Policy

Physical Qualifications

• Good visual acuity, eye hand coordination, manual dexterity, strength and stamina to maintain a steady pace for long hours in sometimes harsh working conditions.

Education

• No formal requirements. Fluency in English and the ability to read and write is a definite asset.

Tuition

• There is no tuition fee charged for training paid up members of the Construction and General Workers’ Union Local 92.

Course Participant Orientation

• As soon as course participants arrive on site they are familiarized with the ALTTF’s Policies, and Rules and Regulations as set forth by the Board of Trustees of the ALTTF. Each course participant must fill out a registration and waiver form before commencing a course.

ALTTF Policy Outline Failure to comply with any of the Policies, Rules and Regulations as laid down by the ALTTF could result in ultimate termination from a course. Termination from a course can affect the course participant’s registration, or priority for registration, in future courses run by the ALTTF.

1. To be eligible to receive training and/or benefits from the ALTTF, the course participant shall be a member in good standing or prospective members of the Construction and General Workers’ Union Local 92.

2. Perfect attendance of training courses is expected. One unexcused absence is grounds for termination from a course. In case of illness, a medical slip may also be required verifying that a course participant has received medical attention for a legitimate illness.

3. Failure to complete a training course will result in the Dropout Policy. The policy would not apply in the case of “compassionate discharge” or in the event of the course participant obtaining employment.

4. Training Centre hours are from 7:30 am. to 4:00 p.m. Course start and end times vary. Lunch and break times are established by mutual agreement between the Instructor and the course participants. Complimentary coffee is provided by the ALTTF.

5. If a course participant is collecting Employment Insurance while attending a course, it is his/her responsibility to contact Employment Insurance for pre-approval.

6. Consumption of liquor, marijuana and/or illicit drugs is prohibited. Failure to comply with this rule will result in immediate termination from a course. Anyone who, in the opinion of the Instructor or Manager, is under the influence of alcohol when they report for training will be suspended for the day with the responsibility to obtain their own transportation home. A second offense will result in termination from a course.

7. Safety Regulations are enforced at the ALTTF. Hard hats and sturdy work footwear are required in the yard and shop area. Personal protective equipment as outlined during training and in Occupational Health and Safety Publications, must be worn as required. Course participants are evaluated on their compliance with Safety Regulations during training activities.

8. While attending courses at the ALTTF, course participants are covered by Workers’ Compensation to the limit of their pay rate while in attendance.

9. All near misses, accidents and first aid treatments administered must be reported to the Instructor and written records must be kept in the Accident Report Book. The ALTTF requests the cooperation of the course participants in this respect.

10. ALTTF vehicles, equipment and leased or rented equipment, are to be operated by the course participants only when authorized by the Instructor. They shall be operated within the boundaries of the training site, unless otherwise directed by the Instructor.

11. Use of the telephone should be limited to designated break periods and only one caller at a time will be allowed.

12. All washrooms are available for the course participants’ use. It is a request of the ALTTF that washrooms be left clean and orderly, with all water faucets closed after use. The same applies to the course participants’ lunch area.

13. Course participants may be requested to assist with ALTTF maintenance. Course participant’s cooperation is sincerely appreciated and it helps reflect the pride the union members and the ALTTF have in their facility.

14. Course participants who smoke should refrain from doing so while traveling in the ALTTF van. This gesture on the part of smokers is well received by non-smokers who may be troubled by smoke build up in a small, enclosed area, such as the interior of the van.

15. The ALTTF reports to the union all members who receive a certificate. The union then makes a note of which course a member has completed on the individual’s dispatch file.

16. All members in good standing of the Construction and General Workers’ Union Local 92 who take courses at the ALTTF are subject to all union rules and regulations. It is the member’s responsibility to know the union rules and regulations, and any changes to the rules which may occur. Taking training does not alter any of the union rules.

17. If on the first day of a course, a course participant is unable to obtain transportation to the ALTTF the member is advised to take the Greyhound or Sky Shuttle and to call upon arrival for pick up.

Definition of Work Habits This “Definition” provides an explanation of the criteria used by the ALTTF on the Course Participant’s Summary Report Cards:

• Carries Out Instruction: Listens to instructions until they are complete, questions to clarify instructions, and then proceeds to carry them out.
• Works without Supervision: Supervisor can leave worker’s presence and worker will continue with the task assigned.
• Quality of Work: Standard is subject to Instructor’s subjective experience.
• Work Pace: Speed and consistency at which tasks are carried out.
• Works with Others: Cooperates with others without interrupting the work flow.
• Effort: Energy expended during performance of tasks assigned.
• Job Flexibility: Willing to attempt a variety of tasks and demonstrates an ability to perform with confidence.
• Personal Conduct: Follows policies as laid down by the ALTTF.
• Orderliness: Good housekeeping – e.g. cleans up, puts tools away, notifies supervisor of loss or damage to equipment.
• Safety: Utilizes personal protective equipment and follows safety rules pertaining to task assigned.
• Mental Alertness: Behavior indicates total awareness of surroundings and responds, without delay, in all circumstances.

Course Repeat Procedures

Any course participant who is not awarded a certificate at the end of a course may repeat that same course based on recommendation of the Instructor.

Course participants will not qualify to take a course if they already hold a valid certificate for that course unless their certificate is within 90 days of expiration. This policy will be at the discretion of the Manager.

Course Participant Removal Procedures

Occasionally, it is necessary or advisable to remove a course participant from a program. Depending on circumstances, this may be immediate (with transportation provided, if possible) or may simply involve advising the course participant not to return the following day.

The rule of thumb is – if the situation involves safety of the course participant or other people at the ALTTF, or if the removal is for misconduct (theft, harassment, etc.) – the course participant should be removed immediately.

Complaint Resolution Process

If a member has a complaint regarding an ALTTF staff member, policy or procedure they are encouraged to discuss their complaint with the ALTTF Manager. If the Manager is unable to resolve the issue, he/she will bring the complaint to the attention of the Board of Trustees for resolution. If the Manager is the source of the complaint, the member should discuss his or her complaint with the Business Manager of Local 92 or write a formal letter of complaint, seal it in an envelope addressed to the Board of Trustees and deliver it to the ALTTF Manager who will deliver it to the Board at the next quarterly meeting.

At all times, the ALTTF will follow policies and procedures as approved by the Board of Trustees and/or any third party accrediting or certifying bodies (Alberta Labour, Energy Safety Canada etc.).

Guidelines

1. Boots – Course participants are told to acquire boots before the program. They should be given notice if they show up the first day without approved footwear and given rubber boots or allowed to stay if activities do not require boots. On the second day, they will be allowed to return if they have boots. If they are unable to do that, they cannot continue the program.

2. Harassment, impairment, theft – immediate removal. They can be given the Director’s business card to call for an appointment if they wish to appeal.

3. Horseplay, failure to use personal protective equipment – one warning, then removal. Instructors may require a sit-out on first offence. Instructors can use their judgment to decide on immediate removal or notice not to return the next day.

4. Attendance – a warning after missing one day. If course participants miss more than two days, they usually cannot complete the program and should be informed of this. Whether they should be allowed to continue has to be decided on a case-by-case basis depending on reasons for absence, whether the course participant shows potential to eventually succeed in the trade, whether they can benefit from the training if they do not complete, whether they can make up the missed content in a later program. This situation usually requires a conference between the Manager and the Instructor(s) and may require counseling.

5. Projected failure – this requires counseling. Instructors can do this but they should inform the Manager. Some course participants may be allowed to continue, some not. Some may be encouraged to return at a later date.

6. Inability to do the work – again, this requires counseling. Normally, the course participant should be advised to discontinue so as not to waste his or her time. Whether this requires immediate removal or advice not to return the following day depends on circumstances, including the course participant’s feelings on the matter.

7. Other situations – to be determined by consultation between Instructors, and the Manager. Don’t throw a drowning person an anchor. Usually, allowing a course participant to continue when they are failing or are not investing full effort in their program is not doing him/her a favor. Let’s not waste the course participant’s time, other course participant time, or our time. It may be the individual needs to look in another direction; it may be that the termination will serve as a wake-up call and result in better performance at a later time. [/accordion] [accordion close=”4″ title=”Course Registration Procedures”]

COURSE REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

Registration

Courses being delivered by the ALTTF are open to Construction and General

Workers’ Union Local 92. All members must be in good standing with the union, which means they must not be more than sixty days in arrears with their union dues. The person taking the registration will verify if the member is in good standing prior to accepting his/her course registration.  All members must register themselves and registrations for courses are only accepted on a “first come first serve” basis after the courses are announced.

Disciplinary Action

Failure to cancel will result int he members name being put on the no show list.

Waiting List

When the course has reached the maximum number of participants for that particular course all other course registrants will be put on the waiting list.  The waiting list will be up to half the maximum course participants.  No waiting list will be carried over to the next offering of the course unless the demand for a course is high and a new course needs to be added; then the members on the waiting list will be called first before new registrations will be accepted.

Standby

All waiting list participants will be on standby in the order they arrive. All participants on the waiting list will be offered a standby position before any non-waiting list arrivals. That course registrant should be advised that he is a standby and must be willing to go to the course at the applicable time. If all course applicants show up for the course, then the standby must be aware that they will not be able to participate in this course and must re-register themselves for the next offering of the course.

No Show

If a member confirms for a course and does not cancel prior to the start of the course or does not show up within one hour of the course start time he/she will be considered a No Show. He/she will be required to pay a $ 100.00 fee (or more if the course is booked with a third party) before registering for any other course with the ALTTF. The No Show fee is a fine and will not be reimbursed for any circumstance. If a member develops a history of no shows then they will have a lower priority for class registrations. Members who are on the no show list more than twice in a calendar will be added at the bottom of the waiting list.

The No Show fine must be paid in cash or money order at the Local Union hall or ALTTF site, or by e-transfer before registering for the next course.

Drop Out Policy

If a member attends only part of the course, he/she will be considered a Drop Out. The ALTTF will pay only once within an expiry year period for a training course.  If the member drops out and wishes to take that particular course, the next time it is offered then he/she is responsible for the course fee. The fee will be $50.00 per day times the number of days of the course for all in house courses and $100.00 per day for all outsourced courses.

The Drop out Policy is in effect for the course from which the person dropped out of only.  He/she may take other courses without a course fee.

If a member wishes to file a grievance with regards to the no show and drop out policies, then he/she must do so in writing to the Board of Trustees.

Exceptions

Death, sickness, and inclement weather are possible exceptions when request is accompanied by the proper documentation and will be left up to the discretion of the Administrative Assistants and/or Manager.

Cancellation of Courses

It may be necessary for the ALTTF to cancel courses. The member shall be notified at the number he/she has given upon registering. The members registered in this course will not be automatically transferred to the next offering of that course.

Tardiness

If a course registrant is a late for a course, he/she will be replaced by a standby and no excuses will be accepted unless they contacted the ALTTF prior to the start of the course and arrive within a reasonable amount of time.

Course Start Time

All classes begin promptly at their scheduled time.  A course registrant is required to be present fifteen minutes prior to the start on the first day of the course to allow for registration and orientation. If a confirmed course participant does not show up by the class start time, then the ALTTF will register from the waiting list. If there is room in a course and the participant is late course entrance will only be accepted if the participant is there prior to the end of the instructor introduction. If the member calls in prior to the start of the course and informs ALTTF with a valid reason that he/she is running late then the ALTTF will hold a seat for that member not exceeding 15 minutes.

Training Calendar

Courses will be scheduled two months in advance and will be announced on the first day of each month.

Unsuccessfully Completed Courses

If a course participant unsuccessfully completes a course, he/she may retake the course based on recommendation of the Instructor.

Replacement Certification

There is no charge for the original certification (tickets). If a member requires the replacement of an ALTTF ticket, a $10.00 replacement fee will be charged. No photocopies will be issued for replacement tickets. The ALTTF cannot reissue tickets   belonging to other training providers (e.g. H2S Alive, Ground Disturbance).

COURSE REIMBURSEMENT

The goals of the ALTTF Course Reimbursement Policy are:

1. To allow paid up members to take the specified generic course at a location convenient to them.
2. To allow paid up members to increase their safety knowledge, making them more viable employees.

Eligible Courses

The ALTTF will reimburse the full or partial tuition, whichever applicable, to a paid up member who has successfully completed the following courses as outlined below:

1. H2S Alive (up to $150.00)
2. Standard First Aid/CPR (up to $150.00)
3. Leadership for Safety Excellence (up to $75.00)
4. Wildlife Awareness (up to $150.00)
5. Common Safety Orientation (up to $150.00)
6. ESC Confined Space (up to $200.00)
7. ESC Mobile Elevated Work Platform (up to $200.00)
8. ESC Fall Protection (up to $200.00)
9. ESC Fire Watch (up to $200.00)
10. APR & RPE (up to $125.00 combined)
11. Gas Detection (up to $125.00)
12. Ground Disturbance Level II (up to $150.00, in class only)
13. Any other training not listed (up to $200.00, must be accompanied by an employer letter)

In order for a member to be eligible for reimbursement they must contact the ALTTF for approval prior to taking a course from a third party. Documentation must be received within 90 days of completion. Approval will only be granted to those members in good standing who do not hold a current ticket (unless they are within 90 days of expiry). Members who live or take the course within a 100 kilometer radius of the Edmonton, Fort McMurray or Calgary training centres will not be eligible for reimbursement. Members who reside in these areas are expected to take the courses they require at their nearest training centre. Member residence status will be based on their address as it is recorded in the Local 92 database (mtp).

If a member is required by their Union contractor to get a ticket that is not covered in the policy above the member will have to provide a letter from their supervisor, on company letterhead, stating that the course is required to continue their employment in order to be reimbursed.

If a Union contractor pays for a members course the contractor will be reimbursed only if they contact the ALTTF for approval prior to the training.

If a member would like to contest their ineligibility for reimbursement, they may do so by contacting the Manager of the ALTTF or by sending written notice to the Board of Trustees by way of the ALTTF. The Board of Trustees will review these requests at the next Board meeting.

The ALTTF will reimburse a contractor two thirds of the cost of the Better Supervision Course when a paid-up member has successfully completed the course.  The Better Supervision course is by pre-approval only and is limited to ten seats per year.  The request must come from the contractor who is recommending the member and must be made to the Business Manager.  In turn the Business Manager must send the ALTTF his/her recommendation in writing.

The ALTTF will reimburse up to twenty five (25) members a maximum of $1,500.00 for the successful completion of NACE Coating Inspector training program per calendar year. In order to be reimbursed each participant must apply for approval from their Business Manager, the ALTTF requires a copy of the approval letter to be submitted with the receipts & ticket.

The ALTTF will reimburse up to (20) members a maximum of $750.00 towards the cost of the Advanced First Aid or EMR Course per year based on  pre-approval and first come first serve basis. The request must be in the form of a letter and accompanied by a resume along with a recommendation from the Business Manager of the Local.

The ALTTF will reimburse up to twenty five (25) members per year towards the completion the National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO) program on a pre-approved and first come first serve basis. The request must be in the form of a letter and accompanied by a resume along with a recommendation from the Business Manager of the Local. The reimbursement will be a maximum of $750.00 and will only be paid at the audit stage of the program.

All course reimbursement is to be paid only if the request is accompanied by the original receipt and the copies of certificates.

If the course has been paid by anyone other than the person making the request for reimbursement then payment will be made to the person whose name is on the receipt.

Members who belong to other Building Trades Unions and are reimbursed for any courses by another Union will not be reimbursed by the ALTTF for those courses.

Revised May 2023