News & Events Archived Newsletters CONTACT 2007 August 10, 2007New Agreement with Central Care Corporation Ratified
CAW members who work at 14 long-term care facilities in Ontario have overwhelmingly ratified a new collective agreement with their employer, Central Care Corporation. The members of CAW Locals 229, 302, 504, 830, 1106 and 2458 voted 86 per cent in favour of the agreement.
CAW national representative Katha Fortier said that the ratification results underscore the hard work and dedication of the master bargaining committee. "This is an agreement that our members in the long-term health care sector can be proud of," said Fortier.
"Not only have we made gains in wages and benefits, we've also made substantial improvements to working conditions which will make a significant difference in the lives of our members in these homes, many of whom are women caring for seniors," said Fortier.
Details of the agreement include a wage increase of 8.36 per cent over three years as a registered practical nurse (RPN) wage adjustment, a new member drug card, vacation improvements for long-service employees and new or improved language on workload which deals with short staffing issues, return to work programs and layoff.
This was the first set of negotiations for the CAW at these 14 long-term care facilities under the new ownership of Central Care Corporation (formerly Central Park Lodges). This agreement covers 2,000 nursing, personal care and support service workers across the province in the communities of Thunder Bay, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Windsor, Goderich, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Kitchener, Picton and Port Dover.
Molson to Close Profitable Edmonton Brewery
Members of CAW Local 284 working at the Molson Coors Brewery in Edmonton received news that they would lose their jobs and the plant would close on August 31.
"We are incredibly disappointed and frustrated with Molson's decision to close a profitable operation in the country's wealthiest province," said Todd Romanow, CAW National Representative.
The 102 members of CAW Local 284 have been on strike and locked out since May 31, when the company demanded major concessions on wages for new hires, an inferior pension plan and a reduction in sick days.
CAW Local 284 President Garth Sanderson is a second generation Molson worker and has worked at the plant for 20 years, his father 35 years before him.
"We did everything in our power to prevent this from happening, but the company did not seem interested," said Sanderson. "This brewery has been around for 102 years and I can't believe it is about to close - I don't know what the workers will do."
Molson Coors indicated that even had the workers accepted the concessions, the Edmonton plant still would have closed within months. The company learned prior to the May 15 negotiations it had lost a large contract that would negatively affect the future of the plant.
Families of Cancer Victims To Be Compensated
The families of 10 former Alcan workers who developed workplace-related cancer will be financially compensated thousands of dollars, ruled a Quebec workplace accident commission.
The commission determined the workers in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Quebec Alcan smelter were exposed to dangerous levels of carcinogens which ultimately led to cancer. This decision overturned an earlier ruling that found the cancer was caused by smoking.
CAW national representative Jacques Gravel said although he was pleased with the verdict, it was too long in coming. "It's not a case that dates from two years ago, we've been fighting this since 1997," he told the Canadian Press. All of the workers involved in the case have since passed away, before the verdict was reached.
The workers were hired between 1943 and 1970, during a time when health & safety regulations and protections were less stringent. This smelter has since closed down.
Security and Prosperity - for Who?
Workers have a lot to be concerned about as the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America is ushered in by their governments.
The multi-layered agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico would see the integration of security forces, natural resource management, public services and a deeper integration of domestic economies and labour laws.
The framework was first developed during a closed-door session in Cancun between the three heads of state in 2005. The next meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. President George Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderón will take place in Montebello, Quebec on August 20-22.
The SPP has been described as NAFTA Plus, as it extends the corporate privatization of services and resources and further erodes of public accountability and workers' rights.
The so-called intergovernmental partnership includes provisions for temporary workers which would allow companies to employ migrant workers without the possibility of ever gaining permanent status or the right to bring over their families.
The Council of Canadians, the Canadian Labour Congress and other progressive groups will be demonstrating in Ottawa on August 19 and in Montebello, August 20-22. All available CAW members are encouraged to attend.
For more information, visit: www.canadians.org
Round-the-Clock Labour Rally in New Brunswick
A 24-hour labour rally to raise awareness about key issues facing workers, their families and communities in New Brunswick was held August 8 at Riverfront Park in Moncton.
The rally coincided with a meeting of The Council of the Federation, which is a coalition of provincial and territorial Premiers. The Premiers met at a Moncton hotel.
The rally focused on three key issues:
- Exportation of Manufacturing and Forestry Jobs - the result of natural resources being shipped off-shore for value-added processing is the elimination of good paying union jobs;
- Atlantica - elimination of minimum wage legislation, drastic downsizing of the public service and abolishment of federal transfer payments - creating a low wage and a low standard working environment in the area;
- Public-Private Partnerships - privatization of public services and institutions;
The CAW along with CEP, CUPE and other unions took part in the rally. Events included speeches, marches, round table discussions, a candle light vigil and entertainment.
The Great Ford Strike of 1945: Canada's Most Underrated Rebellion?
The Canadian bi-monthly This Magazine, is currently sponsoring a fascinating on-line contest to identify Canada's most important, but underrated, "rebellion." Nominations were invited of rebellions, campaigns, and fightbacks from throughout our history that made a difference, but which are ignored in modern-day history classes.
CAW Economist Jim Stanford nominated the 1945 strike by Canadian UAW members at Ford's operations in Windsor for this "award." That strike won the Rand Formula for union security which was subsequently utilized across Canada, and made a crucial contribution to postwar prosperity for working people. His article describing the strike appears in the current edition of This.
Readers can vote on which of the four they believe is the most underrated rebellion in our history. Ballots will be accepted until Labour Day.
To make your choice, go to:
www.thismagazine.ca/issues/2007/07/risingup.php
New Members
A merger agreement with UBWU at Coca Cola in Hamilton, Ontario has brought CAW Canada 120 new members, as well as more members as follows:
- 93 truck drivers at American Cartage Agencies Ltd., in Langley, BC. are now part of the CAW family.
- 30 corrugated container manufacturers at Flint Packaging Products Ltd., Vaughan, Ontario.
- 50 drivers at National Waste Services Inc., Hamilton.
