\ g FROM PAGE 1 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM” “The Northern Interior op- erators have already awarded an extra 21 cents an hour to certified millwrights in small- er operations. “It is difficult to understand why our wealthier and larger eompanies on the Coast should jeopardize this impor- tant program over the few cents an hour involved. Many of the companies concerned are now offering bonus rates to skilled workers. “The monetary increase we propose is essential to the success of the program.” The Regional President ex- pressed gratification that complete unanimity had been reached among members of the negotiating committee on details of the program. The plan as finally negoti- ated with the employers pro- vides that upon certification the millwright is paid the mi!lwright’s rate. A point that previously had caused some anxiety related to the seniority rights of em- ployed millwrights not certi- fied. The plan as now negoti- ated ensures that seniority rights will not be prejudiced through Jack of certification. In the majority of wage schedules now in effect the millwright’s rate is $3.07 an hour. Under the proposed plan a helper millwright who qual- ifies, will receive 10 cents an hour increase above the pres- ent average rate of $2.4644 an hour. Under the same conditions, an improver miilwright, who qualifies, will also gain 10 cents an hour above the pres- ent rate of $2.66 an hour. The dispute with the em- ployers over the new pro- posed rate for a certificated millwright is the sole remain- ing obstacle to introduction of the program. The full text of the six- page document around which prolonged discussion has raged in the IWA, is repro- duced below. APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MILLWRIGHTS IN FOREST PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING PLANTS GENERAL PRINCIPLES 1. The Apprenticeship Training Program (herein- after referred to as the Plan) will cover the trade of Mill- wright which is defined as fol- lows: The trade of Millwright means the installation, main- tenance, overhaul, recondi- tioning and repair of all types of mechanical and production equipment in manufacturing plants and coast forest prod- ucts operations. 2. The parties agree that the object of this Plan is to improve the knowledge and skill of persons employed as Millwrights, Improvers, or Helpers in the industry hav- ing regard to the qualifications specified in Appendix “A” hereto, 3. The normal period of training for a Millwright will be four years. 4. All provisions of the Master Agreement shall be applicable to apprentices in this Plan. 5. Once started in this Plan, subject however to the provi- sions of the Master Agree- ment, the employee shall have the right to continue, provid- ing he passes all of the pre- seribed tests and work being available for him, 6. Upon completion of each period of training in the Vo- cational School, an apprentice will be required to pass a test. In the event of failure to pass such a test, the appren- _ tice will be given a second opportunity, but in the event of failure to pass on the occa- sion of the second such test he shall be required to with- draw from the Plan. 7. Wherever reference is made to a year as a Helper or Improver, it shall mean a period of not less than 200 working days, the said period to include time spent at the Vocational School. In the event a participant works less than 200 days and has attend- ed Vocational School within the year, he may be given an opportunity to take the re- quired test. 8. Subject to the provisions herein, an apprentice shall be entitled to recognition of training time in the Plan in the event of his moving from one employer in the industry to another, SELECTION OF APPRENTICES 9. When an employer re- quires apprentices, it is agreed that the vacancy will be post- ed in the operation and ap- plicants selected in accord- ance with the provisions of Article XVI, Seniority. 10. Entrance to the Plan will in all cases be subject to the applicant meeting the standards required for accept- ance by Vocational School au- thorities, 11. Successful applicants will be assigned as Millwright Helpers for a_ three-month period prior to attending Vo- cational School unless the ap- plicant’s previous experience renders such assignment un- necessary. 12. All present Helpers and Improvers employed by the Company must enter the Plan. Helpers and Improvers who cannot qualify in the Plan will be re-classified with no reduc- tion in rate of pay until such time as they have an oppor- tunity to apply seniority to obtain a job with equal or -higher rate of pay. Labourers will not be em- ployed in a manner that will interfere with the application of the Plan. 13. The first period of Voca- tional School training will be 4 weeks. 14. There shall be no age limit for applicants. PROGRESSION Helper: 15. On completion of the first period of Vocational School training and after 11 months in the trade as Helper, the apprentice shall return to the School for a second period of vocational training of four weeks, 16. Upon return from the School, he shall serve a further term as Helper of 11 months. 17. Following completion of his second term as Helper, the apprentice shall return to School for a third period of vocational training of 4 weeks and, if successful in passing the prescribed tests, he shall be promoted to classification of Improver. Improver: 18. After 11 months in the trade as Improver, the ap- prentice shall return to Voca- tional School for a fourth period of 4 weeks. 19. Following return from Vocational School he shall work for one year as Im- prover. At the end of this period he shall be permitted to take the prescribed tests for qualification as Millwright. Upon receiving certification he shall be paid as a certified Millwright. 20. If any of the aforemen- tioned 11 month work periods are exceeded due to unavaila- bility of Vocational School facilities, such extra time will be credited to the apprentice in succeeding training re- quirements. WAGE RATES 21. The wage rate for Help- ers in the first term shall be that specified in the Wage Supplement to the Master Agreement. 22. An apprentice who passes the test in the second period of vocational training shall receive an increment of 10 cents per hour during his second term as Helper. 23, The wage rate for an Improver shall be that speci- fied in the Wage Supplement to the Master Agreement, 24. An apprentice who passes the test in the fourth period of vocational training shall receive an increment of 10 cents per hour during his second term as Improver. 25. Fares, Lost Time Pay and School Expenses are to be paid by the appropriate government authorities as part of the cost of the Appren- ticeship Plan with the excep- tion that the employer shall pay the apprentice while at- tending Vocational School the difference between the subsidy granted by the ap- prenticeship department and the regular wages of the em- ployee concerned. 26. Persons employed as Millwrights who are certified as such, shall receive $—— per hour. ADVISORY BOARD 27. There shall be an ad- visory Board consisting of two representatives of the indus- try, two from the IWA, Re- gional Council, one represent- ing the Vocational School and one from the Apprenticeship Branch. 28. The Board shall be re- sponsible for advising the ap- propriate school authorities, Department of Education, and Department of Labour re- garding the content of tests, standards of marking, and the school curriculum. 29. The Board shall not be responsible for the actual setting or marking of tests. GENERAL PROVISIONS 30. A vocational training program will be designed for present Millwrights in the In- dustry who wish to become certified, in accordance with the principles set out in Ap- pendix “B” hereto. 31. Where Millwrights are required to do construction work the employer will en- sure that the apprentices will be given the necessary on- the-job practical training. 32. Tools required in the program shall be in accord- ance with Appendix “A” at- tached hereto, 33. Millwrights presently employed who do not wish to . become certified, shall not have their seniority rights preju- diced through lack of Certifi- cation. Signed this day of APPENDIX “A” TO MILLWRIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS MILLWRIGHTS The Millwrights must be qualified to carry out the fol- lowing responsibilities: Repair, replace, new work, construct, build, tear down, re-build and to be able to di- rect Assistants. IMPROVER The Improver shall be qualified to assist the Mill- wright and upon instruction of the Millwright shall be able to.carry out the above-nam- ed duties. * Tradesmen’s HELPER The Helper shall assist the Improver and/or the Mill- wright and work under their direction and instruction. GENERAL The Millwright shall be re- quired to have, and shall not qualify for the Millwright’s rate unless he has, a full tool kit of the necessary tools to perform the job for which he is hired, with the exception of machinery or tools which shall not be deemed to fall within the responsibility of the Millwright. The Improver shall be re- quired to have and maintain a basic tool kit and to be in the general process of build- ing up the necessary tools to equip himself for the job of a Millwright. The Helper generally shall not be required to own tools and shall use those designat- ed to him. However, in his own interest, he should com- mence the process of building up a tool kit. APPENDIX “B” TO MILLWRIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM In the training program for persons presently imployed as millwrights in the industry who wish to become certified, the following procedure will apply: 1. Application will be made on an approved form. 2. There will be a three- man examining board consist- ing of: By One representative from the union. One representative from the industry. One representative from the Apprenticeship Branch. 3. Millwrights who apply will be examined by the board prior to entering Voca- tional School to determine qualifications and amount of training required. 4. Applicants will be re- quired to become apprentices under the Apprenticeship and Qualification Act for a period of not more than six months. If the indi- vidual fails to pass the pre- scribed tests, this period may be extended by the examin- ing board, 5. There will be a maxi- mum Vocational School train- ing of four weeks. 6. Study material will be made available to millwrights by the Apprenticeship Branch prior to Vocational School training. 7. Vocational training will be conducted during day courses. 8. Millwrights in attending ' Vocational School will be re. quired to apply themselves in a satisfactory manner to con- tinue their vocational train- ing. Progress reports where necessary shall be referred to the examining board.