Newsletters
Spring 2010
Welcome back to the sun, it’s been a long time coming, although as winters go in Edmonton, I must say it hasn’t been that bad. The Canada Geese have returned, always a cause for celebration at my house, they flew over this morning almost at rooftop level on their way to Big Lake
It has been interesting winter, with another of our employers, The Edmonton Journal, entering into creditor protection. Just last year we experienced a similar situation with Quebecor World, now World Color. We survived that event and I am confident we come through this as well. Although we are in a period of uncertainty right now, newspapers are still profitable and should be attractive to buyers. Rest assured, your Union is here to uphold the rights of you the members, and you will continue to receive the same pay, benefits and other privileges afforded to you in your Collective Agreements.
Our industry is in a state of flux, we are going through a period that could be compared to a perfect storm, with the economy, the internet and other new technologies, our environmental profile, and our governments all conspiring to change and upset the traditional forms of printing and negatively impact our way of life. With this in mind your Local Union will be participating in the upcoming Media and Graphical Conference as well as the North American Newspaper conference in hopes of bringing these issues to the forefront, changing the things we can change and for the things we can’t change, trying to find ways to make them work for our benefit.
We recently held a Shop Steward/Chapel Chairperson education seminar at our Local Union office. It was attended by representatives from The Edmonton Journal, Worldcolor and Trader. Congratulations to Helen Johnson, Barbara Wood, Cory Dudar, Myles Desjarlais, Ted Turgeon, Darren Baldock, and Roy Simmons on successfully completing the course.
Communication, with our membership, a reoccurring theme at our education meeting, is vital to the success of our organization and it is our hope that this forum in part addresses that need. Thanks again to our member Bill Pierce for his work on this page. Enjoy the weather!!
Fraternally,
Ray Wade President
June Newsletter Tuesday, June 16th, 2009
As I was leaving for work this morning I noticed that my Mayday tree had bloomed. Just in time to, considering the date, May 29, two more days and I would have had to change its name to Juneday. I hope this is a sign that summer is finally in sight, it sure has been a strange spring.
It has been a busy spring for us in Local 255G, we’ve concluded two Collective Bargaining Agreements attended two Conferences (CEP Media Conference, North American Newspaper Conference) welcomed new members from the Bargain Finder into our number and held Chapel elections for the Production workers at the Edmonton Journal. We have also represented our members through the Grievance Procedure, maintaining their employment, maintaining their job classification and having their discipline reduced or withdrawn. Also, I have attended meetings of our Union Pension Plans where I act as a Trustee and member of their respective Audit Committees. As well I have also attended meetings of the Canadian Print Industry Sector Council whose directive is to establish skill standards for the print industry, eventually leading to Certification. I hope you will enjoy this new attempt at communication with you the membership. Special thanks and recognition to Bill Pierce for his efforts in getting this forum up and running. Your suggestions and comments are very welcome. Hope you enjoy a safe summer
Ray Wade
Collective Bargaining
Quebecor World Edmonton
Withfences going up around the plant, security guards in place and a strike vote scheduled for May 29 the Union negotiating committee and the Employer met at the Ramada Hotel on May 20 in a final attempt to avoid a labour dispute. This meeting was necessitated as a result of the membership’s rejection of the Employers final offer. While our members were sympathetic to the difficulties with regard to QuebecorWorld receiving the financing to come out of CCAA and Chapter 11 and cognizant of the fact that other Unions including CEP across Canada and the United States had already accepted concessions similar to the ones they were being asked to accept, they balked when it came to the Term or length of the Agreement and Hours of Work. The outcome of this meeting was that the Employer agreed to reduce the Term by one year (expire May15, 2012), the Hours of Work from 42 hours to 40 hours and move start rate for Press and Bindery to $14.25 from $11.52. That evening the membership ratified the Agreement.
While this bargaining secession resulted in our members agreeing to reductions in many areas of the Contract, it is hoped that by so doing this cooperation with the Employer will ensure success going forward. This agreement could not have been reached without a lot of hard work and effort by the bargaining committee and I would like to thank them. Duncan Brown, Graphical Director of CEP who provided leadership, experience, knowledge and valuable advice when things got tough and we needed direction. You in plant committee, who represented their individual
Departments admirable, led by your Commercial Vice President, Andy Dean, Bindery; Shanne Owen, Lawrence Haynes, Preparatory; Bonnie Turner, Shipping; John Dean Kinney, Maintenance; Cam Smith, Press; Les Worrall, Sam Betke, Alex Mycko.
ABC Press
At a meeting of the membership held on Monday, May25, 2009 it was agreed to renew the current Collective Agreement status quo for one year. (Expire June 14, 2010)
Media Conference
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada is made up of many sectors, Forestry and Energy sectors are examples. Our Local is part of the Media Council. In April of this year, Ron Bron, Eugene Emmanuel, Andy Dean and myself Ray Wade attended the yearly conference to share information and attend secessions dealing topical subjects on the state of our industry. Click here for full report
North American Newspaper Conference
After an absence of more than four years, it was decided that considering what was happening in the Newspaper Industry that our Local should once again continue participation in this conference. It was attended by Earl Petkauand Ron Bron and information collective and shared should provebeneficial in our dealings with our Employer, The Edmonton Journal. Click here for full story.
New Members
As a result of a merger of their workforce, Bargain Finder and Trader and cessation of their operations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver our membership at Trader in Edmonton has grown. While it is unfortunate that people from those other centers have lost their jobs, (some of them our union brothers and sisters) it has resulted in a benefit for our Local, and hopefully has provided better job security for our members. Welcome to the new members, hope to see you at our General Meeting, June 24.
Journal Production Chapel Elections
Congratulations to all new and re-elected members at the Edmonton Journal. Click here for details Your service to the Union is appreciated. You are the front line representatives of our organization and will be relied on to help your fellow workers with problems related to their terms and conditions of their employment. We will help you in this effort, as well as educate you on dealing with your employer through our Shop Steward Course to be offered this summer. Meanwhile feel free to call the office anytime if you have any questions or concerns. I want to thank Angela Andrews your outgoing Chapel Chairperson for all the work she has done for our Local over the past two years, she represented her members well.
