NEGOTIATE NOW OR ON THE STREET

RECORD TURN OUT - RECORD "YES" VOTE!
The results of the national strike vote referendum confirmed the obvious.  It's time for the employer to take the membership seriously or face a united and determined workforce that demands Respect, Equality and A Share of the Benefits of New Technology.

Nationally, members voted 94.5% in favour of calling a strike if necessary to achieve a collective agreement.  This is the highest mandate ever given and membership participation was also the highest in the Union's history.

 

Members in Winnipeg voted an astounding 97.1% in favour of taking job action to back our negotiating committee and categorically rejected the employers' divisive cheap labour strategy. 

All classifications were well represented at the Winnipeg vote.  Carriers, Clerks, Couriers and Maintenace workers came out in record numbers at the 4 meetings conducted to cast their ballots.  Of particular note was the high number of Temporary workers that attended the meetings and participated in this crucial vote.

The Local extends our gratitude to the Shop Stewards and activists that assisted with organizing the vote and helping us out on voting day.

The ball is now in Mr. Chopra's court.  Drop the concession demands or pay the consequences from a workforce that demands solutions to the problems we face in the workplace daily and give us our share of the profits we have created.

Sisters and Brothers,
 
As everyone is likely aware of the wildcat situation the RSMC workers in St Albert are in right now, the Edmonton workers are asking that we help these Sisters and Brothers out by sending them some financial support.  

These workers have been facing constant cutbacks since 2008.  This last cutback was the final straw.  

Unfortunately in order to take a stance against the boss they are doing so without pay and could face heavy discipline when they return to work. 

Please show these 14 workers the generosity of postal workers across this country.  None of them made this decision lightly but they truly felt this was the only course of action to send a message to the boss that enough is enough!
 
We need to protect and help our sisters and brothers as much as possible when the boss takes away their rights, wages and benefits. Please donate individually or, better yet, hold a collection on your work floor and send it
with a message of SOLIDARITY!
 
Please send in the form of a cheque to: CUPW Edmonton Local, 11001-107st, Edm AB, T5H 2Z6
 
The local will evenly distribute the cheques to the RSMC workers in St. Albert.
 
Solidarity,
 
Mike Painchaud

Edmonton Local

Sisters and Brothers

Sisters and Brothers

As you may have heard there is a wildcat strike occurring right now in Edmonton. Fifteen RSMCs working out of the St Albert office, a suburb of Edmonton, walked out yesterday morning when they learned their pay was being cut due to route evaluations. In many cases this reduced their income by thousands of dollars.

The workers and supporters shortly after walking out set up picket lines. The wildcat is continuing today with pickets being set up early this morning. There was a support rally at 9am Alberta time that is still continuing. The employer is attempting to use contractors to deliver the mail but at this point the strikers and their supporters have stopped them from entering. The employer has S and I present and have called the police.

Several other locations in Edmonton have engaged in support actions such as mass coffee breaks and workfloor discussions.

Please tell your members what is going on and encourage them to support these workers by:

-Sending a support message to the Edmonton Local

-Mass coffee breaks to discuss the issues

-Whatever else they are willing to do

We need to give The Boss a message that we will not be treated like this

An Injury to one is an injury to all

 

IT’S TIME TO TAKE A STAND

On April 13^th, Winnipeg postal workers will be joining the rest of the country and casting their ballots on whether or not to give the National Union the authority to call a strike in order to achieve a collective agreement.  For the majority of our members in Winnipeg, this will be the first time they have participated in this process while others have been down this road many times in the past.  Regardless of your length of service, the urgency to participate in this vote is the same for us all.

The employer has set themselves on a path of direct conflict with our Union based on the ridiculous and unjustified demands for massive rollbacks to our collective agreement.  Rollbacks that will impact every single postal worker that recently retired, is currently on duty and those workers that haven’t even started at Canada Post yet.

Ø  Their demand to eliminate our paid sick leave plan under Article 20 rolls the collective agreement back to 1968.

Ø  Their demand to eliminate the 7^th week of vacation leave under Article 19 rolls the collective agreement back to 1980.

Ø  Their demand to reduce Injury on Duty pay under Article 24 rolls the collective agreement back to 1976.

Ø  Their demand to increase the age of early retirement without penalty for those with less than 30 years of service under Article 42 rolls the collective agreement back to 1971.

Ø  Not giving all employees a 30 minute paid meal period under Article 14 rolls the collective agreement back to 1980.

Ø  Setting a starting wage of $17.50 per hour under Appendix A rolls the collective agreement back to 1999.

Ø  The attack on pension indexing takes us back to wage and price controls imposed by the government in 1984.

It’s quite incredible that Canada Post is demanding these rollbacks to our collective agreement given that we’ve made the post office profitable for the last 16 years and have consistently increased our productivity. 

The employer is exposed in their hypocrisy by demanding these rollbacks and yet paying out a corporate team incentive bonus….. to some - not all.

A strong strike mandate is required to knock the employer off of their rollback agenda.  It’s also required to show the employer our determination to achieve solutions to the problems we face every day at work and to make “improvements” to our collective agreement.  It’s required to show the employer that we will not be divided between inside workers and outside workers, between permanent workers and temporary workers and that we will not allow the employer to implement a cheap labour strategy on future employees that will inevitably be demanded of us in future rounds of bargaining.

The membership of CUPW have a long and proud history of fighting for decent jobs and quality service to the public.  Our employer has a long and greedy history of putting profits ahead of people and our communities.  Our success depends on your participation. 

Attend the Strike Vote meetings and take a stand.

OUR JOBS, OUR FIGHT, OUR FUTURE!

RETIRED MEMBERS’ SOLIDARITY SOCIAL EVENING

The  CUPW Winnipeg Local is holding a Retired Members Solidarity Social Evening Saturday  April 16, 2011 at the Belgian Club 467 Provencher Blvd. We will be presenting Lifetime Memberships plus there will be a door prize, 50/50 draw and a silent auction.

Tickets are $ 10.00 and can be purchased from your Shop Steward or picked up at the Local Office. All members are welcome!!

STRIKE VOTE

Strike Votes are being held in Winnipeg on  Wednesday April 13, 2011 at the Viscount Gort Hotel 1670 Portage Avenue.

There will be a brief meeting followed by the Vote. You must attend the meeting to vote!

Meeting and Strike Vote Times:

8:30 a.m.

2:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

7:45 p.m.

Come out and vote YES

Your First Post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMFVnI36na4&feature=player_embedded#at=43