The July Newsletter is now online

Volume 14, Issue 1
July 2014
www.cawlocal.ca/3005
AEROSPACE WORKER
Your UNIFOR Local 3005 Bargaining Committee.
From Left to Right;
Back Row; David Hanson, Faron Edel, Wayne Martell, Kevin McIvor,
Ivan Milne, Jack Lis, Dan Davis
Front Row; Harry Peterson
Editors:
Harry Peterson, Dan Davis,
David Hanson
Contributors:
Harry Peterson, Dan Davis,
David Hanson, Ivan Milne
This Newsletter is the official publication of UNIFOR Local 3005
Views, etc. are not necessarily the National or Local Union Policy
on the subjects, but are the personal views of the writer.
UNIFOR, LOCAL 3005
109-1376 Grant Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 3Y4
“Canadian Unions for Canadian Workers”
Rights At Work
PRESIDENTS REPORT
As we look forward to our summer vacations
with family and friends it is always a time to
reflect and see how far we have come in the
last year.
The latest campaign being undertaken by
UNIFOR is called the Rights At Work Campaign.
Now that we have a new collective agreement
in place it is hoped that our workload will
increase and that we may hopefully see our
numbers grow.
We have a few summer students in the plant
right now shadowing our members and learning the ropes. With any luck that can translate
into them becoming proud UNIFOR Local
3005 members in the near future.
This initiative is being rolled out to every
one of our 300,000+ members in the country
and it defends the attacks on Unions that
comes from Corporations and right wing ideologies.
In your newsletter you will find a member
survey form to fill in and an information
pamphlet to explain to you the key points of
the campaign. As well you will find information on how you as workers can help to
defend us all against the attacks on working
people and their hard earned gains.
This fall we will open nominations for our
next executive, as well as all standing committees, as the current term is up at the end of
the year, and a new three year term will begin Along with that there is a reusable screen
in January.
cleaner that you can use for all of your electronic devices with the UNIFOR logo proudI am proud to say that in my first term as your ly emblazoned on it.
President we have had both an excellent
Executive Committee, as well as an amazing Please fill in the form and return it to your
Bargaining Committee. I can say without a
area representative or Plant Chair and Presidoubt that it makes us stronger and more efdent so that we can get them back to the Nafective when we have people in place who
tional office and your voice can be heard.
are committed to, and available for, the membership that they represent.
To paraphrase the late 70’s punk band Sham
It has been my great pleasure to be your Pres- 69:
ident and I will say here and now that I will
“When the workers are united, we can
be running for a second term and would appreciate each and every one of your votes this never be divided”
time around.
In solidarity,
Only when we have a strong Executive ComDavid Hanson
mittee can we make positive change happen
President
for our membership.
UNIFOR Local 3005
In closing I would just like to wish each and
every one of you a wonderful summer break,
and let’s all make good things happen in the
future.
27th CLC Convention, Montreal, QC
May 5th-9th 2014
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
the membership for allowing me to attend the
27th Canadian Labour Congress Convention
in Montreal this past May 5th-9th. The convention opened with a traditional Mohawk
blessing from Billy Two-Rivers of the
Kahnawake Mohawk Nation.
ment to those fighting for workers rights the
world over.
That only goes to show us all how very important it is to get involved and get out and
vote whether it be Federal, Provincial, Municipal or Local elections.
This convention was truly an eye-opening
moment in my life as a Union activist and
for that I am grateful to have represented you
all at this momentous event.
It is after attending events like these that you
wish that you could bottle the excitement
and emotion that happens and allow your
membership to experience it along with you,
and as leaders we are expected to pass along
This being my first CLC convention I was
this information to you which I have been
unsure of what to expect although I had been doing and plan to continue to do in the
informed that big changes were brewing from weeks, months and years ahead.
talking to other local activists and Union leadOne of the more pressing concerns at the
ership prior to my departure.
convention was the attacks on Postal Workers represented by CUPW in the form of the
Those looking for change were not
plan to shut down door to door delivery of
disappointed.
our mail.
UNIFOR was backing the long running Secretary-Treasurer Hassan Yussuff in his bid to
I implore all members and their friends and
unseat long time incumbent President Ken
families to get in touch with their MP in OtGeorgetti and he won by an astonishing 40
tawa and voice your displeasure at this imvotes.
minent phasing out of Canada Post jobs.
Other members making up the new Executive
of the CLC are Barbara Byers as SecretaryTreasurer, with Marie Clark Walker and Donald Lafleur as the Executive Vice-Presidents.
Congratulations to all who ran and we are all
hoping to see big change in the Labour Union
movement in the months and years to come.
In solidarity,
One of the many things taking place at any
Council or Convention are recommendations
and resolutions that are debated and voted on,
and this convention was no different as the
delegates participated in much discourse and
discussion on a wide variety of issues facing
workers in the world these days, but more
specifically to issues affecting Canadian
workers.
David Hanson
President
UNIFOR Local 3005
There was also a wide variety of guest speakers to listen to, all of them very enlightening
and bringing words of hope and encourage-
Aerospace Worker
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July 2014
Aerospace Worker
In solidarity,
David Hanson
President
Local 3005
Newly elected Canadian Labour Congress
President Hassan Yussuff
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July 2014
Shear Genius
Our TEAM was made up of both experienced
and novice negotiators which was a good mix
fresh and innovative ideas as well as the tried
and true methods of previous committees.
Brothers and sisters, we recently had some brothers and a sister return to the workplace on recall
for a total of 10 returning members. I'm sure you
are all as frenetic as I am to hear about this.
Recalls are usually a sign that things are looking
a little rosier and we could always use some good
news around here.
In the beginning, I was concerned that it might
take forever just to get everyone on the TEAM to
agree on issues. In fact, it soon became clear,
that everyone was fully concerned with the
points brought forward by the people on the floor
and followed their recommendations to a tee
while strengthening language that helps us all.
We have also had some members attend three
Furthermore, we were all interested in using a
weeks of inspection training and they will be
back at work by the time this newsletter is issued. common sense approach to moving forward. By
this I mean, getting a contract which we could all
With any luck this will translate into new inspec- live with. The word TEAM became an accurate
tor jobs as we always welcome additional training description.
for our members.
I can tell you that some of the debates were intense and somewhat heated. However there was
On a sad note we recently had two brothers pass
never a time when any one person stood in the
away, Tony Rooprai and Lorne Schultz. They
way of moving forward after their position had
will be sadly missed and our prayers go out to
been given a fair debate.
their families.
I must also admit that there was a good deal of
Enjoy your time off with your families during the stress involved for all of the committee memsummer shutdown and come back safe.
bers. It is a big responsibility. Having said that, I
would like to say THANKS to all of you that
Respectfully,
showed support and patience.
Harry Peterson
The Collective Agreement that we now have, for
Area #2 Representative
the next three years, will allow our members to
Bargaining Committee.
keep body and soul together.
Hopefully the Company will find more contracts
and our numbers will get back to what a plant of
this size should be.
I believe that our TEAM negotiated the best offer we could and I believe that most of the members are satisfied with the results. Therefore our
TEAM was successful.
I would like to thank everyone who supported
________________________________________ me in the election, and I hope that you all think
I have proven myself worthy of that support.
Team Building
This was my first time on the UNIFOR Local
3005 Negotiation TEAM. In order to give it my
all, I attended a week long Barganing Training
Course in Port Elgin to better prepare myself for
the task ahead. It is an excellent program that
gives Union members the tools to bargain a fair
and equitable contract, although the opponents
there proved to be much more reasonable.
Aerospace Worker
Sincerely,
Ivan Milne
Area #6 Representative
Bargaining Committee
UNIFOR Local 3005 stands behind UNIFOR Local 114
Aerospace Workers on strike at the Cascade Aerospace Plant
A “young staffing company” operated out painters, stores, maintenance, planning
of the home of Dale Taylor is flying back-up clerks, sheet metal mechanics and other
labourers to Abbotsford, BC to cross the pick- workers at the Abbotsford facility.
et line at Cascade Aerospace.
Cascade Aerospace is the primary DND conWorkers at Cascade are on strike over equal
tractor for repair and overhaul on the Hercubenefits for young workers.“Replacement
les heavy transport plane fleet covering the
workers will prolong the Cascade dispute and Lockheed Martin C130 E, H and the new J
who knows what their qualifications are,” said models.
Dawn Cartwright, Unifor’s Director of Aerospace. “MDM Aero Contract and any contrac- The Unifor workers also help the firm repair
tors that it employs will not be welcome at
commercial aircraft for firms such as CanJet
Unifor aerospace facilities for helping Casand Lynden Air Cargo and are currently
cade to try to break this strike.
working on two Lockheed Martin C130 cargo planes for the Mexican government.
Unifor’s aerospace division has sent a letter to
the leadership of thousands of workers at aer- Unifor was founded Labour Day weekend
ospace plants in Canada advising them to ter- 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and
minate contracts with MDM Aero Contract.
the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged.
Instead of using replacement workers, Unifor
is calling on Cascade Aerospace to get back to Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the prithe bargaining table, retract concessions, and vate sector, with more than 305,000 memnegotiate reasonable job security for the Ab- bers including over 10,000 working in the
botsford employees.
Aerospace industry.
A major sticking point in negotiations is Cascade’s insistence on lower benefits for new
Excerpt taken from the UNIFOR National
hires.“It’s sad and more than a little ironic
website.
that a young person in Ontario is actively
helping Cascade dismantle employment benefits for young workers,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s BC area director. “We’re on
strike to protect good jobs in Abbotsford, and
MDM Aero Contract is actively undermining
that by recruiting workers to cross the picket
line.”
Ben Boehm, vice-president and Cascade’s
chief operations officer has said publicly before the strike that the company will not use
replacement workers.
Unifor Local 114 members at Cascade Aerospace have been on a legal strike since June 4.
Unifor 114 represents 440 aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs), interior technicians,
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July 2014
Aerospace Worker
-5-
July 2014
Rolly Charette Bursary Award
Every fall the Local awards two $250.00 bursaries in honour of Rolly Charette who was an
activist and Bargaining Committee member
———————————————————dating back to our days in CAIMAW.
UNIFOR President addresses UAW
Convention in Detroit June 4th 2014
——————————————————
Unifor National President Jerry Dias
became the first Canadian labour leader to speak at a UAW convention in 18
years recently, and used the occasion
to call for the two unions to work together toward common goals.
Let’s Hear From YOU
These bursaries are available to children of
members in good standing, within the local,
who are entering their first year of post secondary education.
“There is no reason anymore to ask for
concessions,” Dias said. “We gave and
we gave and we gave and that is over.”
Dias said outgoing UAW President
Bob King worked to ease relations between the two unions.
The UNIFOR Recreation Council
would like to remind all members that
the Annual Fall Classic Golf Tournament will be coming up in late August
early September.
Keep your eye on the Union Bulletin
Boards for upcoming information
“Bob King is responsible for knocking regarding location and date of this
down the walls,” Dias said. “We are
exciting event.
absolutely committed that we are not
only going to continue that relationHarry Peterson
ship, we are going to expand on it.”
Treasurer
UNIFOR Manitoba
The CAW, one of Unifor’s founding
Recreation Council
unions, split from the UAW in 1985
Moving On Up
and has bargained with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler separately for
One day Johnny was hired as an hourly
the past 29 years.
employee at the marble factory.
“We have global challenges and we
need global solutions,” Dias said.
Dias attended the convention with his
father.
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This newsletter is intended for your enjoyment
and to help you understand the goings-on of
your Local, as well as to hopefully inspire and
enlighten you into becoming active participants
in trade unionism.
To be eligible for one of these bursaries the
applicant must complete a bursary application
and submit a short essay from a choice of sub- We encourage you to get involved with your
Local and there is no better way to begin to get
jects relating to unions and their activities as
involved than to come out to your Local Union
outlined on the bursary application.
meetings.
The deadline this year for eligibility is Friday
September 19th 2014.
We meet for the General Membership every 4th
Wednesday of the month with the exception of
the month of December when we move it forward to the 3rd Wednesday. We also break for
the summer and there are no meetings scheduled
in July and August so that we can all take time
out with our families and friends and enjoy our
beautiful, but brief, summers.
Please keep an eye on the Union Bulletin
Boards for more information, and see any
member of your Local Executive or Area
Representative for an application.
In solidarity,
Another way to have your voice heard is to submit an article for publication in this newsletter.
David Hanson
So if you have an idea that you think would inspire the membership or that can help others
President
then please sit down when the call for submisUNIFOR Local 3005
_____________________________________ sions come out and put pen to paper.
A worker who was being paid by the week apLastly there is no better way to get involved
proached his employer and held up his last
than to run for a Local Committee or Executive
paycheque. "This is two hundred dollars less than
position, and bring fresh and new ideas to the
we agreed on," he said.
table that will be of benefit to us all.
He was given 50 marbles when he started.
Every time Johnny made a mistake they
took some marbles away.
"I know," the employer said. "But last week I
overpaid you two hundred dollars, and you never
complained."
When Johnny finally lost all his marbles
the company moved Johnny into a Management position.
"Well, I don't mind an occasional mistake," the
worker answered, "but when it gets to be a habit, I
To quote that great musical activist Billy Bragg,
feel I have to call it to your attention."
Harry (got all his marbles) Peterson
Area 2 Representative
Aerospace Worker
A big company offered $50 for each moneysaving idea submitted by its employees. First
prize went to the employee who suggested the
award be cut to $25.
July 2014
We hope to see all of you out in the future at
Membership Meetings, Rallies, Political Activities and other places where working people
gather to discuss ways to make life better for
everyone.
————————————————————
"I have to have a raise," the man said to his boss.
"There are three other companies after me."
"Is that so?" asked the manager. "What other companies are after you?"
"The electric company, the telephone company,
and the gas company."
Aerospace Worker
-7-
“The most important thing for anyone, I think,
is to be engaged, whether you're an artist or a
journalist, is to be engaged in the process at
some level.”
Have a great summer,
Your Newsletter Editorial Staff
July 2014
Plant Chair’s Corner
Collective Bargaining 2014
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
our membership for trusting their Union Bargaining Committee to deliver a Collective
Agreement we all can live with.
It’s nice to see massage therapy and chiropractic services as part of our new Collective
Agreement. I know the latest improvements to
our benefit plan will be greatly appreciated by
our members.
Friendly Allied Nations
In the early 1940s there was a bully organization who felt it was perfectly okay to build
factories throughout Europe to exterminate
people. The intent of this bully organization
was to exterminate humans who they felt
were undesirable. The people on their undesirable list included women and children,
people with Downs syndrome and Jewish
people etc. It wasn’t until the world community joined forces that this mindless slaughter was defeated. This meant the sharing of
military resources between the friendly allied
nations to stop the insanity.
The newly bargained shadow language to limit non-bargaining unit staff from performing
our work is very important language as well.
The new Collective Agreements should be in
Today in Africa we witness bully organizathe hands of the membership soon.
tions kidnapping young girls from their
It’s encouraging to see our members return to schools as attempts are made to give them an
the workplace from lay-off status outside of education. The young girls are being forced
the plant. I would like to extend a warm wel- into slavery, and made to worship something
come for those who recently returned. Hope they do not believe in.
to see all of our members returning to the
One only has to see what’s happening in the
workplace in the not too distant future.
———————————————————————————-- Ukraine to understand the bully threat to
Pause for our Former Members
sovereignty there. In the middle-east you
Let’s pause for a moment to reflect on the un- have bully nomads slaughtering people betimely passing of brothers Tony Rooprai and tween countries, simply because they do not
Lorne Schultz. On behalf of all of us, our want to join their brutal ideology.
thoughts and prayers are with our brothers
and their families during a very difficult time. Once again the Friendly Allied Nations need
to say, enough, to these bully organizations
I want to pay tribute to the every member on who run wild as they threaten world peace.
the Emergency Response Team who stand The sharing of military resources between
ready to assist anyone in need. When stepping the Friendly Allied Nations includes the
up was critical on June 3, 2014, our coura- Joint Strike Fighter program and other miligeous ERT members did their very best to be tary interests that can help protect those that
there for Brother Tony. The training and ex- need it, as well as our own sovereign borders
pertise of these extraordinary people will nevThe importance of working together with our
er be forgotten.
partners is more critical then ever, when
By the time you read this newsletter, we will
there are bullies venturing to carve up the
find ourselves on the doorstep of a plant shutworld for mayhem. As history repeats itself
down for a summer vacation.
we need to ensure we are on top for world
Let’s all enjoy the summer time off with our peace.
family and friends.
Dan Davis
Wishing everyone a safe summer vacation.
Plant Chair
UNIFOR
Local 3005
Aerospace Worker
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July 2014