Hard Hat - Winter 2017 by Venture Publishing

Uniting Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers across Alberta

Winter 2017

As Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Climate Leadership Plan comes into effect, unions are ready to take advantage of new opportunities

LOOK OUT BELOW!

PM#40063788

Grande Prairie millwright gets his thrills off the job site through skydiving

HISTORY COMES ALIVE

Calgary condo building pays tribute to history of union carpenters through displays and photos ; y pics s par t e e t a m t Chris red Up; M an; G ea ur ne y m t h e J o d s Zo n e Ki

UP TO DCG414

1/2˝ REBAR

using DCB606 battery and 6˝ FLEXVOLT™ Cutting Wheel ON A SINGLE CHARGE

WORLD’S FIRST BATTERY PACK THAT AUTOMATICALLY CHANGES VOLTAGE WHEN YOU CHANGE TOOLS. The FLEXVOLT™ battery's ability to automatically change between two voltages gives users a serious advantage when it comes to efficiency. It's the battery that not only powers, but improves the runtime** of our DEWALT® 20V MAX* tools, so you don't have to invest in a whole new system. It's the battery that brings the power of corded to a new lineup of 60V MAX* and 120V MAX* DEWALT® tools so you can finally work on a fully cordless jobsite. Built Guaranteed Tough®, Built by DEWALT®.

COMPATIBLE Compatible with all our 20V MAX* tools

EXPANDABLE Brings power to a whole new lineup of tools

POWERFUL Combine two 60V MAX* batteries for revolutionary cordless freedom

Copyright ©2016 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. *Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20, 60 and 120 volts. Nominal voltage is 18, 54 and 108. 120V MAX is based on using 2 DEWALT 60V MAX* lithium-ion batteries combined. **With FLEXVOLT™ battery when used with DEWALT 20V MAX* tools.

DCS575

UP TO

2˝ x 4˝ SPF LUMBER

using DCB606 battery ON A SINGLE CHARGE

COMPATIBLE Compatible with all our 20V MAX* tools

EXPANDABLE Brings power to a whole new lineup of tools

POWERFUL Combine two 60V MAX* batteries for revolutionary cordless freedom

Executive Secretary Treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

REPORT

Time Marches On Martyn A. Piper

uccession and subsequently

transition provide organizations with an opportunity to revitalize, re-energize and refocus. It is also a time that provides for reflection and new ideas. And so it is that, as we move into 2017 and on into 2018, we will be undergoing some structural changes. At the close of 2016, Chester Fergusson, our long-time staffer twice round and previously training fund instructor, retired. Those who came into contact with Chester know he is a likeable, charismatic, knowledgeable guy who always wears his heart on his sleeve and is not shy to tell anyone how he feels about something. Maybe the greatest tribute I can pay Chester is that he is a United Brotherhood of Carpenters guy through and through. He has a passion and fervor for telling the UBC story and educating members both new and old about their duty to serve the Union in whatever capacity, and how the return on that investment benefits both them and Union as a whole. That is a testament to the type of character Chester is. Over the last number of years, he has had to balance both his professional and personal life, tending to a sick wife while presiding over the Fergusson clan. However, because of who Chester is, he managed that period with distinction. Yes, we will miss Chester, but he has decided his time has come and now collectively we wish him and Joyce well

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

as they embark upon their next steps of their journey. And we thank him for his many contributions to all parts of our organization. As time marches on and we are all getting that little bit older and greyer, it is time to take stock of the current staff and their functions. Over the next few months, I plan to meet with each staff member to talk about their plans going forward and how much longer they see themselves working for the Council. We do currently have a good blend of age demographics and experience among the staff, but I know there is some musing over possible retirement plans, either in the short or the longer term. I am also walking down that very road and have decided to retire at the end of 2017. I will be on the cusp of 65 years old and feel the time is right. I owe everything I have to this organization and, from joining in 1976 and going on staff in 1981 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; save and except for a short threeand-a-half-year sojourn as a facilitator at Alberta Labour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I have had an incredible ride through many peaks and valleys. I consider myself to be one lucky guy to have served so long and with so many wonderful people, many of whom have since passed away. I am confident that, notwithstanding this current economy, the organization is in great shape financially, culturally and intellectually to achieve the vision, mission and goals we are committed to. Therefore, come the end of the year, it will be time for me to pass the torch. In future editions of Hardhat, I will expand upon my thoughts and recollections over the years, but rather than you hear second-hand about my planned retirement, I thought I should put it out there now. I hope you and your families have a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous 2017.

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

FEATURES

’Twas the Season

Winter 17

Christmas cheer was in good supply at affiliated local holiday parties

12 Adding Value

Published By

Venture Publishing Inc. #300, 10339-124 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5N 3W1 Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 Phone: (780) 990-0839 Fax: (780) 425-4921 www.venturepublishing.ca

Union labour is an integral part of the $8-billion Sturgeon Refinery project

15 Winds of Change Opportunities abound for union construction workers in green energy

18 Deck the Halls New condos on old union hall site pay homage to carpenters’ history

Publisher

Ruth Kelly

20 Taking the Plunge

ARCCAW editor

Martyn A. Piper

Millwright loves meeting challenges of job, skydiving hobby head-on

Editor

Glenn Cook

22 Keeping Busy

Art Director

After retiring, educator and recruiter Chester Fergusson has big plans

Charles Burke

Graphic Designer

Andrew Wedman

Production Coordinator

23 Learning for an Engaged Life Aspen Foundation aims to increase understanding about trade unions

Betty Feniak

Production Technician

Serena Strand

Contributing Writers

Colin Belliveau,Ted Remenda, Kim Tannas, Crystal Bowen Contributing Photographers and Illustrators

Bluefish Studios, Evan Montgomery, Darryl Propp, Eugene Uhuad, Raymond Wong Vice-President, Sales

Anita McGillis

director of Sales

Sue Timanson

Advertising Representative

Kathy Kelley

Sales admin coordinator

Julia Ehli

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

DEPARTMENTS

4 Note from the Executive Secretary Treasurer

By Martyn Piper

Site Lines

24 Millwrights 1460 Report By Ted Remenda

25 Kid Zone 26 Geared Up 27 Meet the Journeyman 28 Meet the Apprentice 29 Training and Apprenticeship Report By Colin Belliveau

30 Parting Shot 31 Training & Events; In Memoriam

ON THE COVER: More wind energy projects are coming to Alberta, and union labour could play a big part in building them. WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT 5

Site Lines

News in Brief

A roundup of news and events from around the region

A Special Gift The blanket that hangs near the elevator on the main floor of the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers building in Edmonton looks simple, but it has so much more meaning. The blanket is a gift given by the Whitefish Lake First Nation – located 220 kilometres northeast of Edmonton – to Local 1325 in April 2015 as recognition of their longstanding partnership that has helped numerous First Nations people make better lives for themselves and their families through the scaffolding trade. “For every one person that succeeds in the workforce, it affects 10 people in his immediate surroundings – brothers, sisters, mother, father, grandmother, that sort of thing. So that means lots in a small community,” says Rennie Houle, ASETS/employee training project manager for Whitefish Lake First Nation. Houle first connected with Local 1325 and scaffolding company Safway Services at an oil sands trade show in Fort McMurray 12 years ago. Together, they developed a training program, and once participants graduated, they were brought into the union and were

able to find work. “Local 1325 was very open and a partner in good faith, and gave our people the opportunity to get into the industry and get their foot in the door,” Houle says. The blanket itself was made in the neighbouring community of Saddle Lake Cree Nation, where First Nations artisans make all sorts of traditional items by hand, including jackets and shirts. “It’s the acknowledgment that counts the most, recognizing individuals or groups. That’s what we did, in a respectful manner, to recognize Local 1325,” Houle says.

Headed in the Right Direction (BTA) Charitable Foundation, families of children undergoing brain surgery at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton have a new tool to help them navigate those uncharted waters. The BTA has donated $100,000 over three years to the Neurosurgery Kids Fund (NKF) at the Stollery to help with the development of The Compass, a book and mobile app designed to help families not only better understand what might be happening on the operating table, but also with other parts of the process, like finding specialized clothing and making their way around the hospital itself. It also includes real-life stories of coping from other parents who have gone through the same processes. “Sure, they’re stressed about the surgery, but they’re also stressed about where they park, where they show up, who do they call when they’re worried, how long are they going to be in the hospital – that’s stuff I don’t think we do very well as doctors,” says Stollery neurosurgeon Dr. Vivek Mehta. “I think it’s this real idea of patient-centred care.” BTA executive director Warren Fraleigh has been working with the NKF for a couple of years now, and he is amazed with the work the women behind the fund have done. “It’s really awesome,” he says. “The women that made that book possible, they’re just such outstanding human beings. Their energy and their ability to get stuff done is beyond any comprehension I have of how people can maximize the utilization of their time. Those women are like superheroes to me.” The NKF was established about seven years ago to create a summer camp for kids had undergone brain or spinal surgeries. The seed for The Compass was planted a few years later thanks to a conversation 6

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

Illustration: Monika Melnyk

Thanks to the support of the Building Trades of Alberta

between directors Melissa Dasilva and Wendy Beaudoin, both of whom have children who have required brain surgery at the Stollery. “We started talking about this concept of a book that was a one-stop shop, where they could get all the medical information, but also add medical information from their own kids’ journeys,” Beaudoin recalls. The Charitable Foundation raises money for numerous charities – including diabetes research, prostate cancer research and STARS Air Ambulance – through on-site raffles where winners get 70 per cent of the money collected and the foundation gets 30 per cent. The Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, which has also supported the NKF and The Compass, is also grateful for the support of the BTA. “We are so proud to know that there is such a large body of employees through the Building Trades of Alberta that believe in our mission and what we want to do to improve children’s health care and promote excellence in the way we treat kids at the hospital,” says senior development officer Lori Finck.

Legion of Broom The rocks were flying down the ice at the Edmonton Garrison Memorial Golf and Curling Club on January 14 as Local 1325 held its annual curling bonspiel to raise money for Wounded Warriors Canada. Look for more photos from the bonspiel in the Spring 2017 issue of Hard Hat magazine.

Protecting What Matters Most

by Heath Kai

Brothers and Sisters, every day we put on our tools and go to work in extreme conditions – working at heights, using specialized equipment, handling dangerous materials – all to provide for our families. Because we know that our jobs put us at risk, we mitigate these hazards through protective gear, safety procedures and, ultimately, insurance on our lives and health. But there are dangers that we cannot anticipate. When my son, Sawyer, was born 10 weeks premature, my family was caught unprepared. We had no idea that we would spend seven months out of his first year in the hospital. We didn’t know he’d undergo several surgeries for a variety of ailments, or that we’d need caregivers for two years to watch him every night while we slept. Our world had collapsed around us. Our lives were completely derailed from the path they were on. There is nothing that matters more to us than getting Sawyer healthy. When he needed us, we had no thought for ourselves. We couldn’t eat or sleep, and going to work was no longer a priority. But the gas company is not concerned about our personal hardships, nor is the bank that owns our mortgage. No one anticipates these types of hardships, but they come nonetheless. If you were to suddenly be faced with a medical emergency or a chronic illness in your family, do you have a safety net in place? Did you know that there’s a way to – unlike me – be prepared and insured for such a time? Most of us are willing to make the sacrifices and go back to work to make ends meet. However, working in a dangerous industry like ours while not being mentally present is just a recipe for more disaster. When we are forced to do this, we put ourselves and our co-workers at great risk. Trust me when I say that money will not console you if and when tragedy strikes your family, but it will allow you to focus on your family and the healing they need. Our children look to us for strength. We are their heroes. And, at a time when it is nearly impossible for them to find strength and fortitude, we need to be there to provide hope and sustainability for them. Every day, you wear protective gear – not because you anticipate an accident, but as a precaution. Think about insurance coverage as a fall-arrest harness for your family, and protect what matters most.

Heath Kai is member of Local 2013 and an estimator for Armour Equipment, a scaffolding service company in Calgary. His son Sawyer is now three years old and doing much better thanks to the Alberta Childrens Hospital and the daily support of friends and family. WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

Site Lines

News in Brief

A roundup of news and events from around the region

Get On the Floor Union tradespeople are always reaching higher – even the ones who work close to the ground. Thanks to a joint workshop held in Edmonton in late November, floorlayers from Alberta and British Columbia had the chance to keep their skills as up-to-date as possible. Held at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre, the workshop focused on the installation of commercial broadloom carpet, where issues like proper adhesive usage and matching of patterns often crop up. “It’s becoming more of an issue to have qualified mechanics installing floors because of all the failures out there,” says Derrek Autzen, representative for the British Columbia Regional Council of Carpenters, who was an instructor at the workshop. “The industry is in desperate need of training, and it has come to a point right now where it’s hard to get things professionally installed.” Over two days, participants upgraded their skills and learned how to deal with bow, skew, pattern elongation and trueness of edge issues with commercial carpeting, as well as sequence of installation. Floorlaying was one of the five trades in which participants competed – along with carpentry, drywall, millwrighting and scaffolding – during the 2016 National Apprenticeship Competition, which was held at Fort Edmonton Park in August.

Autzen says the technology and methods behind floorlaying are constantly changing – hence the need for continuous training and skills upgrades. “There are always new products and new adhesives; that’s why upgrading classes are so important, to keep people’s skills up. We don’t lay the same things we did 50 years ago; it always changes.” Coming in from B.C. for the workshop, Autzen says it’s very important for different jurisdictions to collaborate and ensure trades training meets the same high standards across the board. “To have our training uniform across Canada and the U.S. is extremely important,” Autzen says. “If you have trained people in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan – wherever it is – they’re all going to have the same skill building, and the UBC’s is the best.”

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Twas the Season

PHOTOS: darryl Propp

Bird was the word at the Millwrights Local 1460 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Party, which was held at the Telus World of Science in Edmonton on Sunday, November 27, 2016. Kids got to fill up on lunch, visit with Santa Claus and experience the interactive exhibits, including one based on the Angry Birds video game.

WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

The Edmonton Expo Centre was transformed into North Pole on Sunday, December 4, 2016, for the annual Local 1325 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Party. There was face painting, hula hooping and a reptile display for children of all ages to enjoy, plus a chance for the little ones to visit with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

PHOTOS: darryl Propp

Members of Local 2103 spread some Christmas cheer on Sunday, December 18, 2016, with their annual Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Brunch at the Executive Royal Hotel in Calgary. The children enjoyed face painting, food and a reptile display, and Santa Claus paid a visit to give each of the little kiddies a special gift.

WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

PHOTOS: GLENN COOK

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

Union carpenters and millwrights are an integral part of the $8-billion Sturgeon Refinery project near Redwater By Glenn Cook

bout 50 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, near

Redwater, the tanks and the steel beams of the Sturgeon Refinery construction site rise out of the ground. The streets are numbered, as if this is its own little town, and they run past raw water ponds, gasifier units and even a wastewater treatment plant. The refinery as it stands now is a sight to behold, and it’s only going A site to Behold: Union labour has been a key part of to grow in stature as it ramps up toward producing its first barrel of the Sturgeon Refinery project, near Redwater, since day one. diesel from Alberta bitumen in late 2017. And none of it would have been possible without union tradespeople, including carpenters, scaffolders and millwrights represented by the Alberta Regional Council that projects like this – as well as the two new petrochemical plants of Carpenters and Allied Workers. announced by the Alberta government in December 2016 – are critical “My own view is that [union tradespeople] are some of the most pro- to the province’s future. ductive people in the world,” says Ian MacGregor, chairman of North “There’s a lot of other stuff that comes out of that bitumen than gasWest Refining, which is a 50-50 partner, along with Canadian Natural oline and diesel fuel,” he says. “The clothes on our backs are virtually Resources Limited, in the North West Redwater Partnership (NWR), coming out of there, and the plates we’re eating off.” the company that owns and will operate the refinery. Having such a massive project in Edmonton’s backyard is a huge “As far as I’m concerned, we have a really boon for local workers, Evers says. “It’s good relationship with the building trades been really good for our members to “My own view is that [union unions, and they’re being as productive as tradespeople] are some of the most be at home – the members living in the we expect,” he adds. “We’re always hoping Edmonton area, for them to be on a true productive people in the world,” construction job site so close to home. To for more, and nothing is always sweetness and light. But in general, I’d say we’ve actually see so many cranes in the air is says Ian MacGregor. made good friends in the building trades.” exciting.” Hrycun adds that the schedule Phase 1 of the Sturgeon Refinery (ultimately there will be three has also been a big draw for workers, and there were more than 900 phases built) is an $8.5-billion project that will take bitumen – some carpenters and scaffolders working at the site as of early December. from Canadian Natural, but mostly collected by the Alberta govern“It’s the biggest union job site south of Fort McMurray right now, that’s ment as royalties-in-kind from companies extracting it from the oil for sure,” he says. sands in northern Alberta – and process it into diesel fuel, adding For MacGregor, though, it also makes good economic sense to use value to the resources coming out of the ground in the province. union workers from inside the province. “In Alberta, it has been like a MacGregor likens it to lumberjacks who cut down trees, but then gold rush for the past 10 or 15 years. We’ve got more work than people can’t extract the high value contained in the logs. “If we don’t do the are willing to do, and the only way to get that work done is to bring in energy equivalent of making furniture, it’s going to end really badly people from outside the province,” he says. for us. We’re going to end up like a lot of other places where there’s “And when we bring those people here, it’s enormously expensive. lots of lumberjacks. I’ve believed that for a long time, and that’s why I We have to fly them here, and when they come, they live in a camp. started doing what we’re doing here.” When they live in a camp, they want to work lots of overtime because Gord Evers sees the value in what McGregor and NWR are trying to there’s nothing else to do. All those things drive the costs up, and then do. As the business representative for Millwrights Local 1460, Evers over time, we get the perception in the world that Alberta is a really, says members of the local have been involved in the project since really expensive place to build anything. And it is, because we brought equipment starting arriving on site, and they are committed to making these people from all over.” it a success. But Evers says the members of his union are glad to be the solution “We’ve talked to our members in the field a lot, asking them to put to keeping costs down, and many unions have maintained a good their best foot forward on this job, to bring it in on time, on budget relationship with NWR. and safely. Let’s make it hard for them not to build Phase 2 and Phase “I’ve known most of the people in the labour relations field for 3,” he says. some time now, and I’ve always had a good relationship with those Meanwhile, Local 1325 business representative Gordon Hrycun says folks,” Evers says. WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

Women are a big piece of the Labour Puzzle Among the hundreds of union tradespeople working to make the Sturgeon Refinery a reality, the North West Redwater Partnership (NWR), the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers, and Women Building Futures (WBF) are working together to make sure more of them are women. As of January 2017, at least 50 women from WBF have been or are employed at the refinery site thanks to collaboration between these parties. Jacqui Andersen, director of industry relations (acting) at WBF, says partnerships like this are critical for her organization’s success. “We’re not doing training for training’s sake. Everything we do is driven by industry, so we look and figure out what the needs are,” she says. “With partnerships like this, we have a greater likelihood of a higher employment rate for our graduates.” North West Refining chairman Ian MacGregor says these women are an important but mostly untapped labour resource. “They’re smart enough and capable enough; they just haven’t thought about doing that, and no one has provided a path for them to do it,” MacGregor says. “The way we control our costs is to get as many Albertans building these things as possible. We don’t have to bring people from Nova Scotia; we can do it right here. To me, if there’s anything I want to leave behind, it’s that we’ve enabled what is essentially a disadvantaged part of the workforce to get to these sites and work on them.” Andersen says the partnership between the three parties came KLC-HardHat-TrustKing-7375x4875-4C.pdf

2017-01-06

about when NWR’s manager of labour relations approached WBF, having worked with the organization before with another company. They then brought unions on board, starting with Ironworkers Local 720 before approaching Local 1325. She says it has been a “fantastic” agreement between WBF, NWR, the unions and the contractors who hire the workers. “It’s unusual to see a partnership where you’ve got four parties really working together well for a common goal,” she says. When women apply for a WBF program, they first have to complete a career investigation to make sure that field is a good fit for them. Then they do a hands-on assessment, a drug and alcohol test and a fitness test before they even set foot in a classroom. The carpentry and scaffolding course is a seven-week course that combines handson skill building and learning best practices. The latter part includes guest speakers and exposure to an active job site. “We don’t want the first time they see a construction site to be their first day of work,” Andersen says. Even beyond the NWR site, though, Andersen believes attitudes are changing, both in women towards jobs in the trades and in men towards accepting women on the job site. “People on site have been incredibly responsive, receptive and welcoming,” she says. “The attitude now seems to be that it’s best to take gender out of the equation. People just want to be treated as equals.”

3:51 PM

Trust your eyes to the King. C

Dr. King has performed over 100,000 LASIK procedures, you can count on his outstanding expertise.

CMY

Ask about our ARCCAW Member Pricing.

Book a free consultation at 1-855-334-2020 or kinglasik.ca

Dr. Joseph King, MD, FRCSC

Winds of Change

As the NDP government looks to spur on alternative and green energy projects, there are opportunities for union construction workers to get the job done By Glenn Cook

WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

he winds of change are blowing in Alberta,

especially when it comes to the economy. Under Premier Rachel Notley and her New Democratic Party government, the province’s Climate Leadership Plan is getting underway. It sets some ambitious environmental goals, including phasing out coal-fired electricity generation and reaching a target of 30 per cent of electricity used by Albertans coming from renewable sources like solar, wind and hydroelectricity by 2030; capping emissions from the oil sands at 100 megatonnes per year; and reducing methane emissions by 45 per cent by 2025. In order to achieve these goals, new alternative and green energy projects will have to be developed. And the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers hope that the people and companies developing those essential projects will turn to union labour first to build them. “It really is a new day, and there are a number of questions to be answered. … Ultimately, I think there will be opportunities, but it’s really hard, until we see the government’s strategy and program laid out in front of us, to know exactly how that’s going to affect our members and employment opportunities,” says Martyn Piper, executive secretary treasurer of ARCCAW. According to Alberta Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd, as of December 2016, the NDP government was working on getting new legislation passed that would allow more wind and solar electricity projects to get off the ground. After that, the government was planning the first of what it hopes will be many auctions for alternative energy projects. “Anytime there’s construction, you get carpenters, scaffolders, electricians – there’ll be a number of jobs under that,” McCuaig-Boyd says. renewables. Even in the energy industry, they’re excited about ways And she hopes that many of those questions labour leaders have they can create cogeneration projects,” she says. “The industry is actuwill be answered via the province’s Economic Diversification ally quite green in a lot of areas already; they’re always looking at ways Advisory Committee, on which unions are well represented. to not use as much water or different ways to [generate] electricity.” “We actually have labour as part Adding to that excitement “It really is a new day, and there are a of that committee just for that reawas the federal government’s son – so we can connect where we announcement of the approval number of questions to be answered. want to go in energy diversification, of two new pipelines that would … Ultimately, I think there will be and then we know if we have the pump nearly an extra million opportunities,” says Martyn Piper, labour or if we need to pull in people barrels of oil per day to markets to help with the training,” she says. executive secretary treasurer of ARCCAW. around the world. “We’ve got a really good committee While union construction looking at that matter of how we can diversify and create more jobs, workers are ready, willing and able to help build alternative and green but also keep in mind our Climate Leadership Plan. I’m quite excited energy projects, Piper says there are also opportunities after the fact to see what they can come up with.” to keep people employed in maintaining them. Between the shift in focus to alternative energies that the Climate “Maintenance has always been the bread and butter for us,” he Leadership Plan calls for and the development of other projects – like says. “You build the facilities and then you want to maintain them. the two petrochemical plants slated for the Industrial Heartland There might be less of a need for a human resource; it depends on region that McCuaig-Boyd and Economic Development Minister what we’re talking about. ... But the key is to be able to adapt. It’s like Deron Bilous announced in early December – McCuaig-Boyd says anything in life; things in life are not static. You’ve got to be ready she’s hearing a lot of excitement around the province. and prepared, and plan and strategize around how you can be effec“We hear a lot from everyday Albertans that they’re excited about tive and how you can be a player.”

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

HERE COMES THE SUN: The potential for solar and wind energy projects in Alberta is massive, and the NDP government wants to fully realize it.

Part of that strategizing is figuring out to what extent people “Once we identify some of the areas we’re going into, if need be, we currently working in the oil and gas industry would have to retrain or can work with the Advanced Education minister or the schools and modify their skills to be able to work on alternative energy projects. look at where things are going to be. Certainly, in looking at tran“There’s always evolution; there’s always adaptability and transferabil- sitioning coal communities, we’re looking at what opportunities ity. I think it just means staying on there are for workers in those top of processes and material and communities to update their equipment and tools,” Piper says. “I “The industry is actually quite green in a lot skills or change careers. There don’t think it’s a stretch that people of areas already; they’re always looking at are opportunities there, but I can turn themselves to something a lot of tradespeople that ways to not use as much water or different know that might one day be considered have more than one journeyways to [generate] electricity,” says Marg person credential, so it’s quite non-traditional. That’s just the process of evolution. It might be McCuaig-Boyd, Alberta Energy Minister. transferable.” more dramatic than we’ve ever All in all, these opportunities seen in the past, but I think if we’ve got the assets – both financial and – both in alternative energy and in traditional oil and gas – are welinfrastructure – to embrace that, I think we can move forward with it.” come news for workers who have suffered through the downturn in McCuaig-Boyd – who, prior to getting into government, served oil prices, and have contributed to an overall sense of optimism for as vice-president of the Grande Prairie Regional College’s Fairview Piper. “I think everyone’s waiting with bated breath to see where campus, a school that is heavily focused on training people to get into oil prices go, the state of the world economy,” he says. “It took an the trades – is also confident in the ability of the province’s labour force announcement of a couple of pipelines and it seemed to raise the to adapt. level of optimism. And the pundits and economic commentators “Tradespeople are very hands-on and it’s easy for them to switch are saying that we’re as deep into the valley as we’re going to be. their skills around; they’re just those kinds of people,” she says. There’s only one way out now, and that’s up.” WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

GOOD POINT: ARCCAW executive secretary treasurer Martyn Piper points to a historic artifact during a tour of The Kensington condo development in late November. Piper was accompanied on the tour by representatives from both the carpenters’ union and Bucci Developments, which built the condominiums.

New condo building on old union hall site pays homage to history of carpenters in Calgary By Glenn Cook

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

he old Carpenters’ Union Hall in Calgary’s

Kensington neighbourhood is no more, but its spirit definitely lives on in the new condominium development that now stands on the site. Homeowners began moving into the six-storey condo project along 10 Street N.W., dubbed The Kensington by Vancouver-based Bucci Developments, in October 2016, where they were greeted by a giant display showcasing tools from throughout Local 2103’s history in the main lobby, as well as historical photos and articles unearthed from the union’s archives on every floor. Even some of the oak floor from the gymnasium in the old hall’s basement was preserved and used in a feature wall in the lobby. Officials from the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers toured the building in late November and were thrilled with what they saw. “That made the work so much more satisfying,” says Troy Abromaitis, Senior Development Manager for Bucci, from his Vancouver office. “Just to be able to participate and be part of the carpenters’ union legacy going forward … it was a great experience for us.” The Kensington project was under construction for about two years before people were able to move in. But Bucci had been dealing with Local 2103 before that as he helped negotiate the sale of the old building and the land. Bucci executives continued to work closely with union members as the project came to fruition and, after seeing some of the

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

Excited to provide exclusive discounts for Union Members! • HOME & AUTO INSURANCE historic tools and photos the union had, the company approached them about adding some sort of display to the building. “They were really surprised that we were interested in doing that,” Abromaitis says. “Whenever we work on a project, we try and take cues, take inspiration from the neighbourhood – the neighbours, the culture, the businesses, the homes. We choose from the neighbourhood fabric to try and create something that seems seamless and timeless and elegant.” The lobby display is about 30 feet long and contains a number of saws, planers and other antique tools from around the turn of the century, many of which were sourced directly from Local 2103. “I had three or four boxes of tools from the carpenters’ union; I went all the way out to Edmonton … twice to meet with [Local 2103 organizer and business representative] Mike Cooper and take a look at what they had,” Abromaitis says. “I filled up my rental car with carpenters’ union tools, then couriered them out to B.C. and went through them. Some of them are quite Skookum.”

“Just to be able to participate and be part of the carpenters’ union legacy going forward … it was a great experience for us,” says Troy Abromaitis. For the building’s exterior, Abromaitis says Bucci’s goal was to create a building that enhanced and respected the neighbourhood. That’s where the effective use of wooden elements and masonry was appropriate for the public realm. The project contains 77 units with four different floor plans, some with one bedroom and some with two. Units range from 634 to 1,080 square feet in size and from about $390,000 to about $690,000 in price. There are also ground-level retail spaces, with tenants expected to start moving in this spring. The condo building also features a mural by artists Katie Green and Daniel J Kirk, which incorporates elements from the old Union Hall and from the greater Kensington neighbourhood. Overall, Abromaitis says the homage to the carpenters’ history has been well-received by residents and potential buyers, but it’s more of a “soft sell” feature compared to the architecture. “People are bringing their friends and family to take a look at the lobby; that’s not something that’s very common,” he says. For more information about the development and to check out some of the different floor plans, visit bucci.com/kensington.

• REAL ESTATE BUY OR SELL • HEALTH & DENTAL INSURANCE • MORTGAGES • ACCIDENT INSURANCE • CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE • TERM LIFE INSURANCE • MOVERS • RESPs • CAR RENTAL • CREDIT CARDS • TRAVEL INSURANCE • HOTEL

We’re giving away $17,000 to Union Members across Canada! Check out www.WinWithUnionsavings.ca

for more information!

For more information, visit unionsavings.ca or call 1-800-418-2990 UnionSavingsCanada @UnionSavings

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

PHOTOs courtesy andrew LangE

Grande Prairie millwright loves meeting the challenges of his job and his skydiving hobby head-on

By Glenn Cook

ndrew Lange loves meeting a new challenge head-

on. That could be one of the challenges he faces in his career as a millwright – or it could be one he faces several thousand feet higher in the air. Lange, a 23-year-old journeyman millwright and Local 1460 member based in Grande Prairie, likes to unwind in his time off by jumping out of airplanes. He had wanted to skydive since he was 11 years old, but actually “I was pretty calm [during the jump itself]. I had my adrenalin rush took up the sport a few years ago after hearing about his cousin doing it. while I was travelling from Fort McMurray to Westlock, which actually The cousin eventually made just the one jump; so far, Lange has more induced speeding,” he says with a laugh. “When I got there, I was all out of than 300 jumps under his belt. adrenalin, so I was pretty tired. I was all worn out mentally.” “As fast-paced as [skydiving] is, it still takes brain work to do. These days, though, he has learned to keep his nerves in check and It’s not just a dumb sport,” says Lange, who was born and raised in almost enter a meditative state during the freefall portion of the jump. Grande Prairie. “You have [around] 60 seconds, once you exit the plane, until you pull “The general view [of millwrights] is, if you’ve worked on one piece of your parachute. … Everybody sees a equipment, you understand just about minute as such a short time, but within everything about that equipment. But “After a good skydive, you feel that minute when you exit the airplane each piece of equipment has its own litexcitement and joy. That’s the same and calm yourself down, you kind of tle niche,” he adds. “It’s the same thing as millwrighting. When you’ve done go into a Zen state almost, and that with skydiving; every jump has its little nuance. … After a good skydive, you feel something you’ve never done before and minute feels almost like five minutes,” he explains. excitement and joy. That’s the same as you see it fire up, it’s pretty awesome.” “When that door opens, the air goes millwrighting. When you’ve done some–Andrew Lange through your hair – it’s not normal for thing you’ve never done before and you the door to open in a plane at 12,000 see it fire up, it’s pretty awesome.” feet. It’s pretty cold up there, but it’s nice,” Lange adds. “It kind of feels All of Lange’s jumps have come at the Edmonton Skydive Centre, like a good cleanse for the body.” located at the Westlock Airport. He says he usually jumps from an That said, though, the butterflies do flutter in his stomach a bit every elevation of 12,000 feet, but has climbed as high as 14,500 feet before time he goes up. “Every jump is different. Different things can happen. … taking the plunge. It’s not the same thing. It’s not a level playing field the whole time.” Westlock is a long way both from where Lange began his millwright That’s a bit like his millwright career, where the constant change and career in Fort McMurray, and from where he is now based in Grande challenges are part of the appeal. Lange first got interested in the trade in Prairie but still works through Local 1460. He says he used to make the high school, when he took machining and heavy-duty mechanics courses trip almost every weekend, mainly for the social aspect of skydiving, but for a year. “I liked both of them, but I didn’t like climbing underneath wet now tries to get there once a month. trucks, and I didn’t like machining because I didn’t like standing around,” “It’s like dirtbiking or going to the mountains snowmobiling with your he says. “So I decided to do the best of both worlds, which is a millwright.” buddies. You don’t always go to skydive – I mean, you enjoy the skydive, And it has treated him well ever since, giving him the varied and combut you go for the social aspect: people in the same realm looking sort of plex work that he was looking for. at the same thing. They’re looking for that rush, that change of pace.” “Nothing’s ever the same. … It’s the change of pace that I like. It’s highThe first time Lange jumped, he says he was more nervous during energy and lots of work, but you’ve really got to think about it. I like that the drive to the airport than he was in the airplane waiting for his you’ve got to use your brain a little bit every once in a while.” turn to jump. WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

Keeping Busy After a fruitful career as an educator and recruiter, Chester Fergusson has big plans for retirement By Glenn Cook

hester Fergusson may have retired from his

position as union educator and recruitment officer with the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers at the end of 2016, but that doesn’t mean he’s riding off into the sunset. He still has some very important work to attend to. “Travel, learning how to play the guitar, and becoming the favourite grandpa,” Fergusson says with a laugh. Fergusson had been with ARCCAW since 2001, and in the role of union educator and recruitment officer for about six years. He also earned his journeyman ticket in carpentry and scaffolding, and served as an instructor in both trades at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre in Edmonton. As union educator and recruitment officer, Fergusson taught classes for new job stewards and foremen, COMET courses and new member orientation courses. “I’m trying to make that connection with people coming in or who are in [the union] about where our past is, and trying to reconnect them to our vision of what the union originally stood for,” he says. He also processed paperwork from potential members to determine what scale they might fall under. It’s a job he says he loves, and one that opened doors for him, and that allowed him to open doors for others. “One of the things I always let members know is that information often resolves most of your issues. If you’re frustrated about something, go get educated,” he says. “Being hired by the council has opened many doors for me, to get educated and find answers to my concerns and questions, and to find paths to resolution. If you don’t try to find resolutions in life, you usually run into holes.” “I love this job because it has given me so many paths to do my job,” he adds, noting that he’ll still travel to the Carpenters International Training Centre in Las Vegas once a month to teach leadership programs. “The Brotherhood has spent so much money to educate me and train me for the common good for the Brotherhood.” Even in his six years as union educator and recruitment officer, though, those paths were winding. The position changed

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

FAMILY PLANS: Chester Fergusson (centre) will have more time to spend with his family after retiring from his position as ARCCAW’s union educator and recruitment officer at the end of 2016.

somewhat over that time, but Fergusson managed to keep up pretty well. “Just the people coming in have changed. Change is constant; it’s the one constant we have in life. I’ve constantly been adapting what I’ve been doing for the last six years. It’s a constant evolution,” he says. But Fergusson does recognize the need for the union to change with the times and to embrace technology. He proposed to union executives that his successor also be tasked with managing their presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. “I realize we need to start expanding that, so my proposal to [ARCCAW executive secretary treasurer] Martyn [Piper] was: we need to hire a media person anyway, so why not blend it into my job?” he says, joking that that means his successor will have more work to do than he did. By the sounds of it, though, between the guitar, the travelling and being a grandfather, Fergusson will have plenty to keep him busy in retirement. And ARCCAW wishes him all the best as he embarks on this new chapter of his life.

on the level

Learning for an Engaged Life By Crystal Bowen

Carpenters’ Union Representative, Aspen Foundation Board of Directors

s unionized skilled

construction workers, we are living testament that unions improve the well-being of ourselves, our families and our communities even though we are currently facing tough economic times. We have fared far better than some in this downturn. Widely accepted research has shown that the presence of unions in communities directly relates to the increased equality, fair treatment, and economic security of our workforce. This, in turn, contributes greatly to the economic prosperity of our province as a whole. Picture for a moment the future Alberta we would like to see. Ideally we would have labour-friendly governments and communities that understand and appreciate the value of unionism in Alberta. Unfortunately, this has not been the scenario we’ve faced for some time. So where does achieving this ideal disconnect? Why don’t the construction trade unions hold 70 per cent of the market share in Alberta? The tipping point at which there is serious buy-in for this ideal of fair and equitable workplaces is in our collective bargaining processes. I believe that the answer lies in our kindergarten-to-Grade 12 education system. Think back to your days as a student. Were you well-informed about how the labour movement and unionism affected some of your classmates experiencing poverty? Were these students encouraged to share their world view on poverty as they were experiencing it? Did these students know

how to engage democracy to improve quality of life for themselves and their communities? The lack of meaningful learning material and the minimal student voice sends a clear message of discouraging students from learning about unions. However, if students are allowed to engage with the world around them as they learn, it encourages them to participate in shaping that world. It leads to fulfilling the vision of educating students to be “… engaged, active, informed and responsible citizens … aware of their capacity to effect change in their communities, society and world” (Alberta Social Studies Program of Studies, 2005). These students must be engaged in their schooling to be empowered for life. These students – our future leaders and decision-makers – are Alberta’s future for fair and equitable workplaces that support the value our building trades unions add to our communities. Aspen Foundation for Labour Education’s goal is to develop curriculum materials and programs for students that will enhance their learning about social justice and labour issues. The most recently completed resource for Alberta teachers is the GWG: Piece by Piece package concerning the Great Western Garment Company factory that existed in Edmonton until 2004. The meaningful and engaging projects and lessons for six different grade levels concerning issues at work, working women’s issues, immigrants, globalization and unions is gaining considerable momentum in Alberta classrooms. So how can we as individual union members help to achieve these goals? By being the change we want to see in the world, and by

being engaged citizens and union members. Share your world views of being a union member. As a parent, inform your district school board and children’s teachers of the Aspen Foundation’s resources available to them on AFLE.ca. Share with them why you feel it’s important that your child learns about fair and equitable workplaces here in Alberta. Demonstrate your personal support for this movement by becoming an individual member of the Aspen Foundation. The small annual fee goes a long way to funding the Grants in Support of Social Justice program that this organization provides. It also helps provide learning opportunities for your children to engage in relevant and community-based projects that increase their understanding of the world around them. To learn more about the Aspen Foundation’s resources, past student projects, and how to support this movement, visit AFLE.ca. WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

Local 1460 Millwrights

Tough Choices

he sharp decrease in oil prices was the start of a

recession that many of us never expected. Millwrights Local 1460 members were blessed with plenty of work starting in approximately 2008. We more than doubled our membership. The monies directed into our Trust Funds allowed us to offer some of the best benefits in Alberta. It seemed like the Alberta advantage would never end. But there is a group of Local 1460 members – some still working, others now retired – who remember a different period of time. This era was the early 1980s. Our members lived through a strike/lockout period that lasted many months. With no work available and interest rates as high as 17 per cent, banks foreclosed on many of our members’ assets. This group of “old timers” certainly appreciated these successful years more than anyone. Losing your home or your vehicle is a tough choice to make. Our union has been faced with many recent challenges. In order to retain market share by keeping our contractors competitive, a reduction in the NMA and GPMC was implemented on January 1, 2017. Also, the financial draw on our Health and Welfare fund has tasked our trustees to reduce benefits. This reduction will stabilize and grow the fund in order to make future improvements. Our Executive, our International Representatives, our Trustees and I had to make some tough choices that have created concern and anxiety for our members. In order to deal with the anxiety created by reduced hours and the cyclical nature of our work, our Health and Welfare fund contributes to our Construction Employee and Family Assistance Program (CEFAP). All Local 1460 members in good standing are covered under CEFAP benefits. The annual statistical report shows a 8.23 per cent usage rate among all age groups in our local. The report shows that the requests are not only for alcohol and drug dependency, but also pertaining to the over 30 other services included in the CEFAP program. The program now includes computerized e-learning that can be done at home or even in camp. More information can be found at clra.org/p/cefap. Our members have to make tough choices when contacting CEFAP as there is a stigma around self-help. This office will continue to work hard to secure work and training for our members. Even in tough times like these, servicing our contractors through professionalism, our Commitment to Excellence protocol and an honest eight-hour day for eight hours’ pay helps our contractors make us their first choice.

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

Ted Remenda, Senior Business Representative Local 1460 Millwrights

Kid Zone

Think Green! Do you know what a green building is? If you guessed that it’s a building that’s better for the environment, you’re right! A green building is one that uses less energy, water and natural resources than an ordinary building. It’s also healthier for the people who live or work there. Today, there are more and more green buildings being constructed, and that’s good news. Can you match the names of the environmentally friendly features in the building below with what they look like?

By Kim Tannas

Word Scramble Unscramble the words below tnhgilig

neegry

uitlsnanio

rgene

Search Motion detector lights Dual flush toilets Energy efficient appliances Composting Recycling bins Rainwater collection Non-toxic paints Wind turbines Bike racks Rooftop plants (or garden) Double-glazed windows Plants to clean air and provide oxygen Geothermal heating and cooling system Eco-friendly building materials Good insulation Natural ventilation Access to public transportation Natural lighting Solar panels A: 13, 16, 17, 5, 8, 6, 4, 1, 12, 11, 14, 10, 19, 18, 15, 3, 7, 9, 2

A: lighting, energy, insulation, green

Word Unscramble For an example of the potential importance of Critical Care Insurance, please see Page 7

Children’s 360 Critical Illness Insurance by Humania Life brought to you by the Carpenters! FOr mOre InFOrmATIOn COnTACT wayne@wessexfinancial.ca or linda@wessexfinancial.ca Phone: 403-230-3824

37 covered conditions, $10,000 to $50,000 *non-taxable* rates gtd. To age 75 *same price for boys or girls from 30 days to age 15 *Additional life insurance* Optional return of premium. Simplified online approval. Give your child the gift of a life time allowing them to protect what matters most!

Geared Up

By Glenn Cook

Accessorize Your Toolbox FASTEN FURIOUS If you need to do some fast fastening on the job site, check out DEWALT’s new 20V MAX XR Versa-Clutch Adjustable Torque Screwgun. This new addition to DEWALT’s power tool lineup gives you the right amount of power every time to be able to drive heavy-duty fasteners into a wide range of materials, including metal and wood. The brushless motor in this screwgun reduces the need for repairs compared to other similar models, and is built to last a long time. Its cordless convenience makes it a great choice for everything from commercial roofing and framing to installations and deck work. And its adjustable torque settings limit the damage to fasteners during installation. All that power still fits comfortably in the user’s hand, though. The screwgun is balanced from front to back and features a protective rubber over-mould that allows for a comfortable grip. It also features a quick release chuck, easy clutch and depth settings, an LED work light and a belt hook.

POWER SURGE For an extra surge of power on the job site, look no further than two new DEWALT products that just hit the market: the 1,800 Watt Portable Power Station and the Fast Charger. The Portable Power Station weighs just 18 pounds, but packs a punch. It provides 1,800 watts (15 amps) of continuous power and 3,600 watts peak power. It can run off four DEWALT 20V MAX batteries, which means no harmful fumes or carbon monoxide emissions, like you would get from gas generators, and reduced noise levels that make it ideal for noise-restricted job sites, or even for camping and tailgating. Meanwhile, the Fast Charger can charge 20V MAX batteries in less than an hour. It’s also fan-cooled to reduce charging times, and weighs just 1.5 pounds, making it easy to store and transport. It can even be mounted to a wall to reduce clutter around the work site, and its LED diagnostics indicate charging status and a hot/cold pack delay.

LIGHTS AND SOUNDS If you need a little extra light on the job site, or some music for a little extra motivation, check out two new accessories from DEWALT: the Cordless/Corded 20V MAX Bluetooth LED Large Area Light and the 20V MAX Bluetooth Radio Charger. Both these accessories can be plugged in or can run off DEWALT 20V MAX batteries or FLEXVOLT batteries. 26

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

The LED Large Area Light puts out a maximum of 7,000 lumens to light up work sites, but can be dimmed to 500 lumens. It turns on and off instantly with no warmup, and is stackable with a wheel option for convenient storage. When plugged in, the light can be used as a charger for most DEWALT slide pack batteries, which are protected during charging by a door lock option. The light can programmed to turn on and off automatically at scheduled times, and it also works with the expanded DEWALT Tool Connect App, which allows it to be controlled from a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or tablet. The 20V MAX Bluetooth Radio Charger has a range of 100 feet, and provides loud, clear sound that can be controlled remotely from a smartphone. It can run off most DEWALT slide pack batteries and, when plugged into AC power, also serves as a charger for DEWALT 12V MAX, 20V MAX and FLEXVOLT batteries. It also has two additional AC power outlets on the side, and the oversized device storage box offers USB charging and auxiliary ports. A heavy-duty roll cage with built-in handles provides durability and portability.

LASER FOCUSED As the old saying goes, “Measure twice, cut once.” DEWALT can make the measuring part easier and more accurate with its new range of rotary lasers that run off its 20V MAX lithium-ion battery system. The 20V MAX Red Rotary Laser is a single-scope laser that features a durable design with over-moulded handles, IP54 debris and water resistance, and drop protection up to two metres. It is accurate to within 1/8” at 100 feet, and has an interior range of 150 feet or an exterior range of 1,500 feet with the use of a detector. For bigger jobs, there are the 20V MAX Rotary Tough Lasers, which come in both red and green lasers. These are dual-slope lasers (+/- 10%) that feature IP67 debris and water resistance and drop protection up to two metres. They are accurate to within 1/16” at 100 feet, and have an interior range of 250 feet or an exterior range of 2,000 feet with the use of a detector. Included with all these lasers are a 2Ah 20V MAX battery, a charger, a detector, a ceiling bracket, a target card and laser enhancement glasses. The Tough Lasers also include a remote control.

Meet the Journeyman

By Glenn Cook

Climbing the Ladder

rando Rergis Ohm isn’t just buildings structures –

he’s also building a career and a life for his young family. The 34-year-old member of Local 2103 became a journeyman carpenter five years ago; in December 2016, he was upgrading to earn his journeyman scaffolding ticket through courses at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre in Calgary. He started in the trade through some interior renovation jobs, including hardwood flooring, but he has his eye on even bigger career goals. “As a journeyman, I am getting more involved in the management that is happening through the work – you’re able to have a plan and direct the path that you’re [going down],” says Rergis Ohm, who has a wife and a daughter who was born in April 2016. “I’m interested in moving up and trying to get into management.” The shift into management is a good fit with some of the experience Rergis Ohm gained before getting into carpentry. He came to Canada in 2003 from Mexico, where he was taking

“The farther you move up the ladder, you get more involved with the management — how to run the job, really. So it helps me sometimes with how to manage people,”

PHOTO: Darrel Propp

university courses toward a business administration degree. He had only six months left in his program when he left to take up construction. “When I moved to Canada, I hadn’t completed my degree back home so I couldn’t do my equivalents,” he says. But the courses gave him a good base of knowledge in accounting and how to successfully run a business, and those are skills he hopes will serve him well further down the road. “The farther you move up the ladder, you get more involved with the management — how to run the job, really. So it helps me sometimes with how to manage people,” he says. As for construction skills, Rergis Ohm says he learned the most from the other journeymen who took him under their wings while he was an apprentice, and he hopes to do the same for those currently coming up through the ranks. “You learn the right way to do stuff. When you learn from a Red Seal journeyman, that’s the right way to do it.” But he is also focused on his own goals, including working his way up to a superintendent position one day. “I’m going to take more courses and follow that path,” he says.

Brando Rergis Ohm WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

Meet the Apprentice

By Glenn Cook

Finding Her Calling

ursing school didn’t really work out for Emily Kelly.

Neither did being a server. But now that she’s learning the carpentry and scaffolding trades, she thinks she has finally found the right calling. “This is a great experience,” says Kelly, a 28-year-old who is originally from Prince Edward Island, but moved to Alberta in 2008 and now lives in Red Deer. Kelly learned scaffolding and carpentry at the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre in Edmonton this past December through Women Building Futures, a seven-week program that prepares women for careers in the trades. “My dad is actually a carpenter-scaffolder, so I knew a bit about the trades beforehand,” she says. “I’ve been interested in doing more hands-on things, so I decided to get into the trades.” But some of the skills she learned before are helping her out on her new career path. “With serving, there’s a lot of physical work and running around. And multi-tasking is relatable, from both nursing and serving.”

“I’ve been interested in doing more hands-on things, so I decided to get into the trades.”

PHOTO: Eugene uhuad

So far, Kelly says she is really enjoying the WBF program and learning new skills, and thinks the teachers in the program are excellent. “We’re getting the best experience,” she says. As of early December, Kelly had yet to visit a work site so she couldn’t really speak from first-hand experience but, from what she has heard so far in the program, she feels like attitudes are changing when it comes to women working in the trades, and cites the specific example of WBF grads finding work at the Sturgeon Refinery site near Redwater thanks to collaboration between WBF, the North West Redwater Partnership and the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers. “I’ve heard it’s shifting more, that more women are getting involved, but it’s still a really low number compared to men,” Kelly says. “But there’s an interest out there, more than there used to be.”

Emily Kelly 28

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

REPORT

Training and Apprenticeship

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

he year 2016 will be remembered as the one when Fort

McMurray was ravaged by wildfires and almost 100,000 people had to evacuate the city. Many brothers and sisters were affected, including the Alberta Carpenters Training Centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Bob Barter, our instructor in Fort McMurray. Throughout the crisis, Albertans pulled together to help those affected, and demonstrated the strength and generosity that help make the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers and the Alberta Carpenters Training Centre (ACTC) such amazing organizations. There were also high points in 2016 for ACTC, as we continued to build our training curriculum to meet the needs of our members and industry. One of the highlights of the year was the very first Women Building Futures class delivered at ACTC in July; we held a second class in November. We were able to train 18 students and provide them 2017 promises to be a year of with the skills they need to rebuilding as Fort McMurray start successful careers in and scaffolding. We prepares to welcome home its carpentry have another class scheduled displaced citizens, and I look for August 2017. If you or forward to a lot of activity and someone you know would like participate, please contact opportunities for our brothers to Women Building Futures at and sisters there and across 780-452-1200 or visit their website at www.womenbuildthe province. ingfutures.com. We hope to see this program continue to be provided at ACTC for many years to come. During 2016, we were honoured to host not one but two competitions in Edmonton. In June, the annual Provincial Competition was held at the ACTC location in Edmonton. Apprentices from across the province competed for a chance to participate in the National Apprenticeship Competition (NAC), which was also held in Edmonton in August 2016. The NAC was a success, and also marked the first time scaffolding was included in the national competition. In 2017, the NAC will be held in Prince Edward Island. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in participating, please contact the office at 780-455-6532 for more information. As always, the ACTC website is being updated regularly, so please make sure you check there for course availability and upcoming courses. I wish you all a prosperous 2017.

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

WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

Parting Shot

High Level Bridge

The High Level Bridge, seen here during construction, has become an iconic landmark in Edmonton. But its function is just as important as its form – when it was completed in 1913, it became one of the first physical links over the North Saskatchewan River between the communities of Edmonton and Strathcona, which amalgamated in 1912. From the outset, the bridge was designed to accommodate cars, trains, streetcars and pedestrians – the Edmonton Radial Railway Society continues to operate streetcars across the bridge every summer. In all, construction of the bridge used 17.2 million pounds of steel – laid end-to-end, the beams would stretch for 170 miles – 1.4 million rivets, 5,000 gallons of black paint and four giant concrete pillars. The bridge was designed by the Canadian Pacific Railway under the supervision of engineer Phillips B. Motley, is 777 metres long and rises 48 metres above the mean river level.

HARDHAT | WINTER 2017

UPCOMING

Training + Events Meetings First Wednesday of each month: Local 1325 meeting Third Thursday of each month: Local 2103 meeting Fourth Tuesday of each month: Local 1460 meeting Training Alberta Carpenters Training Centre The following is a 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 February 27 to March 12, 2017 (Fort McMurray) May 15 to 28, 2017 July 10 to 23, 2017 (Calgary) July 24 to August 6, 2017 Pre-Employment Carpentry Program (TWTS) May 15 to July 7, 2017 May 15 to July 7, 2017 (Calgary) Millwrights Training Centre Visit www.albertamillwrights.com for a current listing of training courses available.

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

LOCAL 1325 Robert Pedersen January 25, 2016 Age 62 James Smyth July 29, 2016 Age 64 Larry Train September 4, 2016 Age 55 Gerhard Stellmach October 9, 2016 Age 81 Greg Sybulka October 20, 2016 Age 41 Edward Waywood October 22, 2016 Age 72 Andy Hofer December 21, 2016 Age 71 John Patrick O’Connor December 26, 2016 Age 52 Lloyd Westerman December 31, 2016 Age 30 Don “Irish” Tebbutt January 8, 2017 Age 51 LOCAL 1460 Garry Mitchell March 1, 2016 Age 74 Mitch Buchacher September 13, 2016 Age 29 Terry Guss December 2, 2016 Age 55 LOCAL 2103 Christopher Nuspell October 8, 2016 Age 26 Christian Jarocki November 3, 2016 Age 40

WINTER 2017 | HARDHAT

STANLEY® continues its long history of industry leading innovation with the NEW line of FATMAX® measuring tapes designed with the PRO in mind. With an impressive 13' * of standout combined with a detachable oversized hook this family of premium tapes allow users to work efficiently with standout reach. In addition industrial-grade BladeArmor™ thermoplastic coating technology provides 10X the blade life than that of a basic STANLEY® tape. Check your local retailer today for our 35', 25', 16' and 26'/8m configurations. Copyright © 2016 STANLEY Tools. All Rights Reserved.

STANLEYTOOLS.CA

*standout is based on maximum performance