TRADES COMMITTEE
Your Local Union established a Trades Committee in order to make sure the rights of our members at the Highland Valley Copper Mine are upheld and protected, as per our Collective Bargaining Agreement; and to work on behalf of the creation of apprenticeship opportunities for our members. If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please contact the Committee Chair or the Union Hall at 250-828-2860 for more information on how to be a union rep, our next training schools, etc.
To View The Current Grievance Committee List, CLICK HERE
TRADES LANGUAGE – APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND TRADES TRAINING
23.01
(a) The purpose of this Article is to provide unskilled employees with the opportunity to receive occupational and vocational training through an apprenticeship. The use of equitable apprenticeship selection criteria will give the Company reasonable assurances that the apprentice, upon completion of his indentureship will become a proficient tradesperson.
(b) The Company agrees to review the ongoing apprenticeship requirements with the Union twice per year.
23.02 The educational requirements established by the Provincial Government body administering apprenticeships will be the minimum educational standards for candidacy as an apprentice.
23.03
(a) In selecting applicants for Apprenticeship Training, the Company shall post its requirements as set out in Article 10.02, and the selection shall be based upon the seniority of applicants who are qualified as established in Article 23.02 and who successfully complete the pre‑apprenticeship examination set out in Article 23.04(c).
(b) Certified Journeypersons who have been displaced from their trade classification will be accepted as candidates for apprenticeships. Where a displaced tradesperson bids and is the successful applicant for an apprenticeship, more senior employees in the same trade from where he was displaced will be given the opportunity to take the apprenticeship opening on the basis of their Company seniority. If a more senior tradesperson exercises his seniority to claim the apprenticeship opening and if the Company decides it needs to replace him in his former classification then the senior displaced tradesperson with recall rights will be recalled.
23.04 The pre-apprenticeship testing procedure will be as follows:
(a) Tests recommended for self-evaluation will be made available to employees on request. Failure to take such tests shall not jeopardize an employee’s application for apprenticeship.
(b) Formal apprenticeship selection testing will be done on Company property on Company time within fourteen (14) days of the expiry of the relevant job posting. A Union representative will be present when the tests are given and marked.
(c) Passing grades for the apprenticeship selection tests have been established as being a requirement of seventy-five percent (75%) in each of the mechanical aptitude, space relations and shop math.
(d) All scoring computations of percentages in each section will be rounded off to the next highest percentage point where any fraction of a percentage point exists.
(e) Where an applicant has failed to pass one or more sections, the employee will be allowed to bid and be retested one (1) additional time. Further retesting will only be allowed where the employee can demonstrate to the Company that some relevant upgrading has taken place since the last failure.
(f) The signing of Apprenticeships will be dated on successful completion of the pre-apprenticeship testing procedure and selection pursuant to Article 23.03.
23.05 The course content of Training Programs, evaluation of Apprentice performances and matters related thereto or regulated by statute or government regulations shall not be subject to the Grievance Procedure.
23.06
(a) In the event of a reduction of forces, Apprentices shall be laid off in accordance with their Apprentice seniority within the group of Apprentices within their trade.
(b) An Apprentice, who has been laid off pursuant to paragraph (a) above, shall be entitled to all rights of any employee under this C.B.A., including those set forth under Article 9 – Seniority.
23.07
(a) For an Apprentice absent from the job due to attendance at the Government Apprentice School, the Company shall pay the Apprentice his regular pay. Should an Apprentice fail to pass the school term examinations and is permitted to repeat the same, the Company shall pay the Apprentice as provided herein upon successful completion of school term examinations. The Company’s obligation is limited to one repeat during the term of the apprenticeship.
(b) An apprentice who fails to complete his apprenticeship shall be reassigned to the classification he held prior to entering the apprenticeship program if there is a vacancy. Where no vacancy exists he may exercise his Company seniority on bid entry jobs.
23.08
(a) The basic hourly rates for Apprentices shall be in accordance with the Appendix ‘A’ wage schedule.
(b) Indentured Apprentices that successfully complete all in-school requirements and attain the minimum work based hours as prescribed in “Appendix B Wage Grade Schedule, Rates of Pay for Indentured Apprentices” and receive the red seal endorsement as recommended for certification by the Company shall be paid the journeyperson rate. (NOTE: Article 23.11, 23.12 & 23.13 will apply for those identified Trades).
23.09
(a) The Company shall provide payment of $10.00 for each day of attendance at Government provided apprenticeship training. Such payment will be made following the training and upon receipt of the Apprentice’s Grades.
(b) The Company shall reimburse an employee who submits receipts, up to five hundred ($500.00) during the period of his indentureship for the purchase of required textbooks.
(c) The Company shall reimburse an employee who submits receipts, up to one thousand three hundred ($1,300.00) each year of successful completion of his technical training during his indentureship.
(d) Upon submission of receipts, those employees required to attend technical training away from their primary residence will be eligible for a $100.00 weekly living out allowance.
23.10 The Company and the Union agree to implement the concept of Apprentice Rotation through departments in order to provide broad exposure in the trade concerned.
23.11
(a) Warehouse Apprenticeships
The selection of candidates for warehouse apprenticeships will be in accordance with Article 23.03.
(b) Certified Warehouseperson I
Completion of Apprenticeship in Industrial Warehousing, with two hundred and seventy (270) in school hours and complete five thousand forty (5,040) work based hours and in house training programs as required, with emphasis given to JDE training.
Certified Warehouseperson II
To progress to Warehouseperson II, Wage Grade Eight (8), the employee will complete nine hundred and forty-five (945) work based hours as a Certified Warehouseperson I which will include:
40 hours of training in Materials Analyst Expediting functions
and
40 hours of training in Materials Analyst Inventory Control functions
and
40 hours of training in Materials Analyst Purchasing functions
or show they possess a minimum of nine hundred and forty-five (945) hours of practical experience in the trade.
Certified Warehouseperson III
To progress to Warehouseperson III, Wage Grade Ten (10), the employee will complete nine hundred and forty-five (945) work based hours as a Certified Warehouseperson II or show they possess an additional minimum of nine hundred and forty-five (945) hours of experience in the trade. They must also acquire the following educational requirements:
C.I.T.T. – Transportation Systems
or
P.M.A.C. ‑ Introduction to Procurement
or
A.P.I.C.S. – Basics of Supply Chain Management
or
M.H.M.S. ‑ M.M. 1 and M.M. 2
Access to this job training will be at the Supervisor’s discretion, and the Supervisor may elect to start the job training prior to completion of the above courses, but the job training will be scheduled and completed within two (2) months of the certificate of completion being presented to the Company.
(c) Current incumbents in the warehouse who have obtained their trades qualifications as warehouseperson will be paid wage grade seven (7). Those individuals who do not have qualifications as a certified warehouseperson and who choose not to join the Apprenticeship program will be grandfathered according to their qualifications, that is Warehouseperson I, II, or III. Uncertified Warehousepersons shall be paid at wage grade seven (7).
Upon successful completion and pursuant to the provisions of Article 17.05 the Company will pay the cost of courses for those individuals in the warehouse who wish to continue their education in either Materials Analyst Expediting, Materials Analyst Inventory Control or, Materials Analyst Purchasing functions.
23.12
(a) Welding Apprenticeships
The selection of candidates for this position will be in accordance with Article 23.03. Apprentices will be required to successfully complete training as described in this Article, pass an Interprovincial Trades Qualification examination for welders, achieve “A” level endorsement , with one thousand two hundred and eighty (1,280) in school hours and complete five thousand, nine hundred and twenty (5,920) work based hours in the trade to achieve the designation of journeyperson welder.
(b) The hours required for each year of apprenticeship are:
First Level Apprentice
Hours as assigned
Second Level Apprentice
Successfully complete all Level I in-school requirements and one thousand four hundred and eighty (1,480) work based hours
Third Level Apprentice
Successfully complete all Level II in-school requirements and two thousand nine hundred and sixty (2,960) work based hours
Fourth Level Apprentice
Successfully complete all Level III in-school requirements and pass Interprovincial Trades Qualifications examination and complete four thousand four hundred and forty (4,440) work based hours
Journeyperson Welder
Successfully complete all in-school requirements and achieve “A” level endorsement and complete five thousand, nine hundred and twenty (5,920) work based hours
23.13
a) Mobile Crane Apprenticeships
The selection of future apprentice candidates for this position will be in accordance with Article 23.03 of the C.B.A. Apprentices will be required to successfully complete training as required, pass the Provincial Certificate of Qualification for Mobile Crane Operator – Hydraulic Unlimited Tonnage, with three hundred and sixty (360) in school hours and complete six thousand eight hundred and forty (6,840) work based hours in the trade to achieve the designation of Journeyperson Mobile Crane Operator.
b) The hours required for each year of the apprenticeship are as follows:
First Level Apprentice
Demonstration of required practical and written competencies and hours as assigned
Second Level Apprentice
Demonstration of required practical and written competencies as well as the completion of one thousand seven hundred and ten (1,710) work based hours
Third Level Apprentice
Demonstration of required practical and written competencies as well as the completion of three thousand four hundred and twenty (3,420) work based hours
Fourth Level Apprentice
Demonstration of required practical and written competencies as well as the completion of five thousand one hundred and thirty (5,130) work based hours
Journeyperson Mobile Crane Operator
Pass Provincial Certificate of Qualification. Demonstration of required practical and written competencies as well as the completion of six thousand eight hundred and forty (6,840) work based hours
23.14 For the term of this C.B.A., the Company agrees that all trades training opportunities will be posted and filled by apprentices. Pursuant to Article 23.05, uncertified tradespeople who have the minimum requirements set out by the Provincial Government body that administers Apprenticeships may be eligible to apply to write an examination for a British Columbia Certificate of Qualification in their trade. Upon successful completion the employee would be assigned to Journeyperson status, Wage Grade Ten (10).