With winter drawing to a close and spring nearing the office of local CUPW President continues to be focused on a number of ongoing issues facing the 
membership.

Of the most pressing is the ratification and strike votes to be held on Thursday March 29th, 2007.  I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to meet and discuss in person with as many members as possible the ramifications of either accepting or rejecting the proposed deal. As many of you are aware the Calgary local as well as the vast majority of other locals across the country has recommended the membership reject the tentative package. Simply put, the draft contract is weak and flawed and doesn’t benefit our urban members sufficiently. The importance of members participating in the ratification votes can’t be understated, this is about our future well-being and the employer is once again judging our commitment and determination. 

I have never believed in the politics of fear and division. Frankly there has been far to much of that during this debate.  However, I will ask Local members who are planning to vote no on the tentative contract to provide the Union with a strong strike vote.  By doing so I believe we can still reach a collective agreement at the negotiating table.

The votes will be held at the Radisson Hotel-Calgary Airport on the 29th at 8:00 am, 12:00 noon, 4:00 pm, and 7:00 pm.  Only members in good standing from the “Urban Bargaining Unit” can vote on ratification of the tentative collective agreement; but anyone employed in the Urban Bargaining Unit can vote on the strike mandate. 

On another front Canada Post is going ahead with planned RSMC route splits at Depot 4 and 11 for April 16th, 2007.  The Corporation has stated that it is prepared to have meaningful consultation on the splits to be held in early April. However, as of this writing, none of the information requested by the Union for those talks has been provided.  I would advice all RSMC’s at the involved depots to demand that they be provided with the following:

• The total number of RSMC Routes in each facility.
• The employee’s Schedule A’s before and after the changes takes effect.
• Route maps, old and new for all routes involved in any changes.
• A detailed explanation of the bidding process to be used in the splits.

The Local will be focused to attempt to provide strong representation on these matters.

In Solidarity
R. Scobel
Robert Scobel 
 
 

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