Monday, March 10th, 2014
Good Morning at the Saturday General Membership meeting we had over 100 members in attendance great to see such a great turn out and they voted to put the upcoming May Increase of 75 cents into the following two funds, 44 cents will go into the Pension fund and 31 cents will also go into the Health and Welfare plan as well here are the results for the applicantations for membership as voted on by the membership.
Doug Kanto – JM – Previous member, 11,623 hrs. – Accepted
Amanda Tipton – 1st Year Permit, 1889 hrs. – Accepted
Edwin Perdomo – 1st Year Permit, 2,357 hrs. – Accepted
Megan MacQuarrie- 1st Year Permit, over 400 hrs. – Accepted
Devin La – 1st Year Permit, 442 hrs. – Accepted
Dean Ziegler – 2nd Year Permit, 6,787 hrs. – Accepted
Rickey E Smith – JM Transfer – Local 95, 7,559 hrs. – Accepted
Joe Calladine – JM Transfer – Local 95, 4,834.9 hrs. – Accepted
Evan Dahms – Journeyman, Organized – Accepted
Victor Lair – JM Transfer – Local 95, 5,947 hrs. – Accepted ,
David Mitchell – JM – previous member, 6,517 hrs. – Accepted
Nevada Webb Cunnington – Firestopper, Organized, Accepted
Jason Cunnington – Firestopper, Organized, – Accepted
Ilia Koltsov – Firestopper, Organized – Accepted
Steve Richardson – JM Transfer – Local 131, 6,554 hrs. – Accepted
Bruce Cartier – 1st Year Permit, Organized, Accepted
Jacques Bourget – JM Transfer – Local 58, 3,139 hrs. – Rejected
Please contact the Union hall to complete paperwork and pay initiation cost for the successful applicants, and Congratulations!!!
Also at this meeting our membership voted to split the May wage increase of 75 cents by putting 44 cents into the Pension Plan and the remaining 31 cents into the Health and Welfare Plan.
Tuesday, March 4th,2014
I have been getting a few phone calls concerned about seeing advertisements for Insulators on job banks posting and other media by our contractors and I just want to let our members know that due to the number of Insulators that are anticipated for the upcoming work our contractors are getting ready to apply for a Labor Market Opinion (LMO) from the Federal government. Part of the process for them to be approved for an LMO is to prove they have advertised for Canadian workers and then report back the number of individuals that responded back to their ad. An additional step is they must have a letter from the Union confirming that they too believe there will be a shortage of Qualified Canadian workers, if the government is convinced there will be a labor shortage then an LMO is granted to the contractor and when the shortage arrives they can begin bringing in TFW's. There is more to the process than what I have outlined but if you have any questions please give me a call.
Monday, March 3rd, 2014
Temporary Foreign Workers
This morning I attended the TFW rally at the Legislature and I applaud the members of the various unions who braved the weather to try to institute a change to the TFW process. While I too think the process is flawed and needs to be amended, I believe that the Building Trades of Alberta, The Alberta Federation of Labor and perhaps the AUPE need to be involved to come up with one agenda that all their members can promote.
In my opinion the TFW’s are a Band-Aid solution to our labor shortage in Alberta and the real solution would be to promote and train the young men and women here in Alberta. This would necessitate a change by the government to have a clear set percentage of 1st year apprentices required on all Alberta projects and to police that it is being met.
The second criteria would be complete transparency and would follow the Sunshine program outlined in the AFL whicht is proposing an online searchable database listing all employers holding work permits in the program. This would mean the database would also include Labour Market Opinions, Accelerated Labour Market Opinions, and employers using the Alberta Pilot Project or any similar project in other provinces.
It would also include the number of workers, job classifications and wages being paid to the workers, as well as the worksites where the workers are employed, bottom line needs to be if you are qualified to work here you should be paid the prevailing wage. One last point I would like to make is I do not classify our brothers and sister to the south as TFW’s as they are part of our International have similar apprenticeship and our dispatched out of our hall here in Alberta.
Saturday, March 1st, 2014
Here are the applicants for Union membership fpr the March 8th meeting they are tentative until voted on by the membership in attendence at the March 8th meeting, hope to see you there.
Sands Hotel (Flamenco Banquet Room) ** Vote on allocation of the May 2014 wage increase, and on delegates for the 2014 Canadian Conference
Doug Kanto – JM – Previous member, 11,623 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Amanda Tipton – 1st Year Permit, 1889 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Edwin Perdomo – 1st Year Permit, 2,357 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Megan MacQuarrie- 1st Year Permit, over 400 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Devin La – 1st Year Permit, 442 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Dean Ziegler – 2nd Year Permit, 6,787 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Rickey E Smith – JM Transfer – Local 95, 7,559 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Joe Calladine – JM Transfer – Local 95, 4,834.9 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Evan Dahms – Journeyman, Organized – Tentatively Accepted
Victor Lair – JM Transfer – Local 95, 5,947 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted Organized,
David Mitchell – JM – previous member, 6,517 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Nevada Webb Cunnington – Firestopper, Organized, Tentatively Accepted
Jason Cunnington – Firestopper, Organized, – Tentatively Accepted
Ilia Koltsov – Firestopper, Organized – Tentatively Accepted
Steve Richardson – JM Transfer – Local 131, 6,554 hrs. – Tentatively Accepted
Bruce Cartier – 1st Year Permit, Organized, Tentatively Accepted
Jacques Bourget – JM Transfer – Local 58, 3,139 hrs. – Tentatively Rejected
Thursday, February 27,2014
Aerogel/Pyrogel
There has been a lot of talk lately on Aerogel/Pyrogel and what the Union is doing to help the members. I can tell you that we at the local level and at the International level are concerned as well. Here we have the WOW Center studying and charting the members who have been working with this product; at the International level they are pushing NIOSH the American version of OSHA to be proactive and complete more intensive research. The fact right now is that this is an insulation material and we are working with it all across North America and we will continue to push for further research into the material and a clear knowledge of the Personal Protective Equipment required. Local 110 is being proactive and pushing our contractors to err on the side of caution and use the best P.P.E. outlined in the MSDS. We will continue to monitor the product and update the P.P.E. as scientific evidence warrants it.
There have been some members comparing the Aerogel/Pyrogel product to asbestos, causing fear and problems at work sites, I cannot condone that. I started in 1980 as a commercial 1st year apprentice when the contractors were allowed to use whatever asbestos product they had stockpiled from previous purchases. I saw firsthand that there was no communication from our Government to our Union Hall or to membership to enforce the meager Personal Protective Equipment that was required or to try to educate the membership on the dangers of inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. I saw my Journeymen and I working in our street clothes which we all took home to be laundered with our families clothing, exposing them all to asbestos fibers. At no time was I or my coworkers ever informed or warned of the dire consequences of this product by our Government or the Union Hall. The only protection I saw was the paper filter masks we could ask for and being new I saw no danger as the insulators I was working with would cut holes in their mask so they could smoke while wearing them and continue to work. I know for a fact while mixing Blue mud which is 99% asbestos in a trough in a boiler room with a hoe there was dust so thick you could not see and we all continued to work some with paper masks and some with nothing. So I take great exception to the comparison and know firsthand the lack of education we as insulators received from our local and the contractors and the meager Personal Protective Equipment that was enforced. I look at the membership now and see the education on all the products has been greatly increased and the knowledge of the importance of protecting yourself while working. I see our members wearing coveralls on all projects and when working with aerogel disposable coveralls and nitrile gloves and half mask or full face mask with P 100 filters and I wish that the members affected with asbestosis would have had the same education and P.P.E. and they would all still be here today. We will continue to monitor and push for research to increase safety with all products!
Wade Logan
Business Manager
Monday, February,10, 2014
Here are the results for the applications for membership as voted on by the membership at this past Saturdays meeting, It was good to see such a large turnout.
Robert Flower Jr, 1st year permit, 689 hours, Accepted
Joel Mitchell, 1st year permit, 1,038 hours no missed time, Accepted
Jeffrey Lima,1st year permit, 484 hours no missed time, Accepted
Larry Lair, Local 95 JM Transfer, former member, Accepted
John Gulliford, JM C, 3,610 hours no missed time, Accepted
Jason Bressett, Local 95 JM Transfer, 887 hours, Accepted
Jordan Haase, JM C, 860 hours no missed time, Accepted
Ronald Raynor, Industrial Helper, 5959 hours no missed time, Accepted
Coady Cassidy, Local 131 JM transfer, previously voted in, transfer delay, Accepted
Bianca Turgeon, Local 58 JM Transfer, 4032 hours no missed time, Accepted
Ken Yuzyk, JM, 14,289 hours, Rejected
Thomas Bach, 1st year permit, 708 hours no missed time, Accepted
Colin Blondin, 1st year permit, 3,365 hours no missed time, Accepted
Gabriela Radu, 1st year permit, 428 hours no missed time, Accepted
Michael Tscherkassow, 1st year permit, 482 hours no missed time, Accepted
James Cormack O'Neil, 1st year permit, Local 222, 1,525 hours no missed time, Accepted
Katherine MacEachern, 1st year permit, 848 hours no missed time, Accepted
Paul Vieira, Uncertified JM previous member, 20,515 hours no missed time, Accepted
Bernadette Longpre, 1st year permit, 494 hours no missed time, Accepted
James Bithell, Non-Union Red Seal JM, organized, Accepted
Cole Albers, 1st year permit held over from January, 694 hours no missed time, Accepted
John Cardinal, JM, Accepted
Amare Gifawossen, 1st year permit, 873.75 hours, Accepted
Deane Sahanovitch, Local 118 JM Transfer, 10,372 hours, Accepted
Cody Lima, 1st year permit, Rejected
Dustin Lima, 1st year permit, Rejected
Leonard Chomistek, JM, lapsed member, Accepted
Jordan Patrick Weeks, 1st year permit, Accepted
Patrick Crawford, 1st year permit, Accepted
Congratulations to the applicants who were successful please contact the Union to fill out the required paperwork and pay the membership fee.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Here are the applicants for membership and transfer this month:
Robert Flower Jr, 1st year permit, 689 hours, Tentatively Accepted
Joel Mitchell, 1st year permit, 1,038 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Jeffrey Lima,1st year permit, 484 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Larry Lair, Local 95 JM Transfer, former member, Tentatively Accepted
John Gulliford, JM C, 3,610 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Jason Bressett, Local 95 JM Transfer, 887 hours, Tentatively Accepted
Jordan Haase, JM C, 860 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Ronald Raynor, Industrial Helper, 5959 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Coady Cassidy, Local 131 JM transfer, previously voted in, transfer delay, Tentatively Accepted
Bianca Turgeon, Local 58 JM Transfer, 4032 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Ken Yuzyk, JM, 14,289 hours, Tentatively Accepted
Thomas Bach, 1st year permit, 708 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Colin Blondin, 1st year permit, 3,365 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Gabriela Radu, 1st year permit, 428 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Michael Tscherkassow, 1st year permit, 482 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
James Cormack O'Neil, 1st year permit, Local 222, 1,525 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Katherine MacEachern, 1st year permit, 848 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Paul Vieira, Uncertified JM previous member, 20,515 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
Bernadette Longpre, 1st year permit, 494 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
James Bithell, Non-Union Red Seal JM, organized, Tentatively Accepted
Cole Albers, 1st year permit held over from January, 694 hours no missed time, Tentatively Accepted
John Cardinal, JM, Tentatively Accepted
Amare Gifawossen, 1st year permit, 873.75 hours, Tentatively Accepted
Deane Sahanovitch, Local 118 JM Transfer, 10,372 hours, Tentatively Accepted
Cody Lima, 1st year permit, Tentatviley Rejected
Dustin Lima, 1st year permit, Tentalively Rejected
Leonard Chomistek, JM, lapsed member,Tentatively Accepted
Jordan Patrick Weeks, 1st year permit, Tentatively Rejected
Patrick Crawford, 1st year permit, Tentatively Rejected
As usual the final vote for membership is up to the members in attendance at the meeting, please contact the union if you have concerns over any of the listed and if you would like to review the applications please contact the hall to make an appointment. Thank you.