Good day Union Family,

Tomorrow, February 12, 2022 is the Local 110 General Membership Meeting. The meeting will start at 12:00 PM at the Edmonton and Calgary Union Halls.

The Province of Alberta has ended the “Restriction Exemption Program” as such there is no requirement for proof of vaccination or negative COVID 19 test to attend the meeting.

All attending will be required to wear a mask for the duration of the time they are in the Union Hall. You are strongly encouraged to use hand sanitizer and bring your own pen. The area will be sanitized but, there will be no food or drinks provided at the meeting. When the meeting is concluded, you are asked to not congregate in the hallways, entry way, or meeting hall to help facilitate the additional cleaning requirements.

If you have any questions, please contact me at the Edmonton Union office.

In Solidarity,

Kevin Lecht 

Business Manager 

Good day Union Family,

Since the return from the Christmas break, I have had several conversations with Members who believe that they have contracted COVID due to job site exposure. I have explained that there have been cases that have been found to be a compensable injury by WCB, with proper compensation being provided.

The Alberta Government has drastically reduced the number of tests being performed and have been telling Albertans to rely on at home quick tests. Unfortunately, these tests do not provide documentation of the positive test that will be accepted by WCB. Due to this if you believe that you have or may have contracted COVID because of an employment related exposure you must take the time and get a PCR test through Alberta Health Services.

The situation with COVID is constantly changing, and every person who contracts COVID responds differently to the virus. Local 110 has had Members who have tested positive and showed no symptoms at all, some Members have had mild symptoms, but unfortunately there are other Members who are still dealing with ongoing issues from Long COVID, others who have spent time in hospital and some that have passed away from complications of COVID. If you test positive from COVID with a possibility that it was a work-related exposure, complete the WCB paperwork as soon as possible. You do not know how your body will react with COVID and it is much harder to get proper compensation if it is not reported as early as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact me at the Edmonton Union office.

In Solidarity,

Kevin Lecht

Business Manager

Good day Union Family

The Local 110 offices in both Edmonton and Calgary will be closed as of 4:30 PM Thursday December 23, 2021 until 8:00 AM January 04, 2022, for the Christmas break. If there are any emergency calls the phones and website will be updated, with the information on bidding. The Business Agents and I can be reached in emergency by Email or on our cell phones.

Health and Welfare must have all self-payments in before the end of day December 23, 2021 to ensure continued coverage. Also please check to see if your mailing address is correct for the end of the year packages that are being sent out shortly. Every mail out we have several letters returned as undeliverable due to out-of-date mailing addresses.

The Holiday season can be a stressful and difficult time. If you happen to be struggling, please take the time to reach out and ask for help. The CEFAP program is available at 1-800-663-1142, or call Health Link at 811.

In close I wish everyone a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season. Please stay safe and take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Doug Casemore Business Agent North dougc@insulators110.com

Stacy Edmondson Business Agent Central stacye@insulators110.com

Derek Stock Business Agent South dereks@insulators110.com

Kevin Lecht Business Manager kevinl@insulators110.com

In solidarity

Kevin Lecht

Good day Union Family
Reminder that Thursday this week is November 11^th, Remembrance Day. Local 110 Offices in Edmonton and Calgary will be closed.

There are several services being held throughout Alberta. Agent Doug Casemore will be laying a wreath at the Fort McMurray MacDonald Island service. Agent Derek Stock will be laying a wreath in Calgary at the Military Museum 4520 Crowchild Trail SW. In Edmonton a wreath will be laid at the Beverly Cenotaph 4001 118 Ave, due to the limiting of participance in the service the Legion will be laying the Edmonton wreath for the Local.

The Business Agents and I can be reached by Cell Phone or by Email.

Doug Casemore Business Agent North dougc@insulators110.com

Stacy Edmondson Business Agent Central stacye@insulators110.com

Derek Stock Business Agent South dereks@insulators110.com

Kevin Lecht Business Manager kevinl@insulators110.com

In solidarity,

Good day Union Family,

With this week being Remembrance Day the General Membership Meeting will be moved to November 20, 2021. The meeting will start at 12:00 PM at the Edmonton and Calgary Union Halls.

Local 110 has been advised that to host this meeting in person we are required to implement the “Restriction Exemption Program”. Currently there is no indoor gatherings permitted with vaccine eligible unvaccinated people. As such for the meeting Members must show one of the following:

• Proof of vaccination, or
• Proof of a privately paid negative rapid test taken within 72 hours, or
• Verifiable documentation of a medical exemption

All attending will be required to wear a mask for the duration of the time they are in the Union Hall. You are strongly encouraged to use hand sanitizer and bring your own pen. The area will be sanitized but, there will be no food or drinks provided at the meeting. When the meeting is concluded you are asked to not congregate in the hallways, entry way, or meeting hall to help facilitate the additional cleaning requirements.

If you have any questions, please contact me at the Edmonton Union office.

In Solidarity,

Good day Union Family,

As industry moves through the COVID 19 pandemic, there continues to be dramatic changes to our working lives.

Months ago, Clients brought forward Rapid Antigen Screening (RAS) Programs to help reduce the likelihood of onsite transmission of COVID 19. As vaccination rates increase the focus on RAS Program has moved from the entire workforce, to a strategic testing requirement focused on those workers that are not fully vaccinated. Since, this group is significantly less than the entire workforce Clients have pushed the testing requirements onto the Contractors. Therefore, we are now seeing RAS Program policies being sent out by our Contractors.

Local 110 acknowledges, that Contractors have the right to request declaration of vaccination status and have the right to implement a RAS Program. However, Local 110 does not and will not agree that this program is at the cost of our Members. Every Member directed to take a RAS test at their own cost, complete the test, submit the sales receipt to the Contractor for proper reimbursement, if not reimbursed submit proper payroll queries regarding the reimbursement asking for a written response, and once the Contractor responds provide all this documentation to the Union for a grievance.

Most Contractors are doing this process properly by providing RAS testing at no cost to the Members. Hopefully, the few outliers that are trying to download a $3.75 hourly cost on Members working 40 hours per week, will quickly change their policy without causing significant labour unrest on their projects.

In Solidarity,

Good day Union Family
Reminder that Thursday this week is September 30th, the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Local 110 Offices in Edmonton and Calgary will be closed in recognition of the day.

 

The Business Agents and I can be reached by Cell Phone or by Email.

 

Doug Casemore Business Agent North dougc@insulators110.com

Stacy Edmondson Business Agent Central stacye@insulators110.com

Derek Stock Business Agent South dereks@insulators110.com

Kevin Lecht Business Manager kevinl@insulators110.com

 

In solidarity,

Kevin Lecht                                                                        

Business Manager

Good day Union Family,

Unfortunately, due to the COVID numbers continuing to rise several locations have closed their meeting rooms. This includes the meeting halls we had set up for our September Information meetings.

Although, we have tried to get a replacement with short notice we have not been able to get a location. As such we are forced to cancel the September Information meetings. Hopefully we will have locations set for the October meeting.

I apologize for the short notice and if there are any questions myself or Agent Casemore can be reached through the Edmonton Union Hall.

In Solidarity,

Kevin Lecht                                                                        

Business Manager

Good day Union Family,

On June 03, 2021 the Canadian Government officially designated September 30^th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday.

This National Holiday was one of the ninety-four recommendations put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015, and the day has been observed as “Orange Shirt Day” for several years. However, this will be the first year that September 30^th will be observed as a Statutory Holiday. The Alberta Government has stated that they will not recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and as a result most workers in Alberta will have September 30^th as just another day of work.

Under Local 110 Provincial Construction Collective Agreement Article 6.01 states:

It is agreed that in the event any other day is declared a General Holiday by a Government [Federal or Province Alberta] which has jurisdiction to declare a General Holiday applicable to the work to which the registration certificate applies, then that day shall be recognized as a General Holiday in addition to those listed above.

There is also similar language in both the NMA and GPMA Agreements, as such September 30^th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed by all Members of Local 110 as a Statutory Holiday with the same overtime requirements as the other Holidays listed in the agreements.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not a normal day off. This day has been set aside as a time to recognize and commemorate the damaging residential school system in Canada. If you have interest in learning more about residential schools, the Indian Act, and how these things have shaped the relationship of Indigenous Peoples with the Canadian Government and other Canadians, I suggest reading Bob Joseph’s book “21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous People a Reality”.

If you have any questions, please contact me at the Edmonton Union Hall.

In Solidarity,

Kevin Lecht

Good day Union Family,

As of September 4, 2021, the Alberta Provincial Government has made it mandatory for face masks to be warn in all indoor public spaces and workplaces. As such all Members and Visitors to the Edmonton and Calgary Union Halls must wear a face mask during their time in the office.

As before we are still encouraging our Members to do as much business as possible through the website or on the phone. However, if you need to come to the office, we are open for business and are continuing with proper mask protocols, social distancing, and additional clean. There is also hand sanitizer and wipes available. Everyone is encouraged to make an appointment before coming to the hall to ensure the person you wish to meet with is available.

In Solidarity,

Kevin Lecht