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PAHEALTH AND SAFETY

- [ Last safety conference for
| national V.P. Neil Menard

For national first vice-president Neil
Menard, who retires early next year,
attending his last safety conference
marked a milestone for the IWA.
He's been the national officer
responsible for the portfolio for
many years.

At the conference, national presi-
dent Dave Haggard praised Brother
Menard’s involvement in union
activities in health and safety,
Employee and Family Assistance
Programs and in many roles. He
said “we will never be able, as a
union, be able to repay you for the
dedication and the time and effort
that you've put in on health and
safety and EFAP.”

Neil thanked those he worked
with over the years and remarked
that there is considerable talent
coming up through the ranks of the
IWA on health and safety issues.

In typical fashion, rather than focus

& Neil Menard, first V.P.

on himself, Neil's parting words
were geared toward the confer-
ence's attendees. “I hope you will
take something back from this con-
ference and take it into the work-
place. There’s nothing more impor-
tant than health and safety,” he
said. More on Neil in a future issue!

Tom Lowe gets a six

string from the union

At the safety conference, officer

Neil Menard presented Tom Lowe,
who's retiring from his position as
national safety
director, a new
guitar so he
can fulfill his
promise to
teach his
grandson a
few cords
after retire-
ment. But

hopefully

= Tom Lowe those lessons
won't have to

be delayed too long as Brother
Lowe has taken on some new duties
with IWA Local 700 in Toronto in
early July. Tom has been in the
union for over 30 years and has
faithfully served the IWA in many
different capacities, from job stew-
ard at Atlantic Packaging in
Brampton, to service rep, negotiator,
WCB advocate and as national safe-
ty director for the last few years.

Presenting him with the new six-
string as a token of the IWA's appre-
ciation, Neil Menard, in the presence
of Tom's wife Kay and conference
delegates, thanked Tom for “for
every minute of time you spent
working for our union - and that
was a lot of time!” National Safety
Council chair Les Veale praised Tom
as a “passionate” deliverer of the
union’s message on health and safety.

Tom thanked the council, officers
and membership for allowing him
the privilege of serving the IWA.

= National safety council chair Les Veale (r.) co-instructed a workshop on using the IWA safety manual.

PRAIRIE LOCALS HOST SAFETY CONFERENCE IN SASKATOON

Striving for safer workplaces

THE GREAT PRAIRIE CITY of Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan served as the site for this year’s nation-
al health and safety conference where about 150
delegates from local unions across Canada were in
attendance. The three day event was held between
July 5-7 at the Bessborough Hotel.

Once again, as in years past, it was a successful
convention with both IWA health and safety reps and
some 15 management personnel in attendance.

Saskatchewan Local 1-184 president Paul Hallen
delivered the conference’s welcome and opening
remarks on behalf of his own local and prairie locals
1-207 (Alberta), 324 (The Pas, Manitoba), and 830
(Winnipeg). Also given some opening remarks were
national first vice president Neil Menard, the officer
responsibility for health and safety, who reminded
delegates of the IWA’s goal of zero accidents; retiring
national safety director Tom Lowe, who underlined
the union’s opposition to being involved in discipli-
nary workers for health and safety matters and
National Safety Council Chairman Les Veale of Local
1-3567, who said there needs to be a new emphasis on
health itself in the work of OH&S committees.

Also present, for the last day of the conference, was
national union president Dave Haggard, who empha-
sized the union’s position on disciplinary matters and
thanked all delegates for doing the every-day job of
looking out for their fellow workers.

Also introduced to the audience were National
Safety Council members Bernie Rushton (Local 1-
207), Norm Prevost (Williams Lake, B.C. Local 1-425),
Bob Hird (North central Ontario Local 1000), George
Rogers (Port Alberni Local 1-85) and Cranbrook Local
1-405’s Stan McMaster.

To get things going, a presentation was made on
health and safety and airplane acrobatics, by profes-
sional instructor and acrobat Daryl Lowry. He showed.
a video which drove home the point that an acrobat
needs to know all operational procedures and “not
step over the line” to take risks.

He recalled on incident were he was flying and
blacked out completely. “Why did I do that?” he said.
“Because I didn’t prepare properly!” He pointed out to
a study that showed about 35% of airplane crashes are
due to pilot error and the rest were equipment failure.
The bottom line: Lowry said the operator needs to
know that capability of the equipment.

Yorkton, Saskatchewan's Alvin Law, a victim of
thalidomide who was born with no arms, gave a rous-
ing motivational speech, telling delegates that they
can be better at their jobs if they work on themselves
first. He also said “sometimes you need to stick up for

humanity” and “sometimes you try to do the right
thing and get into trouble for it.”

Alvin recalled his childhood, teen years and
beyond, and told about how his adoptive parents gave
him self confidence and influenced his life. At the
end of his speech he said: “To change a little part of
the world is not an easy thing.”

The conference was broken down into 12 hour
workshops and six hour workshops sessions.

A 12 hour workshop on the “Courage to Care,”
which is a pilot project ongoing in Port Alberni, deals
with how to reach out to individuals who have serious
problems that are affecting their work, including
other’s safety. It was conducted by Jim Stimson, Neal
Berger and Neil Menard.

Another twelve hour session conducted by Brother
Lowe, dealt with conflict resolution on health and
safety matters and “finding the neutral zone” where
committee members from both the union and man-
agement can properly do their functions.

WCB Advocacy, looking at rules in Ontario, B.C.
and elsewhere was instructed by Local 500’s Saul
Marques and 2171’s Jim Parker while Brother Hird
conducted a 12 hour session on occupational hygiene,
dealing with the countless substances that are
encountered at work and protective measures.

Consultant Judy Village conducted workshops on
ergonomics and whole body vibration — a new course
which identifies and describes whole body vibration
and gives some tips on how to use ergonomic meas-
ure to minimize affects.

Les Veale and Norm Prevost instructed classes on
using the IWA Safety Manual with a view to dealing
with the issue of discipline in the workplace. The
IWA national office’s Gerry Smith and consultant
Geraldine Milligan instructed on effective disability
management programs.

UBC’s Doctor Ray Baker, as he has at past IWA
conferences, delivered a workshop session on
“invisible disabilities,” which deals with conditions
like acute and chronic stress, depression and chronic
pain syndrome, substance abuse disorders and
codependency.

The conference also had workshops on peer obser-
vation, delivered by Mike Jones and Mike Kobus,
harassment in the workplace, instructed by Kevin
Flaherty. Ms. Elden Pozniuk facilitated a workshop on
wellness both in and outside the workplace.

“Tt was another fine safety conference due to all of
the hard work the National Safety Council put in,”
says Brother Menard. “We also benefitted by having
the best group of instructors you'll find anywhere.”

SEPTEMBER 2002 THE ALLIED WORKER 1 17