Dignity & Diversity
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DIRECTIONS Bulletin from the Director, UFCW Canada • Vol. I No. 13 • October 19, 2001 • ISSN 1496-9009 Higgins named labour minister Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert announced changes to his NDP cabinet Dignity & diversity on October 12 – full of “fresh ideas and ne of the few things we can be assured of a new way of Oas a constant in our union is that, as in life, thinking” – including change is inevitable. the appointment of Unions with just one trade jurisdiction are rookie MLA Deb becoming a rare commodity. UFCW Canada, in Higgins to the posi- fact, comes from a long line of union mergers tion of labour minis- through decades of development. It is a long ter. time since we were simply “retail clerks” or “meat UFCW Canada cutters”. Director Michael Recent organizing successes have high- Fraser congratulated Sister Higgins on her lighted the tradition of expanding UFCW Cana- appointment. “It is important to have the da’s scope in the world of working Canadians. voice of working people represented at such From mergers like the sheep shearers and boot a high level, especially with a labour activist makers of the last half-century, recent additions in the labour ministry,” he says. “This is also to our union include firefighters, telemarketers, a fitting recognition of Deb’s many years of corner-store clerks, taxi drivers, and even opti- dedication and service to members and her cians. community.” In celebration of our diversity – and the Sister Higgins, a member of UFCW common objective of all members to make the Canada Local 1400, was elected as the workplace a welcoming one where their dignity New Democratic member for Moose Jaw is respected by the employer – we have pro- Wakamow in 1999. The former Canada duced this new poster, Dignity@WORK. (To obtain copies of this 11”x17” poster, Safeway stores cashier was a member of at no charge, please make your request to the UFCW Canada national office.) Local 1400’s executive board, and is a past The growing diversity of UFCW Canada in many ways reflects the chang- president of the UFCW Saskatchewan Pro- ing face of our nation. It also reflects the need for so many workers who vincial Council. never considered union membership before to join in solidarity with their co- More: Brian Stewart, UFCW Canada Local 1400 workers and, collectively, improve their working lives. UFCW Canada local unions are proving that workplace dignity and Elected UFCW Canada members respect are objectives that are achievable, in reflection of the UFCW Canadian FEDERAL Council’s resolution to ensure that our union’s emphasis on this fundamental Bev Desjarlais, Local 832 right is addressed everywhere from the shop floor to the bargaining table. MP Churchill MB 1997-present PROVINCIAL In solidarity, Deb Higgins, Local 1400 MLA Moose Jaw Wakamow SK 1999-present Minister of Labour Carolyn Jones, Local 1400 MLA Saskatoon Meewasin SK 1999-present Michael J. Fraser Dennis Streifel, Local 1518 Director, UFCW Canada MLA Mission Kent BC 1991-2001 Deputy Speaker; Ministries: Forestry, Social Services, Human Resources, Fisheries life insurance, dental, vision care, drug plan, and guaranteed hours for part-time work- Kimble Sutherland, Local 1977 bereavement leave, and the administration ers. They are also addressing the introduc- MPP Oxford ON 1990-1995 of STD benefits. tion of counter-ready meats. More: Kathy Hildebrand, UFCW Canada national staff, Winnipeg In Manitoba, meanwhile, about 3,300 Dominion Malting ratification members of UFCW Canada Local 832 have UFCW Canada Local 227W members in Canada Safeway strike action voted overwhelmingly to take strike action Winnipeg who manufacture malt for brew- UFCW Canada Local 175 members at three against Safeway in November if negotiations eries ratified a new agreement in early Sep- Canada Safeway stores in Thunder Bay ON do not progress. tember. Members gained wage increases of went on strike against the employer on More: Bob Linton, Kevin Shimmin, UFCW Canada Locals 175 and 3% per year retroactive to last April 1, a October 1, closing that city’s stores. The 400 633, www.ufcw175.com; Don Keith, UFCW Canada Local 832, $1,000 signing bonus, and improvements to members are seeking improved job security www.ufcw832.mb.ca Superstore strike alert FACTS ON FILE: After almost 60 days of meetings during (one in a series on new the last 12 months, UFCW Canada Local Capital Taxi membership initiatives) 401 has distributed a “strike alert” package to more than 8,100 members who work at • Capital Taxi is the oldest taxi company in the city of Ottawa (amalgamated in 2001 from the former region of Real Canadian Superstore and Real Cana- Ottawa-Carleton). dian Liquor Store. The package contains a • Amalgamation of taxi jurisdictions is underway, but will not be completed until as late as 2006 due to ongoing 12-page Personal Planning Guide for a Strike studies and review while amalgamation takes place. or Lockout, and information on bargaining • Established in 1947 with five taxicabs in the former municipality of Vanier (northeastern Ottawa), Capital Taxi issues. In Saskatchewan, UFCW Canada today has nearly 200 cabs operating in the city of Ottawa, with about half licensed in the former Ottawa proper, a national staff are also assisting Local 1400 quarter in Vanier, and the remainder in Cumberland and Gloucester. with strike preparations amongst Superstore • Capital Taxi drivers were originally organized in 1994 by a different union, but failed to negotiate a first agree- members. ment for drivers due to internal union structural problems not involving the taxi drivers. Following decertifica- More: Doug O’Halloran, UFCW Canada Local 401; Brian Stewart, tion, they again joined the same union in 1997, but once again were unable to reach an agreement. UFCW Canada Local 1400 • Drivers in the Ottawa division of Capital Taxi became members of UFCW Canada in July 2000, and successfully reached a first collective agreement with the employer in September 2001. They achieved breakthroughs on Coffee service workers ratify holidays and vacations, choice of taxi insurance, seniority, rental charges, replacement vehicles, distribution of UFCW Canada Local 2000 members at Ara- calls and trips, health-and-safety issues, and committee representation. mark Canada Ltd. in Delta BC ratified a • Drivers at Beta Taxi in the eastern Ottawa district of Orleans joined UFCW Canada in January 2001, a company new contract in August. The 11 workers, that was later acquired by Capital, which subsequently recognized these drivers as well as its Gloucester division. who provide coffee and beverage distribu- Negotiations on behalf of these drivers are underway. tion services, gained increases of 40¢ on rat- • There are now approximately 220 taxi driver members of UFCW Canada Local 1993 in greater Ottawa, and they ification and again in the second year of the have been at the forefront of recent political action to stand up for taxi drivers’ interests before the Transition agreement, plus a $250 signing bonus. There Board of Ottawa, the only union involved in this process. are also improvements in bereavement leave. Additional source: www.city.ottawa.on.ca More: Leif Hansen, UFCW Canada Local 2000 STRIKE & LOCKOUT REPORT Magee named director LOCAL EMPLOYER S/L MEMBERS STARTED STATUS Ontario UFCW Canada Local 175 President 175 Canada Safeway, Thunder Bay ON S 400 October 1, 2001 Shut down Wayne Hanley has announced the appoint- 503 Provigo Maxi, Rimouski QC S 90 July 13, 2001 Shut down ment of Teresa Magee as the new CALENDAR (highlighted items are new or revised) regional director OCTOBER 23-26 Nova Scotia Federation of Labour convention, Holiday Inn, Dartmouth NS for the southwest 29-30 CLC Executive Committee meeting, Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa region of UFCW 30-31 CLC Organizing Conference, Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa Canada Locals NOVEMBER 2-3 Prince Edward Island Federation of Labour convention, Charlottetown 175 and 633. 2-4 UFCW Women’s Network convention, Sheraton Centre, Montréal Magee will 7-9 Saskatchewan Federation of Labour convention, Centennial Auditorium, Saskatoon supervise a team 9-10 CLC-CURC 5th constitutional convention, Triumph Howard Johnson Plaza, Toronto of six union staff 9-14 34th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference (IFEBP), Lahaina HI representatives 10 Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, 5th Anniversary Dinner, OFL Auditorium, Toronto and three support 10-12 CLC Health & Safety and Environment conference, Marriott, Ottawa staff. Sister Magee, who joined the staff of 12 Remembrance Day holiday, UFCW Canada national offices closed (except Québec) Locals 175 and 633 in 1990, is the second 23-25 NDP federal convention, Winnipeg Convention Centre woman to be named a director of Canada’s 26-30 Québec Federation of Labour convention, Centre des congrès, Québec largest local union. DECEMBER 2-8 White Ribbon campaign to end violence against women More:Wayne Hanley, UFCW Canada Local 175 3-7 Ontario Federation of Labour convention, Sheraton, Toronto UFCW Canada Staff Snapshot 10 United Nations International Human Rights Day 24-26 Christmas holidays, UFCW Canada national offices closed 31 New Year’s Eve holiday, UFCW Canada national offices closed JANUARY 1 New Year’s Day holiday, UFCW Canada national offices closed 14-15 UFCW Canadian Council Executive Board meeting, Delta Centre-Ville, Montréal 31 UFCW International Scholarship application deadline MARCH 8 International Women’s Day 21 International Day Against Racism JUNE 3-7 UFCW Canadian Council convention, Westin Bayshore, Vancouver 10-14 Canadian Labour Congress convention, Congress Centre, Vancouver Herman Dallaire UFCW Canada Directions is published by the United Food and Commercial Workers in Canada. ©2001 UFCW Canada unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. For further information, contact Mike Freeman. ISSN 1496-9009. CALM and Brother Dallaire began his union activism as shop ILCA member publication. steward at a Cooprix store in St-Nicolas QC in UFCW Canada Michael J.