Since December 2006, most Lower Mainland civic workers have been working without a contract. Across the region, talks have stalled as Employers and GVRD bargainers refuse to make meaningful progress.

At the VPL bargaining table we are facing the same situation. The only thing that the CUPE 391 Bargaining Committee and the Employer can seem to agree on is that negations are going no where. The Employer has said no to all of CUPE 391’s proposals and talks have come to a complete halt.

What is the Employer demanding?

• No increase to benefits without concessions.


• Significant changes to Sick Leave that will impair your access to your sick leave banks.


• Removal of Technological Change protectio


• Removal of restrictions on Sunday Hours of Work


• To restrict Auxiliary employees who have not worked within 60 days prior to the date of ratification access to any retroactive negotiated monetary increases (including wages).

What are some of the things CUPE 391 asked for? A new contract that includes:

• A fair wage increase


• Steps towards finally achieving Pay Equity


• Improved benefits for our members and their familie


• Rights for Part-Time and Auxiliary Staff


• Better job security and tech change protection

The Bargaining Committee was forced to apply for mediation on June 7. It is hoped that the assistance of a neutral mediator will help get productive talks going, so a fair settlement can be achieved.

The Employer, and the mediator, need to understand that CUPE 391 members strongly support their bargaining proposals and are serious about making improvements to our collective agreement. The only way we can do this is by returning to the table with a strong strike vote.

Strike Vote Meeting
Sunday June 24 at 5:30 p.m.
Alice MacKay Room, Central Library

On June 24, Send a clear message to the Library Management that we are serious about our issues and we want to negotiate a fair collective agreement.

The Employer needs to come to the bargaining table with the intent to make progress and respect library workers and vital services we provide by negotiating fair contracts.

Questions from the membership are welcome as we explain the current state of bargaining and outstanding issues. The voting results will be tabulated, and released immediately.

For more information, please visit or contact your Bargaining Committee at bargaining@vpl.ca.

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Have you clicked on the Fairness for Civic Workers campaign yet and sent the mayor and council a message?  CUPE 391 is part of this campaign. We are less than enchanted with the indifference to local issues displayed by the GVRD at the bargaining table. Visit the action website at www.fairnessforcivicworkers.ca
website and get informed.

To avert job action, Lower Mainland civic workers (12,00 of them) have launched a public campaign to called “Fairness for civic workers” that DEPENDS ON YOU taking action now to put pressure on your local municipal politicians to:

• Remove all proposed concessions from the table


• Return to the bargaining table with the intent to make progress


• Respect civic workers and the vital services they provide negotiating fair contracts

Taking action is as easy as 1-2-3

1. Visit http://www.fairnessforcivicworkers.ca/


2. Click on the flag of the municpality in which you reside and TAKE ACTION NOW!


3. Press SEND

As always, the success of bargaining depends on your support.  Please visit the website and take action now.  Let your family and friends show their appreciation for the vital public services we provide.  Tell them how they can show their support through visiting www.fairnessforcivicworkers.ca, clicking their community’s flag and letting their mayor and council know how much they love public service.

This juicy article in the Courier on the City Manager’s wage increase will do your heart good.  I wish I had known what was in the City’s coffers before we asked for such a small increase.  The link was on the www.fairnessforcivicworkers.ca website. See http://www.vancourier.com/issues07/054207/news/054207nn4.html

We will be sending buttons with the Vancouver municipal flag to each worksite tomorrow.  The buttons are tied to the Fairness for Civic Workers campaign and feature our CUPE 391 logo.  Be proud to wear the flag of your community.  Support your local.

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Greetings,

Today the Bargaining Committee met with our National Representatives, Jim Gorman and Cheryl Colborne. We reviewed our current position and discussed our upcoming mediation at the Labour Relations Board with the employer. No dates are known yet, but it will not occur before July at the earliest. Debbie Cameron of the B.C. Labour Relations Board has been assigned as the mediator for our negotiations.

As a result, a Strike Vote is being organized by the Bargaining Committee. The meeting and vote will take place on Sunday June 24th at the Alice MacKay room, Central Branch, Library Square. The informational portion of the meeting will be from between 5.30 and 6.30 p.m. Questions from the membership will be welcome as we explain the currnet state of bargaining and outstanding issues. The voting will take place from 6.30 until 7.30 p.m. Results will be tabulated, and released immediately.

Peter DeGroot has been appointed as Returning Officer and will be making sure that correct protocol is followed as per the labour code. Voting must be done in person; no proxy voting is allowed. The informational portion of the meeting is not mandatory; it is possible to come and vote only. Please bring proper identification as only bona fide members of CUPE Local 391 will be permitted to cast a vote.

More information will be forthcoming prior to the meeting. Please make every effort to attend and support your union and Bargaining Committee.

On behalf of the committee:  Marya Gadison, Doug Klohn, Laura Safarian, Alex Youngberg, Aliza Nevarie.

Ed Dickson Bargaining Chair CUPE Local 391

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Bill 31 overturns mandatory retirement age legislation in British Columbia.  This act comes into force January 1, 2008. If you turn 65 before then, you may have to retire.  It depends on the language of your contract.

At Vancouver Public library, those who turn 65 after January 1, 2008 may continue to work at the library.  These people can continue to pay into their pensions without a hiccough.

We will post more information as the various applications of this bill are challenged or put into practice.
see:

http://www.leg.bc.ca/38th3rd/1st_read/gov31-1.htm

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Think Tank Meeting Thursday June 7, 2007

The new CUPE 391Executive met last Thursday to:

• set meeting dates


• establish the roles of the new executive


• review committees


• update proposal to join Vancouver District Labour Council


• discuss new VESP agreement


• review campaign to save the Bindery


• set goals and objectives for the 2007/2008 term of office

The new meeting dates will be on the website shortly.  The next proposed General meeting is at Central, Tuesday July 17th.

Committees:

Anti-Contracting Out Committee

The need for this committee is obvious.  Please respond to Ed Dickson’s e-mail asking for member participation in this new committee.  Ed has suggested the week of June 18, or June 25th. around 6.00 p.m. at the union office. Wednesday or
Thursday of either week are the preferred days.

Grievance Committee

The proposed budget for this committee will be increased substantially to reflect current activities.  We have one arbitration being written up, dates set for two more and the maternity top-up grievance is at step four.

Grievances are being written with increasing frequency; as often as a violation of the collective agreement or past practice takes place.  This committee can always use new members.  Education is provided.

Union Contacts

Gerard Batty will continue to be the coordinator for the union contact list. Ed will be the liaison to the group. It was suggested that the union contacts have a meeting more regularly, and identify people who want stewardship training.

Proposed Pensions Committee

The arbitration over the part-time/auxiliary contributions has shown the Union that we clearly need to be more informed about our Municipal Pension Plan.  This plan is a joint trusteeship with the Employers.  Some of the issues being debated by the nominees of the board:

• Contribution holidays (the employer balks at paying their share of contributions when the kitty is deemed to be full.  The unions say: that is our money.  It can be used to improve benefits


• How the money is invested.  No companies with armament connections please.  e.g.General Electric is the 9th largest producer of arms in the world.


• No to P3 investment.  P3’s take work away from municipal workers and cost more to run.  The municipal workers invest in municipal pensions and make our future retirement safe.

Proposed Young Workers Committee:

We need to promote our young activists.  Education will be forthcoming.

Vancouver Employee Savings Plan

Peter attended the VESP handover. All investments are under the same agreement with the same access. The accounts will be moving from VanCity Savings to Canada Western Trust.  This will be in effect July 1. In October, more options will be coming. Formal notification will be forthcoming. The executive recognized CUPE 15 for spearheading the changeover, and for helping to clean up much of the language in the contract.

Vancouver District Labour Council

Joining this committee has been bruited about by the last three presidents.  The time to take a closer look at joining this organisation has come. VDLC offers much in the way of education programs and exposure to labour issues that affect us.  We will be asking Bill Saunders, the president of VDLC to attend the next General meeting

Goals and Objectives of 2007/2008

• Successful completion of contract negotiations


• Implementation of a public advocacy campaign


• Create new affiliations with other labour organizations


• Redefine union-management relationships




• Improve communications with and representation of members

The details of the goals and objectives will be available at the July 17th General meeting.  The executive seeks to enrich and build the social capacity of our union and its resources.  A cost-share with CUPE National has been proposed to help build strong communities.  A communications plan has been developed for CUPE 391.  The Communications committee will be examining it and giving feedback.  We encourage your attendance and support at this meeting.

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