News & Events Archived Newsletters CONTACT 2007 September 14, 2007Charity Event Raises Thousands for Women's Shelters
Former CAW president Bob White held his first charity golf tournament, the 'Bob White Charity Classic,' in London, Ontario in an effort to raise funds in support of two local area women's shelters. White was joined by CAW president Buzz Hargrove, along with family, friends, CAW members and many community supporters.
The event raised $93,000 for the London area Community House and the Women's Emergency Centre - Oxford, located in nearby Woodstock, White's home town.
"The event was a complete success," said tournament organizer and former CAW Secretary-Treasurer Bob Nickerson. "With 148 participants we managed to sell out the entire course."
As part of its commitment to ending violence against women, the CAW National office along with Locals 1520, 88, 27, 101, 302, 636 and 414 each donated to the event held at a London golf club.
Women's Community House is the largest high security shelter for abused women and their children in Canada and offers both short term emergency housing and longer term accommodations.
Women's Emergency Centre - Oxford offers child support services and a program for children that are exposed to violence in the home, in addition to a number of other services.
Anti-Poverty Groups Gear Up for October Election
Over the next month, anti-poverty groups from across Ontario are organizing a series of public education events in preparation for the upcoming provincial election on October 10. Recent statistics show that 1.3 million Ontarians live below the low-income cut off line, which equates to over 10% of the population. Despite this, the province still lacks a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy.
Campaign 2000 has organized two public forums that will take place in downtown Toronto on September 18 and 19, in an effort to promote living wage policies:
Public Forum on Living Wages
The forum will be held at Grenoble Public School in Toronto from 7-9pm and will consist of a panel of prominent speakers, including Lana Payne of the FFAW/CAW and Newfoundland Make Work Pay Coalition.
National Forum on Living Wages
On September 19, Campaign 2000 will be holding a day-long National Forum on Living Wages at the Crown Plaza Hotel, in Toronto. For more information, contact Liyu Guo at 416-595-9230.
These are the first in a long-line of events that will be used to galvanize election campaign efforts of social justice advocates from across the province. Be sure to read CONTACT for updates on future events in your area.
Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference
The Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference is now accepting applications for the June 2008 event. The conference brings together Canada's future leaders from labour, government, NGOs, business, education and the cultural sector for a unique two-week experience aimed at broadening their perspectives on work, leadership, their communities, and their country.
The conference will be June 6-20, 2008. The deadline for applications is September 30, 2007. CAW members are encouraged to apply at www.leadershipcanada.ca
Campaign for Green Jobs in Windsor
The Canadian Auto Workers Windsor Regional Environment Council (CAW WREC) has launched a campaign to help bring sustainable manufacturing and clean energy production practices to the Windsor region.
In coordination with community members, government, local businesses and universities, the Council hopes to encourage the creation of new green jobs for the Windsor region.
CAW WREC President Mark Bartlett believes the Big 3 automakers can play a critical role in this sustainable transition and that with community and political willpower, the Windsor region could become the "green jobs centre" in Ontario.
Members of the CAW WREC have also participated in the City of Windsor's Green Corridor Project, an initiative to redevelop the international bridge corridor between Windsor and Detroit and use the landscape to demonstrate new environmental technologies such as wind energy, hydro turbines and green rooftops.
"The Green Corridor is an exciting project that has broad community support," Bartlett said. "It can help transform Windsor environmentally and economically."
Right to Strike Under Attack in Nova Scotia
Seven unions in Nova Scotia have joined forces under the umbrella of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour to ensure that health care workers in the province do not lose the right to strike. Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald has threatened to bring in legislation curtailing the right to strike.
The coalition includes the CAW, the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Nova Scotia Nurses Union (NSNU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) and Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).
"The Premier is trying to take away our right to strike, but this will do nothing to fix problems like recruitment and retention, closed ER facilities and long wait times," said CAW Local 4600 President Shauna Wilcox. Currently only three provinces have a ban on health care workers going out on strike - Ontario, Alberta and PEI.
According to Wilcox, acute staff shortages have plagued the health care system in Nova Scotia to the point that many hospitals have had to close their emergency rooms. Wilcox is also the President of the CAW Nova Scotia Health Care Council.
CAW members are encouraged to send letters from the campaign website, demanding that the Premier not interfere with the collective bargaining rights of health care workers. For more information, visit:
www.dontmakehealthshortagesworse.ca
New Agreements at Victoria Hotels
CAW members at Victoria, British Columbia's two largest hotels recently ratified new collective agreements.
The Fairmont Empress Hotel is the largest hotel in Victoria. CAW Local 4276 represents approximately 500 members at the hotel.
The Hotel Grand Pacific is the second largest hotel in the city. CAW Local 114 represents 150 members here.
The Fairmont Empress deal was ratified by 67 per cent in early September.
'This agreement rewards members with wage increases of 2.5 per cent, 2.75 per cent and 3 per cent in each year, improvements to benefits, payment for medical notes, split shift and training premiums, and paid human rights and harassment training,' said National Representative Gavin McGarrigle.
The Hotel Grand Pacific deal was overwhelmingly ratified earlier this summer.
The members at the Hotel Grand Pacific achieved many gains including wage increases of 3.25 per cent in each year of the three year deal. The new agreement also establishes Paid Education Leave and an RRSP plan, extra premiums for split shifts, training, and overtime, paid human rights and harassment training, extra vacation and numerous other gains.
