NDT Workshops

The Quality Control Council of Canada traces its origin to a meeting held in Vancouver, B.C. in early 1970.

A principal owner of a Heat Treatment/Stress Relieving Company put forward a proposition on a joint agreement for the UA and the IBB, which would transcend the traditional jurisdictional boundaries.

This proposed agreement was to be applicable to Heat Treating on all installations within the work jurisdiction of either union organization.

UA International Representative, Russ St. Eloi, and Boilermaker International Representative, Bob MacIntosh agreed to consider this new concept as feedback from workers and industry leaders indicated an interest to pursue the concept further.

This strong interest helped create the first specialty "Heat Treating Agreement" adopted in the latter part of 1970.

In 1971 a small group of non-destructive testing technicians in B.C. decided that they too would be better off if they were organized into a Union and began making inquiries.

Because of the close working relationship, between NDT and Field Heat Treatment Technicians, word soon got back to the IBB and UA that there was interest being expressed by the NDT workers to join the QCC.

Brothers McIntosh and St Eloi again met to discuss matters further.

Because of the strong similarities in the working conditions between the Field Heat Treatment and the NDT Technicians, the two International reps thought that all technicians would be best represented in an NDT group under the QCC.

A "grassroots" organizing campaign was developed with workers signing membership cards on a 50-50 basis. The campaign went extremely well and in a very short time, joint applications for certification were filed with the B.C. Labour Relations Board (BCLRB).