We can do this, says Lang
Local 513 pulls out all the stops
Reported by Local 513 business agent Mike Lang
When the invitation to host the 2001 apprenticeship contest showed up on Port Alberni business agent Mike Lang’s desk, he read it two or three times, gave it some serious thought for a couple of weeks and then said, “Hey! We can do this.”
He took the idea to the November membership meeting and it was passed unanimously.
“The local had never hosted such an event before so the members felt it was certainly about time we did our part,” said Lang.
“There were two major reasons for applying to host the 2001 contest,” Lang said. “First, we were having a very good year workwise and so the membership had a very positive attitude, and second, the new Alberni Valley Multiplex then under construction would be completed by then.” In fact, the multiplex, a union built ice arena and community centre, was completed just in time as the contest was only the third event to be held there.
Lang said he spoke to a number of business agents and local presidents around the province to get some idea of what was involved in hosting a contest and received many helpful hints on what needed to be done.
When Bob Whitaker, the Carpentry Apprenticeship and Training Committee co-ordinator, and Dick Ainsworth, the chief carpentry
contest judge, showed up in Port Alberni on a snowy December day (with only minor dings and scratches to Bob’s car when it slid off the road on the Alberni Pass), “they passed on much advice and valuable information,” said Lang.
“We were off and running now,” he continued. “Letters were written, meetings were held, committees were struck and the community canvassed for support.”
Lang said he talked to many people in the community he would not normally meet and the advertising and promotion of the event
was one of the most demanding tasks they faced. However, between the CATC, the Carpenter Lathers Joint Advisory and Apprenticeship Committee and the Local 513 contest committee, they finally arrived at contest weekend “with most of the bases covered.”
There were 10 carpenter apprentices, including two women, and six drywall/lather contestants. The apprentices completed the written test and ‘transit and level’ portions of the contest on Friday and the practical projects on Saturday.
The practical contest day, June 16, was a flurry of activity with last minute crisis and missing materials. Raffle ticket distribution and the many product demonstration booths all needed attention. There was also a silent auction sale of the projects (garden green houses) the apprentices were building. Mike Lang said he will report on the disposition of the proceeds of the auction and raffle in the next edition of ON THE LEVEL.
According to Bob Whitaker, by far one of the most important innovations at this year’s contest was the local radio station broadcasting live from the site. “It created a lot of local interest and brought people down to the multiplex to watch the contestants and to take a chance to win one of the more than fifty prizes raffled off,” said Whitaker.
Lang said the idea of hosting the contest in cities around the province is a good one. “We leave something behind as a way of promoting our industry and our trade,” he explained. “I am still getting positive feedback and comments months later.”
The silent auction sale was concluded at the same time as the projects with, in Mike Lang’s words, an amusing but unforeseen ending.
“As I had mentioned earlier, we had 10 carpenter contestants and the bidding at the silent auction really picked up towards the end the day. All ten bid sheets were full on the front and most of them almost to the bottom of the back side. During the last few minutes things were really hectic with bidders rushing back and forth from the contest area to the auction table to change their bids. As quitting time approached, I was at the door to the rink area watching for Dick Ainsworth’s signal to stop the contestants. When I saw Dick’s signal, I motioned the auction table to stop taking bids on the projects. I then went into the rink for a few minutes and when I got back to the table there was an altercation going on between two ladies who both felt their bids should be accepted. Both my president’s wife Brenda and my wife Yvonne (who were running the auction) were in an embarrassing situation. Dozens of people were standing around waiting to hear if their bids had been successful. Not wanting to have even one incident mar what was obviously a successful venture and before the name calling turned to hair pulling, I quickly offered to build another project to placate the irate loser. And that, my friends, is how we got 11 projects from 10 contestants.”
Lang said the banquet and awards night, organized by Bob Whitaker who has been through this thing many times, was well organized and went very smoothly. “All in all it was a very relaxed and fun evening,” he said.
“I would like to congratulate the contest winners as well as those who participated but didn’t win.” said Lang. “It took a lot of guts
just to enter the contest, travel to a city that most had not been to before and undertake your projects with hundreds of watchful eyes on you. Thank you for your courage and your dedication. You are a credit to our trade and an asset to your community.”
