Bargaining Committee Update #14 – July 2, 2022
Your Bargaining Committee spent the week of June 19th in Toronto and June 27th in Calgary, continuing the negotiation process and the conciliator joined us for both weeks. While we made some progress those two weeks, we are still far apart on some of the most important issues that directly affect our membership.
The Bargaining Committee for Local 531 filed for conciliation with the government on April 26th due to the slow pace of bargaining and the lack of decision making on behalf of the Company. We are reminded weekly that this was the correct course of action to take.
We have just been informed that Peter Simpson, the Director General of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, has been appointed as an additional conciliation officer for our negotiations. As we near the end of our conciliation period on July 5th we are thankful for the additional assistance he will bring to the table. It is important to note that conciliation is followed by a 21 day “cooling off’ period, which would end at midnight July 26th. As of July 27th, we would be in a legal strike position. Prior to taking any strike action we are required to hold strike votes and then serve the Company with 72 hours notice of our intention to strike.
Please trust this is not a decision we would make lightly but we are committed to getting a fair deal for our members. We recognize the personal, financial, and operational struggles you’ve all faced for far too long. Our displeasure with the progress of bargaining continues due to the Company not showing up to the bargaining table prepared. They have had us wait days for their proposals, many of which have been insulting and a waste of our time. We bring up issues that are currently pressing the daily operations at each base and have expressed the desperate need for the Company to act NOW at each base to address the inability to staff the operation and staff burnout. Those at the bargaining table appear to be far removed from the reality of what you are experiencing in each base.
The Company needs to focus on addressing the needs of the membership and if they continue to refuse to recognize the conditions, we will consider job action. The wage proposal we received this week from the company was insulting to the work we perform. There is a significant disconnect with the people at the bargaining table and the issues at the airports.
Strike Information
Between July 5th and July 26th, we will be in a position to hold strike votes. A strike is a collective action taken by all workers in a bargaining unit to put pressure on the employers to take their concerns seriously by withdrawing all or some of their labour.
While 98% of all contract negotiations are settled without a strike, Unifor does have a Strike and Lockout Department that provides resources, support and guidance for Unifor bargaining committees who see themselves in strike action when an acceptable agreement cannot be reached at the bargaining table.
With all the information we have been providing you through our bulletins as well as in face-to-face conversations, we have decided to hold strike votes. Please plan to attend and show the Company that working conditions, hours of work, wages and step increases, and quality of work matter to you! Members of the Bargaining Committee as well as Unifor National leaders will be in attendance to answer all your questions and concerns.
SAVE THE DATE - STRIKE VOTES
July 15 and 16 in Vancouver – River Rock Hotel 0830-1800
July 18 and 19 in Calgary – Hyatt Place Airport 1000-1800
We will provide more information including room locations at each hotel in the following days and weeks about the vote and the possibility of job action.
We are looking for volunteer Members who would like to become involved in the Local 531 Mobilization Team, as the July 5th deadline for conciliation nears. The Bargaining Committee needs to have an accurate way to share our concerns with every member in a quick manner. Thank you to those who reached out to us already!
If this is something you are interested in, please reach out to us at [email protected] The Mobilization Team is an integral part of Bargaining and it’s a good opportunity to get involved in the Union. We would require a minimal time commitment. Once we have a team established, we will provide you with information, so you are able to share it quickly and accurately on the floor. You would be involved in the organization and planning of an event should it take place.
Lastly, we graciously thank CUPE and ALPA for their continued and unwavering support as we continue to move forward in this process. We are all stronger together, united as one.
In Solidarity
Local 531 Bargaining Committee
YVR
Karen Berry
705.828.7795
[email protected]
Mark Enns
778.552.2344
[email protected]
Breanne Laihow
778.887.6156
[email protected]
YYC
Sherwin Antonio
403.660.7154
[email protected]
Sandeep Samrai
403.608.9392
[email protected]
Jamie Mote
403.606.0464
[email protected]
Lindsay Landry
403.850.4748
[email protected]
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