MEET YOUR SOCIAL STEWARDS IN VANCOUVER LOCAL

Earlier this month we had our first CUPW- FTQ Social Stewards Network 3-day Conference held in Montreal. Social Stewards from across country took part in this  conference and shared their experience and concerns with others.

 What is a social steward?

A social steward is an active union member involved in providing support to other members who are experiencing difficulties. Helping someone involves listening to and referring members who seek help to union, community and professional resources.

The role of a Social Steward is to listen, refer, support and follow up.

Social stewards can play a crucial role in responding to the needs of the environment. It is a helping relationship between equals provided be members to fellow members. All information is kept confidential and proper help and guidance will be provided.

Social Stewards Acts as a safety net for workers.

Offers support throughout the recovery process.

read more here

Letter writing contest winner under 12 years:

AMANAT KAUR BRAR

   

Amanat wrote about how the spirit of giving can make changes around the world. Her letter absolutely touched our hearts, we were so happy to hear from her.

Amandeep Kaur from PIF Shift 1 brought her daughter 9 years old Amanat into the office to accept her winners certificate and her gift card.

Thank you Amanat for reminding all of us that the spirit of giving is still alive and well.

In Solidarity,

Katie Poch                                                            Anju Parmar

Organizing Director                                          President

                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Election Notice

Application Deadline: February 15 Wednesday by 12:00 P.M.
Nominations are now open for the following positions on the Local Executive Committee:

Full-Time Officers

President
2nd Vice President
Grievance Officer

Table Officers

Education Director
Organization Director/Tyler
Recording Secretary/By-Laws Chair

Health & Safety Director

Chief Shop Stewards

PPC/PIF Internal #1 Shift/ Wickets/Group 1 C&D
GLT (Groups 3 & 4)/Glen Drive

Group 2 MSC

Group 2 Letter Carrier

The duties of these positions are described in the Vancouver Local By-laws, and are available at the Union Hall or at any General Membership Meeting.

Written and signed nominations with acceptances must be submitted to the Union Hall, Unit 109 – 4238 Lozells Ave, Burnaby by 12:00 P.M. (noon) on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. Nominations can be mailed to the office or dropped in person or sent via fax at 604 685-4931. No late nominations will be accepted. Candidates and their nominators must be members in good standing. In addition, candidates must have attended at least three (3) General Membership Meetings in the previous twelve (12) months.

The exact dates for the election to be announced by the Balloting Committee. The schedule for the 2023  plant-gate election will be presented in a bulletin after nominations close.

In Solidarity,

Anju Parmar, President

JANUARY General Membership Meeting AMEMDED

Saturday   January 28th at 10 am
This is an in-person meeting at Hilton Vancouver Metrotown
6083 McKay Avenue, Burnaby, B.C. V5H 2W7

BACCARAT ROOM

AGENDA FOR THE JANUARY GMM:

  1. Land Acknowledgment
  2. Reading of Truth and Reconciliation: Calls to Action
  3. Reading of new members
  4. Reading of the previous meeting’s minutes
  5. Business arising out of the minutes
  6. Financials (3 months)
  7. New Business (Notices of motions attached below)
  8. Nominations and elections:

 

            1)National Convention Delegate Alternate (10)

             2) MSC Route Measurement (1)

             3) By Laws (1)

             4)  Conflict Resolution Committee Alternate (1)

             5) VDLC (5) Alternate (3)

 

9) Executive Committee Motions

10) Unfinished business

11) Correspondence

12) Executive and Committee Reports

13) Good and Welfare

14) Adjournment

In Solidarity,

Anju Parmar, President

**Sign Language Interpreters have NOT been confirmed.

read more here

Special Leave versus Personal days

There have been many questions about when members can use paid special leave; hopefully the following will help explain some of this.

Clause 21.03 Leave for Other Reasons {page 174 of the Urban Collective Agreement} says:

“Where conditions warrant it, special leave with pay may be granted when circumstances not directly attributable to the employee, including but not limited to illness in the immediate family, as decided in clause 21.02, prevent his or her reporting for duty.
Such leave will not be unreasonably withheld. An employee can only be granted leave with pay under this clause once he or she has exhausted all of his or her Personal Days.”

If you have used all of your personal days and are being prevented from reporting to duty due to circumstances not directly attributable to you, you can apply for paid special leave in accordance with the clauses outlined above. When applying for paid special leave, Canada Post will provide you with an application form/questionnaire that you must complete and submit along with any documents which support your request. While the questions on these forms can seem intrusive, sufficient information/evidence must be provided to substantiate your request.

There have been many arbitration decisions concerning the use of paid special leave over the years, and generally, they say that:

  1. An employee must make a reasonable effort to report to work including making other arrangements to be able to report to work.
  2. The employer must make proper inquiries and consider the request.

In other words, if it is established that there was a circumstance not directly attributable to the member that prevented them from reporting to work, an arbitrator would apply a two-pronged test that would look at the evidence to determine whether the member made a reasonable attempt to report to work, and whether Canada Post properly investigated and considered the request.

If you have applied for paid special leave but were denied, you should contact a shop steward in your work location or your Local Union office to enquire about submitting a grievance. If you are to submit a grievance, you must supply the following to support it:

  1. A copy of the application form/questionnaire that you completed and submitted to Canada Post
  2. Copies of any documents provided in support of your request (such as: medical certificates if due to illness in the immediate family, weather reports if related to weather conditions, documents showing attempts to make other arrangements to be able to report to work, etc.)
  3. A statement outlining the reason(s) for the leave request, the attempts made, and any conversations with Canada Post representatives regarding the leave request

While Canada Post supervisors may try to say that because of personal days we no longer have special leave, this is not true. Once you have exhausted your personal days, you are entitled to apply for paid special leave.

In Solidarity,

Vancouver local .

National Convention Delegates Results

1   ALCANTARA, ANGELO
2   ANSELMO,ANSELMO
3   BANCROFT, BLAIR
4   BARONE, VAL
5   BERNABE, ANTOINETTE
6   BIGGS, KEVIN
7   CHOW, ADRIAN
8   CRAWFORD, JESSICA
9   CUENCA, MELANIE
10  DE GUZMAN, HELEN
11  DOBBS, ALLAN
12  GARCIA, ZENAIDA
13  GOSAL, MICKY
14  HENDERSON MCCANCE, JOSEPH
15  HO, DEANNA
16  HSI, YUNG
17  JACKMAN, MARIA
18  KOSIK, MARTIN
19  KUMAR, PERRY
20  MANN, ROBYN
21  MARSHALL, RAYLENE
22  MCCONNELL, JEANNETTE
23  MCCURRACH, JAMIE
24  MCGOWAN, CONDWIRAMURS
25  PARMAR, ANJU
26  RAJ, DEO
27  SCHUCK, BRYAN
28  SENEY, MICHAEL
29  SHARMA, YOGESH
30 TWEED, JOHN
31  WU, ALVAN
32  ZIEFFLIE, KAYLA AIKO

Thanks to the hard work of the balloting Committee in preparing this List.

In Solidarity,

Zoe McGowan

Balloting Committee Chair

 

 

VANCOUVER LOCAL BASIC SHOP STEWARD COURSE

February 16, 17 & 18th

8 A.M. – 4 P.M. (Thursday, Friday & Saturday)

*These courses will be held in person unless public health guidelines change. *

This 3-day course is for Vancouver Local Members who are either interested in becoming Shop Stewards or want to learn more about their rights under the Collective Agreement.

Course prerequisite: You MUST have attended at least one (1) General Membership Meeting in the past twelve (12) months, and be a member in good standing prior to the course application deadline.

Please fill out the Vancouver Local Education application form legibly and in full. Must include your work location, shift, and days off. Partially completed or illegible applications will not be accepted.

Application Deadline:  Friday February 3rd at Noon

Applications can be accepted by mail: CUPW Vancouver Local 109- 4238 Lozells Ave, Burnaby V5A 0C4, by fax (604)-685-4931, or, in person at the Union Office.

In Solidarity,

Jamie McCurrach

Education Director                                        Sr/CUPE-3338