Hello CUPE 391

My phone has been ringing constantly as members voice their outrage re: The posting of the shelver position on the Bulletin Board.  This position does not begin until January 2008. 

The new LAI’s that were hired in July and oriented in October do not seem to be able to cover all the shifts available for LAI’s according to the HR Director.  Recently 5 LAI’s were promoted to LAII positions.  There are now 5 vacant LAI positions.  The branches are crying out for more LAI’s to be hired.  According to HR this is the reason for posting the shelver position before it comes into being 2008.  What is supposed to happen, according to Clause 8.4.1 of the collective agreement: when a regular full-time position vacancy occurs or a new position is created, the Employer shall, for a period of seven (7) days, post notice of the position on all bulletin boards in the Employer’s offices and branches with in 4 weeks of the vacancy.  The Employer is violation of clause 8.4.1 because they have not and will not post the LA I vacancies as per the collective agreement.  The HR director admitted that these positions will not posted. Three excluded staff were present.

What is the Union to make of this?  We have recently had workshops designed to assuage the symptoms of anger after a strike.  We are having LAI and LAII forums to soothe the library assistants fears and build for the future.  The pre-advertising of the shelver position on the bulletin board has effectively wiped out any of our tentative movements towards building a better relationship.  What were they thinking?

Apparently they were thinking that though the system is short of LAI’s, they can avoid filling their hours (as per article 8.4.1) by jumpstarting the adverstising for bookshelvers by over one month.  This is not what we call healing relationships or managing the staff shortage.  This is fact, a violation of the contract as there is no argument for not filling those positions when we are short of LAI’s to do the work.  Our past practice has been that written arguments have to presented when positions are not being filled during the timelines suggested by the article of the Collective Agreement.  The Union would far sooner be forging collaborative relationships with management then writing yet another grievance.  This behaviour makes it an uphill slog.

In solidarity

Alex

P.S.  After several conversations with Management today, they have agreed to send out an email to staff explaining their position but will not pull the shelver position on the bulletin board and replace it with 5 postings for 5 LAI positions.

VPL Library Board Meeting Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The Library Board meeting will be in the Board Room on Level 7 at Central Library.  Please phone 604-331-4003 if you wish to attend.  The meeting is open to the public but the staff need to organize seating for the meeting.

A delegation wishing to appear before the Board shall advise the Executive Assistant by noon the Wednesday in the week before the scheduled meeting.  (the difficulty lies in the fact that the Union does not receive the agenda until Friday before the scheduled meeting.) To compensate the for this problem, there are opportunities to appear as a late delegation if a person or organisation submits a written request to the Executive Assistant no later than twelve o’clock noon on the Tuesday before the Board meeting.

Board Agenda Items of Interest for November 28, 2007, 5.30 p.m.

• Revised VPL Board Procedure Policy


• Creative City Task Force Cultural Plan - see www.vancouver.ca/creativecity


• RFID Capital Plan Submission Discussion

Bursaries
The Union and Management have agreed to present bursaries to eligible member applicants for the 2007/2008 school year.  We will be taking applications beginning Monday, November 26, 2007.  Applications will be accepted for two weeks only, to facilitate availability of funds for the new school term.

Applications - see Forms www.cupe391.ca/documents/forms.shtml

The Committee intends to meet to review the terms of reference of the committee but due to job action this has not happened to date.  Please send all applications to Human Resources office, C/O Jeanie Kamimura.  Union and Management will review as soon as possible to expedite release of bursary funds.

From Aili:

CUPE 391 - LA I/LA II MEETING
(Part-time and auxiliary employees are encouraged to attend)

Thursday, November 29th.
Oakridge Library Meeting Room
#191 - 650 West 41st Avenue
6-8 pm

LA I’s, II’s and others concerned about how the creation of the Shelver position will affect them and their co-workers are invited.

We hope to:
1. Establish a LA I/II Committee to address issues pertaining to them.
2. Compile questions to present to HR before the planned LA I and II forum in December.

If you cannot attend but would like to submit a question and/or are interested in joining the committee please email Aili at ailimeu@vpl.ca.

Also, there will be pizza.

Thanks and hope to see or hear from you,

Aili on behalf of the Executive

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The Union attended November 20th Union/Management meeting.  We discussed employer and employee involvement in establishing rapprochement.  We tend, in some situations, to be responding in autopilot as the business of reestablishing public service engulfs us.  The Union is researching venues for rebuilding this damaged relationship.  We respect the City of Vancouver’s and the LMT’s
efforts in this direction and look forward to receiving feedback from the membership.
The clause “daily guarantee” in the new memorandum of agreement allows for all staff to attend six training sessions of two hours each per year.  see below

Daily Guarantee
Effective the date of ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement, the Employer and the Union agree to amend Clause 8.12(d) by replacing the words

Strike pay cheques that have not been previously picked up by members will be available at the General Meeting.

General Meeting
Peter Kaye Room
November 19, 2007
6.00 p.m.

Silent auction will begin at 4.00 p.m. (same date) in the Peter Kaye Room.  Come down early and place your bids.  Excellent camping and party gear and priceless memories of our campaign are available.

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