Category: Bulletins

TO: ALL MEMBERS – PACIFIC REGION

RE: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE
NATIONAL WORK MEASUREMENT COMMITTEE

This is an invitation for all CUPW members in good standing to put their names forward as a delegate from the Pacific Region to the National Work Measurement Committee. This Committee is made up of two delegates (one Brother and one Sister) from each of CUPW’s eight Regions. One delegate from our Region should be knowledgeable in the Mail Service Courier Workload Structuring System, and the other delegate from our Region should be knowledgeable in the Letter Carrier Route Measurement Systems.

Continue reading “CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL WORK MEASUREMENT COMMITTEE”

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers welcomes the resignation of Judge Coulter Osborne as final offer selection arbitrator. Judge Osborne was appointed by Labour Minister Lisa Raitt to arbitrate the contract between CUPW and Canada Post Corporation following the back-to-work legislation which ended the postal lock-out in June 2011.

“Today we contacted Labour Minister Raitt and requested a meeting with her to discuss the implications of Judge Osborne’s resignation,” said CUPW President and chief negotiator Denis Lemelin. “We will encourage Ms. Raitt to appoint an experienced and bilingual mediator, to work with the parties to negotiate a collective agreement, instead of replacing the arbitrator.”

“A negotiated settlement would be far preferable for all concerned. Judge Osborne’s resignation creates an opportunity for the parties to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a collective agreement.”

Following the elections of Sister Cindy A. Lee to the position of Regional Union Representative and Mike Palecek to National Union Representative – Under direction of NEC, the above positions are now open for election.

6.5    The Grievance Officer:

6.5 A    Shall be an elected Full-Time Officer and voting member of the Executive Committee.
6.5 B    Shall prepare, arrange, and oversee the hearing of all grievances at the first level.
6.5 C    Shall maintain an up-to-date grievance filing system.
6.5 D    Shall chair at least six (6) Grievance Committee Meetings per year to deal with matters relating to the grievance procedure.
6.5 E    Shall maintain a liaison between the Local and Regional Grievance Officer.
6.5 F    Shall report to the Executive Committee.

AND

6.9    The Recording Secretary/By-Laws Chair:

6.9 A    Shall be an elected officer and voting member of the Executive Committee.
6.9 B    Shall take the minutes of all Executive Committee, General Membership and Special Meetings of the Local.
6.9 C    Shall be the Chair of the By-laws Committee.

9.3D    Candidates must be a member in good standing and must have attended at least three General Membership Meetings in the twelve (12) months prior to and inclusive of the close of nominations.  Subject to Article 9.10A.

Interim election procedures apply.  Nominations in writing, with written acceptance, may be sent to the Union Hall prior to the November GMM.  Nominations may also be made at the Sunday, November 27, 2011 GMM.

The election will be held:

Sunday, November 27, 2011  at  1:00 p.m.
at the Banquet Hall (beside our offices)

The election will take place as part of the normal order of business during the November Membership Meeting as per Article 9.7A of the Local Bylaws.

** Note:  You must be a member in good standing to vote.

For Immediate Release

OTTAWA – The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has scored a significant victory in its fight against the Harper government’s treatment of postal workers.

In a decision handed down October 20th in the Federal Court, Judge Luc Martineau ordered a stay of proceedings relating to the Harper government’s back-to-work legislation (Bill C-6) against thousands of locked-out postal workers in June.  The arbitration will now stop until the union’s challenge of the government’s hand-picked arbitrator can be heard in January 2012.

“This decision shows that the union is on the right track.  We are questioning the process by which this government has forced its will on postal workers,” said Denis Lemelin, CUPW National President and chief negotiator.

Members of CUPW’s urban unit went on rotating strike in June and were subsequently locked out by Canada Post, then legislated back to work.  The union has also launched a separate constitutional challenge against the back-to-work legislation itself, which directs the arbitrator to pick one side only without any possiblility of compromise.

The Martineau decision bolsters the union’s objection to Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt’s appointment of Anthony Arthur Coulter Osborne – a unilingual jusdge without any previous experience in labour relations – to preside over the arbitration.  The merits of the union’s case will be argued in January.

Normally, arbitrators are agreed upon by the parties, rather than being imposed by the government.  Observers have noted the importance of CUPW’s challenges for the future of labour relations in Canada.

For more information, please contact Aalya Ahmad, CUPW Communications, at 613-327-1177