November 19, 2000
Volume 30, No. 34
No Agreement Between SEIU And CAW
Canadian Auto Workers union president Buzz Hargrove sent the following letter to Sharleen Stewart, Canadian International Vice President of SEIU after a meeting Saturday, November 11, of more than 100 SEIU leadership from Ontario who unanimously rejected the terms sought by the SEIU for an agreement. The leadership, after all the turmoil, wanted a vote of the entire membership to be held prior to March 29, 2001. They argued that a federal election can be held in a matter of weeks so surely several months is more than enough time for an election to be held for workers to decide democratically which union they want to belong to. The SEIU is demanding the workers wait for at least two years. "Dear Sharleen, More than 100 elected leadership and staff of the eight SEIU locals met on November 11 in Toronto. We reviewed with them CLC president Ken Georgetti's November 1 letter and the proposed memorandum of agreement from October 27. After a thorough debate, the elected leadership of the SEIU locals voted unanimously to reject the proposal. One of the major obstacles was the delay in the representation vote. Many units have open periods coming up in the next few months making it impossible to convince this leadership group to delay a representation vote process for 27 months. Also, there was strong opposition to the notion of a local union trigger vote followed by a bargaining unit vote with possibly several unions on the ballot. The leadership felt strongly that they took their trigger vote back in March 2000. They now want to get on with their right to decide. I am notifying you that there was unanimous agreement from this leadership group that they are willing to submit to a CLC conducted vote among the remaining bargaining units as long as it is held no later than March 29, 2001. This means the membership would have waited more than one year after the initial decision to leave the SEIU in February/March 2000. They would agree to a CLC conducted vote to decide whether they stay with the SEIU or move to the CAW and they will not agree to let upcoming open periods go by without making their choice. While they will continue to sign membership cards, they are willing to hold off filing any further applications until November 21, 2000, while awaiting your reply. While this proposed time frame is much less than the proposed 27 months in the memorandum, it is four times the period allowed Canadians for a federal election decision and it is more than double the time frame of 60 days allowed for this type of decision in the SEIU constitution. Since the membership made their decision back in March, the SEIU has had complete control while the locals were under trusteeship. The March 29 date means the SEIU will have had more than one year to campaign and convince the membership of their intention to rebuild the union and address their concerns. Surely if an effective rebuilding process is underway, the membership will understand this after one year. This clear sentiment and unanimous decision of the SEIU elected leadership removed from office by SEIU is that the membership must have the right to make their decision without delay. The maximum acceptable time frame that the leadership would endorse is March 29, 2001. Of course any agreement on a vote to settle this dispute must ensure a settlement of all outstanding issues including any and all legal claims by SEIU against CAW and CAW claims against SEIU and would result in the lifting of the CLC sanctions against the CAW. It would also require the transfer of bargaining rights and privileges for all units where the membership has voted to move to another affiliate. Of course the remaining staff would also require an appropriate resolve of outstanding severance or other issues. I believe this to be the final opportunity to put this dispute behind us and get on with doing the job for the membership of our respective unions. I can only hope you will seize the opportunity. I look forward to an early reply. In solidarity, BASIL 'BUZZ' HARGROVE President"
Norwegian Union On Sympathy Strike At Falconbridge
The Norwegian Chemical Workers Union went on strike last week in support of Canadian Auto Workers union members on strike in Sudbury against Falconbridge's massive concession demands. The strike by CAW/ Mine Mill Local 598 members is in its fourth month. The extraordinary action by the Norwegian workers emphasizes the extent of workers' anger at the concession demands which come close to a declaration of union-busting by the company. Workers at the Norwegian refinery, one of the world's largest, refine material produced by Falconbridge in Sudbury and other locations around the world. Norwegian workers on strike
Versatile Members On Strike
CAW Local 2224 members at the Versatile tractor plant in Winnipeg are on strike fighting for greater job security and fighting against the new owner's demands for concessions. The 250 CAW members at the plant went on strike November 3. "The workers are determined to maintain their current benefits and job security and aren't prepared to give up gains made over the last 15 years," said CAW area director Dale Paterson. The Versatile plant was recently purchased by local farm equipment manufacturer Buhler Industries. The plant was sold after the former owner Case/New Holland was ordered to divest it in a U.S. Department of Justice ruling. It's the last plant in Canada that assembles farm tractors.
CAW's NEB Blasts Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients
CAW president Buzz Hargrove sent the following letter recently to Ontario Premier Mike Harris: "Dear Mr. Premier: Your government's latest move to implement drug testing for welfare recipients has caused alarm amongst the leadership of our union. To stigmatize welfare recipients with this invasive testing will further marginalize people rather than providing the necessary support systems for them to help themselves. A child care program so that single mothers have some possibility of returning to the workforce would be a far more positive step. To suggest somehow that welfare recipients should be tested, while the rest of the population with large numbers of people with drug and alcohol abuse problems are not (and should not be tested) is degrading. Our union has been in the forefront of pioneering alcohol and drug counselling programs to help heal, as well as fighting any attempt by companies for mandatory drug testing. Rather than creating divisions in this society we urge you to rescind this initiative and move toward progressive programs for welfare recipients as laid out in the statement adopted yesterday (November 16) by our national executive board. Sincerely BASIL "BUZZ" HARGROVE President"
Reminder: Pension Postcard Returns Extended
CAW Locals are reminded that signed copies of the CAW pension postcard should be returned to the CAW National office as soon as possible. The CAW has launched a campaign along with CAW Local 2304 to bring justice to members at the Giant Mines in Yellowknife after Royal Oak declared bankruptcy, leaving the workers and their community in a very difficult situation. CAW members here found their pension plan not fully funded and no legislative protection of funding like that available in most provincial jurisdictions. They also learned the company's pension committee invested millions of dollars from the plan in declining and ultimately worthless stock. The funding shortfall has resulted in a 25 per cent reduction in pension benefits for current retirees and surviving spouses and a lowering of benefit levels that the workers and their families counted on for their retirement. The postcards call on the federal government to make legislative changes to ensure this kind of tragedy is never repeated. Postcards should be returned to Hemi Mitic, assistant to CAW president Buzz Hargrove, 205 Placer Court, Toronto, Ontario, M2H 3H9. The collected postcards will be presented to the Prime Minister.
Campaign 2000 Finds Many Children Still In Poverty
Campaign 2000, a coalition of 85 organizations including the CAW, has challenged the federal political party leaders to invest in Canada's children. In 1989 the Canadian Parliament committed to eradicate child poverty in Canada. Despite that all party unanimous resolution passed 11 years ago the number of poor children in Canada has increased 43 per cent. In its annual report card Campaign 2000 found there were 1,338,000 children living in persistent poverty in 1998, the year in which the latest statistics are available. Campaign 2000 calls on the government to invest in our children before tax cuts. It also calls on federal parties to present a five-year social investment plan for Canada's children, including income security, housing, community services and more. The next federal government needs to re-direct at least 1.5 per cent of the projected gross domestic product to federal investments in children and families, a Campaign 2000 release indicates. Copies of the full report can be found online at www.campaign2000.ca or by calling (416) 595-9230 ext. 244.
National Union Endorses CAW Candidates Running In Federal Election
The CAW National union is supporting the following nine CAW members running as NDP candidates for federal Parliament: Garth Mirau - UFAWU/CAW - Nanaimo-Cowichan Loretta Woodcock - CAW Local 1990 - Vancouver-Quadra Trevor Taylor - FFAW/CAW - Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte Bill Broderick - FFAW/CAW - Gander Grand Falls Willie Lambert - CAW Local 1256 - Oakville Joe Comartin - CAW Legal Services - Windsor-St. Clair Peter Stoffer (incumbent) - CAW Local 1990 - Sackville-Musquodoboit Valley-Eastern Shore Maurice Coulter - CAW Local 112 - York Centre Vishnu Roche - CAW Local 2213 - Bramalea-Gore-Malton-Springdale
ITF Cruise Ship Organizing Campaign
The International Transport Workers' Federation is running a cruise ship organizing campaign at Disney and Carnival Cruise lines. Both companies are non-union, crew members have no job security, wages are $59 US. per month (plus tips) for Disney and $49 US. per month for Carnival. As well, there are health and safety concerns, no grievance procedure and crew members have raised complaints of racial discrimination, favouritism and sexual harassment. John Parsons, a CAW ITF inspector, said crew members are showing support for the drive, but face dismissal if they are identified as a union supporter. Part of the campaign includes plans to leaflet passengers and to ask them to write the companies urging them to provide basic human rights to crew members under a collective agreement. Union members are urged to use unionized cruise ship lines. To find out about those cruise lines contact Parsons at (902) 565-6891 or the Cruise ship office at (321) 799-2994 or fax (321) 799-9282.
Workers At Clarion Hotel Grand Pacific In Victoria Choose CAW
After three days of hearings at the BC Labour Relations Board more than 70 workers at the Clarion Hotel Grand Pacific were automatically certified into CAW Local 4234 on November 10. The hotel is located in downtown Victoria, next to the BC legislature buildings. It's slated to become one of the largest hotels in Victoria because of a massive expansion project currently underway. The CAW represents a bargaining unit of housekeepers, cleaners, servers, bartenders, cooks, night auditors, reservations clerks, guest services, front desk, maintenance and athletic club workers.
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