Anarchoblogs

In any case the union, Local 832 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, has certainly been quick off the bat in garnering public support for their positions. Here, from their website, is a story about how clients of the CNIB have rallied behind the workers that serve them. Rather inspiring actually as management has been rather treacherous to clients in the past while workers have defended them.

Please refer to the Winnipeg Wobbly Blog as well as the Local website for further coverage of this strike.

Clients who use CNIB Services outraged
Will support striking CNIB staff on picket line.
UFCW Local 832 members working at Canadian Institute for the Blind (CNIB) will have the support of the people they help in Manitoba on the picket line at 1080 Portage Avenue.

Many of the clients that receive assistance from the staff at CNIB are ready to show their support and walk with them in hopes the remaining issue of paid sick leave can be resolved.

“I think it’s appalling that this strike is taking place. The support workers and everyone on strike have been very good to us, and they were there for us when CNIB closed down our specialty store in 2007. So we want them to know they have our support and hopefully the CNIB will put an end to this strike quickly,” said Eric Mackinder who is a client at the CNIB and the Winnipeg Chapter President for the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians.

The members at CNIB have already agreed to the company’s proposal of a wage freeze in the first year and their proposal of 2.5 per cent in the second year. The unionized staff at CNIB is paid generally $5 less per hour less than other non-profit organizations in the province. The remaining issues are over the reductions to the paid sick leave and long term disability the members have had since their first collective agreement. Both of which the company has stated at the bargaining table are not being abused.

There was once a bumper sticker current in Alberta that read (more or less) 'Oh Lord Grant Us another Boom And We Promise Not To Bugger It Away Again'. Well...this sticker was current before the most recent boom, and, of course, it was buggered away once again. In a last ditch effort the Alberta government tried to apply higher royalty rates on the oil industry just as the financial crisis was breaking. To say the least this didn't lead to increased government revenue, though how much was because of royalty rates and how much was because of the economic downturn may be a matter of eternal dispute. The hike in rates didn't work, and now Alberta has gone from flush to bust, and they have to live with the deficits that other provinces in Canada have had to endure for decades. In an attempt to recover financial probity the Conservative government of Alberta resorts to the usual mechanism of all conservative governments ie "make the working class pay". One recent victim of this strategy is the nurses of Alberta. Here's a story from the Edmonton Sun about what the Alberta government wants and what the nurses of Alberta think of it.

Nurses reeling from proposed rollbacks
By SHAWN LOGAN and FRANK LANDRY QMI Agency
Alberta nurses say morale has flat-lined after a tough opening salvo in contract negotiations with the province’s health board.

United Nurses Association president Heather Smith said while union negotiators had anticipated some rollbacks as talks began Monday, there was no way to anticipate the magnitude of proposed cuts that she said marks the most significant contract surgery she has seen in 25 years.

“This is an out of the blue punch in the gut,” she said Tuesday. “For whatever reason, Alberta Health Services wanted to be provocative and some would say insulting.”

The union, which represents 24,000 registered nurses, will see its contract expire at the end of March.

Smith said AHS has proposed rollbacks in all but 10 of 44 negotiating areas including: reducing time off between shifts from 15.5 to 10 hours, elimination of the requirement to have a nurse in charge of every unit, allowing casual workers to be terminated without cause, as well as trimming RRSPS, vision care, and long-term service retention payments.

Smith said it’s too early to consider the possibility of strike action with a second round of talks scheduled to begin March 17, but she noted miffed nurses will be mulling their options.

“If Alberta Health Services isn’t prepared to negotiate an agreement, the membership will have to decide what it’s prepared to do,” she said.

Ken Hughes, chairman of the Alberta Health Services board, refused to comment on the negotiations but told an Edmonton Chamber of Commerce luncheon that AHS will follow a number of “guiding principles” in talks. ( The dog speaks to its master- Molly )

The UNA has asked for a two-year deal with a 4% raise in each year while AHS’s four-year proposal calls for two years of no pay increases followed by two more cost of living raises.

City worker dead, another recovering after accident
A city worker is dead and another is recovering after a garbage truck flipped over Friday.

The single-vehicle collision occurred on the ramp from eastbound Bloor Street to the northbound Don Valley Parkway around 5:25 a.m.

“The driver failed to negotiate the last curve to the right, losing control of the vehicle.” Const. Hugh Smith said. “It went off the road, rolled through the guardrail, struck a tree and then ended up rolled onto its side.”

The 34-year-old driver was trapped in the vehicle for more than an hour. He was pronounced dead shortly after being freed. The passenger, a 48-year-old man, was ejected from the truck and was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The ramp was closed for the remainder of the morning as police investigated.

Toronto Mayor David Miller and City Manager Joe Pannachetti expressed their condolences to the family of the man who died.

"On behalf of all Torontonians and all members of the Toronto Public Service we express our deepest sympathies to the family, friends and co-workers of the employee that passed away," they said in a statement.

"We also want to send our sincere wishes for a full recovery to the employee who was injured."

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CNIB workers prepare to picket
Workers at Winnipeg's Canadian National Institute for the Blind are preparing to walk off the job on Monday.

Union members on Thursday voted down the CNIB's final contract offer, after negotiating with management for close to a year.

The union is willing to accept a wage freeze in the first year of a new deal but not the proposed reductions to paid sick leave and long-term disability, said United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 832 president Robert Ziegler.

'The company has taken a hard line on a non-issue.'—Robert Ziegler, union president
"The membership is outraged that after spending nearly a year at the bargaining table and being understanding on monetary issues that the company would force a reduction in their health and wellness benefits when it has never been a problem," Ziegler said.

The 19 union members who work at the CNIB perform various duties assisting people living in the province who have visual impairment.

Contract negotiations started in April 2009 and in July 2009, a government-appointed conciliator was brought on to try helping the two sides reach a deal.

"The company has taken a hard line on a non-issue and unfortunately they are demonstrating to the people in the province who need these services that they would rather force our members on a picket line instead of helping them," said Ziegler.

There are no plans to continue negotiations as the company stated this was their final offer, he added.

However, the union is willing to meet with the company over the weekend prior to the Monday morning picket, if they are willing to move off this issue, Ziegler said.

There's been no comment from the CNIB.

CNIB members in Manitoba set to strike on Monday
Company pushes members to the streets over non-issue.
UFCW Local 832 members working at the Winnipeg Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) at 1080 Portage voted down the company’s final offer on March 11.

“The membership is outraged that after spending nearly a year at the bargaining table and being understanding on monetary issues that the company would force a reduction in their health and wellness benefits when it has never been a problem” said UFCW Local 832 President Robert Ziegler.

Negotiations started in April 2009 and have been assisted through a government appointed conciliation officer since July 2009 with all the items being agreed upon, including a wage freeze in the first year but the members refuse to budge on CNIB’s stance to change its paid sick leave.

“Our members have been very understanding to the financial constraints that CNIB is currently under. They are long standing employees have been with the company for many years. They have agreed to take a wage freeze and a small increase in the second year of the contract. The only outstanding item is the company’s stance to reducing its sick time pay, which the company admitted during negotiations hasn’t been abused,” said Ziegler.

The 19 members working at the CNIB perform various duties assisting people living in the province who have visual impairment.

“The company has taken a hard line on a non-issue and unfortunately they are demonstrating to the people in the province who need these services that they would rather force our members on a picket line instead of helping them,” said Ziegler.

Currently, members who have five years of service or more are entitled to 15 weeks of 100 per cent paid sick leave should they need it. The company wants to reduce it to 10 days at 100 per cent then whatever days that member has not used to-date under its “sick time cushion” 100 per cent of a potential 10 days but the remaining time will be at 67 percent. Currently, if a member does not use their sick leave it’s not carried over or can be cashed out. The company also proposed a reduction to the long term disability from 67 per cent to 60 per cent of their eligible earnings.

There are no plans to continue negotiations as the company stated this was their final offer. The union is willing to meet with the company over the weekend prior to the Monday morning picket, if they are willing to move off this issue.

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Postal Workers Union Upset With Service Cutback
The recent decision by Canada Post to reduce the hours of its "Call For" services at Portage's main post office isn't sitting well with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

Todd Jarema, regional union representative for all CUPW offices in Manitoba, says they've been told the move is to bring the service in line with other offices around the province, but notes the union sees it instead as a blatant service cutback.

Jarema notes the folks who had been handling the "Call For" service will still be working in the building during those hours, so closing the wicket is of no real financial benefit to Canada Post.

He adds rural customers and business people who can't make it to the main post office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. no longer have the opportunity to get parcels, registered letters or C.O.D. items after hours.

Jarema says CUPW has put together a mailer for affected customers, asking Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner to try and reverse Canada Post's decision.

Steelworkers Overwhelmingly Reject Vale’s Cynical, Substandard Offer:
Sudbury, Friday, March 12, 2010 — USW Local 6500 President John Fera today announced the results of yesterday’s ratification vote by members of Local 6500.

After holding three meetings with our activists and members on Wednesday night and Thursday morning and evening, the membership voted by secret ballot to overwhelmingly reject Vale Inco’s latest proposal of settlement.

Chief Teller for Local 6500 Lyle Young announced the official numbers:
Total votes cast: 2,371
Total votes to accept: 266
Total votes to reject: 2,105
% of membership to reject: 88.7%

“While no one is happy that the strike will continue,” said Fera and members of the Bargaining Committee, “it’s gratifying to see the support of the membership and the determination to get a fair deal.

“It’s our hope that Vale Inco will understand the need to negotiate a fair contract for our members and ensure that this strike gets resolved. It is our position that we should be looking at a new date to start negotiations again and get this strike settled.”

Both United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard and District 6 Director, Wayne Fraser acknowledged and praised the solidarity of Local 6500 members and the tremendous support that continues to pour in from the community.

“Vale Inco has to know that proposing an unacceptable proposal to our members is not going to cut it,” said Fraser, “and the sooner they realize this, the sooner the strike gets resolved. If Vale Inco is serious about getting a fair contract then let’s agree to binding arbitration and move forward to a positive outcome.”

“In a world of globalization, many of these large super companies believe that they have the ability to re-invent the rules of order when it comes to labour relations,” said Gerard. “Our stand has always been consistent – if your company wants to be successful, then it must start in the workplace and workers have to be treated with dignity and respect. It’s a simple rule, but one that allows all involved to win and move forward. Let’s get back to the table and negotiate a fair deal”.
Source:

John Fera, President, Local 6500 USW

Phone: 705-675-3381 Ext. 232

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Former Abitibi workers occupy mill
Frustrated former workers took over a central Newfoundland newsprint mill in Thursday, in a bid to win jobs as security guards.

AbitibiBowater shut down its mill in Grand Falls-Windsor last year, ending a century of newsprint production in the community and putting hundreds out of work.

On Thursday, about a dozen men snuck through a giant wire fence and into the mill.

"These people behind me are workers who worked here all their lives and they don't see it as trespass," said Gary Healey, a Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union official, who spoke to CBC News through the wire fence on their behalf.

"They see it as successorship and jurisdiction, and [that they] have a right to work."

The former workers' complaint is with the Newfoundland and Labrador government, which took control of AbitibiBowater's assets when the mill closed.

The men are demanding that the government hire them for any work that involves the mill, including a handful of security positions. None of the people hired at the facility now is a former mill worker.

"This is about people who lost just about everything they ever had, and they're frustrated, and they just want to be able to go to work, if there is any work," Healey said.

The CEP said the protesters will not budge until the provincial government commits to helping them out.

RCMP spent the morning on the site, but left after the security staff at the mill assured police that the protest was peaceful.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/03/04/abitibi-occupation-504.html#ixzz0hMow23QV