tradetalk
THE MAGAZINE OF THE
BC BUILDING TRADES
FALL
2013
VOL. 16
NO. 3
WE BUILD BC™
The
Finishing
Touch
District Council 38's
painters, drywallers & glaziers
Publications Mail Agreement
No. 40848506
Launch into the trades!
Trades Apprenticeships—Special Tradetalk Feature
Psst! Pass along this copy of Tradetalk to someone who should be in a unionized trade.
2 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
PUBLISHED BY THE
BC BUILDING TRADES
tradetalk
EDITOR
Tom Sigurdson
EDITORIAL SERVICES
Face to Face Communications
The magazine of The bC building Trades
CFU 2040
DESIGN/PHOTOGRAPHY
Joshua Berson PhotoGraphics Ltd.
CEP 525G
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Claudia Ferris
CEP 525G
Tradetalk Magazine is published four times
a year by the BC BUILDING TRADES
#209 88 10th St. New Westminster, B.C.
V3M 6H8
778-397-2220
bcytbctc@bcbuildingtrades.org
www.bcbuildingtrades.org
All rights reserved. Material published may
be reprinted providing permission is granted and credit is given. Views expressed are
those of the authors. No statements in the
magazine express the policies of the BC
BUILDING TRADES, except where indicated.
The council represents approximately
35,000 unionized construction workers in
B.C. and 10 affiliated local unions.
Fall 2013
FALL 2013
FEATURES
6
9
Growing demand for painters, drywallers and glaziers
Temporary Foreign Worker Program update
Trades Apprenticeships
Special Tradetalk Feature
11
13
13
13
14
15
16
20
Let’s compare costs
Why people are drawn to the trades
Do you have what it takes to be successful?
Red Seal certification
No success without essential skills
Training costs at a glance
The work / The worker
Come on employers, get on track!
24
26
30
Liquid natural gas—Just pipe dreams?
Local unions embracing codes of excellence
Consulting with WorkSafeBC
ISSN 1480-5421
Printed in Canada by Mitchell Press
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$24 Cdn. per year in Canada and the U.S.
For subscriptions outside Canada and the
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Publications Mail Agreement
No. 40848506
Return undeliverable
Canadian addresses to:
#209 88 10th St.
New Westminster, B.C. V3M 6H8
Cover: At the Surrey Civic Centre,
Corey Stang applies caulking to window
frames installed by DC38 glaziers in
preparation for glass placement.
Photo: Joshua Berson
Executive Board and Officers
Lee Loftus, President;
Insulators
Mark Olsen, Vice President;
Construction and Specialized Workers
Jim Paquette, Secretary-Treasurer;
Sheet Metal, Roofers and
Production Workers
Rob Tuzzi, Bricklayers and Allied Trades
Chris Feller, Cement Masons
Jim Pearson, UNITE HERE
Mike Flynn, IBEW Provincial Council
James Leland, Ironworkers
Brian Cochrane, Operating Engineers
Don Doerksen, Teamsters
Tradetalk is printed on Forest Stewardship Council ®
certified paper from responsible sources. The FSC® is an
independent, not-for-profit organization promoting responsible
management of the world's forests.
Tom Sigurdson, Executive Director
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 3
Starting Point
DADs Day in communities
throughout B.C.
BC BUILDING TRADES MEMBERS are on the frontline in the fight to
cure diabetes. Members stood outside liquor stores on June 15th to
collect donations in the annual DADs (Dollars Against Diabetes) Day
fundraising drive.
DADs Day is a longstanding tradition in the building trades. Since
1998, members have raised thousands of dollars for diabetes research
through bucket collections and golf tournaments. This year’s bucket
collecting campaign raised $7,500 in communities across B.C.
The money is funding ground-breaking research at the Diabetes
Research Group at UBC. Last year, researchers used human embryonic
stem cells to reverse Type 1 diabetes in mice by maturing the cells
after transplant into insulin-secreting, pancreatic beta-cells. This discovery is a major step towards finding a cure for the disease.
For support staff like Nicole Davis and Jen Collins from IBEW 230,
DADs Day is a great opportunity to give back.
“I love fundraising,” said Davis. “It’s really nice to get out and see
people in the community and raise awareness about diabetes and diabetes research.”
Davis and Collins raised over $500 at the West Shore Signature
Liquor Store in Victoria. It was their second year in a row participating in DADs Day.
“A lot of people thank us,” Davis said. “They say ‘I have diabetes’
or ‘Someone in my family had diabetes.‘ They’re very giving.”
A big thanks goes to the dozens of members who donated their
time this year and to the BC Liquor Control Board for allowing members to use their stores as locations for the campaign.
This year’s charity golf tournament, organized by the BC Building
Trades, raised over $25,000 for Variety – The Children’s Charity and
the Diabetes Research Group at the University of British Columbia.
Over the last 15 years, the BC Building Trades has raised over
$250,000 dollars for charity through their charity golf tournament
and annual DAD’s Day (Dollars Against Diabetes) bucket collection
drives.
(FROM TOP) Construction and Specialized Workers Local 1611
team: Carl Strand, Liana Biasutti, Brenda Knight and Ralph
Hanschke Nordel
Bob Barter, from Insulators Local 118, collecting donations in
Langley.
IBEW Local 230 secretaries Jen Collins and Nicole Davis and
member Kris Davidson.
Sheet Metal Workers Local 280 team: Jim Paquette and
Vern Henderson in Walnut Grove.
We welcome your comments...
The opinions expressed in Starting Point are not
necessarily those of the BC Building Trades Council or its
affiliates. Send letters (the shorter the better) to the editor at:
BC BUILDING TRADES, #209 88 10th St.
New Westminster, B.C. V3M 6H8 or
bcytbctc@bcbuildingtrades.org
Letters must include your name, address, phone number and,
where relevant, union affiliation, trade or company.
4 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
From the editor
tom sigurdson
Here’s how we build B.C.
and support the economy
IN THIS EDITION OF TradeTalk we
feature trade apprenticeships. Too
many people think of a construction
career as something they can fall into
if they're not successful in another
occupation.
The fact is our skills are as specialized and as varied as the skills in any
other profession or occupation. We
are professionals in our industry and
we need to pass on our skill sets to
the next generation of workers who
are looking for a rewarding career in
construction.
Our province may soon enjoy an
economic boom if even a few of the
proposed projects come to fruition. A
recent list of proposed projects had a
total value of over $65 billion—with
most of the proposed projects set for
northern British Columbia. The list
of projects (liquefied natural gas
plants, pipelines, mine development
and hydro-electric power expansion)
will require the very specialized skill
sets of not only our members who
are journeypersons, but our apprentices too.
When we speak with project proponents, the underlying question is,
will there be enough skilled tradespeople to complete the work? The
proponents look at how their construction period fits with the timelines of other projects. They worry
about competing for journeypersons
working on other jobs. They have a
very real concern about finding
enough trade-qualified, Red Seal
tradespeople in light of the provincial
government's inadequate commitment to apprenticeship training over
the last 10 years.
The building trades' completion rate
for apprentices has been consistently
high throughout the last decade. For
the most part, we graduate over 85%
of the apprentices who are indentured
in the union apprenticeship system.
In recent years, we have seen over
90% of our apprentices graduate to
journeyperson status. Good for them
and good for us. We celebrate their
successes. When our apprentices succeed, so do we!
Compare our success rate to the
provincial government's Industry
Training Authority which, in a recent
report, showed that less than 40% of
the registered trainees and apprentices
often means that apprentices are
regarded as an expense rather than an
investment. Opportunities for apprentices to learn and hone their skills are
relegated to the trash heap for the
Our skills are as specialized and
as varied as the skills in any other
profession or occupation.
in the provincial system complete
their field of study and graduate.
There are numerous reasons for our
success just as there are myriad reasons for their failure. (It should be
noted that the ITA offers programs for
almost all trades training including
cooks and hairdressers, not just construction trades.) However, the problems are not being addressed.
In a dog-eat-dog environment,
where low bid trumps sanity, everyone loses. But some groups are seeing
more casualties than others. Low bid
sake of efficiency. We are now seeing
that the government's failure to invest
in apprenticeship training is causing
very real problems for those who
would invest billions of dollars in projects in our province.
The unions in the BC Building
Trades will continue to invest in skills
training and apprenticeships. We are
proud of the success we have had over
decades and decades of graduating
workers through our programs. We
not only build projects, we build skill
sets. And that's how We Build B.C.
The building Trades—Who we are
B.C. Building and
Construction Trades Council
Phone
Web address
778-397-2220
www.bcbuildingtrades.org
604-584-2021
604-585-9198
www.bac2bc.org
www.opcmia919.org
604-432-9300
604-571-6500
250-388-7374
250-376-8755
250-354-4177
604-877-0909
604-879-4191
604-291-8831
www.cswu1611.org
www.ibew213.org
www.ibew230.org
www.ibew993.org
www.ibew1003.org
www.insulators118.org
www.ironworkerslocal 97.com
www.iuoe115.com
604-430-3388
www.smw280.org
250-727-3458
604-876-5213
604-291-8211
www.smwia276.ca
www.teamsters213.org
www.uniteherelocal40.org
affiliated unions
Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 2
Cement Masons & Plasterers Local 919
Construction & Specialized
Workers Local 1611
Electrical Workers Local 213 (Vancouver)
Electrical Workers Local 230 (Victoria)
Electrical Workers Local 993 (Kamloops)
Electrical Workers Local 1003 (Nelson)
Heat and Frost Insulators Local 118
Ironworkers Local 97
Operating Engineers Local 115
Sheet Metal, Roofers and
Production Workers Local 280(Vancouver)
Sheet Metal, Roofers and
Production Workers Local 276 (Victoria)
Teamsters Local 213
UNITE HERE Local 40
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 5
Joshua Berson photos
Profile on IUPAT DC38
Growing demand for
painters, drywallers
and glaziers
By Taryn Hubbard
AFTER FOUR YEARS of non-membership with the BC Building Trades, the
International Union of Painters and
Allied Trades District Council 38
(DC38) is pleased to be reunited with
the council.
“We were committed to the BC
Building Trades [and demonstrated
this] with many years of membership,” said Patrick Byrne, business
manager and secretary treasurer.
“However, in 2007 we felt it was necessary for us to step away due to
philosophical differences we had at
that time.
“We felt it was necessary for District
Council 38 to re-evaluate its participation with the Building Trades and to
explore other avenues. However, we
have always believed in the BC Building Trades as a voice for skilled workers and as the promotional arm for all
the good things unionized building
trades workers do in our province. We
are happy to be back collaborating
and working with Tom Sigurdson
[executive director of the council], and
6 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
all the trade unions that advocate on
behalf of unionized workers in this
province.”
DC38 has members working in
painting and decorating, glazing and
architectural metal work, drywall finishing, interior systems mechanics/
lathers, hazardous materials workers
and allied trades including inside
glass, sign and display workers and
waterblasters.
DC38 dates back to 1889 when a
handful of painters joined the Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and
Paperhangers of America. Today, the
council is an organization representing tradespeople in most facets of the
finishing trades sector.
As the province begins another four
years under the government of the BC
Liberals, Byrne is dedicated to championing the skills of unionized journeypersons and other skilled workers
to a government that claimed it was
prepared to listen to private sector
unions.
“Premier Christy Clark made some
big promises about the B.C. economy
and jobs during her party’s cam-
Jesse Ryan, a seven-year member of
DC38, prepares a frame for a window
installation at the Surrey Civic Centre.
paign,” he said. “She’s going to need a
highly skilled and experienced workforce for the many high profile projects she has advocated for. This can
only be accomplished by training local
people through apprenticeship and
journeyperson upgrading programs.
It’s the most successful training model
around, one the BC Building Trades
has perfected through years of doing
the necessary work and adapting to
changes in new technology.”
Apprenticeship training and journeyperson upgrading is a top priority
for Byrne and DC38.
Since 1992, the Finishing Trades
Institute of BC (FTI BC) in Surrey has
been running out of a warehouse
overseen by the DC38 Joint Trade
Board. The facility started off as a
26,000 square foot building with designated classroom and shop space for
the 400-plus apprentices and journeypersons who train there every year.
This past year, however, the executive
of the council decided to make a
move to purchase the neighbouring
building, which expanded the school’s
space to a total of 40,000 square feet.
The new building will provide space
for the Hazardous Materials Association, the HMA training of hazardous
materials abatement workers, as well
as the expansion of the FTI BC’s
industrial painting skills and upgrading programs.
“In the expanded building, new
You can see the work of DC38's painters and glaziers on display at the new Surrey
Civic Centre.
Clark,” he said. “Much more so than
under Gordon Campbell. My hope is
that this government will respect the
building trades’ contribution to the
B.C. construction industry and the economic wellbeing of the province.”
As the skilled tradespeople of the
Baby Boom Generation retire, demand
for skilled tradespeople will increase.
However, provincial support for
apprenticeship training isn’t meeting
the needs of the industry. The ITA has
an important role to play in helping
apprentices succeed. Unions, along
with union training centres, are also
key and need to be given a greater say
in how the apprenticeship program is
run in this province, said Byrne.
“The members of the BC Building
Trades are the real voice of construction in this province. It’s not going to
be the ICBA [Independent Contractors
and Businesses Assn.],” said Byrne.
“The ICBA is just looking for cheaper
and cheaper labour and hasn’t made
the investment in training that [affiliates of] the building trades have.
“It certainly feels good to be back
with the BC Building Trades,” added
Byrne. “It is only right that we speak as
one voice when it comes to the promotion of skilled BC Building Trades workers as the true professionals of the construction industry.”
Shawn Luke graphic
hazardous materials worker recruits will
be trained in the essentials of safely
removing and disposing of hazardous
materials while current HMA workers
will continue to improve upon the
skills they rely on every day to perform
the abatement of hazardous materials
in the safest and most environmentally
responsible manner possible,” said
Byrne.
With the industrial painting sector
picking up steam in recent years across
North America, DC38, in conjunction
with its international union, has
worked to bring new certifications to
its painters working on industrial jobs.
The Coating Application Specialist
–Level 2 (CAS2) certification, run in
partnership with the Society for Protective Coatings, has been a great success,
with a 100% passing rate for DC38
painters so far.
“The positive attitudes of the members who have attended our CAS2 certification courses demonstrates their
commitment to skills upgrading and
continued learning,” said Dan Jajic,
Local 138 Painters and Decorators business representative. “I appreciate their
dedication to the trade.”
The FTI BC is also committed to
learning and skills development within
the community, and has led courses for
at-risk youth, First Nations members
living on reserve, new immigrants and
marginalized women from Vancouver’s
Downtown Eastside.
This summer, the school hosted its
second ACE-IT course for high school
students. The students earn credits
towards graduation and learn about
commercial painting, the trades industry and safety leading to a Level 1
painter/decorator accreditation with
the Industry Training Authority (ITA).
“Our ACE-IT painting class teaches
students safety, practical skills and inclass painting theory,” said Chico Albino, painting and decorating instructor.
“On the whole, the students in these
classes are interested in learning something completely new, and many of
them do quite well.” Previous graduates
of the wall and ceiling program went
to work for signatory contractors after
leaving high school.
Ultimately, DC38’s focus on training
helps contactors meet their goal of having the most highly skilled and productive trades people in the industry.
Now, more than ever, unionized
labour needs to work with government
to ensure safety standards, certifications
and worker compensation are taken
care of. This entices more young workers into the trades and improves workers’ wellbeing overall, said Byrne.
“There appears to be an opportunity
at this time to talk to and collaborate
with the BC Liberals under Christy
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 7
Special Advertising Feature
8 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
Temporary Foreign Worker
Program update
By Brynn Bourke,
BCBT Researcher
BC BUILDING TRADES (BCBT)
UNIONS recently went head to head
against the federal government and
HD Mining, a multi-billion dollar
mining company, in a case that
changed the public’s awareness of
temporary foreign labour and Canadian law.
“They may have won the battle,
but we will win the war,” said
Brian Cochrane, business manager of
the International Union of
Operating Engineers Local 115.
B.C. has over $70 billion in major
ICI projects in the queue over the
next 15 years and over 10 major mining projects vying to go forward.
With so many companies fighting to
develop in B.C., only a handful can
proceed at any given time. With such
prosperity and possibility, BCBT
unions are standing up and fighting
to ensure that projects that go forward meet strict environmental standards, offer the most employment for
British Columbians and develop
local and regional economies by
keeping profits here in B.C.
On Nov. 2, 2012, the International
Union of Operating Engineers Local
115 and the Construction & Specialized Workers Union Local 1611 (aka
Labourers' Union) went to court seeking to invalidate 200 temporary work
permits issued to HD Mining, arguing
that there were unemployed Canadians who could fill the positions in
Murray River.
“The majority of our members,
both active and retired, were born
outside of Canada,” said Local 1611
Business Manager Mark Olsen. “This
gives us both needed diversity and
great strength. They have built and
continued on next page
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 9
continued from previous page
serviced B.C. and made our communities better. That is
why our union (along with the Operating Engineer’s) took
H.D. Mining to Federal Court.
“The current Temporary Foreign Worker Program is both
unfair to Canadian workers and exploits foreign workers. If
that continues to be the case, our resources have to stay in
the ground,” said Olsen.
The unions’ case, led by lawyer Charles Gordon, made
national and international headlines.
The unions produced documents that showed 1) company job advertisements listed Mandarin language skills as a
necessary qualification for employment, 2) the company
planned to keep temporary foreign workers on the project
for up to 14 years, and 3) they turned away more that 300
Canadians, many trained and certified underground miners
with years of relevant experience.
Despite all the evidence, in May, a federal court judge
dismissed the case and refused to overturn the permits
given to HD Mining. The case was judged solely on
whether 200 Chinese Miners should have their temporary
work permits repealed or not.
“By taking on this case, the unions exposed a fundamentally broken Temporary Foreign Worker Program and won
in the most important court—the court of public opinion,”
said Cochrane.
The case came to represent a battle between human need
and corporate greed and fed into two decades of frustration
about offshore jobs, temporary foreign workers and the
deskilling of the Canadian labour force.
Major changes to the program
On April 29th, the federal government announced major
changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program due to
the court action. They included abolishing the 15% wage
differential. Temporary foreign workers were legally allowed
to receive 15% less in wages, but now employers have to
pay Canadian prevailing wage rates. The government also
suspended the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion process,
increased its authority to suspend and revoke work permits
for employers abusing the program and forced employers
to develop a firm plan for transitioning to Canadian workers before allowing them to bring in temporary foreign
workers.
Tom Sigurdson, executive director of the BCBT, was a
participant in the federal government’s telephone confer-
ence call during the government’s review. Sigurdson called
for public hearings to examine the entire program. “Given
the failure of the program, the government must be held
accountable and the current program significantly
reworked,” he said. “The best way to restore public confidence is through public hearings that are open and transparent.”
Campaign extends beyond construction sector
The case also breathed new life into the fight to protect
jobs in B.C. This past April, labour unions, spearheaded by
Lee Loftus, president of the BCBT and business manager for
the Insulators Local 118, threatened to pull more than $4
billion in pension funds and assets from the Royal Bank of
Canada after it was discovered that the bank was replacing
permanent employees with temporary foreign workers.
“This was pension money that was invested into the
Canadian economy for long-term benefit,” said Loftus. “We
were not willing to reward a company with our business if
it was replacing Canadian workers with temporary foreign
workers.”
Within the month, Royal Bank backed down and agreed
it would not make use of the Temporary Foreign Worker
Program to bring workers to Canada and would not use
outsourcing to foreign countries. This was a major victory
for the labour movement and sent a clear message to banks
across the country that Canadians would not accept shipping jobs overseas.
Keeping the issue in the forefront
The issue is far from over. Thousands of applications for
temporary foreign workers are submitted and granted every
year. Sometimes, those applications are valid and necessary.
Most of the time, they are not. The BC Building Trades’
unions will be monitoring every job that could be going to
its members and standing up for their rights. It’s an exercise in endurance, with thousands of employers hoping to
wear the unions down in a war of attrition.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program needs a complete overhaul to ensure jobs go to skilled Canadians and
landed immigrants first and, if they’re not qualified, that
training and upgrading for residents be provided. It means
treating temporary foreign workers with respect and providing them with a pathway to full immigration if they so
choose and it means increasing transparency and developing clearer guidelines around assessing whether temporary
foreign workers are genuinely needed.
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10 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
Big Dreams
Maybe the
trades are
for you
Let’s Compare costs
Joshua Berson photos
Ironworker
Lance Kirby
prepares items
to be hoisted
for the Canada
Line bridge
that crosses the
Fraser River.
A bachelor’s degree in arts or
science will cost $22,000plus. Then you have to add
the student fees, books and
other charges adding
thousands of dollars more.
Even that level of education
may not get you the career
or job security you’re looking
for. Many employers now
require masters’ degrees. So
add $16,000 or more.
With trades training YOU
EARN WHILE YOU
LEARN plus you qualify for
EI, up to $4,000 in federal
government grants, $2,000
in provincial tax credits and
some unions offer bursaries!
(See the table on Pg. 15)
Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
Page 13
It could be you!
Page 16
The work and the worker
Do you have what it
takes to be successful
in the trades?
Get started on a new
career. Description of
the work and worker
for 20 trades.
Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
11
Big dreams?
Maybe the trades
are for you
Joshua Berson photos
BC BUILDING TRADES IS THE guaranteed supplier of skilled trades for industrial,
commercial and institutional construction
(ICI) projects. If you’re already working in
one of these trades on residential projects, be
aware that, without the proper certification,
your skills may not be transferable to ICI
construction sites. We can help you get the
training and certification you need.
There are also BC construction unions
12 Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
representing boilermakers, carpenters, floorlayers, millwrights, piledrivers, plumbers/pipefitters and refrigeration mechanics. An internet search will link you to them.
To learn what trade is best for you and
how to start on your career, talk to a tradesperson. A call to the union representing your
chosen trade will also yield accurate information and advice. See the contact list at the
back of this supplement.
Shawn Luke graphic
Articles by Leslie Dyson
Do you have what
it takes to be
successful in the
construction trades?
Why people are
drawn to the trades
The money. Let’s face it. There is good money to be made in the trades
if you have the credentials. If you’re in a union, you’re guaranteed the
highest wage rate, benefits and a pension.
Job security. You’ll always have work if you have your trade certification,
bring a positive attitude to the jobsite and are willing to go where the
work is.
The variety. You’ll likely work on many different projects and on many
job sites and with many people.
The opportunities for advancement in your trade, your union and the
construction industry.
The pride you’ll take in knowing that you worked on construction
projects that provide lasting benefits for our communities.
Red Seal certification
What is Red Seal training?
The Red Seal program is the inter-provincial standard of excellence in the skilled
trades. It is the highest standard of training in the country, and the minimum level
that the BC Building Trades believes is acceptable.
What Red Seal training gets you
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
willingness to learn
patience
dependability
accuracy
safety conscious attitude
skill with practical mathematics and geometry
good communications and reading skills
good computer skills
able to follow instructions and take criticism
not afraid to ask questions
able to work independently as well as with others in your trade
and other trades
good physical condition, hand-eye co-ordination and manual
dexterity
comfortable with heights and lifting
good stamina and strength
willing to work in hot and cold environments and outdoors
willing to travel to different job sites, sometimes throughout the
province and even the country
Learn more
Industry Training Authority (ita.bc.ca)
Red Seal Program (red-seal.ca/)
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Along with excellence in training, the Red Seal is also your ticket to taking
advantage of opportunities around the country. It means that you are recognized as
having the competence and abilities to work in any job in Canada without having to
go through any further examinations. In an increasingly mobile workplace, the Red
Seal is essential for your future.
How to get your Red Seal ticket
An Interprovincial Standards Red Seal can be obtained in the building trades by:
1) taking the technical training and getting work experience in a Red Seal trade
2) graduating from an apprenticeship training program recognized by the Industry
Training Authority in B.C., and
3) passing the inter-provincial standards Red Seal exam for that trade
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Bricklayer
Concrete Finisher
Crane Operator
Electrician
Glazier
Heavy Equipment Operator
Insulator
Ironworker
Painter/Decorator
Roofer
Sheet Metal Worker
Tilesetter
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The trades represented by the BC Building Trades that offer
Red Seal training
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Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
13
SkillPlan works with technical training instructors and apprentices to
improve the success rates of workers in apprenticeship.
14 Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
Jose Lam graphic
READING, DOCUMENT USE AND NUMERACY
SKILLS are essential skills for apprentices in the construction trades. A 2010 Construction Sector Council
business case study found that employers listed insufficient essential skills among the top five reasons for not
taking on apprentices. Approximately 20 to 40% of
apprentices are lacking the skills to succeed in technical
training, learn their trade and develop new skills.
SkillPlan offers essential skills upgrading to apprentices through courses or one-on-one tutoring before
they enter technical training, during technical training
or after they have entered the workplace. The customized support involves collaboration between workplace educators, technical trainers and employers to
develop learning materials and strategies that address
individual skill gaps.
Apprentices learn strategies to navigate complex
manuals and tables and practice numeracy concepts.
These strategies will prepare them for learning new
skills, help them adapt to changes in the workplace
and improve their chances for a successful career in the
trades.
Improved essential skills means better job retention
and improved productivity and safety records for the
apprentice. Companies benefit from a workforce that
is more competitive locally and globally.
SkillPlan photo
No success
without
essential
skills
Training
at a glance
A bachelor’s degree in arts or scienceTime will Time cost
over $20,000 plus student fees, books and other charges, adding thousands of dollars more.
Time Time Time involved involved involved involved involved Wage: starting apprentice rate to top
technical Net fcfor ffor technical technical technical Net cNet cost ost or Net Net cost ost cost or ftechnical or Time
Notes: Federal gov’t grants for Red
journeyperson wage
training/ training/ journeyperson journeyperson Net
cost
for
training/ training/ training/ journeyperson journeyperson journeyperson Seal
trades have been taken into
Training site:
(benefits, holiday pay
involved
:
journeyperson
account. Costs for all trades are even
when affiliated
withWages
training/
2cket 2cket 2cket work-­‐based technical
Wages
Wages
and
pension
package
s tarAng 2cket work-­‐based 2cket work-­‐based work-­‐based work-­‐based Wages
Wages
s tarAng s tarAng s tarAng starAng Training Training ssBC
ite s site ite swage wage t o t o wage t op the
Building
including
are
ADDITION
to
ticket
work-based
training/
including including b:b
ooks &&
bt bools ooks btIN
enefits, wenefits, hbenefits, oliday php
ay ppay ite Training Training ite t op w wage tage; o tage; o top including ooks tooks ools w
b
h
oliday ay including including b&
ooks & ttraining/ ools tools & tools wage top o w
tage; op age; wbage; enefits, benefits, holiday oliday holiday ay pay lower when EI benefits and provincial
training/ y yrs. y ywhen rs. training/ rs. training/ training/ rs. yTraining rs. and ww
ith tand he w$and 4,000 tw
he in $in in affiliated aw
ffiliated ith he wBwith C ith he and BBC pp
ension ackage papackage re IN AA
DDITION aDDITION AADDITION tDDITION to Trades
books
&and tools
these
Trade
and ith the $ith 4,000 when awhen ffiliated ith the B
C tw
and ension p
ackage aamounts)
re to ADDITION with the ith $4,000 the 4,000 $4,000 in yrs.
in to completion
when when aw
ffiliated atffiliated the ith the C Band C and pand pension ension pension ackage pIN ackage are re IN IaN re Io N to to tax credits are included.
federal g
federal rants
g
rants
Building Building T
rades
T
rades
these a
mounts
these a
mounts
Trade
Trade
to Notes
Notes
federal gfederal rants
Trades
these amounts
federal grants
grants
Building Trades
Trades
these these amounts
amounts
Trade
to to Notes
Trade
Trade
to to Building Building Notes
Notes
3 3 wwks. /23 ks. /h /hrs. 2ks. // / 2
,400 h hrs. IUOE /h / rs. 1115 ite site ks. /3 w
2,400 ,400 IUOE Training sraining ite w
ks. 3 w
rs. 2,400 ,400 rs. 1 /115 IUOE 15 IUOE Training IUOE 15 T1sraining T15 Training site site ASPHALT ASPHALT PAVING PTP
AVING TTECHNICIAN
ASPHALT PAVING TECHNICIAN
ECHNICIAN
ASPHALT ASPHALT AVING PAVING ECHNICIAN
TECHNICIAN $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 2 2 yrs.
(Maple (Maple R(Maple RRidge)
yrs. 2 2 yyrs.
(Maple Ridge)
idge)
rs.
2 yrs.
idge)
(Maple Ridge)
$20 o $20 to to $$20 $33
33t$20 $20 to $$33
t33
o $33
6 6 wwks. /56 ks. /h /hrs. 5ks. // / 5
,500 hhrs. ks. /6 w
5,500 ,500 w
ks. 6 w
rs. 5,500 ,500 rs. /h / rs. rades / CTtre Net Net for gaNet fgor Trowel (TSurrey)
CCtre Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
Trowel TTrowel TTrowel rades Crades (rades Surrey)
Trowel Ttre rades tre (CSurrey)
(tre Surrey)
(Surrey)
3 3 yrs.
yrs. 3 3 yyrs.
rs.
3 yrs.
$17 o $17 to to $$17 $44
44t$17 $17 to $$44
t44
o $44
12 12 /12 /3 w
ks. /h /hrs. 3ks. // / 3
,240 h hrs. 12 wwks. ks. 3,240 ,240 w
12 ks. w
rs. 3,240 ,240 rs. /h / rs. rades / CTtre CONCRETE CONCRETE FINISHER
FFINISHER
Net for gaNet fgor Trowel (TSurrey)
CCtre CONCRETE FCONCRETE INISHER
Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
Trowel TTrowel TTrowel rades Crades (rades Surrey)
CONCRETE INISHER
FINISHER Net Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
Trowel Ttre rades tre (CSurrey)
(tre Surrey)
(Surrey)
3 3 yrs.
yrs. 3 3 yyrs.
rs.
3 yrs.
$16 o $16 to to $$16 $35
35t$16 $16 to $$35
t35
o $35
CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION CCAMP CONSTRUCTION AMP CCAMP CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION AMP CAMP Net Net for gaNet fgor 5,000 5,000 / /3 3
y hrs.
ob
Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
5,000 hhrs rs yhrs rs.
on the the jon jon obthe Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
5,000 5,000 rs / /h3 rs 3 y yrs.
/rs.
3 yrs.on ton he job
tjob
he job
CULINARY CULINARY W
W
CULINARY CULINARY WORKER
ORKER
CULINARY WORKER
ORKER
WORKER
$22 o $22 to to $$22 $36
36t$22 $22 to $$36
t36
o $36
CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION CCRAFT CONSTRUCTION RAFT C C
RAFT CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION RAFT CRAFT WORKER
WORKER
WORKER
WORKER
WORKER
$14 o $14 to to $$14 $39
39t$14 $14 to $$39
t39
o $39
*apprenAceship *apprenAceship pprogram pprogram is rogram is is csoming contact oon; cContact LCocal 1C1611
L611
ocal *apprenAceship rogram is coming cpoming soming oon; csontact SWU LCSWU ocal *apprenAceship *apprenAceship rogram coon; is coming soon; soon; cCSWU ontact contact SWU SWU Local
L1o
25 25 /25 /9 w
ks. /h /hrs. 9ks. // / 9 E,000 h Electrical rain. Jnt. CComm. TJomm. rain. CComm. 25 wwks. ks. 9,000 ,000 lectrical Jnt. Train. w
25 ks. w
rs. 9,000 ,000 hrs. rs. /h /rs. E Electrical /Jlectrical nt. ETlectrical Jnt. Tnt. rain. Train. omm. Comm. $16 to $$16 $5,000 o $5,000 $5,000 $16 to $35
35t$16 $5,000 $5,000 $16 to $$35
t35
o $35
5 5 yrs.
(Port CCoquitlam)
yrs. 5 5 yyrs.
(Port CCoquitlam)
oquitlam)
5 yrs. (Port (Port oquitlam)
rs.
(Port Coquitlam)
6 6 mmonths 6 6 m
cm
redit is ics gredit ifs ior piven or training. training. C tContact he t
onths conths redit iven fs gor training. Contact ontact tontact he JTC
onths 6 months cgiven redit credit given ipre-­‐apprenAceship s re-­‐apprenAceship gfiven for ppre-­‐apprenAceship for re-­‐apprenAceship pre-­‐apprenAceship t C
raining. training. ECEJTC
ont
to to hto low earn to ghh
et into o he eignto tihe level trades lntry evel pltevel rades pprogram.
to learn learn how tlo gow et ithnto tet entry ntry leevel terades program.
learn to earn ow tow o gtget the o into et nto the tentry he ntry level trogram.
rades trades rogram.
progra
BRICKLAYER
BRICKLAYER
BRICKLAYER
BRICKLAYER
BRICKLAYER
CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION ELECTRICIAN
ELECTRICIAN
ELECTRICIAN
ELECTRICIAN
ELECTRICIAN
8 8 wwks. /48 ks. /h /hrs. 4ks. // / 4
,000 hhrs. ks. /8 w
4,000 ,000 w
ks. 8 w
rs. 4,000 ,000 rs. /h / rs. / —
no no no charge*
charge*
—
no charge*
cno harge*
charge* 2 yrs. 2 yrs.
2 yrs. 2 yrs.
2 yrs.
—— —
*apprenAces *apprenAces eend nd ueu
ap *apprenAces nd uup p $ee$390 390 ahead *apprenAces *apprenAces nd nd p $head $390 u390 p $a390 ahead head ahead *members *members eend nd ueup a$ahead (a non m
embers-­‐$2,700 ( embers-­‐$2,700 non aahead)
*members nd uup p $ee$4,000 4,000 (ahead non head)aahea
*members *members nd nd p $4,000 uhead 4,000 p $4,000 head am
head (non (m
non members-­‐$2,700 embers-­‐$2,700 members-­‐$2,700
he
*apprenAces *apprenAces eend nd ueup a$ahead aahead *apprenAces nd uup p $ee$4,000 4,000 *apprenAces *apprenAces nd nd p $4,000 uhead 4,000 p $4,000 head ahead 14 14 /14 /4 w
ks. /h /hrs. 4ks. // / 4 .020 hhrs. IUOE /h / rs. Training 1115 ite site 14 wwks. ks. 4.020 .020 IUOE Training sraining ite w
14 ks. w
rs. 4.020 .020 rs. 1115 /IUOE 15 IUOE IUOE 15 T1sraining T15 Training site site CRANE CRANE PERATOR OOPERATOR O
$6,500 CRANE O
O
PERATOR PERATOR $6,500 $6,500 CRANE CRANE PERATOR $6,500 $6,500 4 4 yrs.
(Maple (Maple R(Maple RRidge)
yrs. 4 4 yyrs.
(Maple Ridge)
idge)
rs.
4 yrs.
idge)
(Maple Ridge)
$24 o $24 to to $$24 $45
45t$24 $24 to $$45
t45
o $45
DRYWALL DRYWALL FINISHER FFINISHER /INISHER / F INISHER / / / 12 12 /12 /4 w
ks. /h /hrs. 4ks. // / 4 ,500 hhrs. Finishing /h / rs. Trades ITnst. Inst. DRYWALL FINISHER 12 wwks. ks. 4,500 ,500 Finishing Trades Irades DRYWALL DRYWALL w
12 ks. w
rs. 4,500 ,500 rs. / Finishing Finishing Finishing Tnst. rades Trades Inst. Inst. Net Net for gaNet fgor Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
TAPERS
2 2 yrs.
(Surrey)
(Surrey)
yrs. 2 2 yyrs.
(Surrey)
TAPERS
TAPERS
rs.
2 yrs.
(Surrey)
TAPERSTAPERS
(Surrey)
$17 o $17 to to $$17 $38
38t$17 $17 to $$38
t38
o $38
*members *members eend nd ueup a$ahead (non a(non m
embers-­‐$500)
(embers-­‐$500)
non *members nd uup p $ee$2,750 2,750 *members *members nd nd p $2,750 uhead 2,750 p $2,750 ahead head am
head (non (m
non members-­‐$500)
embers-­‐$500)
members-­‐$50
18 18 /18 /6 w
ks. /h /hrs. 6ks. // / 6 ,400 hhrs. Finishing /h / rs. Trades ITnst. Inst. 18 wwks. ks. 6,400 ,400 Finishing Trades Irades w
18 ks. w
rs. 6,400 ,400 rs. / Finishing Finishing Finishing Tnst. rades Trades Inst. Inst. Net Net for gaNet fgor Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
3 3 yrs.
(Surrey)
(Surrey)
yrs. 3 3 yyrs.
(Surrey)
rs.
3 yrs.
(Surrey)
(Surrey)
$17 o $17 to to $$17 $38
38t$17 $17 to $$38
t38
o $38
*members *members eend nd ueup a$ahead (non a(non m
embers-­‐$1,600)
(embers-­‐$1,600)
non *members nd uup p $ee$3,200 3,200 *members *members nd nd p $3,200 uhead 3,200 p $3,200 ahead head am
head (non (m
non members-­‐$1,600)
embers-­‐$1,600)
members-­‐$1,6
GLAZIER
GLAZIER
GLAZIER
GLAZIER
GLAZIER
HEAVY EEQUIPMENT HEAVY EHEAVY EQUIPMENT QUIPMENT HEAVY HEAVY QUIPMENT E QUIPMENT OPERATOR
OPERATOR
OPERATOR
OPERATOR
OPERATOR
INSULATOR
INSULATOR
INSULATOR
INSULATOR
INSULATOR
IUOE IUOE Training 1115 ite site IUOE 1115 15 Training sraining ite IUOE IUOE 15 T1sraining T15 Training site site 18,000
12 /12 /3 w
rs.
/ /3ks. 18,00018,000
12 wwks. ks. 3 yw
ks. yks. rs.w
18,000
18,000 12 12 3 y yrs.
/rs.
3 yrs.(Maple (Maple RRidge)
(Maple R(Maple Ridge)
idge)
idge)
(Maple Ridge)
16 16 /16 /6 w
ks. /h /hrs. 6ks. // / 6 ,000 hhrs. 16 wwks. ks. 6,000 ,000 w
16 ks. w
rs. 6,000 ,000 rs. /h /rs. / —
Net Net for gaNet fgor Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
—
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
4 4 yrs.
yrs. 4 4 yyrs.
4 yrs.
rs.
IRONWORKER IRONWORKER 14 14 /14 /3 w
ks. /h /hrs. 3ks. // / 3 ,200 hhrs. IRONWORKER 14 wwks. ks. 3,200 ,200 IRONWORKER IRONWORKER w
14 ks. w
rs. 3,200 ,200 rs. /h /rs. / —
Net Net for gaNet fgor —
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
(reinforcing)
(reinforcing)
2 2 yrs.
yrs. 2 2 yyrs.
(reinforcing)
(reinforcing)
(reinforcing)
2 yrs.
rs.
IRONWORKER IRONWORKER 35 w
ks. 35 /
4
w
,200 ks. /
h
rs. 4
,200 /
h
rs. /
IRONWORKER 35 wks. 35 / 4w
,200 IRONWORKER IRONWORKER 35 ks. w/hks. rs. 4,200 // 4 ,200 hrs. h/rs. / —
$1,300 $1,300 —
$1,300 $1,300 $1,300 (generalist)
(generalist)
3 3 yrs.
yrs. 3 3 yyrs.
(generalist)
(generalist)
(generalist)
rs.
3 yrs.
$20 o $20 to to $$20 $32
32t$20 $20 to $$32
t32
o $32
—— —
$17 o $17 to to $$17 $34
34t$17 $17 to $$34
t34
o $34
*apprenAces *apprenAces eend nd ueup a$ahead aahead *apprenAces nd uup p $ee$1,700 1,700 *apprenAces *apprenAces nd nd p $1,700 uhead 1,700 p $1,700 head ahead —— —
$22 o $22 to to $$22 $31
31t$22 $22 to $$31
t31
o $31
*apprenAces *apprenAces eend nd ueup and $head aahead *apprenAces nd uup p $ee$,800 ,800 ahead *apprenAces *apprenAces nd p $,800 u,800 p $,800 head ahead —— —
$22 o $22 to to $$22 $31
31t$22 $22 to $$31
t31
o $31
LATHER LATHER /LATHER INTERIOR /INTERIOR / INTERIOR 14 14 /14 /4 w
ks. /h /hrs. 4ks. // / 4 ,500 hhrs. Finishing /h / rs. Trades ITnst. Inst. LATHER /INTERIOR 14 wwks. ks. 4,500 ,500 Finishing Trades Irades LATHER /INTERIOR w
14 ks. w
rs. 4,500 ,500 rs. / Finishing Finishing Finishing Tnst. rades Trades Inst. Inst. Net Net for gaNet fgor Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
SYSTEMS SYSTEMS MMECHANIC
MMECHANIC
4 4 yrs.
(Surrey)
(Surrey)
yrs. 4 4 yyrs.
(Surrey)
SYSTEMS SYSTEMS ECHANIC
MECHANIC
rs.
4 yrs.
(Surrey)
SYSTEMS ECHANIC
(Surrey)
$17 o $17 to to $$17 $38
38t$17 $17 to $$38
t38
o $38
*members *members eend nd ueup a$ahead (non a(non m
embers-­‐$2,500)
(embers-­‐$2,500)
non *members nd uup p $ee$3,750 3,750 *members *members nd nd p $3,750 uhead 3,750 p $3,750 ahead head am
head (non (m
non members-­‐$2,500)
embers-­‐$2,500)
members-­‐$2,5
PAINTER-­‐DECORATOR PAINTER-­‐DECORATOR / / / / / 15 15 /15 /5 w
ks. /h /hrs. 5ks. // / 5 ,400 hhrs. Finishing /h / rs. Trades ITnst. Inst. PAINTER-­‐DECORATOR 15 wwks. ks. 5,400 ,400 Finishing Trades Irades PAINTER-­‐DECORATOR PAINTER-­‐DECORATOR w
15 ks. w
rs. 5,400 ,400 rs. / Finishing Finishing Finishing Tnst. rades Trades Inst. Inst. Net Net for gaNet fgor Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
PAINTER PAINTER (industrial)
(industrial)
3 3 yrs.
(Surrey)
(Surrey)
yrs. 3 3 yyrs.
(Surrey)
PAINTER PAINTER (industrial)
(industrial)
rs.
3 yrs.
(Surrey)
PAINTER (industrial)
(Surrey)
$14 o $14 to to $$14 $40
40t$14 $14 to $$40
t40
o $40
*members *members eend nd ueup a$ahead (non a(non m
embers-­‐$2,200)
(embers-­‐$2,200)
non *members nd uup p $ee$3,400 3,400 *members *members nd nd p $3,400 uhead 3,400 p $3,400 ahead head am
head (non (m
non members-­‐$2,200)
embers-­‐$2,200)
members-­‐$2,2
IUOE IUOE Training 1115 ite site IUOE 1115 15 Training sraining ite IUOE IUOE 15 T1sraining T15 Training site site $200 /33 rs.
/ /3ks. ks. /3 w
3 yw
ks. yks. rs.
$200 $200 $200 $200 3 3 wwks. 3 w
3 y yrs.
/rs.
3 yrs.(Maple (Maple RRidge)
(Maple R(Maple Ridge)
idge)
idge)
(Maple Ridge)
$20 o $20 to to $$20 $45
45t$20 $20 to $$45
t45
o $45
PLANT PERATOR
OOPERATOR
PLANT OPLANT OPLANT PERATOR
PLANT PERATOR
OPERATOR
12 12 /12 /3 w
ks. /h /hrs. 3ks. // / 3 ,600 hhrs. 12 wwks. ks. 3,600 ,600 w
12 ks. w
rs. 3,600 ,600 rs. /h /rs. / —
ROOFER ROOFER / /S HINGLER
/ /S SHINGLER
Net for gaNet fgor ROOFER SROOFER HINGLER
Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
—
ROOFER HINGLER
/ SHINGLER Net Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
3 3 yrs.
yrs. 3 3 yyrs.
3 yrs.
rs.
$14 o $14 to to $$14 $27
27t$14 $14 to $$27
t27
o $27
*apprenAces *apprenAces eend nd ueup a$ahead aahead *apprenAces nd uup p $ee$3,800 3,800 *apprenAces *apprenAces nd nd p $3,800 uhead 3,800 p $3,800 head ahead Net Net for gaNet fgor 24 24 /24 /6 w
ks. /h /hrs. 6ks. // / 6 ,400 hhrs. Sheet /h /rs. Sheet WW
Morkers' etal 24 wwks. ks. 6,400 ,400 Sheet etal Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce* for pprenAce* apprenAce* w
24 ks. w
rs. 6,400 ,400 rs. M
/M
etal Sheet Sheet Morkers' etal MW
etal Workers' orkers' Workers' Net gain gain for apprenAce* pprenAce* SHEET SHEET ETAL W
MW
ORKER
ETAL WWORKER
SHEET M
M
ETAL ORKER
SHEET SHEET M
ETAL METAL ORKER
WORKER $160 (non $160 mm
ember)
(ember)
non Training CTraining (CSurrey)
(Surrey)
yrs. 4 4 yyrs.
Training Centre entre (Centre Surrey)
$160 $160 (non (m
non member)
ember)
member)4 4 yrs.
4 yrs.Training entre (Surrey)
rs.
Training Centre (Surrey)
$160 (non $17 o $17 to to $$17 $34
34t$17 $17 to $$34
t34
o $34
*members *members eend nd ueup a$ahead aahead *members nd uup p $ee$1,440 1,440 *members *members nd nd p $1,440 uhead 1,440 p $1,440 head ahead TEAMSTER
TEAMSTER
TEAMSTER
TEAMSTER
TEAMSTER
$29 o $29 to to $$29 $43
43t$29 $29 to $$43
t43
o $43
TILESETTER
TILESETTER
TILESETTER
TILESETTER
TILESETTER
$5,600*
$5,600*
$5,600*
$5,600*
$5,600*
2 2 yrs.
yrs. 2 2 yyrs.
rs.
2 yrs.
——
—— —
—— —
4 4 wwks. /44 ks. /h /hrs. 4ks. / 4 ,800 hhrs. ks. /4 w
4,800 ,800 w
ks. 4 w
rs. 4,800 ,800 rs. h rs. rades CTtre Net Net for gaNet fgor Trowel (TSurrey)
CCtre Net gain gain for apprenAce*
pprenAce*
Trowel TTrowel TTrowel rades Crades (rades Surrey)
Net gain ain fain or aapprenAce*
for pprenAce*
apprenAce*
Trowel Ttre rades tre (CSurrey)
(tre Surrey)
(Surrey)
/ / 33 y rs.
yrs./ / 33 y yrs.
/ rs.
3 yrs.
$17 o $17 to to $$17 $35
35t$17 $17 to $$35
t35
o $35
*Class icence 11 al icence aand relevant aAare recommended.
aare *Class 1*Class 1 l*Class licence nd vicence arious rnd elevant Ackets ckets re rAecommended.
*Class land icence 1v larious nd vraelevant various arious various rAelevant relevant Ackets ckets ckets re recommende
raecommend
re recomm
*apprenAces *apprenAces eend nd ueup a$ahead aahead *apprenAces nd uup p $ee$2,740 2,740 *apprenAces *apprenAces nd nd p $2,740 uhead 2,740 p $2,740 head ahead The work/The worker
Trades covered by the BC Building Trades
Asphalt Paving Technician
The work: Asphalt Paving Technicians operate machines that lay, screed, rake, compact or
mill surface materials in highway and road
construction with the aid of stakes and level
gauges. Technicians may also be responsible
for the basic maintenance of equipment, safety around equipment and the compliance of
markers, grades and stakes.
The worker: Key attributes are mechanical
aptitude, manual dexterity and an ability to
do hard physical work. Asphalt paving technicians must also be able to work individually
and as team members.
Bricklayer
The work: Bricklayers lay bricks, concrete
blocks, stone and other similar materials to
construct or repair walls, arches, chimneys,
fireplaces and other structures in accordance
with blueprints and specifications. They may
be self-employed or work for construction
companies and bricklaying contractors.
The worker: Bricklayers should be in good
physical condition, aware of safety issues and
have good manual dexterity. They also need a
good sense of balance because they work with
heavy equipment and materials on narrow
platforms and scaffolds. Bricklayers also need
to have a good aesthetic eye and be able to
recognize patterns, lines and proportions.
Concrete Finisher
The work: Concrete finishers smooth and
finish freshly poured concrete, apply curing or
surface treatments and install, maintain and
restore various masonry structures such as
foundations, floors, walls, ceilings, sidewalks,
roads, patios and high rise buildings. They
may be self-employed or work for construction companies, cement and concrete contractors and manufacturers of pre-cast concrete
products.
The worker: Key attributes for people entering this trade are stamina, spatial perception
and hand-eye coordination. Artistic skills are
also helpful in this trade. Some physical activities of this trade are heavy lifting, climbing,
balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching,
crawling and reaching.
Construction Camp
Culinary Worker
The work: Construction camp culinary workers cook, prepare, season and present a wide
variety of foods, desserts and baked goods.
They provide complete meals or individual
dishes. They plan menus, estimate food
requirements and cost, monitor and order
supplies and oversee others in the preparation,
cooking and handling of food.
The worker: Creativity, a keen sense of taste
and smell, interest in precision work and a
good memory for details are key attributes for
people entering this trade. Cooks must be
able to remember recipes and be able to adapt
them to available supplies and to the current
need. They work with a variety of equipment,
must be conscious of health information, be
well organized and able to multi-task. Solid
mathematical, communication and customer
service skills are also important.
Construction Craft Worker
The work: Construction Craft Workers
(Labourers) work in industrial, commercial
and institutional construction; road building;
traffic control; pre-cast cement; rail maintenance; mining/diamond drilling; tunneling
and landscaping. Their tasks include site
preparation and cleanup, setting up and
removing access equipment, working on concrete and masonry, steel, wood and pre-cast
erecting projects. They handle materials and
equipment and perform demolition, excavation and compaction activities. They may also
be responsible for site security.
The worker: Key attributes for workers in
this trade are mechanical aptitude, manual
dexterity and an ability to do hard physical
work. They must also be able to work both as
team members, and sometimes, to interact
directly with the public where such considerations as safety and legal liability are at issue.
16 Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
Construction Electrician
The work: Electricians lay out, assemble,
install, test, troubleshoot and repair electrical
wiring, fixtures, control devices and related
equipment in buildings and other structures.
They may be self-employed or work for
electrical contractors and maintenance
departments of buildings and other
establishments.
The worker: Individuals working in these
professions typically have an interest in
mechanical processes and wiring. They must
pay attention to detail and conduct precision
work. They need to have good physical mobility and be able to work in high places. Workers in this group must also be able to distinguish colours to work with colour-coded
wiring.
Crane Operator
The work: Crane operators operate cranes or
draglines to lift, move and position heavy
objects, such as building materials or
machinery, at construction or industrial sites,
ports, railway yards, surface mines and similar
locations. They are employed by construction,
industrial, mining, cargo handling and railway
companies and contractors.
The worker: Workers in this field typically
have an interest in technology and mechanics.
They should have good eyesight and excellent
depth perception and eye-hand coordination.
They should also have good concentration,
balance and stamina. Operators must be able
to work safely for long hours, under stress and
with the pressure of deadlines. They are
required to work under all kinds of environmental and hazardous conditions, sometimes
in confined spaces.
r
Drywall Finisher
The work: Drywall Finishers prepare, tape,
fill and sand drywall seams, corners and angles
in a variety of different environments and
contexts.
continued on page 18
Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
17
continued from page 6
The worker: Key attributes are good eyehand coordination and the ability to work at
heights and pay attention to detail. The work
requires lifting and positioning heavy building
materials in a fast-paced environment. The
work is physically demanding.
Glazier
The work: Glaziers fabricate and install windows, commercial storefront and curtain-wall
systems, as well as fabricate and install specialty glass and products.
The worker: Glaziers require good reading,
writing and verbal communication skills, as
well as mathematical ability. Physical strength
and stamina are necessary to work with heavy
glass materials, and good eyesight is needed to
measure, cut and detect flaws in glass and
other materials. Manual dexterity, analytical
ability, troubleshooting skills and the ability to
work alone and in teams are also important
qualities.
Heavy Equipment Operator
The work: Heavy equipment operators
operate heavy equipment in the construction
and maintenance of roads, bridges, airports,
gas and oil pipelines, tunnels, buildings and
other structures; in surface mining and
quarrying activities; and in material handling
work. These workers are employed by
construction companies, heavy equipment
contractors, public works departments and
pipeline, logging, cargo-handling and other
companies.
The worker: Key attributes for people entering this trade are good eye-hand coordination,
mechanical aptitude, alertness and safety consciousness. Heavy equipment operators sit in
vehicles for extended periods of time. Adjusting equipment or co-ordinating activities with
other workers may require walking, lifting and
bending.
Insulator-Industrial
The work: Insulators working in the industrial sector install insulation and jacketing in
The worker: Workers should be comfortable
working at heights and in cramped spaces.
Insulators need to pay close attention to detail
when cutting and fitting insulation. They
must also keep their skills and techniques up
to date in order to adapt to new insulation
materials, building codes and energy efficiency
guidelines.
Insulator-Commercial/Institutional
The work:In this sector, insulators work in
hospitals, schools, high-rise offices and residential towers. They install insulation materials to Heat, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
(HVAC) systems and plumbing systems,
install fire-stopping systems and apply heat
tracing.
The worker: Workers should be comfortable
working at heights and in cramped spaces.
Insulators need to pay close attention to detail
when cutting and fitting insulation. They
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18 Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
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facilities such as pulp mills, chemical plants,
oil refineries, gas plants, shipyards and many
other manufacturing and processing industries. Types of equipment and piping to be
insulated include steam and process piping,
steam turbines, large boilers, storage tanks,
heat exchangers and vessels.
must also keep their skills and techniques up
to date in order to adapt to new insulation
materials, building codes and energy efficiency
guidelines.
Ironworker-Reinforcing
Ironworker-Generalist
The work: Ironworkers fabricate, erect, hoist,
install, repair and service structural ironwork,
pre-cast concrete, concrete reinforcing materials, curtain walls, ornamental iron and other
metals used in the construction of buildings,
bridges, highways, dams and other structures
and equipment.
The worker: Ironworkers (reinforcing) work
outside in all weather. They may also work in
underground work sites. They work in a variety of locations (dams, bridges, mining projects and urban environments) and on a variety of projects (high-rise buildings, parking
garages, transit systems, tunnels and stadiums). The work may require that they be
away from home for extended periods of time
and often requires considerable standing,
bending, crawling, lifting, climbing, pulling
and reaching and is often conducted in
cramped, confined spaces or at heights. Ironworkers have good mechanical aptitude, the
ability to visualize finished products in three
dimensions and the ability to work at heights
in varying extreme climates.
Lather / Interior Systems Mechanic
The work: Lathers frame interior walls and
install window frames and doors. They hang
drywall, t-bars, suspended ceilings and steel
studs.
The worker: Key attributes are good eyehand coordination and the ability to work at
heights and pay attention to detail. Lathers
must be able to read and interpret information from drawings, blueprints and specifications. The work may require lifting and positioning heavy building materials in a fastpaced environment. The work is physically
demanding and requires the use of personal
protective equipment.
Painter/Decorator
The work: Painters/Decorators apply decorative and protective finishes in commercial,
institutional and industrial settings. They pre-
pare a variety of surfaces (wood, masonry, drywall, plaster, concrete, synthetics, stucco and
metal) prior to the application of materials
such as paint, high performance coatings,
waterproofing, fireproofing, varnish, shellac,
wall coverings and specialty finishes.
The worker: Key attributes are manual dexterity, excellent colour perception and artistic
aptitude. The work often requires considerable standing, kneeling and repetitive activities
such as brushing, rolling, spraying and blasting. Painters and decorators must have an eye
for detail, the ability to plan work, and
knowledge of many types of finishes, their
properties and their applications. They must
be able to calculate areas and relate such calculations to required material. Good communication and customer service skills are
required for painters and decorators who
often interact with home/business owners,
contractors, interior designers, architects and
engineers.
Sheet Metal Workers
The work: Sheet metal workers fabricate,
assemble, install and repair sheet metal
products. They may specialize in the on-site
installation or shop manufacture of sheet
metal products or in the servicing and
maintenance of installed equipment and
systems. They are employed by sheet metal
fabrication shops, sheet metal products
manufacturing companies, sheet metal work
contractors and various industrial sectors.
The worker: Sheet metal workers should have
good spatial perception and an ability to pay
close attention to detail. They must also have
good manual dexterity to work with the tools
necessary to cut and assemble sheet metal.
These workers should also be comfortable
working at heights, as well as have an aptitude
for mathematics.
Plant Operator
The work: Plant operators are responsible for
the daily operation of plants: aggregate,
asphalt or concrete and the safe handling of
materials, quality control, maintenance, troubleshooting and repairs.
The worker: Plant operators must be physically capable of performing tasks in all types
of weather, over long hours (including shiftwork and out of town) in a hazardous environment (high voltage, moving components
such as gears and conveyors) and under the
stress of production demands. They also possess good interpersonal and communications
skills. Demonstrated mechanical and electrical
aptitudes are also essential.
Teamster
The work: Teamsters drive a wide variety of
vehicles like articulated rock trucks, cat wagons, boom trucks, water trucks, buses, transit
mixers, low beds, etc.
The worker: Some machinery, like low beds,
requires considerable physical fitness. Versatility is a key attribute. Teamsters are able to run
a variety of pieces of equipment and show a
willingness to upgrade their training.
Tilesetter
Roofer / Shingler
The work: Roofers and shinglers install,
repair and replace flat roofs and shingles,
shakes and other roofing tiles on residential,
industrial and commercial buildings. They
may be self-employed or work for roofing and
general contractors.
The worker: Individuals interested in these
occupations should be able to work both
independently and in a team setting. They
should have good manual dexterity and have
an eye for detail. They should also be physically fit and able to lift heavy objects, and
must be comfortable working at heights.
The work: Tilesetters cover interior and exterior walls, floors and ceilings with ceramic,
marble and quarry tile, mosaics or terrazzo.
They may be self-employed or work for construction companies and masonry contractors.
The worker: Attributes include a good
knowledge of mathematics to calculate
weights and angles, wall and ceiling measurements, and the amount of material required
to complete the work. The ability to read
blueprints, shop drawings and specifications is
also important. Planning and visual skills are
needed in the design stage. Tilesetters are
required to have a good eye for colour and
layout, since they may prearrange tiles to confirm a specific design. Aptitudes include manual and spatial dexterity, eye-hand co-ordination and good balance and vision.
Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
19
PRESIDENT’S VIEW
BY LEE LOFTUS
BCBT President,
Business Manager
Insulators Local 118
Come on Employers Get on Track!
sites, there are 10 bad ones looking to
poach those apprentices as soon as they’re
trained.
You can’t just take from B.C.’s apprenticeship system. Sooner or later the system
will run out of gas.
The federal and provincial governments are
short sighted, but unscrupulous contractors
are not. They have been watching this problem develop for years and would never jeopardize their bottom line because of a labour
shortage. They have a Plan B.
When this free ride comes to an end; they
will simply switch cars and get behind the
wheel of a foreign model. Whether it’s modularized construction in a foreign country,
temporary foreign workers or international
contractors bringing in their own workforces,
20 Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
the jobs of the future won’t be staffed by
British Columbians. Sooner or later, we will
be on the outside looking in—just like in
Europe, Australia and other locations around
the globe.
The BC Building Trades is reaching out to
government agencies and pleading with them
to have a real discussion around real issues
and solutions.
The only way we can re-fuel is to level the
track, force everyone to participate and make
apprenticeship training and investment mandatory for receiving construction contracts.
Shawn Luke graphic
B.C.’S APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM is like
a car that’s running out of gas. We can see the
tank is emptying, but we’re still moving forward, steadfastly refusing to re-fuel. As long
as the wheels are turning, the provincial and
federal governments claim things are working.
The fuel gauge keeps angling down, apprenticeship completion rates keep falling and we
just keep driving. Our government leaders
plan to drive on this tank for four more years,
thinking it will take them to the skilled workforce they need for future major projects. But
we need to fill the tank today in order to get
where we need to be in the future.
Apprentices spend 80% of their training,
working on job sites. In order to train
apprentices, we have to be able to put them
to work today. Employers need to commit to
hiring and investing in apprenticeship training as we approach another boom. Without
employer investment, we’re just spinning our
wheels.
BC Building Trades unions and joint board
training centres are developing course curriculums and providing the training, mentorship
and essential skills support.
We can train the heck out of our apprentices. And we do, with a 90% completion
rate. But we can’t put those apprentices to
work on a job site. Only an employer can do
that. And when employers step away from
their responsibility for apprenticeship training, we end up with a generation of apprentices who have technical theory, but no practical experience on the tools. When the boom
finally comes, those same employers will pass
over those apprentices for workers with more
experience. Then we all lose.
This is how B.C. became a province of jobs
without people and people without jobs. But
the problem isn’t just employers refusing to
participate. It’s the reason why.
The problem with our apprenticeship system is systemic. In an open market tendering
process there is no incentive to invest in training. In fact, there is a distinct disincentive to
train apprentices.
In the cutthroat construction world where
cheaper is better, employers have been sucking the apprenticeship system dry and giving
nothing back for over a decade.
For every good employer who invests in
training and supports apprentices on project
Contacts
Asphalt Paving Technician
Crane Operator
Heavy Equipment Operator
Plant Operator
Apprenticeship Contact: 604-299-7764
IUOE Local 115 Training Association
(affiliated with IUOE Local 115)
EMAIL: oetp@iuoe115.com
WEBSITE: iuoe115.com/training/
Bricklayer
Tilesetter
Apprenticeship Contact: Rob Tuzzi
Trowel Trades Training Association
(affiliated with Bricklayers and Allied Trades Local 2)
12309 Industrial Road, Surrey, BC V3V 3S4
PHONE: 604-580-2463
EMAIL: info@ttta.ca
WEBSITE: ttta.ca
Concrete Finisher (Cement Mason)
Apprenticeship Contact: 604-585-9198
Apprenticeship & Trade Promotion Fund
(affiliated with Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons Local 919)
12309 Industrial Road, Surrey, BC V3V 3S4
EMAIL: info@ttta.ca
WEBSITE: ttta.ca
Construction Camp Culinary Worker
Contact: Jim Pearson
Culinary Workers Joint Liaison Committee
(affiliated with UNITE HERE! Local 40)
PHONE: 604-291-8211
EMAIL: jpearson@unitehere.org
WEBSITE: uniteherelocal40.org
Construction Craft Worker
Contact: Dean Homewood
Construction & Specialized Workers Training Society
(affiliated with Construction & Specialized Workers Union Local 1611)
Contact: 604-437-6889
EMAIL: dhomewood@cswu1611.org
WEBSITE: cswu1611.org
Drywall Finisher
Glazier
Painter-Decorator / Painter Industrial
Lather/Interior Systems Mechanic
Apprenticeship contact: 604-580-3112
Finishing Trades Institute of BC
(affiliated with District Council 38)
12277 Industrial Rd., Surrey, BC V3V 3S1
EMAIL: bbertholm@ftibc.ca
WEBSITE: ftibc.ca
Electrical-Construction
Apprenticeship Contact: 604-571-6540
Electrical Joint Training Committee
#100 – 1424 Broadway St., Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 5W2
(affiliated with IBEW Local 213)
EMAIL: info@ejtc.org
WEBSITE: ejtc.org
Apprenticeship Contact: Pat O’Connell
Western Joint Electrical Training Society
#3-5666 12th Ave., Delta, BC V4L 1C4
PHONE: 604-948-9936
EMAIL: pato@telus.net
Insulator Industrial
Insulator Commercial
Apprenticeship Contact: Lee Loftus
Insulation Industry Apprenticeship Board
(affiliated with Insulators Local 118)
PHONE: 604-877-0909
EMAIL: insulators@insulators118.org
WEBSITE: insulators118.org
Ironworker-Reinforcing
Ironworker-Generalist
Apprenticeship Contact: Derek Dinzey
Ironworkers Trade Improvement Committee
(affiliated with Ironworkers Local 97)
PHONE: 604-874-6010
EMAIL: derek@ironworkerslocal97.com
WEBSITE: ironworkerslocal97.com/apprenticeship-training/
Sheet Metal Worker
Roofer/Shingler
Apprenticeship Contact (B.C., excluding Van. Island): Jud Martell
Sheet Metal Industry Training Centre
(affiliated with Sheet Metal Workers Local 280)
19077 - 95A Ave. Surrey, B.C. V4N 4P3
PHONE: 604-882-7680
EMAIL: admin@smwtcs.ca
WEBSITE: smwtcs.ca
Jose Lam graphic
Apprenticeship Contact (Van. Island): Mark Curtis
Sheet Metal Industry Training Board
(affiliated with Sheet Metal Workers Local 276
PHONE: 250-727-3458
Teamster
Contact: Michael Evans
Teamsters Local 213 Joint Training School
(affiliated with Teamsters Local 213)
PHONE: 604-874-3654 EMAIL: teamsters213training@shaw.ca
WEBSITE: teamsters213.org/training/
Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
21
22 Special tradetalk feature on trade apprenticeships
view From ottawa
By BoB Blakely
Director of Canadian Affairs, Canadian Office,
Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
They hate me
because I’m beautiful?
The BUT is what this is all about. Consider this as well, the people who are
advocating these ideas are not union
contractors. Union members aren’t
their employees or ever likely to be.
These advocates shmooze and circle
with a few right-wing politicians and
their agenda is being firmly seized by
these politicians. The items on the list
have not yet dawned on the typical
politician or media pundit—YET.
The building trades have not
actively campaigned against any
employer or group of employers. We
have stuck to our knitting—training,
providing skilled people, managing
the collective agreements and trust
funds and doing what our members
expect of us. A recent survey of the
rank and file says our members want
jobs, at union scale and with benefits
and they want to be treated rationally. Not too much of an expectation
really!
After you read this, pass it on to
two or three people who work on the
job with you. We are not in a fight for
world domination, we’re in a fight to
keep our jobs, at union scale with
benefits and to be treated rationally.
Let me be plain spoken here, our
foes want to destroy us. Talk to anyone in the U.S. where they’ve had the
treatment and see where wages, benefits and working conditions are! So,
hold onto your hats Building Trades.
We’re going to a fight we have never
been to before!
Jose Lam graphic
THE HEADLINE IS PROVOCATIVE to
get you to read to the bottom,
because this affects your future, your
wellbeing and your wallet.
Union members take a lot for granted. For many, good times have been
here, without fail since we were
youngsters starting in the trade. Sure
there have been some rough spots,
some unemployment but generally it
has gotten better. A quick look at any
newspaper will confirm that skilled
trades people are in demand.
So, we’re both beautiful and in
demand. What could go wrong? Well,
the answer is lots.
There are a number of people who
don’t like a lot of things about us.
This isn’t news to most of you; it has
been around for a long, long time. A
union hater or two shows up in business or in government every now and
then but sane people swamp them in
a sea of pragmatism.
Unions play a vital role in the
affairs of workers in Canada. When
we bargain, we don’t just set the
union rate, we set the industry rate.
The non-union sector raises its rates
when we get a raise because its rates
always track ours. When we get a benefit it offers one too, although it may
be less.
So, we’re not just a threat in the
competition for work, we’re a threat
because we’re driving wages up and,
in a competitive marketplace, that
impacts profit and availability of people.
Remember I said there used to be
the odd whacko? This is no longer the
case. The foes of the organized sector
(I didn’t use union because they hate
our contractors as much as they hate
us) are now ORGANIZED, FUNDED
and ON THE OFFENSIVE!
The plan they are using is complex,
well thought out, multi-faceted and
interlocking. It is national in scope
and uses the very successful playbook
from the U.S. It hides its true nature
with rhetoric.
Consider the statement “Unions are
a vital and necessary part of the modern industrial relations system, but—.”
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 23
Liquid natural gas
Just pipe dreams?
By Joe Barrett
CLOSE TO 20 COMPANIES proposing
12 projects are making moves to
export liquid natural gas (LNG) from
B.C.’s northwest coast, according to
the Tyee and other news sources. The
dream involves over tens of billions of
dollars in investments. There are now
five serious proposals, each with separate pipelines and compressor stations. The five proponents propose
huge liquefaction plants with two to
three production trains (the plants’
24 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
liquefaction and purification facilities)
at their port terminals. Hydro dams
and power plants are also required to
provide power and water for the operations.
A dream come true for
construction?
Long-time residents of Kitimat and
Prince Rupert remember numerous
LNG export proposals over the last 30
years, the first going back to Dome
Petroleum in 1981. This time is different, maybe.
First, the National Energy Board
(NEB) has already approved three
export licenses; Apache/Chevron,
Shell and for the BCLNG Haisla
Nation. Another three approvals are
expected, (Petronas, BG Group and
Imperial).
We’ve also seen some significant
investments.
Uncertainties and risks
It’s hard to see the business case for
B.C. LNG producers. It’s estimated
that producers require $8 to $10 per
MBtu to make a profit.
However, Asian buyers are looking
for cheap deals. It’s a buyers’ market
with fierce competition from producers in the U.S. and Australia, and markets in North America are weak.
New extraction techniques are to
blame. Fracking and horizontal
drilling have added 100s of trillions of
cubic feet to existing and new gas
reserves.
With fracking comes environmental
concerns: water contamination and
the release of methane gas. Methane
traps 20 to 25% more heat in the
atmosphere than CO2.
With the growing world glut, gas is
now selling for $3 MMBtu in North
America. In the race to the bottom,
Texas’ Cheneire Energy recently
signed with Korea Gas (KOGAS). It’s a
bargain at just $3 MMBtu with a 15%
indexing to the Henry Hub price (the
primary price set for the North American natural gas market).
China is now fracking its own shale
gas. Meanwhile, massive new gas
reserves in Mozambique and Israel
have been discovered.
Finally, Japan is no longer desperate
for LNG. It’s re-started its nuclear
plants. Japan is also leading research
to extract deep-sea methane
hydrates.
With these uncertainties, Asians are
shying away from long-term contracts. So far, only BCLNG-Haisla
Nation has signed a deal with customers.
Cost over-runs and cheap
offshore construction
In Australia, seven projects worth
over $140 billion, are already under
construction. Chevron, Shell and
Exxon, the same multinational proponents in B.C., are facing huge cost
overruns. The Financial Post cites the
Gorgon project. Construction costs
have soared from an initial $15 billion to $52 billion!
Of the seven projects, four have
overruns of 15 to 40%. Woodside
Petroleum’s Browse LNG plant is now
to be built offshore as a floating liquefaction plant. This will shave $10 billion (20%) off the original $45 billion
investment.
Royalties for B.C.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark has
placed her bets on exports of LNG. In
February, Clark projected government
revenues of $4.3 to $8.7 billion annually by 2020 and a legacy prosperity
fund that could reach $100 billion
over 30 years. The royalties scared
producers and they protested loudly.
Re-elected in May, Clark has
changed her tune. Now she says B.C.
will have the most competitive tax
jurisdiction in the world. In June,
Clark said she wanted to “finalize taxation negotiations” with one of the
proponents “in the next two
months.” Tax burdens will be low so
that companies won’t face “onerous
revenue burdens regardless of global
LNG prices,” she said.
A gas give away?
“Premier Clark is coming down to
earth,” responded Robin Austin, NDP
critic for Natural Gas Development, in
an interview with Tradetalk Magazine.
Austin added that the NDP is supportive of new industries like LNG, but
“We’re more realistic.”
Foreign workers
Faced with a shortage of skilled
Canadian workers, proponents will
likely import from the U.S. and
abroad. “I just can’t see how these
projects can be built without more
temporary foreign workers,” Austin
predicted. “This government hasn’t
invested in skills training.”
As MLA for Terrace and Kitimat,
Austin has witnessed the change.
“There are now five jets a day from
Terrace to Vancouver (the previous
maximum was three flights daily).
“Half the plane is full of workers
going back home to the U.S.A. or
Alberta.” The NorthWest Transmission
line and the Alcan modernization
project already rely on workers from
outside the province.
Power sources for liquefaction
The process of turning natural gas
to LNG requires cooling the gas to 162 C. That takes a lot of energy.
Refrigeration compressors for Shell’s
proposal would consume 200 MW of
electricity. BG’s massive project
would need 800 MWs. Site C proposes a maximum generation of 1100
MW. BC Hydro will be announcing
its plans to fuel LNG requirements
soon.
Some of the power could come
from the Forest-Kerr Hydro independent power project (195 MWs delivered on the proposed Northwest
Transmission Line). The LNG proponents might also build their own LNG
thermal power plants.
That said, there is an advantage to
B.C.’s north coast over Australia and
the U.S. Gas liquefaction in a cold
environment is cheaper.
What’s next?
Until we see more signed contracts
with Asian customers, dreams of prosperity from LNG will remain just that.
If Apache doesn’t receive its Notice to
Proceed on construction this fall it
may all evaporate into pipe dreams.
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 25
Local unions embracing codes of excellence
By Claudia Ferris
ON A SUNNY SATURDAY IN Victoria,
building contractors and electricians
gathered in a boardroom to work on
their teambuilding skills. This elite
industry group came together to talk
about the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers’ (IBEW) Code of
Excellence Program. The workshop
covered work ethics, customer relations and bringing out the best in
your team. Employers and union
members signed on for the training,
with the goal of winning greater market share in the construction industry.
The international union offers code
of excellence training throughout
North America. Canadian locals
access the training once they sign
onto the program. The workshops are
designed to help union members
demonstrate and promote their skills
and professionalism.
Facilitator Jim Watson, an international rep in the international union’s
Education Department, led the group
discussion, providing perspective and
statistics and drawing out personal
stories and experiences. Participants
shared their expertise about what
works and what problems need
addressing in order to make IBEW
contractors the first choice in a competitive construction market.
Watson, formerly the president of
IBEW Local 424 in Edmonton, was
hooked on the value of adopting the
code as soon as Local 424 members
began carrying the code standards to
their job sites. He said, “We had 160
electricians working at the peak of an
Enbridge tank farm project, and the
client told us they noticed a difference in the attitude of the trades on
the job because of the leadership
demonstrated by the electricians.”
Watson said his first project under the
code of excellence was brought in on
time and on budget and with a 15%
increase in productivity. Productivity
is measured by comparing bid hours
26 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
with the actual hours to complete a
project.
Watson said he believes the message of excellence links to the roots of
the union movement: A fair day’s
work for a fair day’s wage. “I believe
that, in today’s economy, we can’t
afford ‘us against them.’ The code is
based on the tradition of working
together.”
IBEW Local 230, on Vancouver
Island, is running its code of excellence training every six months for its
members and contractors. Two courses held last year had representation
from 10 companies and more than 50
participants. Business Manager Phil
Venoit said his local’s members and
signatory contractors believe the program is exactly what they need to
help ensure their success in the construction industry. Venoit said they
are getting strong engagement
because, “the code instils a sense of
pride and professionalism in our
members. It opens their minds so
that they can approach issues and
conflicts differently, which allows
them to project a great attitude on
and off the job.”
The IBEW apprentices and seasoned
journeypersons and employers were
bound by a common interest in wanting to be the best, rather than believing they already knew it all. Participants returned to their workplaces
committed to setting high standards
of productivity for themselves and
their co-workers and knowing how to
hold the companies they work with
to the same high standard.
any opportunities to retain and grow
its market.
Business Manager Jim Paquette
explained that his local signed onto
the program created by their international union because “every member
needs to realize that we are a servicebased industry and we need to keep
up excellent service to succeed.”
Paquette noted that his older members have a strong work ethic that
younger members need to understand
and practice. He said, “I think there is
a generation out there that were
raised very well and given a lot of
things, such as electronic gadgets,
and they may not understand how
those things were provided.” He said,
“Getting what you want is not just a
matter of pulling out your credit card
and buying it. It is about working for
it. There needs to be a little pain to
get the gain and everyone has to
work hard to create their own success.”
Paquette believes that his union’s
code of excellence will help his members enhance their reputation in the
industry. “If you have strong work
skills and develop a good name in the
industry you will always be working.
If you don’t have a strong work ethic,
that will follow you around too.”
Good attitude brings
a good reputation
Another code of excellence program has just been formally adopted
by the membership of the Sheet
Metal Workers and Roofers Local 280,
based in Burnaby.
With 1,600 active members, and a
current 80% share of the downtown
residential high rise market, Local 280
wants to make sure it doesn’t miss
Scott Ashton, receiving his award as top
apprentice from Phil Venoit, IBEW Local
230 business manager, on behalf of the
Western Joint Electrical Training Society.
Claudia Ferris photo
IBEW and Sheet MetalWorkers/Roofers
EVERY YEAR, ON JUNE 17TH, members from Ironworkers
Local 97 come together to honour the victims and survivors
of the Second Narrows Bridge collapse in 1958. It’s been
more than 50 years, yet survivors, their families, ironworkers and members of the public still gather in a small garden
beside the bridge to pay tribute to the men who lost their
lives when two spans on the front section of the bridge collapsed.
“We expected a small turnout this year, but we had even
more people than last year,” said James Leland, business
manager for the Local 97. “[President] Cecil Damery does a
great job pulling the ceremony together every year,” he
said. “I would also like to thank the instructors from BCIT
for bringing the apprentices, and Cliff and Sharon
Nordquist for letting us use their beautiful garden again this
year.“
Damery said, “I appreciate that, as the years go by, people
seem to be coming out more and more and the event is well
received in the community.”
Brynn Bourke photo
Ironworkers Memorial
Bridge participation even
greater this year
Local 97 members (apprentices, journeypersons, retirees and
survivors of the collapse) gather to remember B.C.'s worst
industrial disaster.
The Second Narrows Bridge was renamed the Ironworkers
Memorial Second Narrows Crossing in 1994. It is the worst
industrial tragedy in the history of B.C. with the death of
19 workers—14 ironworkers, 3 engineers, a painter and a
commercial diver who died a few days later.
FOR 40 YEARS, JO-ANN RAE has been at the heart of the
Ironworker’s Local 97 office. “Jo-Ann ran the office. She
knew her job so well,” said Business Manager James Leland.
“Jo-Ann carried out her job with professionalism and had
years of experience. She knew all the ironworkers by name.
It was like we were her family.”
Local 97 gave Jo-Ann a special sendoff for her retirement.
One of Jo-Anne’s favourite places to visit is Hawaii, so
event planner Nancy Antolcic transformed the Ironworkers
Hall into a Hawaiian Luau complete with palm trees and
tiki torches.
“The officers and the members often don’t understand
the debt we owe to people like Jo-Ann. We can’t do
our job without their support,” said James Leland.
“She was dedicated to the ironworkers and stayed
Gina Spanos photography
Ironworkers Local 97 bids
farewell to Jo-Ann Rae
Ironworkers have a Hawaiian send off of Jo-Ann Rae (front);
(back) Cecil Damery, Laurence Baker, Doug Parton, James
Leland, Darrell Laboucan, and Gavin and Derek Dinzey.
on. She is going to be missed.”
The ironworkers made Jo-Ann a member and gave her a
union card, an honour they rarely bestow.
IRONWORKERS LOCAL 97
6891 MacPherson Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5J 4N2
Administration
Ph: 604-879-4191, Fax: 604-879-1110
Toll Free Number 1-866-562-2597
info@ironworkerslocal97.com
Building BC and the Yukon Territory
for over 106 years
Secure your
Family’s Future
with Excellent
Pension and
Health &
Welfare Benefits
Business Manager
JamesLeland
President
CecilDamery
RS MEMORIAL BRIDGE
IRON WORKE
Business Agent
LaurenceBaker
Apprenticeship and
Trade Improvement
Ph: 604-874-6010
DerekDinzey
Co-ordinator
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 27
28 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
Heighten your planning
around ladder safety
By Don Schouten
Manager of Construction, Industry
and Labour Services, WorkSafeBC
IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,
ladders are one of the most commonly used pieces of equipment.
But did you know they can be one
of the most dangerous pieces of
equipment if used incorrectly?
In fact, falls from ladders are one
of the leading causes of injuries in
construction—with 1,011 falls from
ladders in the past 3 years. Often the
cause was lack of proper training or
safe work practices were not followed. We use ladders so often that
we don’t usually think about how to
use them safely. But every time
someone climbs a ladder, there’s a
potential for an incident to occur.
Before getting up on a ladder, you
should ask yourself: Have you
received proper training? Is a ladder
the best tool for this job? Do you
have the right ladder for this project? Taking the time to step back
and ask these questions can help
lower the risk of an injury and help
you think about the safety precautions needed to use this piece of
equipment.
If a ladder is used, it’s important
to choose the right one for the job.
It must also be inspected before each
use to confirm that it’s in good condition and strong enough for the job
so that it can handle the load it
must carry. The Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) and the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI)
assign different load ratings to ladders based on their intended use and
the materials used to build them.
Make sure the ladder is secure at the
top and the bottom so it won’t slip.
If it is made out of aluminium or
has metal reinforcements, it should
also be kept far away from electrical
hazards.
Once the ladder has been properly
inspected and set up, it’s important
to remember to always face the ladder when using it and to keep your
weight between the ladder supports.
Need specific tools? Put them on
your tool belt or use a hand line
because you always want to be able
to maintain three points of contact
with the ladder at all times.
Think only extension ladders are
potential hazards? Stepladders may
not seem dangerous but serious
injuries and even deaths can occur
from falling even a short distance to
the ground. The same inspection,
setup, and usage steps should be followed before beginning work from a
stepladder.
Ladders may be an important part
of getting the job done on a worksite, but nothing is as important as
staying safe. No matter what type of
project you’re doing, always plan for
safety. Like you plan any other part
of the job, make sure you have the
right tools and equipment.
For resources and more information on how to prevent falls from
ladders, check out the Safety at Work
section on WorkSafeBC.com.
Please let me know what you
think of this topic or any construction safety issue. Call me at 604-2146989 from the Lower Mainland or
toll-free elsewhere at 1-888-6217233. Or email don.schouten@worksafebc.com. I’d like to hear from
you.
Don schouten
Job safety
Teleclaim centre open from
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Workers who've been injured on the
job, can call WorkSafeBC's Teleclaim
Centre between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
to file a report. A representative will
complete the injury report, explain
the claims process and help direct
the worker to other services if
necessary. The worker’s employer is
then notified of the injury and both
the worker and employer can follow
the status of the claim online.
Call 1-888-WORKERS
(1-888-967-5377) or #5377 on
your cell phone if you subscribe
to Telus Mobility, Rogers or
Bell Mobility.
Fall 2013 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 29
Consulting with WorkSafeBC
By Merrill O’Donnell
Workers’ Advocate
WHEN SOME OF OUR MEMBERS
HEAR the name WCB or WorkSafeBC,
the image that arises is that of the
enemy. That animosity isn’t completely unjustified. In 2002, the BC Liberals, bowed to the wishes of the members of business community who
wanted premiums reduced. Legitimate
compensation claims have been
denied as a result, vocational rehabilitation is inadequate and penalties are
not providing a deterrent to employers
who persistently risk workers’ lives in
unsafe workplaces.
But we must acknowledge that
WorkSafeBC does many good things,
too.
At a recent meeting with the BC
Building Trades (BCBT), Al Johnson,
the new vice president of Prevention
Services, said the agency intends to
augment its traditional prevention
strategy (which identifies where the
highest number of incident cases are
reported and directs prevention
resources to them) by focusing on
risks from major potential accidents
(e.g., mill explosions, crane collapses,
etc.) as well as preventing occupational diseases.
Offloading training costs
Lee Loftus, president of the council,
criticized the growing number of
employers who are offloading safety
training costs onto workers and their
unions. Companies used to absorb
training costs as part of the projects,
but now they are asking unions to
provide workers who are safety
trained. The council would like Work-
SafeBC to address this trend.
The lack of clarity around safety certification in the WCB regulations was
also raised. The council would like a
guide written in plain language.
Employers, employees and union representatives are often unsure what
safety training is necessary and would
like to see a more standardized
approach.
Bullying and harassment
Changes to law and policy regarding
bullying and harassment in the workplace stirred heated debate and no
shortage of questions.
The new definition states that bullying “includes any inappropriate conduct or comment by a person towards
a worker that the person knew or reasonably ought to have known would
cause that worker to be humiliated or
intimidated.” Given the rough talk in
the construction industry, the BCBT
requested specific language be crafted
to address our workplaces. For the policy to be successful, the council said
WorkSafeBC will have to play a significant role in educating and monitoring
employers. The onus cannot be on
workers to report inappropriate conduct because employers will simply
select contractors and employees who
will put up with bullying and harassment on worksites.
Drugs and alcohol
Does drug and alcohol testing lower
the frequency rates of drugs and alcohol on job sites? Many of the officers
strongly encouraged WorkSafeBC to
get to the bottom of this mystery and,
if the current system is not working,
to fix it. Even though substance abuse
testing is not part of the agency’s
mandate, the council would like
WorkSafeBC to take on this role.
Exposure to asbestos
The two-year Residential Asbestos
Demolition Initiative has eight Occupational Safety and Hygiene Officers
focused on preventing exposure to
asbestos in the Lower Mainland residential demolition industry. Although
500 claims for asbestos exposure are
filed each year, these represent only a
small percentage of the exposures
occurring at demolition sites. Officers
have found a litany of shortcomings
in the residential demolition industry:
• poor hazardous material surveys
• poor abatement practices
• improper containment and decontainment
• improper work practices
• improper respirator use or protection
• issuance of clearance letters when
materials are still in the building
• improper air monitoring practices
• inadequate instruction, training
and supervision of workers
• illegal transporting and disposal
of asbestos-containing materials
All told, WorkSafeBC is doing a lot
of constructive work to make our
workplaces safer. As a result, the BC
Building Trades will continue to support, augment and provide ongoing
guidance with respect to these efforts.
But we will also continue to critique,
monitor and encourage the agency to
strengthen its prevention and compensation regimes to better protect
and support workers.
604.877.0909 1.800.663.2738 www.insulators118.org
BC’s mechanical insulators are smart, skilled and savvy.
Working together with other trades, we get the job done right.
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BC INSULATORS Small cost. Big savings.
30 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Fall 2013
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The IUOE 115 represents over
11,000 skilled workers throughout
British Columbia and the Yukon.
We are part of North America’s
largest, strongest, and most
established trade unions.
IUOE 115’s Training Association
operates a 40 acre training facility
with recognised credentials in
over 20 trades, keeping members
competitive and employed.
The IUOE 115 plays a key role in
placing trained workers on site,
meeting the needs of Canada’s
growing industrial economy, and
securing those who build it.
IUOE 115 membership means a
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access to our credit union, and
the security of being represented
by one of the most active and
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The International Union of Operating Engineers
Local 115
4333 Ledger A
Avenue,
venue, Bunaby,
Bunaby, BC, Canada
V5G 3T3
www.iuoe115.com
1.888.486.3115
www.iuoe115.com