Dispatch Update

At the time of this writing (mid August) the fall work picture looks very good. With various maintenance (shutdown) jobs and new construction projects, most members will be kept quite busy. However, I would like to caution members that by the end of October work will start to slow down, and it may be very quiet until spring of 2010.

Once again you may want to think twice about which jobs you accept and which jobs you turn down. Lately I have been dispatching a lot of travel cards and permits to longer term new construction projects and ongoing maintenance jobs which will keep them working through the winter, while members end up sitting on the out of work list.

I know I have mentioned this subject in previous Expanders but it seems the message isn’t getting through. NAME HIRES!! I’m experiencing a problem with members not understanding the importance of contacting dispatch to accept or reject a name hire. Just hearing your name on the call out does not mean you have been dispatched. Dispatch procedures are the same for both name hires and non-name hires, with the only exception being that name hires are dispatched first.

I’d like to remind "out of town" members posting in for work that call in time is between 8 and 9 am only. Calling in after 9 am can be disruptive to the dispatch procedure, especially if we’ve already started dispatching.

In closing I’d like to wish all my Brothers and Sisters a safe work day and a prosperous fall/winter.

Fraternally,
Mike Bayens
Dispatcher 

Signing the Out of Work List

No matter where you live you can add your name to the out of work list by phone when you are laid off by calling the main office at (780) 451-5992 during regular business hours. When the call is answered by the automated system enter 1. Your call will then be forwarded to one of the office assistants who will add your name to the out of work list.

Apprentices attending trade school should add their names to the out of work list at the beginning of the school term. If you are returning to your job after completion of school you can be recalled. However, if you aren’t recalled at least your name will have ridden up the list during the time you were in school. This will make a difference to how long you have to wait until you get dispatched out again.

Calling the Callout Tape

When listening to the callout you will hear the manpower orders listed under: non drug testing sites; drug testing sites and shop calls. The newest jobs are listed first and outstanding orders listed last under each category. The website lists everything in alphabetical order.

As many of you are aware the phone lines into the union hall get extremely busy during the shutdown season. With hundreds of people phoning the call out tape at night the phone system cannot always handle the volume and your call may be automatically sent to our main voice mail system. Please simply hang up and try again instead of leaving a message telling us that you were trying to reach the tape. Another good option for you, if you have a computer, is to go to the web site, www.boilermakers.ca; click on dispatch then onto callout. We are working on a system to allow you to hear the callout on the website as well and will try to keep you updated on the progress of that.

Using the Toll Free Number

As you know we have a toll free number for out of town members to listen to the callout without being charged for the phone call. However, local calls (Edmonton and area) to the toll free number are costing you, on average, 200.00 to 300.00 per month. This is money poorly spent so please, if you are in the city of Edmonton, or area, call 414-6860 to hear the callout. All calls go to the same tape no matter what number you phone.

Name Hires and Posting In

Any member being name hired must still follow regular dispatch procedures. Name hires from out of town are to post in by phone between 8:00 and 9:00 am and will be called back at the beginning of dispatch. Name hires living in Edmonton and area are to come down to the Union Hall at 9:30 a.m. to verify that you want the job and to pick up your slip. Simply hearing your name on the call out does not mean you are dispatched!

Members living out of town and posting in for work should have pen and paper ready to take down the information you will need to get on the job (phone numbers, names, times, locations, etc). This helps to speed up the process for everyone.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

Any member who fails a pre-access alcohol and drug test must inform the dispatch office in order to have your name returned to its place on the list. Due to the privacy act the testing labs cannot give us this information.

Safety Courses

C.S.T.S. will no longer require re-certification every three years so anyone certified after January 1, 2004 will not be required to renew their tickets.

Once again I would like to remind you to check the expiry dates of your safety tickets. Don’t wait until you have a dispatch slip in your hand to find out you need to update your tickets, as the CSTS computers may be all booked up.