eAt a hydraulics lab set up for the workers, millwright Robert Hand Bath problem solve. Looking on to their right is Don Hipkiss a #1 plan (right) and planerman/millwright Darshan erman. IWA and IFLRA link to lead industry In training and skills upgrading | alk about training workers in recent years has often been only that — just talk. Fortu- nately because of a lot of hard work by some major forest in- 4 dustry employers, and IWA- CANADA, along with support of the federal and provincial governments some real, true-to-life training pro- grams are happening today. In the southern interior region of British Columbia the union is hard at work with the cooperation of the Inte- rior Forest Labour Relations Associa- tion (IFLRA) in assisting the industry and its workers to rise to the chal- lenge of technological change by im- proving job related skills that will benefit all parties involved. About four years ago, IWA-CANADA Locals 1-405, 1-417, and 1-423, which represent over 5000 workers in the B.C. forest industry, joined with IFLRA employers to form a Joint Industrial Adjustment Planning Committee to look for new and effective ways of training workers to meet the changing needs of the forest industry. The Com- mittee’s stated objectives have been to improve overall performance, job satisfaction, safety and security in the worksite while helping individuals in their career development. Since the late 1970's there has been a whirlwind of technological changes hit the forest industry. In many cases workers have adapted to the changes but in too many cases workers have been overwhelmed by the break-neck pace of technological changes. As a result the union has been screaming for some formal training programs to be implemented. Fortu- nately today those efforts are success- fully underway and are in the growing stages in the province’s southern inte- rior. Since the IWA-CANADA - IFLRA Committee started its work it has al- ways looked for training that is useful. 10/LUMBERWORKER/APRIL, 1994 So before any of the courses were de- veloped the Committee did a “needs analysis” survey of the workforce. It went out to the mills and asked work- ers themselves what they needed training in. The wish list grew and after the Committee analyzed all the survey data it listed over 16 major priorities. The first priority the workers needed most was training in courses in Pro- grammable Logic controllers (PLC’S), Stationary Hydraulics and Mobile Hy- draulics. Millwrights and heavy-duty me- chanics indicated that hydraulics was their first priority. Meanwhile the ma- jority of electricians said PLC’s was their number one preference. In the fall of 1992, when the indus- try was experiencing tough economic times, the program kicked-off and there has been no looking back. Par- ticipation in all three courses has been very enthusiastic. To date over 380 workers have participated in at least some level of the training cours- es offered. As of the end of March Rhee 5 eighty-one one week courses been put on. Fifty were in hydraulics and thirty-one were in PLC’s. - What has been unique about the de- velopment of the courses is that the Committee has used tradesmen them- — selves to develop them. A big part of the Committee's early success is ba they have involved workers in planning and development of the pro- Troi Caldwell, president of IWA- CANADA Local 1-423 in Kelowna says “we discovered that with the latest technology our guys were finding out. Special attention has been paid to do a needs analysis and consult workers in the development of each phase of the programs that they needed to learn alot more to keep up to date.” “These courses will upgrade an ex- isting tradesman to a degree that they can handle the work load so the em- ployers won't be looking to bring in new employees.” Brother Caldwell adds that “the most important thing is to get input from workers for what they need to know. Without that you can train them for the wrong thing.” He adds: “I think that training, in this day and age is one of the most im- portant priorities that we have, It must not end with the trades either. We have production workers that han- dle some very sophisticated machin- ery and they also need training to operate. With the fast pace of technol- ogy training is absolutely essential.” Neil Menard, first vice-president of IWA-CANADA, says that the joint in- dustry/union initiative shows that there are areas of mutual concern where both parties’ concerns can be addressed. “We are all concerned about being competitive and competent on the job,” says Brother Menard. “Industry needs to constantly upgrade and so do our workers. By picking up the skills Continued on next page Members of the Joint Industrial Adjustment Planning Committee include (l.tor. seated) Wayne Nowlin, Bill Schumaker, Paul Sourisseau, Tom Kirk, and Greg Wishart. Standing are Troi Caldwell, Neil Menard, Kevin Kel- ley, David Sutherland,Ron Hutchison, Gordon Nickel, and Vern Carter. See box opposite page for their affilia- tions.