driver

heavy equipment mechanic

concrete finisher

millwright

chauffeur

Lafarge-Canada

Caution: Consider Other Opportunities

If you’re thinking about working at this cement plant, here are some important factors to consider:

1. **Below-Market Pay**: The wages here are noticeably lower than those at other cement plants in the area. You might find better compensation elsewhere.

2. **Challenging Work Environment**: The work culture can be very difficult. If you're looking for a positive and supportive environment, you might want to explore other options.

3. **Limited Training**: New employees receive little to no formal training. Be prepared to learn on your own from day one.

4. **High Workload Expectations**: The workload can be extremely demanding. Employees typically get only two weeks of vacation per year and are often expected to work overtime frequently.

5. **Average Benefits**: The benefits offered are quite standard. Other companies in the industry tend to offer more comprehensive packages.

6. **Management Style**: The company is managed in a very top-down manner. Decision-making is highly centralized, and there is a lack of trust and open communication within the team. 

7. **Job Security Concerns**: There have been instances of employees being let go under unclear circumstances. The environment tends to favor those who do not question management decisions.

**Conclusion**: If you choose to work here, joining the union might provide some protection. Otherwise, you may want to consider other job opportunities.


Not going to recommend this place to work at unless you have no self worth and like to be a door mat. I spent many years with this company only to watch it go down hill starting with the bail out by holcim. I could live comfortably on the amount of money wasted every day, to over 15 fatalities. The bullying tactic is old guys so what's with the constant threats of termination? I have seen some good people leave ,others let go for no reason and some fired for having different views. They say that they care but it's all about image, they say they operate safe, and I would too with so many fatalities, cameras in the trucks is a total waste of companies money because hand held devices and a massive monitor is not legal to be used as it is a distraction which makes the driver at fault..SO WHY ARE THEY IN THE TRUCKS. No managers have that in their trucks, they can drive anyway they so choose too without discipline.  For instance the day we went golfing one Friday and consumed quite a bit of alcohol and drove home after. I would personally suggest using a alternate company which can supply you a better quality product. Remember this company has been connected to funding terrorism that should speak for itself.   Holcim should take a visit to canada and take a first hand look at where there money is going before it's all gone..

When I received the 1st call from Lafarge I was thrilled. They had a rep of being an amazing company to work for with long careers and growth opportunities. I went through 4 interviews and in the end was offered a role I was excited to be a part of. Put my 2 weeks in at my current role, officially leaving my other job to start with them. I worked with them less than a month before being placed on a temporary layoff with a verbal expression of how much they wanted me back asap and not to find another role. Due to the circumstances at the time, I was prepared for this and completely understood. What I wasn't prepared for was the complete lack of support or empathy this massive company and management - who was still in great condition - would show for me as their employee. They kept me on the temp layoff for a couple of months before letting me go permanently with no conversation, support to find another role or a letter of recommendation - nothing!  Not even an official dismissal letter! I went from having a secure job - the one I had left for them is still thriving - to having no job. The worst part was as everything opened back up and they opened their office again, they posted my role for rehire. I was still unemployed. 

Expectations - work late and long hours to be noticed / respected.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Very safety focus, Ash-tek engineers and  partners take time to ensure workers at all levels understand how the equipment will operate. Overtime available as needed, Team environment strong.  Senior management get to know you personally, I finally not feeling like just a number.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The stress is balanced, slow and steady approach to completing tasking. Hazard ID before each task is encouraged. And all concerns are addressed upfront with "see something do something" approach.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very Diverse team, open communication. Team building activities, we tackle even personal issues as a team.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Very structured, arrive fit for duty, Project manager and coordinator explains the days priorities. Safety meeting and hazard IDs for tasks to be performed.  Learning is at your own pace, lots of training for new guys to get tickets up to date. Clock out then go home. Start fresh again the following day.

The company has many good employees who are great to work with. Most of the workers and supervisors are hard working people and treat their coworkers and customers well.

However, the top management is not respectful to the employees and treats mid level managers, supervisors and employees as numbers. In the end of the day, depending on one of these guys' opinion, your fate can change in a matter of seconds and you could lose your job or get demoted; regardless of your length of service and good performance. This is a culture which is not likely to change and makes the work conditions increasingly difficult, as there is no appetite for change from the Presidents and CEOs side. 

Also, the lack of long term planning for the business, causes unnecessary, pricey and constant reorganizations, which affect workers' jobs continuously.  

If you are a knowledgeable and hard working person, there are many better companies out there that value you and your services, the way you deserve it.

Lafarge is well established company in the concrete industry. When I started working there it seemed very busy, but in the recent months we started losing projects and finally they started laying the workers off with no prior notice.
Here's my short breakdown of pros and cons.
Pros:
+ this company has been around for many years and some people have been working there for 20-30 years and they are satisfied 
+ the benefits and the pay can be generous, the more you work there the more you get.
+ you can get a chance to learn things about concrete construction (but don't expect anyone spoon feed you, everyone is "busy")
+ safety is a big priority there, the workers look after each other and the management tries to keep it up.

Cons
- the work pace might become fast and there are times when a lot is going on and you need to cope with it. 
- there is practically no onbording/training, you are expected to learn by doing (of course they first show you how to do certain things, but don't expect it to be very comprehensive) 
- this job can be very physically demanding, lots of bending, kneeling, pulling depending on the department you sometimes need to rake or shovel wet concrete. 




The general superintendent would lie to employees about their starting wage and misrepresent their advancement potential.  Generally exploitative and manipulative.

Some good workers employed, but the pay is insufficient to attract true infrastructure carpenters and retain them.  Poor instruction from field supervision for the most part.  

Job sites were generally mismanaged with little to no regard to safety (items left in drop zones, handrails improperly constructed, and machinery in a state of constant disrepair).  Lack of training provided to the craft workers in areas of safety, very little knowledge of silica exposure issues and fall protection planning (rescue plans, equipment set up and maintenance).

As well, the union they choose to represent the craft workers doesn't recognise carpentry in their list of trades.  So prepare to be called/treated as a labourer if you work here, and paid as one as.  Actually, if you are a ticketed carpenter you will be paid less than a ticketed labourer...

Well where to start.. they lie, lie and lie some more. With over 300 yes 300 deaths in the last 4 years that should tell you new comers to stay away.. dont take my word on it just Google deaths at lafarge and you will see. Botton line is there a struggling company who does not care about anything but image. This company bugs your personal cell phone,  lunch room , and our bathroom until the camera was discovered in there. They fire employees who have disabilities  and hire addicts. The union does zero for you so my advice is to not be a member and let human rights take care of you. The trucks are junk and barely legal to be on the road but the 4 cameras they installed are brand new . I worked for this company up and until there intrusive ways were effecting me directly and then I quit. The BBB should investigate this company and  shut it down as the death pole increases every day for a reason with this place of business.  Management is linked to terrorism,  and have a criminal history, so that being said it's a matter of time before they are no more but dust in the wind.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Isn’t one good reason to waste your time at this place! They don’t care if your overloaded or over tired. They preach safety first but act as if it’s not even a concern! And don’t even get me started on the incompetence of the plant manager!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The plant manager will only set you up for failure nothing else 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Horrible! Lafarge Holcim sets you up to fail which is emboldened by absolutely abhorrent behaviour from management 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Getting yelled at for doing what you were told to do. Doing the work 7 or more other positions because Lafarge will not staff their plant props. So that left me completing tasks I was never trained in and or should have been doing in the role I was hired for!

Management and the union used to respect each other here. I don't know if it's a result of the merger last year with Holcim but the atmosphere and morale in that time has deteriorated to an all time low. The latest attempt to negotiate new Collective Bargaining Agreement has turned things from bad to toxic. They have locked us out after trying to convince us that neutering the seniority principle and doing away with the majority of the individual postings are a few good ideas. After witnessing how upper management treats lower management, we can just imagine what will be in store for us peons if they have their way. I would definitely NOT hang your hopes on this place as a (mentally) healthy option for gainful employment unless something drastically changes.....(hopefully soon). 
One of the other reviewers suggested that the positive reviews here were planted by someone from LaFarge. Judging by my experience, I'd have a hard time arguing with that.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Driver 1 salary reported	$34.80 per hour
Heavy equipment mechanic 10 salaries reported	$46.53 per hour
Concrete finisher 4 salaries reported	$32.52 per hour
Millwright 1 salary reported	$39.00 per hour
Chauffeur 1 salary reported	$28.70 per hour

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