61 years in the same garage

Dominique Lelièvre
Adrien Labbe, 79 years old, came to swell the ranks of the garage Drolet Springs at only 18 years old.

Dominique Lelièvre

Saturday, 31 march 2018, 00:00

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Saturday, 31 march 2018, 00:00

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It is a birthday it is not common that stressed these last few days the team from a garage in Quebec, where an employee has more than six decades of seniority.

Adrien Labbe so loves his work that, at 79 years of age, he thinks of just retirement. “I will have to stop, but we don’t know when. It is the Good God who will decide “, he candidly when asked if he feels ready to retire.

His colleagues in Drolet Springs knew it was tireless, but not at this point. A former card-employment, found it recently and dating back to 1982, shows that the seventy-year-old was hired in march 1957.

Dominique Lelièvre

Mr. Labbé has received a tribute felt of the owners of Drolet Springs, William and Steve Baker, who surround them, and of Simon Mercier, director of development (left).

His comrades paid him tribute last Monday, 61 years to the day after the beginning of his career, that they qualify as exceptional.

“Mr. Labbé is the oldest [here], but nobody really knew when he came in. It is by returning to our old papers that you’ve seen it. […] It has made the jump ! We said that we needed to do something about it, ” says Simon Mercier, the director of the development company, which specializes in the mechanical and the suspension of heavy vehicles.

Even he seems surprised. “It doesn’t make sense, it goes by so fast ! , “says Mr. Labbé. The man has eyes and sharp displays with a wide smile, obviously proud of this achievement.

Essential

Adrien Labbe was 18 years old when it comes to swell the ranks of this garage, which now has a storefront in the industrial park of Saint-Malo. He quickly takes charge of the workshop of forgery where he repaired heavy-duty leaf springs, a demanding job.

Courtesy

The man began his career in 1957. As we can see on this photo, in the center.

For a year, it works more than one day per week. He assists the director of parts and care of the tasks that may be less rigorous physically. Despite everything, he still knows how to become indispensable, emphasizes his boss. “The technology has changed, but we still need him and his knowledge. We will snatch a little bit [when he’s going to leave], ” says the co-owner of Drolet Springs, Steve Baker.

“He was respected by a lot of the other mechanics by his valour, his knowledge and seniority “, he says.

Robust health

The blacksmith has the robust health, so much so that he can not help but to work in his days off, tells Simon Mercier.

When it is not in the garage, it takes care of the two residential buildings that belong to him. “Me, stay doing nothing, I am not able. I’d fire crazy “, playing Mr. Labbé.

“This is not the work that makes you die “, a philosopher who is now entering his 62nd year of service.