CONTENTS ®
LOCAL 175: Shawn Haggerty, President; Teresa Magee, Secretary-Treasurer; Betty Pardy, Recorder; Ray Bromley, Harry Sutton – Executive Assistants LOCAL 633: Dan Bondy, President; Marylou Mallett, Secretary-Treasurer; Neil Hotchkiss, Recorder Benefits Orsola Augurusa, Sherree Backus, Georgina Broeckel, Joanne Ford – Benefits Representatives COmmuniCAtiOns Jennifer Tunney - Senior Communications Representative; Emily Groom - Communications Representative; Meemee Seto - Servicing Representative HeALtH & sAfety Janice Klenot – Senior Health & Safety Representative LegAL Fernando Reis – Co-ordinator; Marcia Barry, Michael Hancock, Victoria Shen, Rebecca Woodrow, Natalie Wiley – Legal Counsel OrgAnizing Rick Wauhkonen - Organizing Co-ordinator; Mario Tardelli, Amy Tran – Organizing Representatives; Mike Mattioli, Tony Nigro – Organizing Apprentices trAining & eduCAtiOn Kelly Nicholas – Co-ordinator; Laurie Duncan, Ashleigh Garner – Education Representatives CentrAL eAst regiOn Kelly Tosato – Director; Jehan Ahamed, Judith Burch, Mona Bailey, John DiFalco, Anthony Di Maio, John DiNardo, Linval Dixon, Angela Mattioli, Dave White – Union Representatives sOutH CentrAL regiOn Sylvia Groom – Director; Virginia Haggith, Jason Hanley, Lee Johnson-Koehn, Casey Magee, Brenda Simmons, Mark Stockton, Chris Watson – Servicing Representatives
President’s Message
PAGE 3
Secretary-Treasurer’s Message
PAGE 4
CentrAL West regiOn Luc Lacelle – Director; Sam Caetano, Matt Davenport, Tim Deelstra, Joe DeMelo, Rick Hogue - Union Representatives
175 President elected to International Exec
PAGE 4
Labour Day 2010
PAge 5
eAstern regiOn Dan Lacroix – Director; Simon Baker, Chris Fuller, Paul Hardwick, Marilyn Lang, Daniel Mericer – Union Representatives; Jacques Niquet – Servicing Representative
Metro Stewards’ meeting
PAge 10
Political Action Committee
PAge 11
Out & About
PAge 12
Stewards’ Seminars 2010
PAge 13
Member Achievement Awards
PAGE 15
Fundraising
PAGE 16
Community Action Network
PAge 17
Health Care Corner
PAGE 18
Benefits: Dealing with WSIB
PAge 19
Organizing: The importance of saturation
PAge 22
Scholarship Winners
PAge 23
sOutH West regiOn Paul Jokhu – Director; Wendy Absolom, Kevin Dowling, Julie Johnston, Angus Locke, Rob Nicholas, Roy Reed – Union Representatives nOrtH West regiOn Dan Lacroix – Director; Colby Flank, Dean McLaren – Union Representatives issn no. 1703-3926 CHECKOUT is an official publication of Locals 175 & 633 of the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) PrOVinCiAL HeAd OffiCe 2200 ARGENTIA ROAD MISSISSAUGA, ON L5N 2K7 TEL: 905-821-8329 TOLL FREE: 1-800-565-8329 FAX: 905-821-7144
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Workplace News: Metro
HAmiLtOn OffiCe 412 RENNIE STREET HAMILTON, ON L8H 3P5 TEL: 905-545-8354 TOLL FREE: 1-800-567-2125
OttAWA OffiCe 20 HAMILTON AVENUE N. OTTAWA, ON K1Y 1B6 TEL: 613-725-2154 TOLL FREE: 1-800-267-5295
PAge 8
KitCHener OffiCe 124 SYDNEY STREET S. KITCHENER, ON N2G 3V2 TEL: 519-744-5231 TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-6345
tHunder BAy OffiCe 21-929 FORT WILLIAM RD THUNDER BAY, ON P7B 3A6 TEL: 807-346-4227 TOLL FREE: 1-800-465-6932
CeP 571-0
President’s Message
Loblaw Negotiations 2010 The difficulties, the achievements As you know, last April your Local Union along with Locals 1000A and 1977 entered what quickly became difficult negotiations with Loblaw Companies. The four Locals together have a membership of 30,000 working at Loblaws, Zehrs/Great Canadian Food Store (GCFS), Real Canadian Superstore (RCSS) and Fortinos. Loblaw Companies is Canada’s largest food distributor and it is now facing fierce competition from various retail companies, namely Wal-Mart, which is developing its retail grocery section. After two months of negotiations, the company showed itself unwilling to negotiate productively. With the support of the whole negotiating committee, the Ministry of Labour appointed a conciliation officer but to no avail. The company continued to refuse to bargain productively or present a reasonable offer. Hence, a No Board Report was issued, which ultimately led the membership to vote an astounding 97%, granting the negotiating committee the strike mandate they had proposed. Backed by this strong strike mandate, the negotiating committee was finally able to make headway. The company began talking again and a tentative agreement was reached on October 7th, and then ratified shortly after by 30,000 members in all four Locals. Loblaws, just like many big companies in Canada, is facing the after effects of the recent recession and is trying to deal with the economic downturn. The company wanted to force concessions on workers so that it can stay competitive. Loblaws kept arguing that it had to compete with the likes of Wal-Mart, who have set the bar at a record low for workers. At Wal-Mart and many other major retail companies, the standards
for workers are terrible; low wages, no benefits, unacceptable health and safety conditions and Union busting. Loblaws, in the negotiations, insisted that without concessions it would not be able to remain competitive. Your Union’s negotiation committee fought tooth and nail against concessions. They wanted to make sure that the contract your Union achieved was a strong contract that would not set a dangerous precedent of concessions. They fought hard to make sure no matter how difficult the situation facing Loblaws, our membership would not suffer in any way as a direct result of this contract. There was no way your Union was going to settle for any form of concessions. The most important thing is that we won a non-concessionary contract for the workers. This contract in fact places workers in a strong position for any future rounds of bargaining, despite the difficult negotiating and economic conditions. This agreement gives a new option for Loblaws Ottawa conventional store workers who are affected by conversions. In addition to the options of taking a buy-down (up to $75,000 for fulltime or $15,000 for part-time), or early retirement, members can instead opt to remain in the converted store and work under the new operational conditions while keeping all the economic benefits due them in a conventional store. These include conventional store wages, benefits, Christmas bonuses, vacation entitlement and personal sick days.
fication time decreases from 4 years to 3 years, while the dental qualification time decreases from 3 years to 2 years. The part-time annual prescription allowance increases to $10,000, up from $1,500 – an increase of $8,500. Family Day is now recognized as a statutory holiday. Part-time members with 10 or more years of service receive a fourth week of vacation at 7% and those with 15 or more years of service receive an extra week at 8%. Full-time members at their end-rate receive a lump sum payment of $1,500 at date of ratification while part-time receive $750 respectively. We have protected our members’ pensions and also gained $1.25 per hour increase over the term of the agreement. We achieved significant language improvements for part-time scheduling. Last but not least, a job guarantee was won for all employed at the time of ratification. Congratulations to the Negotiating Committee and all of our members who stood behind them. Bargaining can be difficult but UFCW Locals 175 & 633 are always ready to do the tough work needed to improve our members’ working conditions, contracts and livelihoods. In Solidarity, Shawn Haggerty
In addition, there were some great improvements to the GCFS and RCSS agreement. All full-time workers will receive 2 paid personal days per year. The part-time prescription drug qualiDECEMBER 2010 3
Secretary-Treasurer’s Message
Communication Advancement
As a Local Union it is important to educate, excite and involve our membership in activities, political action and other initiatives that are progressive and can assist in strengthening the labour movement as a whole. Locals 175 & 633 have always provided important information in different ways – through our Checkout magazine, newsletters, phone messages and so on. As of Labour Day 2010, your Local Union has launched various forms of social media to ensure relevant information gets to our members as soon as possible. These advancements include the unveiling of our new Web site, Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Twitter account.
Also, the new Web site includes a very important feature called the Steward’s Lounge. This area is for our Stewards to access open forum discussions, downloadable files and documents and other resources that will directly assist them inside the workplace. Through this feature, Stewards are able to discuss issues and concerns that affect their individual workplaces as well as create an open dialogue with Stewards from across the province. This can also assist in keeping Stewards up to date on various matters involving the entire membership. During the 2010 Loblaws negotiations, we effectively used social media to
communicate important facts and information to the membership. Bargaining updates were Tweeted and published on our Facebook page and specific grocery worker Web sites were launched to keep our members up to date with new developments. The technical side of our communication advancement is just one aspect of our overall work to keep our members informed. We are stepping up our face to face communication with members across the province. With our annual Steward’s Seminars, membership meetings and our new unit-specific Steward meetings, we hope to create maximum participation
from our active members as well as introduce newly involved members. Through new means of communication and stepping up our face time with our membership, we look forward to building our capacity in terms of member involvement, receiving feedback, discussing your ideas and responding to questions and concerns proactively. In Solidarity, Teresa Magee
President Haggerty Elected to UFCW’s IEB Locals 175 & 633 are proud to announce President Shawn Haggerty has been elected to serve on the UFCW International Executive Board. President Haggerty has more than a decade of experience negotiating and fighting for the rights of UFCW Canada members. He first became active with UFCW Local 416P while working as an electrician at Robin Hood Multi-Foods in Port Colborne, Ontario, and since then Shawn has continuously demonstrated his devotion to the union as an activist, full-time staff member, and officer. In 2008, President Haggerty was elected president of Local 175, UFCW Canada’s largest local union. “Shawn’s natural leadership ability and proven commitment to fighting for and improving the lives of UFCW Canada members, makes him an ideal 4
addition to the International Executive Board,” says UFCW Canada National President Wayne Hanley, who also serves on the UFCW International Executive Board as an Executive Vice-President. “As one of the youngest labour leaders in Canada, Brother Haggerty brings a different perspective to the union’s international leadership forum that will only enhance Canada’s contribution to the organization’s strategic direction well into the future.” The UFCW International Executive Board provides oversight for the decisions and activities of the International Union, and is made up of five International Executive Committee Members – that include Joseph Hansen, International President; Anthony Perrone, International Secretary-Treasurer; National President Hanley; William
McDonough, Executive VicePresident; and Patrick O’Neill, Executive Vice-President – and 55 International Vice-Presidents. UFCW Canada is represented on the International Executive Board by Doug O’Halloran, Local 401; Kevin Corporon, Local 1000A; Tony Filato, Local 500R; John Hurley, Local 206; Derik McArthur; RWDSU, and Shawn Haggerty; Local 175.
LABOUR DAY 2010
Why We Celebrate Labour Day is an important day in the lives of working people. Every year, your Local Union joins thousands of workers across the province to mark this occasion. Our members participated in events in Hamilton, Toronto, Sarnia, Thunder Bay, Cornwall, Kitchener, Guelph, Windsor and London. These activities ranged from picnics and barbecues to marches and cultural events. Labour Day is important as an occasion to come together with our brothers and sisters across the labour movement. On this day, we celebrate and acknowledge the contribution of each worker who does their job day in and day out to keep our society going. We also celebrate our collective accomplishments; what we have achieved along with our brothers and sisters in recent fights, and what was achieved by generations of workers before us. Every step we take on the streets during Labour Day is a step in the shoes of our predecessors; those who built the unions whose banners we carry and who organized the first Labour Day events. As we hoist our banners up together and weave through the streets of our communities across the country, the strength and determination of the union movement can be seen and heard. It is mighty music to the ears. This leads to another crucial aspect of Labour Day for working people. It is an opportunity to show our strength, which is never more obvious than when the labour movement comes together united
across local unions and workplaces. Workers built this country. Every building and road was realized at the hands of workers. Every piece of food or clothing we have was made by workers, including the farmers who grow the food and the cashiers who bag it. Along the way, we have faced many challenges and made many advances as we fight for society to recognize our claims on the wealth we produce. Our history is an important part of our stories today, as we recognize the struggles our sisters and brothers waged before us so we can move forward. Workers before us built the Union and because of that, today, we have better working conditions, higher wages and most importantly an organization that can oppose the employers who try to mistreat workers. Those brothers and sisters realized that only united can the strength of our numbers win the day. That is one of the most important things that our history as a labour movement teaches us, which is why the unity of our movement is so crucial to the wellbeing of each local and union member from coast to coast. Each year, Labour Day is a warning to governments and bosses that workers united can never be defeated. Only by fighting can we make any advance. From our history and our own experiences we know that today we must fight with the same fervor as our
predecessors did. Workers recognize the challenges facing the labour movement, with the increasingly troubling antiworker political climate leaving many concerned. No matter what advances have been made, it is still a fact that workers are under attack as big business and big government try to take away what we have won. Working people were left to suffer from the economic crisis caused by big business. Unemployment rates continue to be unacceptably high across the country, with Ontario having one of the highest at 8.8%. That number is more than just a statistic. It represents thousands of workers left to survive on insufficient Employment Insurance, social assistance or help from loved ones. It is tragic that workers are left to fend for themselves while big business receives bailouts from the government. In a society where workers can be abandoned and attacked, Labour Day is more than a symbolic occasion. It is a powerful convergence of the union movement that shows our determination to continue the fight. It shows that no worker is out there alone because our solidarity cannot be broken. Each year, Labour Day reminds us of who we are and shows the anti-worker elements in our society that we are a force to be reckoned with. For more Labour Day photos, visit our image gallery at ufcw175.com.
DECEMBER 2010 5
Hamilton
thunder bay
6 6
windsor
6
Sarnia
toronto
london
guelph
DECEMBER 2010 7
WORKPLACE NEWS featuring members at
metro
UFCW Locals 175 & 633 are proud to represent approximately 12,000 Metro workers in 104 stores across the province of Ontario. Our members work hard in various departments including meat-cutting, bakery, produce, front-end, deli, cut fruit, seafood, grocery, hot foods, floral and pharmacy. Metro’s success can be defined by the level of customer service and commitment from Local 175 & 633 members. The following photos are from members working at Metro store #114 in Mississauga, #62 in downtown Toronto and #143 in Port Hope.
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T. J. Stevenson Deli (#114)
Chris Brown Produce (#114)
Carmelita Acosta Front-End (#114)
Chris Folliet Grocery (#114)
Darren Flemming Courtesy (#62)
Fieral Schnaiwer Cut Fruit (#62)
Jessica Dempsey Front-End (#62)
Joe Piccolo Produce (#62)
June Compton Steward & Bakery (#62)
Marilha Sobrinho Meat (#62)
Maureen Hillaire Hot Foods (#62)
Carol Nafton Cash (#114)
Nanthini Sritharathas Deli (#62)
Sai Koh Bakery (#62)
Sean Cassidy Steward & Grocery (#62)
Ursilla Ally Cash (#62)
Walter Nunes Produce (#62)
Debbie Stothart Deli (#143)
Giselle Lennox Cash (#143)
Karen Moore Cut Fruit (#143)
Mike Casselman Grocery (#143)
Linda Weatherup: Bookkeeper Susan Pandoff: Front-End (#143)
Stanley Gonsalves Meat (143)
A NEW STEWARD SAYS... “I’ve worked for the company full-time for 25 years and in the past 6 months I became a Steward. It took some getting used to but the ability to help resolve a problem or a misunderstanding in the workplace is incredible. To speak to a worker and explain what their rights are or to mediate even the smallest issue can make all the difference in the world to that individual. The Local Union has become much more to us in this store then just a contract – it is definitely a healthier work environment.” Sean Cassidy – Steward, Metro Store #62
BARGAINING In 2009, a 26-member negotiating committee met with the company on 26 separate occasions including 6 days of mediation with a conciliator to secure their two-year agreement. It was a long and arduous process, but with the membership standing behind the committee and voting 95% in favour of a strike mandate, a deal was made in December of last year. The mandate allowed the committee to achieve a contract for Metro workers that reflects their hard work. Proposal meetings for a next contract will be held in the new year.
DECEMBER DECEMBER 2010 2010
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METRO MEETING
Stewards’ pension questions are answered during Colleen Ormond’s presentation.
First Ever Metro Stewards Meeting Group I & Group II Stores
Stewards working at Group I and Group II Metro stores across the province met in Toronto on October 4, 2010. This meeting was held to address concerns and share information about topics including pension updates. Sylvia Groom, Director of the South Central Region, welcomed the enthusiastic Stewards and was happy with the level of participation from everyone. “This first-ever meeting was unique in the sense that it brought all Metro Group I and Group II Stewards together in one room. The Stewards agreed this meeting was a great success and a move in the right direction in terms of education and communication.” Pension administrator, Colleen Ormond, gave an informative presentation regarding members’ pensions and the changes to the Canadian Commercial Workers
Stewards discuss issues in separate town hall meetings.
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Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) and took questions from the floor. Derek Johnstone from UFCW Canada’s National Office discussed the impact of Wal-Mart on the retail sector in Canada. Now that the biggest private sector retailer in the world has introduced a grocery section in its stores, it is important to discuss the future of retail grocery and the effects it may have on traditional grocers as well as what it means for our members. Training & Education and Communications Co-ordinator Kelly Nicholas spoke about the Locals’ new communications strategy and how utilizing social media, the new Web site and online forums will aid in strengthening dialogue between members and the Union. After the morning plenary session, smaller groups broke out into
President Shawn Haggerty and Secretary-Treasurer Teresa Magee listen to Stewards concerns.
town hall meetings. This enabled Stewards to have specific discussion around issues they face on a day-today basis in their respective stores. The Local Union Officers stopped by each class to discuss various issues and receive input on how to advance communication between members, Stewards and the Local Union. As our Stewards and members generously support the Locals’ drive to raise funds for Leukemia research, the meeting participants went on to raise $1,150 throughout the day for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. The aim of these meetings is to ensure direct personal contact between members and the Union. The success of this initiative will certainly inspire future unit-specific meetings.
Stewards gave positive feedback on the unitspecific meeting.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
FUTURE OF EI BENEFITS?
FUTURE OF WSIB?
Do you remember the Conservatives, led by Mike Harris, and the so-called Common Sense Revolution? • changing WCB to WSIB, causing extreme hardships for Injured Workers • selling highway 407 to a foreign conglomerate who now make record profits • downloading provincial programs and costs to municipalities which drove up taxes
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PoLITICAL ACTIoN CoMMITTEE: WHo’S oN YoUR SIDE? A BETTER CHOICE FOR WORKING FAmIlIES: ANTI-SCAB lEGISlATION The need to reinstate Anti-Scab Legislation in Ontario is of great importance both to Canada’s labour force and its well-being. Utilizing scab and replacement workers can prolong labour disputes, incite violence and threaten the stability of the Canadian economy. Statistically speaking, it has been proven that banning scabs and replacement workers has resulted in fewer strikes, shorter labour disputes and a decrease in the amount of work hours spent picketing.
FUTURE OF WORKERS RIGHTS?
Due to the positive outcome of anti-scab laws that are currently in effect in British Columbia and Quebec, it’s time for Ontario and the remaining provinces to follow suit and hold the legislative right to ban replacement workers. Do your research and find out where your candidates stand on Anti-Scab legislation!
FUTURE OF HEAlTH CARE? DECEMBER 2010 11
Anti-Scab Legislation Works for Working People
The Ontario provincial elections are fast drawing near and many of our members, along with workers across the province, are beginning to consider what our next provincial government should look like. On October 6, 2011 when Ontario votes, what should workers consider in making that important final decision? We need a better choice for working families. Provincial governments have a lot of power to improve or, unfortunately, worsen the lives of Ontarians. We need a provincial government that will make the tough decisions that mean greater labour peace and greater prosperity for everyday working people. Consider what it meant for workers across the country, for example, with the muchhated Harris government and his socalled Common Sense Revolution? Harris’ “common-sense revolution” was nothing but the gutting of our social services – which made no sense at all. Under Harris, Ontario saw the changing of the WCB into the WSIB, causing extreme hardships for
our injured brothers and sisters. The Harris government sold highway 407, built with public money, to a foreign monopoly which now is raking in the record profits that by right belong to the Ontario people. Many provincial programs and costs were downloaded to municipalities, which drove up taxes for hard-working families. Last but not least, who can forget the notorious scrapping of the Anti-Scab legislation under Harris? This example may be particularly useful in illustrating the issues that workers should keep in mind at the ballot box. It is fair to wonder where Tim Hudak, as Harris’s protégé, stands on these bread and butter issues for workers. Across the Union movement, everyone is clear on one thing at least; Ontario needs to reinstate Anti-Scab legislation. Such legislation is of importance both to the well-being of our members, all workers across the province and also general society. Time after time it has been shown that the use of scab and replacement workers often leads to unnecessarily prolonged labour disputes. Scab workers can incite violence on the picket lines and force
an injunction on the workers. Indeed, the use of scab and replacement workers by corporations who are not willing to negotiate in good faith with their workers threatens the stability of the very Canadian economy we depend on. Anti-Scab legislation should be a matter of concern not just for unionized workers but for everybody in Ontario and across the country. Quebec and British Columbia have Anti-Scab legislation. What can these provinces teach us? From these shining examples, we know that statistically speaking, banning scab and replacement workers has resulted in fewer strikes, shorter labour disputes and a decrease in the amount of work hours spent picketing. Overall, greater labour peace in these provinces means peace of mind for working families and an economy that is not often disrupted. It’s time Ontario benefited from AntiScab legislation. In the next provincial elections, do your research and find out where your candidates stand on Anti-Scab legislation!
Out & About
International Women’s Conference 2010 More than 200 women activists from across the globe attended the first ever International Women’s Conference in Montreal on August 13 – 16, 2010. The conference marked the launch of a worldwide network focusing on working women’s struggles. The conference was organized by a number of activist groups: Femmes de Diverses Origines/Women of Diverse Origins (Montreal), Gabriela (Phillipines), the Action Network for Marriage Migrants’ Rights and Empowerment (AMMORE) and Asian Rural Women. “Even though we know that women fight for their lives every day across the world, it was eye-opening and really inspiring to sit down face to face with women from all over the world and hear them recount their experiences in the face of violence, discrimination, horrific political 12
situations and war. And not just from other countries, but in our own as well,” says Training & Education Rep Laurie Duncan. Laurie attended the conference along with Jennifer Tunney from the Communications Department and a number of other women from UFCW Canada. Women from all walks of life attended a number of workshops addressing topics like working women, women’s health, migration, the struggle of indigenous women, women from rural lands and violence against women among many others. Around the world and at home, women continue to face many barriers. But they continue to struggle and fight to ensure a better future for our children. Creating this powerful network of women will go a long way to bridging geographical and cultural barriers and let us share not only our experiences but our resources and our strength.
STEWARDS’ SEMINARS 2010 What’s does your Union Steward do for you? To say the least, your Steward defends your rights in the workplace, often sits on bargaining committees to reach the strongest collective agreements possible and ensures that your employer lives up to the terms of your agreement. The role of Steward is very demanding and requires a strong commitment to the members and to the Union. It takes a special type of caring individual to take on this voluntary position - someone who likes to learn and who won’t hesitate to speak up against injustice. Locals 175 & 633 are constantly training our Stewards in various capacities and with our annual Stewards’ Seminars; the opportunities to learn
are endless. Each year the Local hosts five seminars across the province and they include training in steward basics, health and safety, bullying and harassment and arbitrations. For the first time this year, many Stewards participated in two new workshops – Organizing 101 and Handling Racism in the Workplace. All of these workshops are designed to better equip our Stewards with the skills necessary to fully support our members. Local 175 President Shawn Haggerty gave keynote addresses at a number of the seminars. He spoke about empowering our membership through the active Training & Education department,
representation at arbitrations through our Legal department, WSIB representation through our Benefits department, growing our Local Union through the Organizing department as well as the significant role our Stewards have. “It’s very important that our Stewards have all the knowledge they need to fulfill their duties to the membership. Through constant training, we continue to build stewardship and prepare our Stewards for any situation that may arise in the workplace. I’m so proud to see the number of participants grow each year at our seminars. This means our Stewards are very serious about their roles and responsibilities in this position.”
North west
central east
DECEMBER 2010 13
South west
eastern
central west & south central
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Member achievement awards Local 175 & 633 members are not only hard working in their jobs, but many go over and above the call of duty as a Steward, worker, or community member. Every year your Local Union gives out four achievement awards to these committed individuals. On behalf of Locals 175 & 633, congratulations to the following members for their outstanding work in fundraising, leadership and advancement, contributions to the community and health & safety and WSIB.
Tina Delima – Dedication to Leukemia Fundraising Sister Delima is a strong and proud UFCW Local 175 Union Steward who works at Pharma Plus in Etobicoke. Tina has been involved in addressing the members concerns and has always demonstrated the willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in her role. For a number of years, Sister Delima has been raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC), UFCW Local 175 & 633’s charity of choice. She has been encouraging Pharma Plus customers to generously donate as well as accepted pledges for her participation in the Toronto Labour Day parade. In 2009 and 2010 Sister Delima has managed to single-handedly raise over $5,000 for Leukemia research. In showing her true commitment to the cause, not only did Sister Delima raise a substantial amount of money, but she persevered and walked the entire length of the Labour Day parade despite having gone through surgery a short time before.
James Mulhern – Leadership and Advancement of UFCW
James Mulhern (left) pictured with Eastern Director Dan Lacroix, Executive Assistant Ray Bromley, Secretary-Treasurer Teresa Magee and President Shawn Haggerty
Brother Mulhern, a Steward at Omni Facility in Peterborough is leader in the workplace and in his community. Brother Mulhern deserves this award because of his outstanding work as he was instrumental in garnering support during Omni Facilities organizing drive. He has successfully bargained two contracts and continues to work hard for his co-workers and Union. Brother Mulhern is active in various committees such as the Environmental Advisory Committee for the city of Kawartha Lakes and Lindsay and District Labour Council where he sits as vice-chair. Also, brother Mulhern successfully raised $600 for the Big Brother and Big Sisters of Kawartha-Haliburton’s annual Bowl for Kids Sake event.
Vlad Wolanyk– Contribution to the Community Brother Wolanyk, a Steward at Sherbourne Health Centre in Toronto is a driving force in the community and a proud Union worker. Brother Wolanyk demonstrates leadership on a daily basis and constantly advocates on behalf of UFCW Locals 175 & 633 while speaking to community and non-union health care workers. He participates in many community events and groups and always has a UFCW flag or banner on hand to show his Union pride. In 2008, Brother Wolanyk assisted in organizing his workplace and continues to fight for good contracts for Sherbourne Health Centre workers and the rights of all workers. Recently, Brother Wolanyk was involved in organizing Aramark workers who work within the Sherbourne facility. On the day of the Aramark vote, he arranged for all Sherbourne workers to wear their yellow UFCW shirts in solidarity with the new members.
Guillermo Avila – Health & Safety, WSIB Brother Avila, a Steward at Maple Lodge Farms in Mississauga, is a strong advocate for the rights of his fellow members and works tirelessly at all hours of the day on their behalf. On a daily basis, Brother Guillermo is diligent in enforcing the collective agreement and has participated in numerous Local Union training and education courses. He leads by example as an activist for injured workers and is the return to work specialist in his unit. Brother Guillermo works hard to develop accommodation programs while ensuring that disabled workers are treated respectfully and with the dignity they deserve. Brother Guillermo is a proud trade unionist and a strong supporter of our Local Union. DECEMBER 2010 15
Fundraising Batters up!
On Saturday, August 21, teams took to the baseball diamonds at CFB Borden for the annual Hit-for-a-Cure Slo-Pitch baseball tournament. Thanks to the support of the many participants and sponsors, the event raised $2,525 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC). This year’s tournament champs was the team from Maple Lodge Farms, edging out MASH 479 in the final ‘A’ division game. ‘B’ champs was Hog Wild (Maple Leaf Pork in Burlington) and ‘B’ runners-up were the St. Louis Devils. The Iron Bulls took the ‘C’ division game over Take it Easy.
Tourney champs: Maple Lodge Farms, pictured with Central East Director Kelly Tosato
Ride for a Cure raises over $10,000 On August 7, 2010, motorcycle enthusiasts roared onto the roads in Peel Region to raise $10,661 in the 6th Annual Ride for a Cure, bringing the six-year total to $70, 829. This year’s 43 participants and volunteers came from all over southern Ontario including Keswick, Arthur, and Guelph. The motorcycle clubs and groups that participated included Northern Stars, Guelph Red Chevron Club and members of UFCW Local 1000A and 175, including President Shawn Haggerty. Riders took in local attractions such as Terra Cotta, Cheltenham Badlands, the Forks of the Credit and many other points of interest on the winding roads of Peel Region. The Ride for a Cure committee gives special thanks to the Peel Regional Police Officers who joined us again this year for a safe trip. For their generous support each rider received an official ride t-shirt, raffle tickets, and meals. In addition, George Marnica of Tech Sox International presented each rider with a pair of specially engineered motorcycle socks. Riders from this year’s event have extra incentive to return next year for a special draw for return riders. Each returning rider also receives a special raffle ticket for each additional new rider that they bring. The date of next year’s event will be announced later this fall. For more information please contact Dave White at dave.white@ ufcwrideforacure.ca.
Another success for annual Wildwood draw Each year, the South West Region hosts a 50/50 draw at Wildwood Conservation Area. The seasonal campers are always enthusiastic about participating in the Locals efforts to raise funds for Leukemia research. This year, campers generously donated $12,700 for this great cause. Local 175 Representative Angus Locke also hosted a ‘temporary tattoo sale’ at the campground which contributed to the 2010 grand total. Since 2007, this annual draw has brought in close to $50,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. 16
Union Rep Angus Locke, receiving temporary tattoos from volunteers
Community action network
CAN Family Day On July 24, 2010, more than 600 members, their families, Local staff and children came out for the fourth annual UFCW Locals 175 & 633 Community Action Network Family Day Barbecue held at Boyd Conservation Area in Vaughan. Despite the rain, members and their families enjoyed a day of fun, food and music. This year, children received a Locals 175 & 633 soccer ball and all of our members took home a CAN T-shirt. Other highlights of the day included candy floss and snow cones, jumping castle and of course all the fixings of an amazing barbecue. Also, CAN Committee member Caroline Levesque provided her face painting skills for the kids. “Our Community Action Network is an important part of our Local Union,” says CAN committee member and Secretary-Treasurer Teresa Magee. “Our annual barbecue is a fantastic event that our members look forward to every year. It’s even doubled in size this year. A community event like CAN’s Family Day allows members and staff to connect on a level outside of the workplace. It’s also good to let our members know how much the Local Union appreciates them.”
Letters to the local Dear President Haggerty, I've always loved how laid-back and inclusive the Seminars and Scholarships are. Conversations go in interesting directions and the discussions are always great. I love meeting new people with similar interests, and the networking that's done at the Seminars is invaluable. The instructors are always very knowledgeable, friendly, easygoing and are great listeners and educators. I especially love that they've all started at the beginning just like us, and that they know what it’s like; that they have real experience with the same things that we're experiencing today. It's always wonderful to get together with people that share the same interests, beliefs and determination to make their workplaces (and other workplaces as well) better for themselves and for other people. Sometimes when you're spending every day in an environment (whether it be in your workplace, at home, or even with friends) where some people may think very negatively about
the union in general, it's hard to keep positive and keep trucking on. These seminars and programs are a great way to refresh yourself and receive and offer encouragement to your fellow Stewards, activists, educators and the like as though you're clearing out your head and beginning fresh. I'm not sure on what I think could improve in future years as of yet, but if I think of anything else, I'll be sure to post! June Compton - Metro 63 (Toronto) *Posted in our Steward’s Lounge
Letters? questiOns? COmments?
CHeCKOut mAgAzine 2200 ArgentiA rOAd mississAugA, On L5n 2K7 OR SEND US AN E-MAIL AT: memBersHiP@ufCW175.COm
Health care corner
Public Sector Compensation Restraint to Protect Public Services Act A Follow-Up
What a difference a few months can make. In the last edition of Checkout, we considered the impact of the provincial government’s attempts to coax unions in the health care sector to accept a 2 year freeze in compensation. So far, the outcome for the provincial government has not been very promising. In decision after decision from interest boards of arbitration, arbitrators have poured cold water on the provincial government’s efforts at achieving such a freeze. Several issues which had not been addressed by the provincial legislation have now been determined. In one case, an employer argued that the interest arbitration process should be suspended in order to allow the government to persuade unions to accept the 2 year freeze. The board of arbitration in that case ruled that there was no reason to put things on hold and the parties were ordered to make their submissions on the renewal of the collective agreement. Several employers who had made offers of settlement decided to withdraw these after the provincial government’s announcement. In one interest arbitration case, the employer had made a wage offer which the union did not accept. After the announcement by the
government, the union (feeling it would do worse because of the government announcement) decided to accept the employer’s compensation offer. The employer then took the position that the offer was no longer on the table and that a freeze should apply. The board of arbitration in that case ruled that there was no acceptable reason for the employer to withdraw its offer given that it was prepared to offer an increase in compensation and that the government’s announcement was political rather than legal in nature. In yet another decision covering over 100 health care units, an arbitrator ruled that a 2 year freeze was not binding on the unionized health sector but that the normal criteria should apply in fashioning an award. This meant that while there was no legal basis to freeze compensation over 2 years, it was still appropriate to modify compensation increases to lower levels than the past given (among other things) the state of the economy. Finally, in a decision released at the end of October 2010, a management negotiating committee’s unanimous recommendation to ratify a settlement for a renewal collective agreement was voted down by
the hospital’s board of directors. The board of directors felt the settlement did not take into account the spirit of the government’s restraint initiative. The matter went to interest arbitration and the original settlement was imposed by the board of arbitration. The board of arbitration relied on the accepted jurisprudence that once a party has agreed to recommend ratification of a settlement, there is no justification to depart from the terms of the settlement even if it is not ratified by one of the parties. There would need to be evidence that the settlement did not represent the clearest manifestation of the will of a party for a board of arbitration to consider modifications to a settlement. This can sometimes happen when a recommendation does not receive a unanimous “blessing” and after rejection, a board of arbitration may “tweak” a provision to give effect to the part or parts of the deal that resulted in the nonunanimous aspect of the original recommendation. In this case, the board of arbitration did not consider the hospital’s rejection on the grounds that the government’s announcement was valid because, again, it was not based on a legislative requirement.
Dedicated Local 175 Health Care members work in various workplaces such
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Benefits
Dealing with the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board A WSIB claim starts with a review by an Eligibility Adjudicator. They review the file to see if the criteria for allowing the claim and granting entitlement have been met. These Adjudicators look for the following forms and information: • • • •
Employer’s report of Injury Worker’s report of Injury Physician’s first report Conflicting or contradicting information • Delay in reporting the injury and/ or seeking medical attention If there are any slight discrepancies, the claim may be denied and a negative decision letter sent to the worker. Recently, one of our Benefits Representatives had a disturbing conversation with a WSIB Eligibility Adjudicator about a particular case. There was very little information contained within the worker’s file and it was clear that there had been discussions between the employer and the worker. These discussions were not captured in the memorandum section of the claim. The memorandum section is of great importance to the case as it tells the claim’s history by documenting phone conversations with workplace parties and internal correspondence. For example, a request for a
professional medical opinion would be contained therein. The Rep wanted to know how the Adjudicator arrived at the decision to deny the claim. The response was shocking but at second glance not surprising. The Adjudicator said that it is a new world at WSIB and that decisions are based on as little information as possible. The Adjudicator went on to say that the immediates, meaning reporting, medical attention and Return to Work (RTW), were not met. The Rep attempted to discuss the alarming lack of information and the quality of such decision making and pointed out that the Act, and Operational Policies do not require immediate reporting. The Eligibility Adjudicator was not persuaded to change their position. After further discussions with coworkers, the Rep determined an e-mail be sent to WSIB outlining the conversation and comments made as well as requesting a call back from the Board. Although the e-mail was answered in a timely fashion, the Rep was passed from one individual to the next. After some time, the Rep was finally able to have a direct conversation about the issue. This conversation clarified the WSIB position, which was different from
the Eligibility Adjudicator’s. This issue was discussed at a UFCW WSIB Working Group meeting in October and it was decided the worker would be invited to speak about their experience at the next meeting. The invitation was accepted and the Working Group meeting took place in November. This issue is among a host of others dealt with on a daily basis. Our opinion is that time could be better spent on our members’ individual claim issues rather than on an Adjudicator’s understanding of the Act and Policy. An Adjudicator should have a definite understanding of their position and the ability to make informed decisions. However, it is incumbent on us to educate and correct wrong thinking. There surely is more to follow. The Adjudicator involved is scheduled to attend an educational session with the manager.
h as retirement homes, nursing homes and community health care centres.
DECEMBER 2010 19
NEGOTIATIONS New members approve first contract unanimously Aramark workers at the Sherbourne Health Centre in Toronto ratified their first collective agreement on September 2, 2010. The 13-member bargaining unit voted to join Local 175 in February and secured a number of improvements to their working conditions in this first deal. In addition to general contract language establishing the rights of the Union as a bargaining agent, they gain grievance and arbitration procedures which give them the ability to enforce the terms of their agreement. Members benefit from a signing bonus of $200 at date of ratification and those workers above the grid rates receive a lump sum equivalent to 2 per cent of their annual earnings in the year leading up to the employee’s anniversary date. Those approaching their first year anniversary date receive this lump sum
less the $200 signing bonus above. Any worker reaching the maximum grid rate for their classification during the life of the agreement will be eligible for the 2 per cent lump sum payment. Workers scheduled to begin their shift between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. receive a premium of 30 cents per hour for all hours worked on that shift and will receive five paid sick days per year. The health and welfare coverage includes Life Insurance and AD&D of $25,000 each, major medical, drug card and vision care of $250 per 24-month period as well as a dental plan with a $1,500 annual maximum. Full-time employees may contribute 1 per cent of their wages toward a group RRSP. Those who choose to contribute receive an additional 1.5 per cent contribution from the company. Language also establishes seniority, job posting procedure, layoff and recall, leaves of
absence and hours of work. There are 10 paid holidays listed in the contract including Family Day. Vacation entitlement is established providing a maximum of four paid weeks off for those with 10 years of service or more. The employer will also provide a safety footwear allowance of $40 per 12-month period. Union Negotiating Committee: Juner Rubio and Union Representative Angela Mattioli.
Union Pro workers gain new contract Members working at Union Pro Sportswear Inc. met on September 20, 2010 to ratify their new three-year collective agreement. All classifications will receive a 45 cent wage increase over the term of the agreement. Family Day is now recognized as a holiday and members with 18 years of service receive an additional paid vacation week. Effective October 4, 2010, the employer will contribute $195 per month to the Health & Welfare Plan. This sum total increases to $220 in the second year and $239 in the final year of the contract. Members now receive a total of four paid sick days per year. Chief Negotiator: Union Representative Angela Mattioli.
Automatic Welding workers ratify On September 30, 2010, members working at Automatic Welding in Kitchener secured their new three-year collective agreement at a ratification meeting. Members receive an increase in safety boot allowance up to $160 per year. All members receive wage increases of 75 cents in each year of the agreement while a premium of 60 cents per hour (up from 25 cents) will be paid for all hours worked after 5:00 p.m. Weekly hours of work decrease to 44, from 47 and all work performed in excess of daily or weekly hours of work shall be paid at time and one half. Workers will receive 9.5 hours pay for all paid holidays and Family Day is now a recognized holiday. Vision care increases to $150 per year as of the ratification date and then to $175 on October 1, 2012 while Group Life insurance & AD&D increases to $43,000 and Long Term Disability increases by $100 in each year of the agreement. The employer has also agreed to contribute $500 every two years for hearing aides. Members of the negotiating committee will be paid for all time spent in bargaining up to a maximum of two days. Bereavement leave is automatic and will no longer be up to the employer’s discretion. Apprentices will now be paid for hours lost while attending school and a new Sunset Clause was negotiated whereby a discipline older than 18 months cannot be relied upon. Also, the employer will now contribute $500 to the Locals Training & Education Fund in each year of agreement. Negotiating Committee: Dave Elgie, Robert Siopiolosz and Union Representative Rob Nicholas. 20
Canteen of Canada members cast their vote Members working at Canteen of Canada (Compass Group) in Cambridge met to ratify a negotiated contract at a meeting held September 8, 2010. The new three-year term includes wage increases of 35 cents per hour in the second and third year of the contract term with the first year’s wage increase rolled into the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) Stabilization Fund instead in order to secure the workers’ pensions. The shoe allowance increases to $100, up from $90, effective August 2011. Company contributions to the dental plan increase by 5 cents per hour in each year of the contract. In addition, the employer will increase its contributions to the benefit plan to 10.5 per cent effective January 2013, up from the current 10 per cent. The company will contribute 35 cents per hour toward the CCWIPP Stabilization Fund in addition to its current contributions to the plan. The contract now includes Family Day as a paid holiday. Union Negotiating Committee: Paul Lane and Union Representative Rob Nicholas.
Mott’s strike ends in victory! The four-month strike by 300 RWDSU-UFCW Local 220 members at a Mott’s bottling plant in upstate New York is over. Workers at the plant, owned by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group , ratified a new collective agreement by a margin of 3 to 1. This is a very important victory for our Local 220 brothers and sisters whose resolve was reinforced by the solidarity and support of UFCW International and UFCW Canada members and Local Unions. With the successful conclusion of the strike, the campaign to boycott Dr. Pepper Snapple Group products has also come to an end.
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Have you seen our NEW Web site? Visit us at ufcw175.com and check it out for updated photos, news, important documents and more! Not on our e-mail list? Visit ufcw175.com and sign up to receive bulletins, updates and important membership information. DECEMBER 2010 21 21
Organizing
The Importance of Sector Saturation It is crucial for all of us as unionized workers to understand and appreciate the importance of a very old but relevant saying “Strength truly comes in numbers.” In saying this, we have to appreciate the problem with falling membership numbers within the core fields of our workplaces. Within our Local Union there are several core fields of representation, some of which fall into the following core sectors: 1. Retail 2. Service 3. Industrial 4. Health Care 5. Red Meat 6. Pork 7. Poultry 8. Soft Drink In order for us as unionized workers to maintain healthy and strong collective bargaining agreements inclusive of good wages and benefits as well as strong protective and progressive language, we must continue to organize the unorganized workplaces within our local communities and across our province. If we as organized workers accept the principal that strength truly does lie in numbers when speaking about our particular core sector workplaces, then we also need to accept the importance of “saturation.” Saturation is a very important and complex word to each of us as trade unionists. Simply put, saturation refers to the percentage of unionized workers within any given core sector workplace. It is essential we understand the higher the saturation in any given market the higher the probability for negotiating more gains at the bargaining table. When we don’t achieve a high saturation level in any given core sector, the Union can be restricted and face concessionary bargaining which is certainly not a good 22
situation for workers or their families. This year your Union has organized well in excess of five hundred new workers in an attempt to increase not only the overall number of members in our Local but more importantly to increase the saturation level. It must be said with that if we are to be truly successful in our efforts to gain strength in numbers and increase
saturation within each of our given core sectors, we all must become actively involved in bringing organizing leads forward through our newly initiated organizing incentive program. Through working together in solidarity as trade unionists and advocates we will truly increase the saturation necessary to not only change our own working lives but as well improve the lives of our current and future families.
Annual Scholarships
2010 Mattie McKay, Pat Thompson, Julius Hoebink & Clarence Gibson Scholarship Winners Each year, the Local gives out 56 scholarships, valued at $1,000 each, to members and their spouse or children studying at a post-secondary institution. Contact the Training & Education Centre at 1-800-565-8329, or tcadmin@ufcw175.com for more information.
Central East Region
South Central
Amanda Morrison Ralph Cabusas Alton Chiu Joeline Saunders Kaviena Krishnarajah Sabrina Arboritanza Andrew Osinga Paul Angelo Santos Kevin Carmichael Akeem Morgan
Haley Castelo Nicholas Wills Nicole Gerritsen Chenh San Daniel Longo Matthew Petrozzi Jordan Youngs Evita Lewis Hayley Nesbitt Katherine King
Ralph Cabusas, son of Renato Cabusas (left) who works at Belmont Meats. Pictured with Central East Director Kelly Tosato and Rep Anthony Di Maio.
South West
Sarah Galati, pictured with President Haggerty.
Holly Aszalos Hayley Dennis-Grubb Katie Baltzer Kelsey Bellemore Matthew Elder Thao Trinh Bo Xu Rachel Visi Bianca Slits Jordyn Brown
Aaren Johansen and Marissa Miceli, pictured with Secretary-Treasurer Teresa Magee.
East
Central West
Alexis McCormick Jolene Parks Chad MacNaughton Mitchell Carrington Caitlin White Ryan Wilcox Kelly Lizotte Ashley Graveline Chad Aiken
Sarah Neddo Christopher Simon Allen Jestine Ryan Yeung Sandra Channon Alexandra Yonick Krishnan Ramiya Jessica Schooley Alexandra Baskett Anneke (Heidi) Dawson
Matthew Petrozzi pictured with Rep Chris Watson.
North West
Katherine King, daughter of MaryAnne King(right) pictured with Rep Virginia Haggith.
Darcie Basaraba Aaren Johansen Marissa Miceli Brittany Cook Sarah Galati Tina Larson
Matthew Elder, member at Cargill Watson, pictured with Rep Kevin Dowling.
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