even if someone could not agree with him, people genuinely like the guy.” We wish Gerry the best as he and his wife, Janice, enjoy retirement in Black Diamond, Alberta.

On June 19, Local 1460 member Lane Davis (holding sign) and his father Gord (far left), who is currently being treated for prostate cancer, participated in the Do It for Dads 5K Walk/Run with family and friends. The event raises funds for the leading cancer affecting Canadian men, and the Alberta Building Trades Council was primary sponsor. Team Gord was the third-highest money raiser in Calgary.

Forging Ahead There was reason to celebrate this May as the first group of women graduated from the new Ironworker Readiness class and entered the workforce at North West Redwater Sturgeon Refinery. The training program, established in late 2015, is a partnership between Women Building Futures, NWR and Local 720 that works to empower women, promote diversity in the workplace and cultivate dedicated tradespeople. “These highly skilled women represent the strength, determination and diversity of this great province,” says Minister of Energy Margaret McCuaig-Boyd. “Not only will they build the energy infrastructure of Alberta’s future [but] they have chosen to take hold of their own futures and do what they love and to prove any and all naysayers wrong.” NWR generously covered the program’s tuition and provided work experience and employment along with contractors Fluor Canada and PCL Industrial Constructors. Program participants furthered their skills by working closely with Local 720 as ironworking apprentices. WBF is also offering a course for women looking to get into carpentry in partnership with the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers. The first edition of the course this summer attracted about eight participants, who participated in safety courses like H2S Alive, First Aid and OSSA Confined Space Entry and Monitor and learned how to operate various pieces of equipment over six weeks. “It’s intimidating for anybody – men or women – to get on to a big construction site,” says Collin Belliveau, director of training and apprenticeship for the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre. “This will give them 6

HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016

the confidence and the tools they need to go out there and be successful.” Another carpentry course will be held this winter. For more information or to sign up, visit womenbuildingfutures.com.


Slo-Pitch for a Good Cause Seven teams will take part in the fourth annual Solidarity Slugfest slo-pitch tournament on September 10 and 11 at the On Deck Recreation Park in Okotoks, with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 2103 defending last year’s championship title. What started off as a casual gathering of teams having fun and playing slo-pitch became an organized tournament, with a mission to fundraise for the Veterans Food Bank. Last year, Building Trades Alberta and affiliates raised approximately $4,000 for the cause through registration fees, donations, sponsorship and the silent auction. Not only will teams work to earn the title of 2016 Slugfest champions, but they will also be working to build camaraderie and brotherhood while fundraising for a good cause. Spectators are welcome and we hope to see you in the sidelines!

Out With the Old, In With the New

Learning Experience

The Alberta Carpenters are rolling out a new dispatch system slated for September 7. The new system is a much-needed upgrade from the current system, which has been in place since 2005. Members will be able to see their board position online, check for outstanding tickets and keep track of their training requirements with the new user-friendly and interactive interface. “With the old system they would call or go online and bid without having good confirmation if their bid went through,” says dispatcher Derrick Schulte. “Now, it will tell them right away if it has been accepted.” The initial registration process for members will begin in August at www.albertacarpenters.com.

In June, the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers hosted a special guest from Down Under. Nick Fodor, a member co-ordinator for Cbus, an Australian superannuation fund (known as a pension fund in Canada), visited work sites in the Edmonton area – including Aecon, the North West Refinery and Shell Upgrade Chemicals and Refinery – to see how construction unions in Canada look after their members and how pension plans here compare to those in Australia. “Although our struggles are very similar, it is important that all workers in the construction industry support their union,” says Fodor, who worked as a carpenter, joiner, shop steward and union organizer before joining Cbus. Fodor also visited with the UBC in Vancouver and Toronto before returning home. SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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Site Lines

News in Brief

A roundup of news and events from around the region

Stepping Up Their Game This May, journeyman carpenters headed to Las Vegas to attend the United Brotherhood of Carpenters’ 300-Hitter program at the International Training Center. These 300-hitters were a mixed group of journeymen from the Alberta Regional Council, B.C. Regional Council, the Prairie Arctic Regional Council and the Atlantic Regional Council. There were 27 Albertans who took advantage of the four-day event in sunny Las Vegas. “We wanted to have programs for UBC members across North America capturing a group of people to implement some philosophy and instill a code of ethics,” says George Wilson, Alberta Carpenters business representative. Journeymen in good standing can apply for the 300-Hitter program that features small group training sessions focusing on leadership, mentorship, and adapting to change in the industry. Large presentations and guest speakers are also highlighted at the centre, including a question-and-answer period with president Doug McCarron. After returning home, Wilson says these “heavy hitters” are encouraged to “step up, have a hand on other members’ shoulders and become a mentor in a brotherly sense.”

Provincial and National Apprenticeship Contests Apprentices across the province gathered for the Provincial Carpentry & Scaffold Competition at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre in Edmonton June 16 to 18. The event started out with a meet and greet at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel on June 16, where competitors found out what build they would be completing. On June 17, competitors in Carpentry and Scaffolding had eight hours to complete the build for their trade. Carpenters were tasked with a gazebo project while scaffolders built a split level even beam hanger. On June 18, all competitors challenged a written exam and then attended the awards banquet and luncheon. First place winners will be going on to compete in the National Competition August 18 to 20 at Fort Edmonton Park. Edmonton is hosting the event this year, which will have competitors in Carpentry, Scaffolding, Millwrighting, Floor Laying, and Interior System Mechanics (Drywallers) from all provinces across Canada. This year, Local 1325 will defend the top prize as Michael Yewchin was awarded top honours in carpentry last year in Saskatoon. If you would like to volunteer, contact Kim Belbin at kim.belbin@abcarptc.ab.ca. The competition is being held in conjunction with the Local 1325 annual picnic held at the Bellerose picnic area at Fort Edmonton Park. Doors open at 10 a.m. and lunch will be served hot off the barbecue between noon and 2 p.m. Local 1325 members: be sure to register yourself and immediate family members who plan on attending the event by calling 780-471-3200. Registration closes August 12. 8

HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016

PROVINCIAL RESULTS Carpentry Competitors: Jason Kerr - 1st Place Alex Carrier - 2nd Place Justin Sherwood - 3rd Place Travis Geislinger Aymes Mustard Bradley Power

Scaffold Competitors: Brenden Wafer - 1st Place Barry Bidell - 2nd Place Nicholas Waytowich - 3rd Place Steve Leblanc


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Bouncing

Back From ‘The PHOTO: CURTIS TRENT

BEAST

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016


Union members lead the charge to get their Fort McMurray Brothers and Sisters back on their feet By ROBIN BRUNET

N

orthern Alberta residents

president of Local 1325; Crystal Bowen, who is 1325’s treasurer; and two people who work for are no strangers to wildfires, the council: Robert Provencher, building and but “The Beast” of 2016 will long asset manager; and senior representative and be remembered for its severity. dispatcher, Derrick Schulte. And then there Fortunately, it will also be remembered for people uniting to help one another – even while was Kevin Hale, who was the catalyst at the start and worked tirelessly to aid as many of the scrambling to protect their own families. displaced as possible.” One particular image lingers with Ted The fire was first spotted about 15 kiloRemenda, business manager for Millwrights metres southwest of Fort McMurray by an Local 1460. “Some of my members who had airborne forestry crew on May 1 and, pushed been volunteering in the relief effort saw by high winds and fuelled by tinder-dry children sleeping on the ground in one of the conditions, it raged into the city two days later, camps, and they promptly gave their parents triggering the call to evacuate. By the time the keys to their hotels and told them they service providers – who kept their businesses would sleep in their trucks instead,” he says. open until the very last minute to help police “Not only that, but they went back into town, and firefighters stock up on supplies – made it stocked up on fuel and drove it back to the out, they were literally driving through fire on camps so the people would be able to cook and Highway 63, the main artery out of town. have electricity.” This altruistic spirit galvanized Local Initially, the 75-square-kilometre 1460 members as well as the Alberta fire chewed up sections of the south and Regional Council of southwest portions Carpenters and Allied “Wildfires are a way of life up of the city; it engulfed Workers, whose Local homes in three subdi1325 covers Edmonton here, but in terms of personal visions and destroyed and northern Alberta. loss, I’ve never seen anything vehicles, gas stations Together, they and a motel. The like the one that swept opened the doors Beacon Hill suburb through town this year,” of their own homes in the south end susfor Fort McMurray tained the worst says Ted Remenda. evacuees; arranged damage, with about for other free places to stay; and pooled 80 per cent of homes destroyed. together funds to provide an additional $500 to As the fire shifted north to hit new neigheach member, above and beyond the provincial bourhoods, Fort McMurray Fire Chief Darby government’s donation of $1,200 per person. Allen described the inferno to reporters as And yet, these aid workers reject any sug“nasty, dirty. There are certainly areas of the gestion they went above and beyond the call city that have not been burned, but this fire will of duty. “That’s what is remarkable about the look for them and it will find them and it will entire ordeal,” says Martyn Piper, ARCCAW’s want to take them.” executive secretary-treasurer. About 20,000 evacuees fled north to Piper, who will only admit to helping to stay at oil sands industrial camps; another launch the relief process, singles out key co35,000 streamed south to the communities ordinators for credit. “Those at the forefront of Anzac, Lac La Biche and Edmonton, while of the relief efforts included Mike Dunlop, some went as far as Calgary. For her part, SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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PHOTO: CURTIS TRENT

Attending a similar Millwrights meeting in Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo hot, and ash was falling. And sure enough, Edmonton, Ted Remenda was equally moved Mayor Melissa Blake told reporters, “We will the next day, the evacuation began.” by the desperation of his members. “On the hope to follow in the shadow of Slave Lake in Hale joined the evacuation, but after reunitspot, we forwarded $10,000 to the Red Cross, our perseverance and resolve. And as we look ing with his wife in Edmonton, the realization and then we put our heads together to figure to the future, this is still a place of incredible he had made it out safe bothered him. “I didn’t out other ways to help.” strength, resiliency and vibrancy.” feel good doing nothing, so the next morning I Remarkably, recovery and rebuilding plans created a Facebook account in order to create a At the Local 1325 meeting, and in conwere already being discussed as outbound billeting system and keep track of people who junction with ARCCAW, it was decided to motorists clogged Highway 63. Alberta Premier were opening their doors to take in evacuees.” arrange to provide Fort McMurray members Rachel Notley said: “We’ve begun with $500 emergency relief “The curious thing about the aftermath payments. “This is a most difficult conversations with our federal partners about work that will need to of the fire was that the ability of evacuees time,” Dunlop said. “Everyone is be done with respect to restoration dealing with the need for food, to come forward and tell us their story and recovery once the fire is brought clothing and shelter, and insurseemed to be as big a relief to them as under control.” She added that ance matters.” 1,600 homes had been completely ARCCAW, as well as Local 1325, getting assistance,” says Kevin Hale. destroyed (ultimately, the fire set up a fire relief liaison and made destroyed 2,400 buildings in Fort McMurray Piper suggested an emergency meeting resources available in an effort to facilitate and consumed 590,000 hectares of land). of Local 1325’s executive that Saturday in easier communication with members. Piper was out of town on business when Edmonton. “During the regular meeting, we Additionally, the Council and Local 1325 the fire broke out. “At first, there was no sug- noticed about 30 or so people standing in the donated $75,000 to the Red Cross Fort gestion it was a crisis, but that soon changed, rear very quietly, and we realized these were McMurray Fire Relief Fund. and by the time I returned, it had reached displaced Fort McMurray residents,” he says. At the Saturday meeting, Hale took to Fort McMurray,” he recalls. “One of them stepped up to the podium and the microphone to tell everyone about his Kevin Hale, a scaffolder and Local 1325 asked for help because so many people had fled Facebook billeting page and suggest that the member, was working in Fort McMurray with literally just the clothes on their backs. union hall in which they had congregated as a safety advisor. “We saw the fire in the It was then that the devastation the fire had remain available for members and their famdistance and knew it was spreading rapidly,” caused hit home for us.” ilies. Piper recalls, “I may have been hasty, he says. “On Monday evening, I was having Hale was also present at the meeting. “One but at that point I realized Kevin would be dinner in town with friends, and I said to my guy who stepped up to the microphone to ask the ideal person to co-ordinate our relief partner, ‘This isn’t right.’ The air was really for help broke into tears,” he recalls. efforts, so we recruited him on the spot.”

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016


PHOTOS: COURTESY ARCCAW

Canada’s only not-for-profit, union run, members’ benefit program.

KEVIN HALE

For the next several weeks, Hale – along with Dunlop, Bowen, Provencher, Schulte and many others – did everything from sourcing food and money to ensuring that evacuees had a place to stay. “What was really amazing was seeing scaffolders from other parts of Canada come in to help us, such as Dan Fellows, who joined volunteers such as Annette Reichel, Amie Wilcox – fantastic people all,” says Hale. “The curious thing about the aftermath of the fire was that the ability of evacuees to come forward and tell us their story seemed to be as big a relief to them as getting assistance,” he adds. Meanwhile, Remenda and his colleagues had hit upon an initiative they thought would provide a lasting positive impact. “We decided to extend the health and welfare benefits for our Fort McMurray members,” he explains. “That’s because people fled the city in such a hurry, and small but essential items such as eyeglasses, medication and so forth were left behind – in many cases, for good.” Local 1460 and the union’s health and welfare trustees worked out a way to expedite claim reimbursements. “And by extending benefits, our members could replace what they had left behind and still be covered down the road when, for example, it would be time for them to purchase new eyeglasses,” says Remenda. Supporting all this were the efforts of many other organizations. The Rebuild McMurray Hope Fund, which will be used to assist with the rebuilding of vital infrastructure,

ROBERT PROVENCHER

has been initiated by the Building Trades of Alberta. In Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Canada Regional Council of Carpenters, Millwrights and Allied Workers have already made a donation of $133,000 to assist their fellow Brothers and Sisters. And the UBC International donated $50,000. With more is coming in from UBC affilliates across the country. In a statement, the Atlantic organization explained: “Alberta, and particularly the Fort McMurray area, has been at times temporary homes to many of our members as they travel to work in the area, and we are pleased to be able to assist in its rebuilding.” As of late June, a semblance of normalcy had returned to Fort McMurray and, true to the spirit of the city, its residents were too busy getting their lives in order to dwell on what they had lost. As far as Hale is concerned, “Our members really stepped up to the plate and should be proud. But frankly, I think the real heroes were the everyday residents who, even when displaced, helped their friends and neighbours by getting gas and water, or sharing camp rooms so children would have beds to sleep in. These were gestures that kept everyone’s spirit up.” Remenda, who has been a millwright for over 30 years, hopes to never experience an event like “The Beast” again. “Wildfires are a way of life up here, but in terms of personal loss, I’ve never seen anything like the one that swept through town this year. Thank goodness nobody died.”

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016


Brent Sanderson is managing to keep a deft balance between his scaffolding job and his duties as a firefighter for Lac Ste. Anne County By MARTIN DOVER | Photography by DARRYL PROPP he winter of 2015-2016 was a warm and dry one for much of Alberta – it left many farmers praying for rain and created a huge risk for wildfires across the province. In June, that risk became reality when a massive forest fire swept through northern Alberta and into Fort McMurray, displacing thousands and destroying entire communities. It took a team of international firefighters to help get the fire under control. Brent Sanderson, a scaffolder and part-time firefighter in Lac Ste. Anne County, was ready to help fight the blaze. He was one of several Alberta firefighters ready to head north in case things took a turn for the worse. In the end, he wasn’t called upon to go, but he did help battle large-scale fires in Parkland County, Sturgeon County and Lac Ste. Anne County over the course of the summer. “This year has been very, very busy because of the winter we had,” he says. Sanderson has been a part-time firefighter in his community for the past decade – he started as a cadet when he was 17 years old, and has moved up the officer ranks. He is currently the East Station captain for Lac Ste. Anne County Fire Services. Sanderson’s father was a scaffolder, so it made sense for him to join the family trade when he graduated from high school. He took all three years of his apprenticeship with the UBC in Edmonton, but soon moved to the small town of Alberta Beach in central Alberta. Now, his days are filled with not only his work and family, but firefighting as well. “You do your 10 hours’ worth of work at the job site and, if you’re not called away early from the fire chief in the county, then right after work is done, you leave the site and head right to the fire station and into a fire truck,” he says.

SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016


“It’s more like a second family,” says the scaffolder and “It’s been a lot of fun. Not many people can say they do it. I like helping people and knowing that in my community, where we don’t member of Local 1325, which has its head office located in Edmonton. “The supervision on my site, they have been very have a full-time fire service, if there’s an emergency, we are there instrumental in allowing me to do this. They don’t hesitate if for them.” I get called out in the middle of the night and I call in tired the That includes travelling to hot spots in the province when next day. They understand. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t need be. Normally, structural fires in a house or building follow be able to do these things regimented firefighting “The supervision on my site, they have been very without worry about losing guidelines, but others, my job.” like the blaze outside instrumental in allowing me to do this. They average working day Fort McMurray, are don’t hesitate if I get called out in the middle of forAn Sanderson includes ever-changing and hard to the night and I call in tired the next day. They carrying a phone and radio get under control. “It was a very dynamic and open understand. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be with him on the job site, will alert him to situation, and a lot changed able to do these things without worry about losing which any incidents that arise. in a hurry,” says Sanderson. my job,” says Brent Sanderson “If I get a call at work, or it “You have to be on your comes through my radio, toes all the time, but I think I’ll ask permission to leave and drive down to the station and more so in a wild land situation.” hop in a truck,” he says. At home, he has a radio and pager and is Often, Sanderson will be called out of work to attend to a fire, dispatched through 911. incident or collision, and he credits the camaraderie of both his “I have to thank the employers and supervisors that allow work site employees and fellow volunteer firefighters for making both jobs work so well together. Sanderson is not the only construc- part-time firefighters to have the leeway to respond to emergencies from home or work, and they understand,” says Sanderson. tion worker to volunteer his time as a firefighter, and he says it’s “It’s appreciated by all of us, but we don’t all say it. If it wasn’t for the support of the industry as a whole that helps others like him do them, not a lot of daytime responses would happen.” both his jobs well.


All Aboard Edmonton’s new Valley Line LRT is still in its early stages, but union workers are looking forward to being part of a project that will change the way the city moves By GLENN COOK

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016

T

he wheels have only just begun to turn when it

comes to the City of Edmonton’s Valley Line light rail transit (LRT) project, but with an estimated cost of $1.8 billion, it’s already one of the biggest undertakings the city has ever seen. Even though preliminary design work is just wrapping up and construction is still a few months away, members and executives with the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers are very excited to see how union workers will be able to contribute to the project. “We’re excited, and it couldn’t be more of an opportune time given the state of the economy in other sectors. To be on such a prominent public works project in the city of Edmonton gives us an opportunity to showcase the union, showcase our membership, our skills and the ability to get the job done in a safe and professional manner,” says Martyn Piper, executive secretary-treasurer of ARCCAW. That excitement extends to the folks at TransEd LRT, the consortium of companies selected to bring the project from blueprint to reality. This consortium includes Bechtel, EllisDon, Bombardier Rail and Fengate Capital Management. “We’re tremendously excited. It’s a very large and significant project for Edmonton, and a very large commercial undertaking that we’re obviously very proud to be part of,” says Tom Howell, vice-president of labour relations for EllisDon.


PHOTOS COURTESY CITY OF EDMONTON

EllisDon brings a wealth of experience in similar multi-year, multibillion-dollar projects to Edmonton, having had a hand in the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT in Toronto and the Confederation Line LRT in Ottawa. From those experiences, Howell knows the importance of having the right people on the job. He is confident that union tradespeople, like members of ARCCAW, will be integral to the success of the Valley Line project, and says that EllisDon has “a tremendous relationship” with carpenters and tradespeople in every province in which the company has worked. “[Union members are] a significant value,” he says. “They bring the skills needed for a project and the safety and training we needed to execute a project like that. They very much help us staff and man a project of that size. Otherwise, we’d need to go out and find people and provide all that initial training ourselves. They’re a tremendous resource. The building trades and the carpenters have certainly been very helpful in putting together an agreement and an arrangement for this project, to set it up for success.” More than just their skills, though, Piper says that union members bring the right mindset to these job sites. “You need to bring the softer skills like being at work every day, attendance, production, timekeeping, reliability and all of those things. But then you need to be conditioned to do some heavy, physical work. These are heavy civil jobs; these are not for the faint of heart,” Piper says. “And attitude – that’s the word we use on most jobs today. We’re in a competitive business and we’ve got to put our best foot forward to deliver an on-time, on-budget project that is looked upon favourably by the City of Edmonton and the signatory contractors we’ll be working for. At the end of the day, it’s attitude and reliability.” Howell also notes that the companies that make up the TransEd

consortium have long-standing relationships with tradespeople, which should help things go smoothly once the construction work ramps up to full speed. “We’re certainly not newcomers to that; we’ve got those relationships in place, and they’ve been in place and very strong and active for many years. So I think when we come together, it’s a mature relationship,” he says. “There are mature relationships with the various building trades, and it certainly makes things easier to accomplish. There’s a level of trust that has been developed over the years.”

VALLEY LINE LRT FACTS • S tage 1 of the Valley Line LRT will stretch 13.1 kilometres from Mill Woods to 102 Street downtown • Stage 1 will consist of 11 street-level stops and one station • Travel time from Mill Woods to 102 Street will be approximately 30 minutes • Trains will run every five minutes during peak hours • Stage 2 of the Valley Line will go from downtown to the Lewis Farms Transit Centre in west Edmonton • Stage 2 will consist of 14 more street-level stops and two additional stations at West Edmonton Mall and the Misericordia Hospital • The entire Valley Line is estimated to cost $1.8 billion; the City of Edmonton is contributing $800 million, while the provincial government is contributing $600 million and the federal government is contributing $400 million

SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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Tee It Up Golfers hit the links for diabetes research at 16th annual Barrie Regan Memorial Golf Tournament

Golf spikes met army boots on Saturday, July 16, as the

PHOTOS: EVAN MONTGOMERY

Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers held its 16th annual Barrie Regan Golf Tournament at the Edmonton Garrison Memorial Golf and Curling Club. This was the second year that the ARCCAW has hosted their annual tournament, which raises money for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Canada (DRIFCan), at the Garrison club in north Edmonton. Union members from across Alberta got out of the gates in the

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016

By MARTIN DOVER Texas Scramble tournament with a shotgun start at 9 a.m., and the fun lasted all the way through to a steak dinner in the evening, where prizes provided by generous sponsors were handed out in categories such as longest drive and longest putt. Corporate donors were also able to sponsor individual holes at the event. Final numbers were not available at the time of printing; however, the event is expected to raise in excess of $15,000, which will go towards DRIFCan and its diabetes research efforts centred around the Edmonton Protocol.


SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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Local 1460 Millwrights

Apprentice Wage Change Challenge What apprentices need to know to qualify for and complete the steps to obtain half-year rate increases

Y

ou will be proud to learn that you are one of 232

member apprentices. You receive cutting-edge education and second-to-none on-site experience. We know our apprentices are the future of our Local. You are recognized in the field as essential members of the work site team. Therefore your pay scale should reflect this. We are the only trade whose apprentices have half-year increments in their wage schedule. We challenge you to track your 780-hour intervals and contact Lisa Wilson by email at lwilson@millwrights1460.com or by phone at 780-733-2166 to begin the steps required to qualify for your half-year rate increases at the earliest opportunity. This first step in the process of completing your wage change is to email Lisa with your updated Certificate of Progress Page and proof of hours worked. To qualify for a half-year rate increase, look at your Certificate of Progress and check your completion date – this is the date stamped in your book – then add six months. Within those six months, you must have worked 780 hours. Once proof is received by Lisa, she will process the rate change. All rate changes are completed electronically by Lisa and then emailed to Local 1460 Millwrights senior business representative Ted Remenda. Ted sends the contractor the rate change. Member apprentices qualify for a $400 educational allowance and two months of union dues once Lisa receives a copy of your AIT letter showing successful completion of the Alberta Apprenticeship Board exam. Additionally, if the member is in good standing with our Health and Welfare plan, school hours will be credited to your hour bank.

Ted Remenda, Senior Business Representative Local 1460 Millwrights

To find your AIT letter: 1. Log into your My Trade Secrets profile. 2. Go to the Applications tab. 3. On the right hand side of the screen, go to the Details tab. 4. Then go under the Correspondence tab to Apprentice: Passed Technical Training PDF. 5. Send a picture of that document (both sides) to Lisa.

SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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Geared Up

By GLENN COOK

The Cordless Revolution DEWALT is looking to give power tool users a real jolt with the introduction of its new game-changing battery technology

24

DEWALT recently unveiled its new FLEXVOLT

A CUT ABOVE

system, featuring patent-pending technology that allows batteries that automatically change voltage when the user changes tools. This means that the same batteries can be used to power not only DEWALT’s new line of 60V and 120V power tools, but they are also backwards compatible with most existing DEWALT 20V MAX tools and chargers. In 20V tools, FLEXVOLT batteries can provide up to four times the runtime of regular batteries, and they also pack up to three times the power of DEWALT 18V NiCad batteries. “The impact of the FLEXVOLT system will be felt throughout the construction industry on each and every job site,” says Professional Products Group president Frank Mannarino in a press release. “This new platform packs the power required for heavy-duty applications, makes it easy to exchange corded tools for cordless, and ensures that our existing 20V MAX users get the benefit of added runtime without making the 20V MAX system obsolete.” Along with the new FLEXVOLT batteries, DEWALT unveiled a new range of FLEXVOLT power tools, five of which operate at 60V: a 7.25-inch circular saw; a 4.5- to 6-inch grinder; a reciprocating saw; a 0.5-inch VSR stud and joist drill; and an 8.25-inch table saw. Two 12-inch mitre saws – one with a fixed head and one sliding – operate at 120V, requiring two FLEXVOLT batteries. There are also three new 20V MAX tools that can run off FLEXVOLT batteries, including a portable power station, a Bluetooth radio charger and a Bluetooth LED area light. In addition, DEWALT’s 20V MAX hammer drill and impact driver combination kit will be offered with a FLEXVOLT battery as well as a 2.0 Ah Pack. DEWALT’s new line of FLEXVOLT tools will be available anywhere DEWALT tools are sold starting in October 2016. For more information, visit dewalt.com.

DEWALT’s new FLEXVOLT 7.25-inch circular saw puts all that battery power to good use. Its blade and brushless motor technology provide extreme power, durability and runtime – it can make up to 339 cuts in 2x4 SPF lumber on a single charge of its FLEXVOLT battery, making it ideal for use in a wide range of professional applications and with common construction materials like plywood, hardwoods and flooring. This saw also features an electronic brake that brings the blade to a stop after the trigger is released, a bright LED light that provides line-of-cut visibility, a 57-degree bevel scale with stops at 45 and 22.5 degrees, and a high-grade aluminum base that allows for smooth cuts.

HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016

POWER UP If you need more power, DEWALT’s new 120V 12-inch mitre saws are just the ticket. While they can be plugged in, the FLEXVOLT battery system offers a new level of versatility and portability for today’s demanding professional contractors. Both the sliding compound mitre saw and the fixed head mitre saw are able to make up to 289 cross cuts in 3.25-inch base moulding on a single charge of two FLEXVOLT batteries, eliminating the need for extension cords or outlets. This makes these DEWALT mitre saws the ideal tools for cutting framing lumber, stair tread, hardwood and crown moulding. Both saws feature DEWALT’s integrated CUTLINE Blade Positioning System and stainless steel adjustable mitre detent plate, delivering the capacity and accuracy that professionals are looking for. On the sliding model, the aluminum base and trunnion provide the rigidity and strength needed to maintain accuracy and performance cut after cut.


Kid Zone

Be Prepared!

By KIM TANNAS

Maze

You probably heard about the fires in Fort McMurray this spring, where people had to quickly gather up their things and leave town to escape a wildfire that was burning out of control. Have you ever considered what you would do in an emergency? Do you think you would be prepared? Here are a few things you and your family can do. • Make a plan: Sit down together and talk about what to do in an emergency. Where are the exits in your home? Where should your family meet in case you have to leave suddenly? What should you take with you? Write it down. • Prepare an emergency kit: Water, flashlights, extra keys, energy bars, a radio, batteries and warm blankets are just a few of the things you might need. • Learn about hazards: What kind of emergency could affect you where you live? You may not need to worry about an earthquake or avalanche but what about a severe storm or a house fire? For more info, go to GetPrepared.ca

Word Search Build a Kit Search up, down, backwards, forwards and diagonally for some items you would find in an emergency kit BATTERIES BLANKETS CAN OPENER CASH FIRST AID FLASHLIGHT FOOD HAND SANITIZER

KEYS LIGHTER MAPS MULTI-TOOL RADIO WATER WHISTLE

Help Jack find the way to his family's safe meeting place


Meet the Journeyman

By GLENN COOK

Aiming Higher

S

caffolding wasn’t Richard Graham’s first career

scaffold, and I’m keeping other people safe. That’s the great thing about scaffolding – it’s a support trade. We help everyone else out.” On the job site, Graham sees lots of apprentice scaffolders coming up through the ranks, and is eager to pass on his knowledge, just as the journeymen did as he was starting out.

“That’s the great thing about scaffolding – it’s a support trade. We help everyone else out.” “I think that’s the most important thing. If you can’t teach someone how to do it, then when you ask for their help, they’re not going to be able to help you,” he says. “I try to make it so the apprentices know everything. The more they know, the more help it is to me.” But Graham isn’t done learning himself. He wants to stick with scaffolding and eventually reach management positions like foreman, superintendent and project manager in the trade. “The bar will never be set high enough for me,” he says.

PHOTO: DARRLY PROPP

choice, but he’s hoping it’s the one that will take him to new heights. Graham, a 30-year-old journeyman scaffolder, has been a member of Local 1325 for just over four years now and has worked on job sites throughout northern Alberta. But he initially joined the union for a different reason. “I really enjoyed doing carpentry work, so I joined the carpenters’ union. But there was no work for carpentry [at the time], so I tried scaffolding out,” says Graham, whose parents moved him when he was only two years old from Victoria to Edmonton, where he has lived ever since. “I ended up really enjoying scaffolding too.” That said, though, Graham is very happy with where his career has gone. He enjoys how every scaffolding job presents its own unique set of challenges, and how there’s always lots of work to take on, whether that’s in Edmonton or in Fort McMurray – though he prefers working in the city and going home to his wife and children every night. “I always feel proud if I do my job quickly and know that it’s a good scaffold. I go home and I’m happy that I did a good job, did a good

RICHARD GRAHAM 26

HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016


Meet the Apprentice

By GLENN COOK

Go West

J

ustin Pursey isn’t from around here.

But, thanks to the support of his union and a good job in the scaffolding trade, he is hoping to make Edmonton his home for many years to come. “My sister moved out here, so I kind of followed her, I guess,” says the 27-year-old second-year scaffolding apprentice, who is originally from Saint John, N.B., but made the move to Alberta in 2012. “[Since then,] I got hooked into the right outfit and I’ve been working lots,” he adds. “That was kind of why I came out here – as well as a change of scenery, there were the work opportunities.” Once in Alberta, Pursey got into scaffolding after talking with friends and family in the union and deciding that it sounded like a great career path. He has worked on sites in Acheson, Fort McMurray, Fort Saskatchewan and downtown Edmonton. He likes the fact that he and his fellow scaffolders help other tradespeople get their jobs done.

“It’s always good to have well-trained guys teaching you the rights and the wrongs, the little shortcuts and whatnot.”

PHOTO: DARRYL PROPP

“There’s a lot of work in it. We support every trade. We’re usually one of the first ones into a job and one of the last ones out of the job,” he says. “That’s where you want to be if you can help it.” A good day on the job site for Pursey is one where he feels like he has been challenged. “Maybe on a specific build, there was a lot of thinking to it,” he says. “I enjoy just working out the challenge.” Helping him along the way, of course, are the journeyman scaffolders who have been showing him the ropes and passing along valuable experience. “Most of this trade is on-the-job training. There are things you run into [on the job] that you’d never run into in any kind of facility of training,” Pursey says. “So it’s always good to have well-trained guys teaching you the rights and the wrongs, the little shortcuts and whatnot.” Pursey sees himself staying in the scaffolding field for a long time, though he is thinking about moving into supervision at some point after he gets his journeyman ticket. “It’s a very physical job, but there are always options after you get your journeyman … I’d like to stick with scaffolding,” he says.

JUSTIN PURSEY SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

27


on the level

PROVING PREGNANT WOMEN CAN DO THE JOB Patti Tucker continues her work as a scaffolder even while expecting her second child By BRANDI THORNE

I

t’s a great pleasure to share the experience of one

of our members – one who happens to be pregnant. When I asked Patti Tucker for permission to write an article about her, she replied, “Of course. I want to bring an awareness and understanding about being pregnant on the job.” At the time of writing, Patti is 30 weeks pregnant (as you can see in the accompanying photo). She is working as a journey-level scaffolder at the North West Redwater project with PCL Construction. Because this project is new construction, the environmental hazards are far less compared to a petrochemical plant. This gives Patti the flexibility to continue building scaffolding. “Being able to do my job is much more satisfying than working in a scaffold yard or in an office,” she says. Patti plans to continue working until she is eight months pregnant, and then file for maternity benefits. Being pregnant does not necessarily mean a woman is unable to do the job. “People try to treat me differently, but I tell them I am able to do it,” Patti says. She appreciates co-workers who are helpful, as long as it is something they would do for anyone.

“Being able to do my job is much more satisfying than working in a scaffold yard or in an office,” says Patti Tucker. Patti also observes that “people intervene more easily after they know I am pregnant.” Under the direction of her doctor, she continued to work in a harness at heights, doing all the same tasks for the first five months. Today, she continues all the duties of a scaffolder apart from wearing a harness. Patti hasn’t had any complications with her pregnancy so far, but she realizes that pregnancy is different for everyone. It is important to accommodate each situation based on the individual circumstances. This is Patti and Bob Tucker’s second child. Patti’s first pregnancy with their son, Quinn, had much different circumstances. 28

HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016

Because she was working in a live plant, Patti’s options to continue working as a scaffolder were limited. The only option available was to work in a scaffold yard, being paid significantly less than as a journey-level scaffolder. Patti recalls she had just got her journey-level ticket and it was incredibly disappointing to not be able to use her skills and earn the rate associated with it. The responsibilities of an expanding family are very stressful. “It is important to be able to plan both leave from work and the finances for the coming leave,” Patti explains. There are so many unknowns when planning both during and after a pregnancy. “EI is only a fraction of my income and only for a specified period of time,” she says. “If I need to stay home with the baby because of some reason and my EI runs out, then I wouldn’t be able to support my family.” Working at the highest possible rate for as long as possible is the best solution for an expectant parent. The Alberta Regional Council Sisters in the Brotherhood would like to recognize all the other mothers who work in the construction trades while pregnant. You are an inspiration. The ARC-SIB would also like to recognize civil superintendent Ryan Skeels and PCL Construction for the ongoing support you provide our sister. Finally, we would like to wish Patti and Bob Tucker the very best and to sincerely thank them for sharing their experience with us.


REPORT

Training and Apprenticeship

Members Set to Shine at National Competition

W

e had a very successful and well-attended provincial skills

contest in June. I would like to thank everybody who attended and participated in the contest. There were six carpenters and four scaffolders competing for cash and prizes, and they all did an amazing job. Congratulations to the two winners this year: Jason Kerr for the carpenters and Brenden Wafer for the scaffolders. Jason and Brenden will compete on behalf of Alberta at this year’s national competition, which will be held at Fort Edmonton Park on August 20 in conjunction with the ARCCAW Local 1325’s annual family picnic. Brenden will be participating in the first-ever national scaffolding competition this year. Best of luck to Jason and Brenden! I am excited to announce that our training program continues to grow with our first class of Women Building Futures being held at the Centre West location. We have eight students participatYou would not show up at work ing in the first class, and all of them will be given the skills without tools; treat training they need to be successful on with the same respect. the job site. We will be holding another Women Building Futures class in November, so if you or someone you know would like to attend, please contact Women Building Futures at 780-452-1200 or visit womenbuilding futures.com for more information. The application deadline is August 5 for the November class. The Women Building Futures program provides training in OSSA Fall Protection, Confined Space, H2S Alive, Standard First Aid, Forklift, Zoom Boom, Aerial Lift tickets, and basic Carpentry and Scaffold training. The new waiting list policy is working very well as we have been filling our scaffold classes. If you are on the waiting list and want to attend a scaffold class, call the training centre at 780-455-6532 one week prior to the class start date to see if we have any cancellations. Even if you are not enrolling in a class right away, please call the training centre to update your contact information. We have had some students showing up on the first day of class with no shop or classroom supplies. Show up prepared to go to work. If you are trying to do a walkin and you are not ready for training, the instructors will choose somebody that is prepared with their supplies, even if they have a higher waiting list number. You would not show up at work without tools; treat training with the same respect. If you would like to volunteer at the national competition at Fort Edmonton Park, please contact me by phone at 780-455-6532 ext. 4222 or by email at colin@ abcarptc.ab.ca. Looking forward to seeing many of you on August 20!

Colin Belliveau, Director of Training and Apprenticeship Alberta Carpenters Training Centre colin@abcarptc.ab.ca

SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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Parting Shot

The Calgary Tower

At 191 metres, it might not be the tallest building in Calgary anymore, but the Calgary Tower is still the most iconic. Officially opened to the public in 1968 as the Husky Tower at a cost of $3.5 million, the building was renamed in 1971 as a tribute to the citizens of Calgary. Over the years, a number of new features have been added, including a digital carillon that chimes on the hour, a natural gas-fired cauldron to celebrate the 1988 Winter Olympics, high-powered telescopes and a glass floor on the observation deck, which was installed in 2005 to celebrate Alberta’s centennial. Most recently, the Calgary Tower was featured on an episode of The Amazing Race Canada, with racers having to rappel down it.

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HARDHAT | SUMMER 2016


UPCOMING

Training + Events MEETINGS First Wednesday of each month: Local 1235 meeting Third Thursday of each month: Local 2103 meeting Fourth Tuesday of each month: Local 1460 meeting TRAINING Alberta Carpenters Training Centre The following is a sample of training courses that are open for registration at the time of publication of this edition of Hard Hat. 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. All courses are at the Edmonton location unless otherwise indicated. Industrial Technical Training Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2016 Scaffolding Journeyman Upgrade Sept. 9 to Oct. 21, 2016 MILLWRIGHTS TRAINING CENTRE Visit www.albertamillwrights.com for a current listing of training courses available. LOCAL 1325 ANNUAL PICNIC August 20, Noon to 2 p.m. Fort Edmonton Park (7000 143 St) • In conjunction with the National Apprenticeship Contest • Registration is mandatory for the barbecue, which is for members and immediate family • Register before August 12 by calling 780-471-3200 LOCAL 1325 ROBERT PROVENCHER BURSARY TRUST APPLICATION 2016 Deadline for applications is August 31 • For a list of rules and requirements or to download an application form, please visit albertacarpenters.com • Applications are also available at the Local 1325 offices in Edmonton and Fort McMurray • For more information, contact Diana Stubbard at 780-733-2160 or dstubbard@albertacarpenters.com

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

LOCAL 1325 Ronald MacIntyre March 31, 2016 Age 87 Paul McDermid April 6, 2016 Age 42 Benjamin Tooth May 6, 2016 Age 76 Dragomir Ozegovic May 16, 2016 Age 65 William Sheldon Dool May 26, 2016 Age 47 Seymour Hynes June 9, 2016 Age 63 Walter Raedeke June 21, 2016 Age 63 Gordon Lewis July 2, 2016 Age 70 David Shapka July 13, 2016 Age 61 LOCAL 1460 Fred Wessley February 12, 2016 Age 87 Tim Fleury March 4, 2016 Age 60 Raymond Tynan June 24, 2016 Age 85 LOCAL 2103 Brian Pettigrew April 28, 2016 Age 64

SUMMER 2016 | HARDHAT

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