Category: Front Page

Our Contract has about 4 more months to go. While CUPW is hoping to negotiate a new one before that, there are never any guarantees. Members should be looking at their savings and alternate sources of income in preparation for the possibility of a strike in early 2024.

There are some other things that can be done to help ensure that we get a decent Collective Agreement before the deadline:

Let the management know that you want this round settled with good contract which is negotiated in a good faith. Let them know you are demanding better wages and working conditions. Let them know you’re willing to strike if needed to achieve those demands!

Take an interest in the progress of negotiations. Come to meetings and stay informed. Remember if management knows that our membership is involved and ready, they have an incentive to not play games at the negotiating table that they have tried in the past.

The Vancouver Local will hold demand ratification meetings from October 25^th to November 1^st.

On another note I would also like to inform our members that in early August Vancouver local has launched the BUILDING WORKER POWER campaign. Sister Ellen Bowles, our regional coordinator, is has been meeting members in our local for almost 2 months now, having visited every delivery depot in the local. In coming weeks, we will be starting face to face conversations with Group 1, 3 and 4 at PPC and PIF.

TOGETHER WE CAN UNITE, STAND UP, FIGHT BACK AND WIN!!

In Solidarity,

Anju Parmar, President

Art by Lilly-Rose Babysky

The Vancouver Local invites all members to participate in one of the many events taking place during the upcoming Truth and Reconciliation day

In Vancouver, held on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations:

The Arts Umbrella, 1400 Johnston St. https://www.artsumbrella.com/events/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-2023

Orange Shirt Day at Trout Lake Community Center, 3360 Victoria Drive (Outdoors) at 1PM

UBC intergenerational march to commemorate Orange Shirt Day – 11:45am to 3pm at 1985 Learners Walk (Indian Residential School History & Dialogue center

In North Vancouver, held on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations at the Museum and Archives of North Vancouver, 115 West Esplanade, 10am to 5pm

For a complete listing of Truth and Reconciliation day events near you, visit

https://miss604.com/2023/09/truth-and-reconciliation-vancouver-events-2023.html

Saturday, October 28^th

^{Held at the 411 Seniors Center}

^{3502 Fraser St., Vancouver 8am to 4pm}

If you are planning on retiring soon, this course will help you understand your defined benefit pension, how much pensionable service you have, how to plan for your retirement and more.

The CUPW Vancouver Local Retiree’s committee does not have a budget for book offs, so you must attend this course on your own time. If you are scheduled to work on Saturday, October 28^th and wish to attend the course, please fill out a leave form and submit it to your supervisor. There are no pre-requisites for this course, or meeting attendance requirements.

Deadline for applications is Friday, October 20, 2023.  Applications can be faxed to (604) 685-4931, dropped off in person or mailed to #109 – 4238 Lozells Ave, Burnaby BC, V5A 0C4

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY EMAIL

In Solidarity,

Anju Parmar, President

Work Floor Captain Training

Friday, October 20^th

Held at: CUPW Vancouver Local Office

#109 – 4238 Lozells Avenue, Burnaby 8am to 4pm

CUPW is only as strong as our work floors are organized, unified around a plan, and willing to mobilize. Union leadership will never have the power to defeat the boss and government on their own. Without mass buy-in from our members to strengthen CUPW from the work floor up, our jobs as postal workers will keep deteriorating.

The corporation is positioned to use Amazon and the pandemic as excuses to cut us down in bargaining in 2023. We must be ready, but our capacity to fight forward will only be proportional to how many of us are committed to building the solidarity of our union, in whatever way we can.

The Building Worker Power campaign is the first time since 1988 that CUPW has committed to a National plan to build up the internal capacity of our members to confront the employer directly on the work floor. For this campaign to succeed we will need hundreds of members to volunteer as work floor captains to be trained to help their co-workers collectively assert their rights.

Regional Organizers have been trained to assist Locals in running a one-day course designed specifically for this campaign to give members willing to take a stand all the tools they’ll need to effectively organize their own work floor, such as:

read more here

Every year, the Corporation asks CUPW members to participate in an employee engagement survey. While seemingly well intentioned on the surface, these surveys are designed not only to pit members against one another for prizes, but also to gauge the temperature of the work floor in advance of negotiations. The CUPW Vancouver local is advising ALL members NOT TO PARTICIPATE.

But what if I participate to leave a negative review?

While we would all like the opportunity to tell the Corporation what we really think, their metrics are based on participation levels. Also, in years past, they have received negative reviews and promised change – change that has never materialized.

What about the prizes?   

Nothing more than trinkets and tax write offs to the Corporation. These draws are meant to stoke competition amongst colleagues and divide our work floors. If all employees in a cell or section participate, they get an extra ticket for a draw. This puts pressure on those who do not feel like participating not to let others down. This is no different than draws of the past where the Corporation tries to incentivize not calling in sick, only this time, they are incentivising a divide. Anything that divides us weakens us at a time where we need to build our strength and solidarity.

Do not forget this is the same Corporation that has taken from its workers all year long and now wants to paint a rosy picture. The plant has lost day shift jobs, letter carriers are being forced into Separate Sort from Delivery, and Groups 3 and 4 were completely ignored in this survey. We as a Union cannot stand for divisiveness on our work floors.

How do I let my employer know that I am dissatisfied?

You can always invoke your right to complain under Article 9.07. but if you really want to make a statement, please come to ratify our package of demands this October. Wear a Union button on our work floors. Make your opinions on voting YES to strike known. You don’t have to remain quiet, but you don’t have to play the Corporation’s game by their rules in order to express your discontent. The best way to send a clear message is to send a message of silence. We want meaningful negotiations, livable wages and decent work conditions – not draws for lamps and coolers.

In Solidarity,

Anju Parmar, President

Congratulations to Michael Seney, who won $2,335.00 in the CUPW Vancouver Local Wide 50/50!!!

Michael Seney with his winning ticket and $2,335!!!

A huge Thank-you to everyone who participated and donated. The final numbers are being crunched, but we definitely beat our expectations for ticket sales, and a donation to Seniors 411 will be announced shortly.

In Solidarity,

Kat Poch, Organizing Director