WAPSO Newsletter Summer 2015 - Winnipeg Association of Public

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NEWSLETTER
SUMMER 2015
Message from the President
Staying the course
With support and guidance from
IFPTE, our Communications
Committee has been working hard
to develop a program to reach the
public with the same message. As
you read further in this newsletter
the program will be unveiled for the
first time. I am really looking forward
to this program launching and I feel
the committee has achieved a great
look and message for our members!
Please send us your feedback and
comments as this unfolds.
When I was elected to the position
of President I wrote to you and said
we had a couple of things to do.
That included listening to you our
membership and learning how to
serve your needs. The result if we
accomplished the above would
logically be action and governance.
In my opinion we have made some
great strides in this regard. I believe
our representation has been more
directed and has resulted in positive
outcomes for the majority of our
members. I recognize that this is a
goal we can never stop working
toward. You have my commitment
on that!
In our organization of continual
Along this journey we have also
witnessed change within the City
structure and leadership. As change
continues at 510 Main we find
opportunities to develop new
relationships and ensure our leaders
understand the value of the services
our members provide to the citizens
and businesses of Winnipeg.
change there is one constant that
you can count on. That is our
listening, learning and service to you
our members. Two of our member
groups are currently in negotiations
at this time, the other member group
will enter negotiations this fall.
Please let us know your needs and
expectations, because our service
depends on it!
This summer the next step in this
communication will take that
message beyond the organization,
to the public.
Thank you for your continued
support and confidence.
In Solidarity,
Andrew Weremy
INSIDE:
Public Messaging
2
Getting the word out about WAPSO
The Round-Up
3
Bargaining Updates
Day of Mourning
Long Service Recognition
Membership Appreciation
4
Public Messaging
New ad will get the word out about who we are!
WAPSO Local 162 Works for You,
is a campaign sponsored by the
Association featuring a “rear tail” ad
poster that will begin appearing on
Transit buses this fall.
The Winnipeg Association of Public
Service Officers (WAPSO-IFPTE
Local 162) represents approx. 650
professional, technical and
supervisory staff working in diverse
areas such as accounting and
finance, engineering, urban
planning, transit planning and transit
operations, traffic management and
laboratory testing.
The campaign will feature members
from various Departments in the
City, and highlight their integrity and
passion to their job, and dedication
to the City they live in.
“We are a very small association in
comparison to the other large
unions such as CUPE Local 500
and ATU Local 1505,” Regiec
pointed out.
“We decided to undertake this
campaign in an effort to promote
who we are and what work our
members perform,” explained
WAPSO 1st Vice-President and
Communications Chair Alex Regiec.
“We have a unique role to represent
the professionals who are truly the
unsung heroes of the City workforce
often working behind the scenes to
improve the quality of life for all
Winnipeggers.”
The Association also represents
members who are professionals at
the Riverview Health Centre, and
middle supervisors at the Winnipeg
Regional Health Authority.
A new advertising campaign is
asking Winnipeggers to think about
the professionals who work on their
behalf.
The advertising campaign will run
from the middle of September until
the end of November, and will
coincide with the start of our
collective bargaining process with
the City.
“We hope to start a dialog with the
public about the responsibility our
members have and the importance
of the work they carry out at the City
and ultimately for the public,” stated
WAPSO-IFPTE Local 162 President
Andy Weremy.
It should be noted that this
campaign is an entirely grassroots
endeavour and was developed inhouse by WAPSO-IFPTE Local
162’s Communications Committee.
Assistance and guidance was
provided by the 21 Unsung Heroes
Committee of IFPTE Local 21 out of
San Francisco, which developed a
very successful and similar
grassroots campaign a few years
ago.
“We believe that this is a first step in
a larger program of promoting
awareness of our members to the
public at large,” said Weremy. “It will
also explain and clear up the
confusion that our members are not
the senior management of the City.”
A mock-up of the “rear tail” advertising poster that will begin appearing on Transit buses this fall.
2 THE KEY NEWSLETTER - Summer 2015
WAPSO-IFPTE Local 162
The Round-Up
Bargaining Update
As you know, our current collective
a g re e m e n t w i t h t h e C i t y o f
Winnipeg is set to expire on
October 17, 2015. What your union
will ask for during bargaining is
determined by the input and
suggestions that you, our
members, provide to us.
We want your opinions on the
problems, issues, needs and
concerns that you would like to see
addressed at the bargaining table.
By making your voice heard, you
have an opportunity to help your
negotiating committee move in the
right direction. Knowing what our
members want is important to
negotiating improvements to our
collective agreement.
This is an invitation to all members
of WAPSO-IFPTE Local 162 to call
the office and share your issues,
ideas and priorities with us on what
you would like to see in the next
contract. Our office can be reached
at (204) 925-4120.
Information sessions will be held
very soon at various locations
across the City providing an
opportunity for Executive Board
and the Bargaining Team to meet
with members to gather input and
suggestions.
Input will also be gleaned from an
upcoming bargaining survey soon
to be distributed to members.
Watch the WAPSO website for
further details about upcoming
m e e t i n g s a n d t h e s u r v e y at
www.wapso.ca
3 THE KEY NEWSLETTER - Summer 2015
April 28th, 2015
All workers regardless of job or
workplace have the right to a safe
and healthy workplace.
It is our responsibility to ensure that
exists for them.
Day of Mourning
Excerpt from WAPSO Speech at
City Hall Ceremony
Good Morning,
Minister Braun, Mayor Bowman,
Councilors, Dignitaries and honored
guests.
Thank you for allowing WAPSO to
take part in the important ceremony.
I want to echo the words and
sentiments of the speakers this
morning. For those hurt at work or
who have lost a colleague or loved
one, our sympathies are with you.
As supervisors and professional
staff providing guidance to front line
services WAPSO members have a
unique role in the leadership of
safety.
In closing, WAPSO is fully
committed to ensure safety
standards are met and exceeded for
all workers, their families and the
public.
Thank you.
Andrew Weremy,
WAPSO President IFPTE Canadian VP
WAPSO-IFPTE Local 162
Long Service Recognition
February 28, 2015 - July 31, 2015
WAPSO Congratulates all the Members celebrating
milestones in their service with their employers.
City of Winnipeg:
5 Years:
Amanda McDermid - Corporate Services
Alaa Jarrar - Corporate Services
Blake Kibbins - Public Works
Eric Weiske - Water & Waste
Michael Cantor - Public Works
Andrew Ziegler - Water & Waste
Remilekun Adedapo - Water & Waste
Micheal Cortvriendt - Assessment & Taxation
Robert Vigini - Corporate Services
Russell Gelhorn - Corporate Services
Xianfeng (James) Dong - Corporate Services
Darren Blackhorn 10 Years:
Tiffany Skomro - Water & Waste
Murray Peterson - Planning & Development
Tina Barr - Transit
Tyler Phillips - Water & Waste
Fanny Drouet - Chief Administrative Office
Randy Bernard - Corporate Finance
Andrew McMillan - Water & Waste
Grant Partridge - Corporate Services
Gilbert Fillion - Water & Waste
Mark Sterdan - Public Works / Finance & Administration
Cynthia Desjardine - Public Works
Dennis Blazewicz - Parking Authority
15 Years:
Lynne Darragh - Water & Waste
Scott Suderman - Public Works
Zeljko Bodiroga - Water & Waste
Rodney Penner - Public Works - Parks & Open Space
Nancy Neumann - Water & Waste/ Finance & Admin.
City of Winnipeg:
25 Years:
Melody Balane - Corporate Finance
Colin Patterson - Corporate Services
Andre Lederer - Corporate Services
Gerald Levesque - Water & Waste
Nick Clinch - Water & Waste
Tim Ohara - Water & Waste
Jeff Smithson - Corporate Services
Bonnie Konzelman - Public Works
Rodney Hamilton - Public Works
James Criggie - Transit
30 Years:
Dennis Glowasky - Planning & Development
Timothy Day - Water & Waste
Karen Beck - Corporate Services
James Houldsworth - Public Works
Darren Farr - Transit
35 Years:
Terry Chymy - Fleet Management
Byron Speidel - Corporate Finance
Ronald Sorokowski - Water & Waste
Roddy Owens - Transit
40+ Years:
Rose-Ann MacKinnon - Corporate Services
Bohdan Sywak - Water & Waste
Wally Burtnick - Public Works
Allan Zaleski - Water & Waste
Career Opportunity
20 Years:
Angela Wiebe - Water & Waste/ Finance & Admin.
Pamela Chaves - Corporate Services
Nancy Crawford - Water & Waste
Mark Doornbos - Corporate Services
Terry Danter - Public Works
Keith Bousquet - Planning & Development
Jeffrey Heide - Transit
Corrine Santini - Transit
Brad Fruend - Transit
Lorraine Courtney - Transit
Darryl Fahlman - Transit
Brett Munro - Transit
Darryl Antymniuk - Transit
4 THE KEY NEWSLETTER - Summer 2015
WAPSO-IFPTE Local 162