Category Archives: cupe

Top seven reasons unions matter to young people

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By Tria Donaldson   August 22, 2013   http://rabble.ca

Tria Donaldson is a youth activist with roots in the environmental movement, the labour movement, and Indigenous Rights. Tria is a senior Communications Officer at CUPE National, and on the board of rabble.ca.

Top seven reasons unions matter to young people

Young workers today face many challenges in the workplace.

Entering the workplace is the first challenge. The youth employment rate is almost double the national average, at 13.6 per cent. You hear stories all the time of new graduates who are unable to find work in their field. Unpaid internships and short term coop placements are the norm for many workers.

Job insecurity is rampant. Many young workers have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet. Part time and contract work is common.

Soaring housing prices, lack of affordable child care and crippling levels of student debt for graduates mean putting off starting a family for many, and struggling to make ends meet for others.

These were just some of the issues identified by young workers at the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ (CUPE) first ever young workers strategy session. The three day meeting brought together over 60 young people from all across Canada to have their voices heard and discuss getting young people involved in the labour movement.

There is a perception amongst union activists that young people today are apathetic and don’t care about unions, but the conversations over the three days show that young people get it and are ready to get involved.

The words below are taken directly from the young people from across Canada who participated in CUPE’s recent strategy session. They remind me of the vital work that trade unions do on behalf of all society.

1. Unions allow workers to become united and to mobilize and come together during times of collective agreements and negotiations. Unionization is important to raise the standard of living for its workers and for society and social programs.

2. Unions make life better for people everywhere. Even if you are not in a union, you enjoy things that have become the norm are there because unions have fought for that. Unions are there to raise everyone up — it should be a race to a top not a race to the bottom.

3. Unions help put fairness in the workplace. People know when they are not being treated fairly, and equate unions with fairness.

4. In a unionized workplace you have a voice and an advocate. Whether you are a worker with disability or from another group, you have voice.

5. A union is there to be strong and united and to be there for workers in their struggles.

6. We live in a global world. It is important that unions can do international solidarity work and stand up against human rights violations.

7. Unions are instrumental in fighting for workers right to safety in the workplace. It is new and young workers that are often hurt on the job, and unions push for their rights.

In a world where the role of unions is constantly questioned and attacked, these young workers spoke to the heart of the matter of why unions matter.

This meeting was part of CUPE’s ongoing work to engage young workers and honour the Year of the New and Young worker. For more information visit CUPE’s young worker webpage here.  

Telus Workers’ Unions in Quebec Slam the Preferential Treatment the Harper Government Seeks to Offer the U.S. Multinational Corporation Verizon < Communications | CUPE

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Telus Workers’ Unions in Quebec Slam the Preferential Treatment the Harper Government Seeks to Offer the U.S. Multinational Corporation Verizon < Communications | CUPE.

Two orders issued at Bonfield landfill

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By GORD YOUNG, The Nugget    Tuesday, August 20, 2013

The Ministry of Labour issued two orders last week regarding the operation of the Bonfield landfill site, including one requiring workers to be properly trained.

Ministry spokesman Matt Blajer confirmed Tuesday that the orders were issued following a site visit under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Blajer said the municipality was also ordered to ensure workers are outfitted with the proper personal equipment. But he said the ministry did not issue any stop-work orders.

Bonfield council members had been operating the landfill while the community’s 16 municipal employees are on strike. But members said last week they would not be opening the site Saturday due to escalating strife at the picket line.

Mayor Randy McLaren said Tuesday that the decision to close the landfill due to concerns for the safety and security of council members was made before the ministry orders were issued.

“It was more coincidental than anything,” he said, noting council members agreed to close the landfill after protesting Thursday forced the cancellation of meeting at the parish hall.

Deputy Mayor Tamela Price-Fry and Coun. Jane Lagassie say they were “held hostage” inside the parish hall while the mayor was being questioned by striking workers and ratepayers in the parking lot.

Price-Fry said she was inside the building with her husband, Lagassie and a person brought in to act as clerk for the meeting, but was unable to leave for about an hour because the exits were blocked.

Steve Boyle, a national representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the striking workers, responded, saying he was not aware of any CUPE members blocking the exits. He said union members were busy speaking to the mayor outside the parish hall. He also noted that police were on the scene and that the gathering dispersed peacefully.

On Monday, the union issued a release suggesting the closure of landfill is creating a bear problem.

“Closing the landfill, with no outlet for the community’s waste to be stored safely will not only prolong this unnecessary strike, but it is also already attracting bears to our community, and this is definitely not safe for the residents,” said Boyle, in the release.

He said CUPE members know what it takes to keep the landfill operating safely and want to resolve the strike.

McLaren said keeping the landfill site closed long-term is not an option. And he said arrangements will likely be made for residents to dispose of their garbage Saturday.

He one option is to ensure adequate security to allow council members to resume operating the site. He said members will be trained to use fire extinguishers and bear spray – as per the ministry order.

McLaren said the municipality can also rent a large bin to be placed in a central location that can later be taken to the landfill.

The municipality’s 16 workers have been off the job since Aug. 1, affecting services such as road maintenance, tax payments, building permits, inspections, planning services and general inquiries. CUPE says key issues are the threat of contracting out and a list of concessions demanded from the municipality including attacks on seniority, training, employment security, scheduling, vacations, sick leave and benefits. McLaren has said there are some 40 outstanding issues and the municipality is seeking changes to the existing collective agreement, including reducing the number of bankable sick days to which employees are entitled, increasing the length of service required for additional vacation entitlement and extending the probationary period for new hires.

He has also acknowledged the municipality has proposed language that would allow it to contract hire. But McLaren has said there is no intention of contracting out core services.

gord.young@sunmedia.ca

Bonfield mayor’s decision to close landfill will not end strike

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http://cupe.ca

Aug 19, 2013

Instead of closing Bonfield’s landfill, the mayor should be back at the bargaining table to resolve a strike that he caused. Sixteen Bonfield municipal workers have been on strike since August 1.

“Closing the landfill, with no outlet for the community’s waste to be stored safely, will not only prolong this unnecessary strike, but it is also already attracting bears to our community, and this is definitely not safe for the residents,” said Steve Boyle, CUPE National Representative. “Our members know what it takes to keep the landfill operating safely for our residents, and we want to resolve this strike so we can serve the community, but we need a willing employer to resolve this strike. We also understand the mayor has left town and gone to Ottawa for a conference while the community is without public services when he should be right here trying to find ways to end this strike.” 

“Citing safety concerns for the mayor and council as the reason for closing the landfill is a bit of a stretch,” said Boyle. “As elected leaders of this community, they should be more worried about the safety of the community from bears looking for garbage than being concerned about their own ‘safety’ from residents unhappy about the mayor’s actions that are prolonging the strike.” 

“If they had not cancelled public meetings and caused this unnecessary strike, they would not be in this situation,” continued Boyle. “The mayor and council must face the public and should be held accountable for their actions.” 

Boyle also noted that the mayor decided to close the landfill after a safety inspection from the Ministry of Labour’s health and safety officers. The workers have been on strike for a fair contract since August 1. In addition to pushing for concessions, including plans to contract out public services, the mayor threatened to impose new terms and conditions forcing the workers into a defensive strike. 

For further information, please contact:

Steve Boyle, CUPE National Representative, 705-662-5975
James Chai, CUPE Communications, 905-739-3999

Protesters prevent meeting

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Striking CUPE Bonfield municipal employees, angry residents, prevent Bonfield council from holding special meeting

By GORD YOUNG, The Nugget

Friday, August 16, 2013

 

Striking municipal employees and angry residents prevented Bonfield council from holding a special meeting Thursday where they were expected to give themselves the authority to hire replacement workers.

Council members arriving at the parish hall for the 4 p.m. meeting were greeted by members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and residents, objecting to the both the timing and notification of the gathering.

The protesting forced the meeting to be cancelled, leaving Mayor Randy McLaren outside parish hall where he spoke to workers and responded to questions and concerns from residents upset about the labour dispute.

CUPE, which represents the 16 striking municipal workers, warned leading up to the meeting that council was making plans to “hire scabs and prolong the strike,” accusing McLaren of being underhanded by calling a 4 p.m. special meeting on short notice in order to avoid public scrutiny.

“Now he’s avoiding the public by scheduling meetings at inconvenient times for the public to avoid hearing from the residents about the strike. The only way this strike will end is at the bargaining table. Avoiding the public, cancelling meetings and hiring scabs will only prolong the strike and aggravate the already heated situation,” said CUPE national representative Steve Boyle, in a release.

Boyle later said the move by council to give itself authority to hire replacement workers is a huge step backwards and that it reeks of an attempt to break the union.

But McLaren said there’s no immediate intention to hire outside workers and that move would simply give municipal politicians the legal authority do so.

Such powers, he said, may be needed in the case of an emergency or extreme weather.

“We’re not trying to escalate tensions,” said McLaren, acknowledging the meeting agenda likely wasn’t going to be well received by striking workers and their supporters.

Also on Thursday’s agenda were several other strike-related items, including amending signing authorities and authorizing council to write cheques in order to do business.

In addition, a resolution to expand the authority of designated members of council was also to be discussed, something McLaren said essentially formalizes the hands-on role he and other township politicians have assumed during the strike, such as operating the landfill.

He said the Ministry of Municipal Affairs advised the municipality to take the steps early on as part of its strike plan. And McLaren noted the labour dispute has gone on now for two weeks.

The municipaliy’s16 workers have been off the job since Aug. 1, affecting services such as road maintenance, tax payments, building permits, inspections, planning services and general inquiries.

CUPE says key issues are the threat of contracting out and a list of concessions demanded from the municipality including attacks on seniority, training, employment security, scheduling, vacations, sick leave and benefits.

McLaren has said there are some 40 outstanding issues and the municipality is seeking changes to the existing collective agreement, including reducing the number of bankable sick days to which employees are entitled, increasing the length of service required for additional vacation entitlement and extending the probationary period for new hires. He has also acknowledged the municipality has proposed language that would allow it to contract hire.

But McLaren has said there is no intention of contracting out core services.

gord.young@sunmedia