Ruling confirms right to join USW, AUPE, Alberta reach settlement
Manitoba school custodians, cleaners strike
MINNEDOSA, Man. — Custodians and cleaners began strike action and set up picket lines outside the Rolling River School Division School Board (RRSD) office in Minnedosa, Man. on Nov. 1.
“The Rolling River School Division has refused to negotiate a fair deal with custodians and cleaners,” says Kevin Jay, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 1630, representing 21 striking workers. “We didn’t want to go on strike but custodians and cleaners in other school divisions have been treated fairly, why are we worth less?”
Custodians and cleaners at RRSD are asking for the same wage increases and duration achieved by teachers and other support staff in Manitoba. Twenty-two CUPE school support staff locals in Manitoba have already attained this same agreement with their divisions, says the union.
Ruling confirms right to join USW
BURLINGTON, Ont. – The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) confirmed the rights of about 500 employees of long-term care operator CONMED Health Care Group to join the United Steelworkers union (USW) on Oct 27.
“This is a tremendous victory for these workers who have had to wait several months to have their legal and democratic rights recognized,” says Marty Warren, USW Ontario director. “These courageous workers voted by a large majority to join a strong union to achieve their goals of improving their working and living standards.”
CONMED and the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) simultaneously pursued legal challenges in an attempt to prevent the workers from joining USW. The legal challenges delayed the outcome by months but ultimately failed, as the OLRB upheld the workers’ rights and clear desire to join the USW, says USW .
In a secret-ballot vote supervised by the OLRB, the workers voted by a large majority to join the USW and to leave the CLAC, says the union.
The workers are employed at four long-term care homes operated by CONMED Health Care Group in southern Ontario and include personal support workers, nursing staff and kitchen and dietary staff.
OPSEU, ASU reach tentative deal
TORONTO — After three days of bargaining, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and its Administrative Staff Union (ASU) negotiated a tentative contract on Oct. 30.
“Both teams have shown remarkable focus and flexibility during talks. Bargaining in the current climate hasn’t been easy for anyone but this deal proves that we can accomplish great things, when we work together,” says Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU president.
ASU represents OPSEU supervisors and administrative assistants.
AUPE, Alberta reach settlement
EDMONTON — After months of mediation, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) reached a mediated settlement with the government of Alberta on Oct. 13 for a new collective agreement for 22,000 government employees.
“With the assistance of the mediator, both parties worked hard to reach this settlement,” says Guy Smith, AUPE president.
The settlement will be subject to a ratification vote by the 22,000 AUPE members who work in government services, says the union.
The ratification process is expected to take several weeks and results of the ratification vote will be released once the vote has been counted, likely mid-December.
