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Alberta Manufacturing & Industry News
CARMA 2013 Total Compensation Survey
CARMA is very pleased to announce that we are commencing work on our 2013 Compensation Survey.
A Survey Questionnaire (the “Survey”) will be sent out at the beginning of February for those companies interested in taking part. This year marks the third annual survey compiled by CARMA; with the addition of 13 new positions, including everything from President and CEO to Yard Coordinator and all that lies between. Also new to 2013 anyone who takes part in the survey will receive a complimentary copy.
The Survey includes (but is not limited to) information on total compensation, mileage rates, vacation practices, general increase practices, special holidays and allowances.
The Survey Questionnaire will be sent in both PDF and Word format so that you may complete it electronically or fill it out by hand and submit it. There will be three items sent to you: the Survey Questionnaire in two formats and the Position Benchmark Descriptions. There are detailed instructions on how to complete the survey contained with the Survey Questionnaire. To facilitate the process for previous year’s participants, your previous questionnaire will be sent back to you for your review and any required changes.
CARMA Supervisory Development Program
CARMA Supervisory Development Program – February, 2013
On February 14th CARMA held the last two modules of our Supervisory Development Program. This session on Recruitment, Selection and Retention Strategies was again facilitated by Ed Grose of Hr Outlook. The session was attended by 9 members, 6 of which graduated from the program having fulfilled the requirement of completing all 6 modules in the program. The feedback from the session was all extremely positive.
Our congratulations to Jamie Paul, Katte Ross & Steve Bowman of Control Technology, Jeff Frost & Jesse Loewen of Almita Piling and Andrew Chalifoux of McLevin Industries on their completion of the CARMA Supervisory Development Program.
Multigenerational Workplaces – Tips for Working with Generation Y
Keeping up with the gen Yers
By Harley Richards - Red Deer Advocate
Published: February 13, 2013 7:57 PM
Holly Bilton has spent the last decade working with members of generation Y — young people born between 1980 and 2000, and who are becoming an increasingly important part of the labour force.
The Central Alberta team lead with Careers: The Next Generation — a non-profit youth employment organization — Bilton shared her insights with a group of mostly older business people at a Central Alberta Rural Manufacturers Association (CARMA) luncheon in Red Deer on Wednesday. She explained why so many of them have probably been left shaking their heads after dealing with employees from this youthful generation.
Whereas baby boomers — who were born between 1945 and 1964 — struggled to find work in their teen years, gen-Ys have had endless opportunities, pointed out Bilton. Boomers had three television channels to choose from, gen-Ys have hundreds; boomers had to rely on their parents’ phone for communication, gen-Ys have cellphones, pagers and access to all kinds of social media.
Many other differences have influenced the two generations, including some that are now causing the younger group to question everything.
Business leaders split on Obama victory
By Harley Richards - Red Deer Advocate
Published: November 07, 2012 7:28 PM
Former prime minister Pierre Trudeau once compared living next to the United States to sleeping with an elephant, observing that, “one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
There was plenty of twitching and grunting on Tuesday, as Americans re-elected Democratic President Barack Obama over Republican challenger Mitt Romney. And reaction appears mixed on the Canadian side of the border.
“For myself, it was a major disappointment,” said Mike Drotar, Servus Credit Union’s vice-president treasury.
He fears Obama’s return to office will mean big government and high taxes, with adverse consequences.
Bill 6: The Protections and Compliance Statutes Amendment Act (New Penalties for Health, Safety and Trade Violations)
Edmonton... Alberta workers and employers who violate Alberta’s safety rules and fair trading practices are facing new penalties and significantly greater fines.
“There will be no more slaps on the wrist in Alberta; a worker or employer who puts health and safety at risk, or is misleading or unfair in their business dealings, will be held accountable,” said Human Services Minister Dave Hancock.
Bill 6: The Protections and Compliance Statutes Amendment Act introduces new administrative penalties and significantly increases fines for penalties that already exist. It affects three pieces of legislation: the Safety Codes Act, the Fair Trading Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
“This is about protecting Albertans and ensuring those who place the public in danger are held accountable,” said Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths. “Stiffer penalties for those who violate the Safety Codes Act will be a deterrent, and will enable the courts to assess penalties that are appropriately severe in the most serious cases.”
CARMA Supervisory Development Program
With the completion of the last two supervisory training program modules on November 1st, the association has now completed its first full offering of our CARMA Supervisory Development Program.
CARMA wishes to recognize and congratulate Tom Pickett of Almita Piling Inc. for being the first participant to complete all six of the modules offered in the CARMA Supervisory Development Program!
Congratulations to McLevin Industries Inc.
Red Deer Businessess Receive Pretigious Awards
The Red Deer Chamber of Commerce has announced the three recipients of the 2012 Business of the Year Awards at their 31st Annual Business Awards gala held October 17th 2012 at the Red Deer College Arts Centre.
300 business leaders were on hand to celebrate the success of local businesses. The 2012 recipients are:
Business of the Year 1- 15 Employees: 360 Fitness
Business of the Year 16 – 49 Employees: McLevin Industries Inc.
Business of the Year 50+ Employees: Westerner Park
The Business of the Year Awards are organized by the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce and held annually in conjunction with BDC’s Small Business Week. The Business Awards are presented in three categories to exceptional businesses within the Red Deer area. All companies, Chamber members and non-Chamber members are eligible to be nominated for an award.
Finalists in each of the three categories are selected by an independent judging panel.
With more than 900 business members, the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce is an association that promotes business growth and prosperity through leadership and innovation in the Red Deer area.
Daily Economic Comment - Buy the Book
Alberta's economy is doing well and most indicators in the retail and manufacturing sectors are showing solid gains, But at least traditional industry is bucking this trend and watching revenue slump lower.
Book publishers in the province posted total revenues of $28.9 million in 2010 - the last date for which Statistics Canada compiled the data. That's down more than 40 per cent from the peak year in 2006 when revenues were just shy of $50 million. The same drop in sales has not been repeated nationally. Revenues by all Canadian publishers were $2.045 billion in 2010 - down less than 5 per cent from its peak year in 2005.
Daily Economic Comment - Order up! Restaurant receipts hit record high
In another sign that Alberta’s economy was heating up this past spring, the amount of money spent on meals and beverages hit a record high!
Daily Economic Comment - Alberta family incomes
Alberta’s two largest cities have enjoyed a healthy rivalry in many ways over the years, but in at least one area— average family income—Cowtown has enjoyed a slight advantage. However, over the last decade Oiltown has been catching up.
Median family income (before taxes) in Calgary was $89, 490 in 2010. That is up from $60,800 ten years ago and second only behind Ottawa-Gatineau in the country among major cities. Edmonton, hot on Calgary’s heels, ranked number three in the country with median family
income of $87,930. Both Edmonton and Calgary far outpaced the national median family income of $69,860.
