Vol. 45 No. 1 the Boilermaker Jan • Mar 2006 The Official Publication of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers, AFL-CIO http://capwiz.com/boilermaker Reporter http://www.boilermakers.org IN THESE PAGES Workers celebrate Labor Day EVERY SEPTEMBER, members of many Boilermaker locals show their solidarity with all workers by marching in Labor Day parades and taking part in other union- sponsored public events. In 2005, about 40 members of Local 128 (Toronto) continued a 40-plus-year tradition of marching in the Labor Day parade in Hamil- ton, Ontario. This parade attracts ICEM elects Hickenbotham . .2 thousands of viewers, with partic- ipation from all the building trades in the area. Local 128, chartered in 1947, rep- resents both shop and construction members all across Ontario. Mem- bers participate in numerous events near their homes. More than 200 Local 128 members and their fami- lies marched in Sarnia, Ontario, with another 40 in Toronto. Members of Local 128 march in the annual Labor Day parade in Hamilton, Ontario. The Hamilton parade has a 40-plus-year history and See Labor Day, page 3 draws thousands of viewers as well as marchers. SAJAC holds open house . .5 Local D432, Georgia-Pacific earn top OSHA award BOILERMAKERS AT THE period without a recordable years ago, and Local D432 mem- Georgia-Pacific gypsum first aid incident! bers quickly embraced the concept. plant in Camden, N.J., have So how can you improve on a VPPs encourage collaboration long enjoyed an excellent record like that? among workers, employers, and safety record. For members of Local D432, the OSHA. The goal is to maximize In fact, union employees at answer was VPP — OSHA’s Vol- the benefit of comprehensive the plant have worked 10 years untary Protection Program. health and safety programs and 200,000 man-hours with- Georgia-Pacific took the initia- where such programs already L-242 retiree builds bike . .12 out a single lost-time injury. tive to sign up for VPP some three exist at the workplace. They even worked a two-year See Local D432, page 2 . E g r G O A t T i D f Ed Power is IVP for Eastern Canada I S o r O A P P P - . Sandy MacDonald Benefit Plans, an educational n S . o body for pension plan trustees. U Permit No. 100 N retires after 37 years of Long Prairie, MN Two of the goals Power wants service, 19 years as IVP to address are safeguarding bene- fits and securing work for mem- THE INTERNATIONAL Execu- bers. “Like other organizations, tive Council approved the nomi- we have to stay on top of our pen- nation of Ed Power as ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED ADDRESS SERVICE sion and health & welfare plans, International vice president of making sure they continue to be Eastern Canada, effective Feb. 1. funded and keeping a close eye Power was nominated by Intl. on the markets. I also want to Pres. Newton B. Jones to take the grow the tripartite conference in position vacated by Alexander Canada. We doubled the (Sandy) MacDonald, who owner/client participation from retired Jan. 31. the first year to the second. Of Power, a 31-year member of course, the Boilermakers’ tripar- Local 128, Toronto, Ontario, r tite experience in the U.S. has e t began his career in 1974 as an r been a huge help for us.” o apprentice construction Boiler- p Upcoming work in Eastern e maker. He held a variety of local Canada looks very good, Power R lodge offices before being elected r noted. “Right across Eastern e business manager in 1992, a k Ed Power, a 31-year member of Local Canada, we’ve got a good mix of a position he held for 11 years. He 128, is named IVP for Eastern Canada. industries: steel, power plants, m was appointed as an Interna- r oil refineries, and pulp and e l tional representative in 2003. Power was instrumental i paper. We’re involved in a pretty good cross section of o in setting up the first-ever tripartite conference in all these industries. In Ontario, they have a major B Canada, in 2004. He twice chaired the Canadian e power supply problem, so the [work outlook] is very h board of the International Foundation of Employee t Suite 565 753 State Avenue, Kansas City, 66101 See MacDonald, page 2 2 - the Boilermaker Reporter NEWSMAKERS Jan • Mar 2006 CLGAW IVP Hickenbotham MacDonald retires as elected ICEM chairperson IVP for Eastern Canada Continued from p. 1 good. They’re looking at building new co-generation facilities and nuclear plants in the province.” Power said IVP Sandy MacDonald’s shoes will be tough to fill. “I’ve known Sandy for over 25 years. He has done a terrific job representing the member- ship of Eastern Canada. He’s developed great relationships with all our business partners, business managers, and mem- bership, and is well respected through- out Eastern Canada. Certainly everybody in Eastern Canada wishes him all the best.” Power noted that both he and Mac- Donald came up through the ranks, serving in various local lodge offices. Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald retires New ICEM chairman IVP Jim Hickenbotham (r.) joins hands with, l. to r., ICEM This experience served both men well, after 19 years as IVP for Eastern Canada. officers Phee Jung-sun and Fred Higgs, and co-chairman Michel Decayeux. he said. “Of course, as an International vice president we deal with business DELEGATES TO THE world confer- to practical solidarity. It unites trade managers and their problems and concerns. Having spent as much time as I did as ence for the materials sector of the unions in its sectors on all continents. a business manager, I think that experience will be a big help to me.” International Federation of Chemical, The unions of ICEM represent more Energy, Mine, and General Workers’ than 20 million workers in six indus- Sandy MacDonald retires after long, distinguished career Unions (ICEM) elected Boilermaker trial sectors: energy, chemicals, mining, International Vice President Jim Hick- paper, rubber, and materials. ALEXANDER C. “Sandy” MacDonald, a 37-year member of the Boilermakers, enbotham to a four-year term as chair ICEM’s materials sector encom- began his career in field construction in 1969 with Local 271, Montreal, Quebec. In Nov. 17-18 in Brussels, Belgium. Michel passes unions in the cement, glass, and 1973, he helped form Local 73 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and he was elected business Decayeux, general secretary of CGT- ceramic industries. Hickenbotham manager and secretary-treasurer of that local in 1982. FO Fidichimie in France, was elected serves as International vice president at MacDonald was appointed as an International representative for Eastern vice chairperson. large for the Boilermakers’ Cement, Canada in 1986 and a year later was elected International vice president for the ICEM is a rapidly growing industry- Lime, Gypsum, and Allied Workers Eastern Canadian Section. He was re-elected to that position at the three following based world labor federation dedicated Division (CLGAW). ❑ Consolidated Conventions. MacDonald serves as an International trustee, a trustee for the Boilermakers’ national health & welfare and pen- Local D432, Georgia-Pacific sion funds, and chairman of the International Scholar- ship Committee. He is also co-chair of the National Construction Bargaining Committee. As chairman of the earn top OSHA ‘Star’ award finance committee for the Canadian Federation of Labour, MacDonald helped institute a program that allows ordinary working people to invest in venture cap- ital funds, and he sits on the board of two Growth Works funds. He also serves as vice president of the Quality Control Council of Canada. “I’m proud to have worked on the tools for 14 years,” MacDonald says. “My two sons are now Boilermakers. It has been a great life for me. I’ve enjoyed working with my peers; and [Intl. Pres. Emeritus] C.W. Jones and [Intl. Pres.] Newton Jones have been awesome to me. “I know Ed Power is going to serve the members well and take service to another level,” MacDonald says of his successor. “He is well-rounded in all aspects of Boil- ermaker work in Eastern Canada, and he has been phe- nomenal to work with.” ❑ L-D432’s exceptional safety performance earned the Georgia-Pacific Camden, N.J., plant OSHA’s ‘Star’ status. he took a recommendation to Georgia- Continued from p. 1 The Boilermaker Reporter is the official publi- Pacific that the company establish a the Boilermaker cation of the International Brotherhood of new, full-time union position — an Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Last year, OSHArewarded the efforts hourly safety coordinator. The com- Forgers, and Helpers, AFL-CIO. It is published of Local D432 and Georgia-Pacific by pany agreed. bimonthly to disseminate information of use elevating their safety status to “Star,” and interest to its members. Submissions from “Mark Styan has filled that position,” Reporter members, local lodges, and subordinate or the highest level in VPP. Officials from said Martin. “He handles everything affiliated bodies are welcomed and encour- state and local governments, Georgia- from updating OSHA binders to run- Jan • Mar 2006 Vol. 45 No. 1 aged. This publication is mailed free of Pacific, and the Boilermakers attended ning safety meetings and addressing Newton B. Jones, International President charge to active members and retired the Sep. 15 induction ceremony, held at safety concerns.” and Editor-in-Chief members holding a Retired Members Card. the gypsum plant. Intl. Rep. Phillipp William T. Creeden, Intl. Secretary-Treasurer Others may subscribe for the price of $10 for Another benefit, said Martin, is that three years.