Sisters and Brothers,
As you all know, the Union has reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) with the employer for the Urban Operations bargaining unit. A majority of the National Executive Board (NEB) members have voted in favor of the TA. We all know that it is far easier and simple to take what the employer is prepared to offer. But our Union has always been known to be militant and strong. Our Union always understood the issues of the working class. Historically CUPW never settled for what was being offered. CUPW always stood up and fought for what we deserved.
Before you make your decision to vote, please consider a few things:
1) Sick leave benefits for STD (from Article 20)
Approval for STD benefits is determined by the disability management provider.
An employee will receive 70% of regular wages for up to 15 weeks. During this period an employee may use available top up credits to get 100% of regular wages, only if he/she has some hours saved up from their previous sick leave entitlement.
ANY DECISION OF THE DISABILITY MANAGEMENT PROVIDER AND THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL PHYSICIAN ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE.
AS OF THE DATE ON WHICH THE STD PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED, AN EMPLOYEE CAN ONLY BE GRANTED LEAVE WITH PAY UNDER THIS CLAUSE ONCE HE OR SHE HAS EXHAUSTED ALL HIS/HER PERSONAL DAYS.
2) Two-tier wage for the new hires. Two-tier pension for new hires AND current Temps
The TA also includes a major change to the defined benefit pension plan for current Temp workers and future new hires which will result in a two-tiered pension plan. So while wages, benefits and pensions of most current workers are protected, FOR NOW, future workers will have a totally different picture. New hires will start at $6 per hour less and will have to work almost a third of their career before they make what you make in wages.
Both current Temps and new hires will have to work an extra 5 years before they will become eligible to retire.
If we agree to this TA, these are the same new workers that will have the burden and responsibility for protecting the rights, benefits and pension of the senior or retired workers.
3) Personal days
Full-time employees will get 7 personal days (in hrs) on the first day of the fiscal year. Part-time employees get a prorated amount of hours on the first day of the fiscal year based on their weekly scheduled hours.
REQUESTS FOR PLANNED PERSONAL DAYS ARE SUBJECT TO A TIME CONVENIENT FOR THE CORPORATION.
Our decision at this ratification vote needs a lot of soul searching and strength.
IF YOU VOTE YES that means you will put up with major rollbacks and you are strong enough to live with them. At the same time we will be creating larger divides amongst the membership. Also at the same time you are agreeing with the employer on these rollbacks.
IF YOU VOTE NO then is shows CPC that we will not accept a two-tier work floor. This also means the fight to protect and improve our rights and benefits will continue. Voting NO also means that you are taking a chance on either FINAL OFFER SELECTION or a RENEGOTIATED agreement that might improve our wok life and it will also show the strength of our Union. The Union at all levels will continue to organize the workers to fight back just the way we did last June.
There is no guarantee that in our next round of bargaining CPC won’t come after our job security and pension plan. We need to send a strong message to our employer and at the same time to our national leaders.
The power of the Union rests on the strength of the membership, not on the will of the national leadership.
DO THE RIGHT THING VOTE “NO”
Anju Parmar
Chief Shop Steward, VPDC
Member of Vancouver Local Executive Committee
Vim Vimalendiran
Chief Shop Steward, VPDC
Member of Vancouver Local Executive Committee