Are you concerned that becoming a signatory company with the QCCC will limit your business?
Generally, the opposite is true.
Our signatory contractors benefit from the membership on a large scale. Signatory companies enjoy the unique ability to attract, maintain, and provide for their workforce. This offers opportunities for stable growth and development.
We have a large and growing national workforce of over 4,200 members, consisting of NDE and Field Heat Treatment professionals. Our members have experience in Oil and gas, Pipeline, Manufacturing, Nuclear, Aerospace, Shipbuilding, and other industrial service sectors. We currently have over 100 signatory contractor locations in Canada.
We aim to supply world-class professionals who deliver productivity and safety to the Inspection and Heat treatment industries nationwide. We strive to have our contractors be the industry's first choice by fostering and promoting professionalism through excellence and accountability.
Discover why so many companies have joined the QCCC. Here’s a look at the Union advantage.
Do you get tired of day-to-day reactive planning? Are you constantly sourcing employees instead of having the time to carry out long-term initiatives that allow you to grow progressively and plan for the future?
One aspect of owning a QCCC company is that most Canadian NDE and heat treatment technicians are union members. This allows companies to be open to accepting projects that they would not have had the capability to do previously while satisfying already established clients.
Have you ever invested heavily in a single employee only to have them leave after their training or the project was complete? Unfortunately, this is the nature of our fast-moving and project-based industry.
Owning a signatory company means participating in a lower-risk training plan for your workforce. Each company contributes to a shared training fund for technicians, which covers costly technician training expenses and certification fees.
QCCC Members are expected to provide our contractors and clients with the best quality work and services. We pride ourselves on getting the job done safely and efficiently. We always want to show the value of a Unionized workforce by providing highly trained and skilled workers.
Standard for Excellence | Quality Control Council of Canada (qcccanada.com)
The QCCC has established the National Training Society (NTS), which provides training and certification exams
The NTS has 3 training centers serving the industry across Canada:
The NTS has a National Certification Coordinator who helps members through the certification process and handles issues with the certifying bodies.
QCCC Training and Certification
Employee turnover is costly. Studies have shown that union companies have far lower turnover rates, higher employee satisfaction and less uncertainty.
Content employees have been proven to be much more productive. With a stable and fulfilled workforce, your company does not need to spend unnecessary funds on additional recruitment and redundant training.
With an industry-leading Health, Welfare, and Dental plan, you can be sure your employees are cared for correctly. The QCCC Pension plan encourages employees to consider their respective industries as long-term careers instead of just jobs by providing a tool to allow them to invest directly in their futures.
We all know that the industry can be volatile. One bonus for your workers is a health and welfare benefit plan that is not tied directly to their employment status. Members get credit towards an hours bank system that secures their benefits through times of slow work.
With access to a larger workforce, rapid mobilization is possible. Generally, the industry standard is that larger Capital projects go to unionized companies. There may be a few reasons for this: unionized companies have access to larger workforces, and historically, unionized companies have better safety records, which appeal to corporations when awarding contracts.
Q: I don’t want to use different technicians from the union hall each time I start a project.
A: The QCCC does not directly dispatch to any of our employers. Our industries are too specialized to determine project needs accurately, and dispatch often wouldn’t be possible or effective. Direct/name hiring is still under company jurisdiction. We provide an out-of-work and recruitment list that helps with hiring and regularly circulates resumes to signatory companies.
Q: Management won’t be able to address employee issues; they will always need to go through a third party (the union).
A: This generally isn’t the case. Of course, there are basic protections afforded to workers, but the need for disciplinary action and who is the best fit for which position is still left to the discretion of the Company.
Q: What do the remittances look like, and where do the funds go?
Here is a basic hourly breakdown of the employer contributions:
|
Item |
Amount |
Description |
|
Administration Fund |
1.0% |
Of the employee’s gross earnings. (Wages, Holiday / Vacation pay, Premiums, etc.) |
|
Training Fund (NDT) |
$0.35 |
Per each hour worked |
|
Pension |
$6.00 |
Per each hour earned (varies by region. Prairie Region shown.) |
|
Health Benefits |
$2.80 |
Per each hour worked |
|
Employee Assistance Plan |
$0.04 |
Per each hour worked |
|
Helmets to Hardhats |
$0.02 |
Per each hour worked |
Q: Unions cost too much.
A: The above table shows that the bulk of funding goes directly back into your business through supporting your employees. We believe that this provides value for long-term investment and business growth. Instead of higher hourly wages, contributions to a pension plan allow for payroll tax savings.
For more information, please contact the QCCC Office and speak with a Business Development Representative. 1-877-466-5898
