CWA News
The voice of the welding industry in Canada
April, 2008
CWA-CWB RELATIONSHIP
Last spring in a mail-out ballot, CWA members voted 88.9% in favour of a merger between the Canadian Welding Association and the CWB Group. A committee consisting of three members of CWA’s executive committee (Emad Assaad – President, Dan Tadic – 1st Vice-President, Dale Malcolm – Treasurer) was formed to work with the CWB Group to develop an affiliation agreement.
CWA’s Board of Directors recommended the acquisition of CWA National by the CWB Group at the board of directors meeting that was held in Toronto on October 15, 2007.
Since then, CWA’s executive committee has been working with the CWB Group’s review committee to develop the final agreement that lays out the legalities of the relationship between the individual chapters and CWA National. The following two documents are the results:
- Affiliation Agreement – the legal agreement that defines a Chapter and its relationship to CWA National and CWB Group
- National Chapter Handbook – a manual for the operation of a Chapter
On a conference call held on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, CWA’s chapter chairs endorsed the two documents. Both can be seen on our website at www.cwa-acs.org/agreement.
We believe that this new arrangement will greatly benefit CWA members, the Association and the Canadian welding industry as a whole.
We would like to hear from you. Please review the documents before Wednesday, April 30, and send us your comments to members@cwa-acs.org or use the form on the website at www.cwa-acs.org/agreement. All responses (names excluded) will be posted to the webpage as they are received and consolidated.
CWA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
The CWA’s directors will meet in Edmonton on May 8. The focus of the meeting will be the new relationship between CWA and CWB Group. Your board members will formalize the relationship between the parties and discuss the future of the Canadian Welding Association.
On the agenda are:
- Preparation of a schedule for implementing the new organization
- Potential new chapters
- New services
- The rebate program
- Use of the CWB client list to grow CWA’s membership
- Transition from CWA’s current Board of Directors to the new National Advisory Council
WELD EXPO CANADA TRADE SHOW
The Weld Expo Canada Trade Show is scheduled for September 23 to 25, 2008, at the International Centre in Toronto. Supplier members are working with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers to host a seminar series at the trade show in which the four speaker tracks will include Welding as a Career, Safety, New Technology and Productivity. Watch for announcements about Weld Expo Canada in upcoming issues of the Canadian Welding Association Journal, in CWA’s newsletters and on the website.
CANADIAN WELDING ASSOCIATION JOURNAL
The Spring issue of the Canadian Welding Association Journal is in the page-proof stage. Its theme is the welding of exotic metals. It will be mailed to you in mid-May. The Summer issue will focus on productivity and will include articles from supplier members who are exhibiting at Weld Expo Canada. Send us an article!
CCWESTT 2008
The 12th Annual Conference of the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades & Technology is scheduled for Guelph from May 29 to 31, 2008. It will focus on education, the workplace and career-life balance. Additional information can be seen on the CCWESTT website at www.ccwestt2008.ca.
CWA 9TH ANNUAL ATLANTIC STUDENT WELD-OFF COMPETITION
CWA 9th Annual Atlantic Student Weld-Off Competition is scheduled for April 18, 2008, at Burridge College in Yarmouth, NS. Students from all the Maritime Provinces will compete. Don’t miss this exciting event hosted by CWA’s Nova Scotia Chapter.