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May 2008 Volume 1, Issue 1 Teamsters Rail Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Newsletter In this issue First issue of Teamsters Rail News CN Certification ongoing 1 This represents the first ever issue of Teamsters Divisions and individual members from Executive Board creates Rail News, it is planned that future issues will be throughout the country. If you have stories of Education Bursary published quarterly, and is meant to distribute interest to the TCRC members or if there are for members 2 information of interest throughout the TCRC members or family members serving our Executive Board, General membership in Canada. country in a military or other capacity we would Chairs and Provincial Our newsletter will be ongoing and we are like to know and show our support. TCRC Board Chairs meet in Ottawa 2 members volunteering in the community, we are openly soliciting stories of interest from General Railway Safety Act Review Committees, Provincial Legislative Boards, interested in your story. Please contact the Report - Culture of Fear at CN 2 National Office by mail, fax or email. Canadian Forces – TCRC Member in Afghanistan 3 TCRC - CN Certification ongoing National Office Relocated 3 Over one year has passed since we filed our should not be disruptive to the membership, the TCRC Charges CN with Application for Certification with the Canada Local Committees of Adjustment, the Divisions hiring contract workers 3 Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to represent or the General Committees. The changes to the TCRC Charges VIA with the Conductors, Trainmen, Yardmen and Bylaws at the Canadian Convention in 2006 Bargaining in Bad Faith 4 Yardmasters at CN, and as of December 27, provide for multi-craft Divisions, and Craft 2007, we finally see this process moving Autonomy. CP Membership Ratifies Contract 4 forward. Furthermore, as of March 7, 2008 the Disputes related to the properties and CIRB Regional Director Registrar has advanced operations within CN have resulted in the CIRB TCRC Training Report 4 his Labour Relations Officer report to the Board decision to include the former BC Rail members, ONTC Motor Coach for their determination on the application. and exclude the members at Northern Quebec Operators vote to join TCRC win strike 5 So far, the CIRB has dismissed the arguments (CFIL) and Mackenzie Northern from this put forward by the UTU International Office and particular certification application. TCRC has April 28, Day of Mourning 6 Canadian National Railways in their objection to subsequently filed separately for certification on our Certification Application. The Dec 27, 2007 those properties. BR&CF Information 7 CIRB decision effectively removed all the We are also extremely pleased with the recent TCRC Bursary Application 8 barriers that have been delaying a membership decision by the Quebec Labour Board in the vote. We continue to urge the Board to case of our Certification Application at the announce the time lines associated with the Quebec Gatineau Railway. On January 17, ballot process as quickly as possible. 2008, we were certified as the bargaining agent “The employees in the bargaining unit are for the over one hundred and forty (140) former being given an opportunity to decide UTU members on the Quebec Gatineau Railway which union they would like to represent and is consistent with other recent decisions them.”............CIRB Decision Dec 27, 2007 made by former UTU members at Ontario Northland Motor Coach Operators, CFMG We are very optimistic for a successful outcome, (Chemin de fer de la Matapédia et du Golfe Inc.) and to once and for all stabilize the situation for and Southern Ontario Railway. The new our Canadian Sisters and Brothers within the members at QGR are presently in the process UTU. The TCRC structure allows for the easy of establishing two new Divisions. integration of these new members. Transition Teamsters Rail Page 2 of 8 Executive Board creates Education Bursary for members Twenty Bursaries of The National Executive Board has established a Secondary Education Institution. It is not $500.00 each will be TCRC National Education Bursary program. available to National Officers or staff to avoid available each year Twenty Bursaries of $500.00 each will be conflict of interest. Further details and to the spouse, child available each year to the spouse, child or applications will be distributed to each Division. or grandchild of an grandchild of an active TCRC member actively A 2008 application form for this Bursary is active TCRC enrolled in a recognized Canadian Post member … located on the last page of this Newsletter. Executive Board, General Chairs and Provincial Board Chairs meet in Ottawa This past January the first ever meeting with all Union Officers and general membership utilizing of the General Chairs, Provincial Board Chairs, the resources already in place, with possible and the entire National Executive Board was ideas involving the use of electronic access, on hosted in Ottawa. President Shewchuk chaired line education, interactive tools, instruction the sessions over two days, where everyone videos, power-point presentations, manuals, and had the opportunity to discuss the Union face to face classroom instruction. Immediate operations, the issues we are facing, and the emphasis is to train the newly elected or direction the Union should be proceeding over inexperienced Union Officers beginning this year, the course of the upcoming year. This is seen and continue to expand the training opportunities as a proactive approach to planning and to throughout the Union using a combination of ensure the Union is achieving the stated acceptable methods covering a variety of objectives of the TCRC. relevant issues. Considerable time was spent discussing the The discussions and the overwhelming interest TCRC Training Program development. shown by all of the Officers throughout the Discussions emphasized the importance of meeting reinforce a refreshing and invigorating new direction for our Union. Railway Safety Act Review Report - Culture of Fear at CN On March 7, 2008 the Railway Safety Act concrete steps to improve." CN train wrecks Canada have the authority to require voice review report was tabled in the House of were responsible for at least two of the recorders in all locomotives, which we Commons. environmental disasters that set off the safety oppose. The panel report states the industry is facing review. Teamsters Canada Rail Conference does specific, safety-related operations issues that This comprehensive report includes over 50 not endorse all of the recommendations affect both people and equipment. "These recommendations including contained within the Report, and does not include fatigue management, locomotive design, • A regulatory requirement for the Rail Traffic believe the rights of Canadian Rail locomotive event and voice recorder, rail traffic Controllers to remain within the Canadian Employees should be reduced to the point control locations, track and infrastructure, borders. where the employer can record all of the training, train dynamics and drug and alcohol • Training and retention of employees. employees’ actions and words in the programs," the report states. The report also • Improve safety at existing crossings. workplace. indicated CN's strict adherence to a rules-based • Establish a more robust system of fatigue TCRC made multiple representations to the approach focused on disciplinary actions when management plans. panel through the Rail Traffic Controllers, mistakes were made. • Develop acceptable standards for ne and the National, New Brunswick, Ontario, CN "has instilled a 'culture of fear and discipline' locomotives and develop strategies to deal Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta and is counter to an effective safety with poor design of existing locomotives. Legislative Boards, along with Divisions 320 management system," the report said. "CN The Report, funded by Transport Canada, even (Coquitlam), 583 (Winnipeg), 898 (Jasper), needs to acknowledge this openly and take goes so far as to recommend that Transport and 945 (Vancouver). Page 3 of 8 Teamsters Rail Canadian Forces – TCRC Member in Afghanistan Sergeant Mike Bergan is far member of Division 320 Afghanistan which is helping away from the switching lead in Coquitlam since May 2004, the Afghans develop their Coquitlam Yard, as he is Mike expresses his thanks to Security Forces. I will be here presently serving a tour in everyone for their kind words till the end of July 2008.” Afghanistan as part of the of support and thoughts, and Canadians Support our Troops. Canadian Forces Royal he often thinks of the trains In addition to providing morale Westminster Regiment. This is back home and how much the and welfare programs, his first tour in Afghanistan, military and the railway are activities, and services however Mike is well similar. Division 320 members to enhance the quality of life of experienced having been in have sent two care packages the Canadian Forces the Infantry Reserve Unit since to Brother Bergan which community, the Canadian 1993 and served in a similar included something for the Forces Personnel Support “It is very rewarding as I am tour in Bosnia. Afghan children too. right at the pointed edge of Agency offers Canadians what we are trying to In Kandahar Mike works with a Brother Bergan recently several ways of supporting the dedicated men and women accomplish here in NATO Multinational unit whose commented: “It is very Afghanistan which is responsibilities include liaising rewarding as I am right at the who serve our country. Further helping the Afghans with the Afghan National Police pointed edge of what we are information can be obtained develop their Security and the Afghan Army. A trying to accomplish here in through the CFPSA website: Forces. I will be here till the www.cfpsa.com end of July 2008.” Mike Bergan. National Office Relocated The National office has however is more functionally management and also things running while the changed addresses within designed and provides a project management move was taking place and Ottawa.