Quality Control Council of Canada
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Overview
The Quality Control Council of Canada was founded on January 19, 1973. It’s current membership stands strong at 2000 members across Canada.
The QCCC is the bargaining agent for the non-destructive technicians who inspect the components within the jurisdiction of the International Boilermakers and United Association. The QCCC negotiates a national collective agreement with an employer group (NDTMA). The QCCC members are members of either the International Boilermakers or the United Association, and are required to conduct themselves as per the constitution and by-laws of the union they are a member of. These members are qualified in the following skills:
- Radiographic Inspection (X-ray) – Used for the examination of the internal soundness of welds, castings, forgings and plate material.
- Radiography inspection (gamma ray) – Used for the same purpose as X-rays, but more suitable for heavy thickness or where portability is an advantage.
- Magnetic particle inspection – Locates surface and subsurface defects that are not too deep but may be overlooked by radiographic testing. It is especially useful for the inspection of nozzle and manhole welds, weld repairs, and the detection of laminations at plate edges.
- Penetrate (dye) inspection – Mostly used for surface defects, nonmagnetic materials, and the inspection of nozzles and manhole welds when radiography is difficult.
- Penetrate (fluorescent) inspection – Used for locating defects that run through to the surface, especially applicable for nonmagnetic materials, rough surfaces and the detection of porosity that would otherwise be difficult to locate.
- Ultrasonic inspection – Used mainly for the detection of defects in welds and plate material and determining the thickness of the plate. Advantages are that it can access from one side of a part being tested and that it reveals small root cracks and defects not picked up by a radiographic film, especially in thick-walled vessels.
In 1970, the Boilermakers and United Association worked out a joint agreement with Western Stress Relieving Services Inc. which would transcend the traditional jurisdictional boundaries. The proposed agreement would be applicable to heating treating on installations within the work jurisdiction of either Organization.
In 1971, a small group of nondestructive testing technicians in British Columbia decided that they would be better off if they were organized and represented by a bargaining agent. Out in the field jobs they talked with members of the Boilermakers’ Lodge 359 and United Association’s Local 170. The parent unions met and agreed that the situation, in so far as the work in the field was concerned, was similar to the problems facing Heating Treating technicians working on either Boilermaker and/or United Association installations.
A meeting with the interested technicians produced results: a “grass roots” organizing campaign got under way when one of the technicians agreed to go out in the field to bring the message to every technician in British Columbia. Gordon Finlay knew most of them and found that the interest in organizing was widespread. Very soon he had a majority signed into membership in the Boilermakers and/or United Association on 50-50 Basics. While the applications were pending, the contractors involved were contracted by the union reps with a view to commence collective bargaining. They agreed and an agreement was finalized by the time the BC Labour relations board issued the bargaining certificates.
The QCCC was founded in 1973 in Edmonton, with the Boilermakers and UA agreeing to a constitution and electing the table officers as required by the constitution. Gordon Finlay was bought into Alberta to do as he did in BC to organize the technicians in that province. After having success in Alberta, the campaign was launched in Ontario with victory for the technicians. The QCCC was successful, spreading out throughout Canada over the years for the betterment of the Technicians and the industry.
The Central bargaining agency for the employers is the Non Destructive Testing Management Association (NDTMA).
The Quality Control Council Executive Committee launched an initiative in 2016 to establish a national training program across Canada. The National Training Society (NTS) was organized as a legal entity to provide Natural Resources Canada certification courses in NDT, NDT workshops to support certification practical exams, Heat Treat Journeyman courses, Advanced Ultrasonic PCN certification courses in Phased Array and Time of Flight Diffraction, American Petroleum Institute exam prep courses in API 510, 570, and 653, and the exam prep course towards National Board certification. These courses and workshops are available to both Union and non-union students.
See the full NDT Training Course Schedule
Learn more about the National Training Society (NTS)
For more information check out qcccanada.ca to find a representative in your area.