Here is the most current update for bargaining available in pdf format. I will continue to post the most current ones as they become available.
Underneath this bargaining update is posts/messages from our President Ric McAlpine in regards to our retro pay. The posts will be posted from most recent to least!
Thank you
Trish Thiessen- Communications Coordinator
August 29th, 2015
PLEASE READ! IMPORTANT ACTION REQUESTS!!
( I apologize in advance for the length)
Welcome, to all of those who have been added in the past couple days! Please keep adding anyone you know who is a CUPE member at Concordia Hospital/Concordia Place!
For those of you who were not able to stop me in the hall, or attend our rally yesterday, please read the posts below to catch up on what’s been going on.
As i said, although obviously there is no way for me to force the employer to pay us immediately (we are doing EVERYTHING we can to make it as quickly as possible) what we CAN do is make them regret NOT paying us. And we shall. They WILL rue the day they lied to us and broke both a promise, and our legally binding contract.
Here’s what we need from you!
1) if you have not yet filed one out, please take a moment to fill out a grievance form. either get one from any executive member, or take one from the cupe1973 bulletin board downstairs. all we need is your printed name and signature, don’t worry about the rest.
although a group grievance to cover everyone is filed, we want to be able to put as many individual grievances on their desk as possible as a symbol and a reminder that these are peoples LIVES they are messing with, and we are not just numbers. People first.
2)take ten minutes of your time and write out a victim impact statement for us!
Tell us how this delay has impacted your life. Tell us the affect it is having in you. And tell us how you feel about Concordia Hospital as an employer. we want to highlight the very real damage thry are ding both to people’s lIves and morale within the workplace. Please submit them to any executive member, or put them in an envelope addressed to CUPE and put it in an outbox to come to me via Porter delivery. Or email them to me at cupe1973@gmail.com. or submit them to me via facebook directly!
3) call Dayna Green(Human Resources) and Val Wiebe (CEO) to let them know how angry you are!
and when they apologize please tell them apologies mean NOTHING and you want them to DO something to prove we matter.
4)if you have any immediate financial difficulties or hardship because of this outrage,please let me know immediately, or call Val Wiebe directly and let her know. We are pushing the employer as hard as humanly possible to minimize the immediate impact and they have organised to at least do what they can to help. Including cutting advance checks for emergencies and calling creditors/banks /etc to let them know this was employer error.
if you require assistance dont hesitate to ask!
5) GET CREATIVE! we require ideas! For two agenda items i am pursuing:
A)things and events you think we should do in the next weeks to continue to let the employer know how angry we are and that we will not go away.
B)Reparations!
I am pushing the employer to do something MEANINGFUL for people to show they know they screwed up, and “this is what they are doing to fix it and make it right”. Let me be clear. I dont expect they will. but i want to give them the OPPORTUNITY TO do something that will matter to people. so i want to hear your ideas.
apologies mean NOTHING. actions speak louder than words. so its time they put up or shut up! so give me your ideas about what you think we should push for!
a penalty payment to everyone? like a hundred bucks each to say “yes. we know this negatively impacted your life and we are sorry.we hope this helps alleviate a small amount of hardship “?
A day off with pay for everyone?
concessions to the union in some way…like finally giving us the office space they have been holding out on so we can be a bigger thorn in their side when these things happen?
We are open to ALL ideas. So let’s brain storm! Let tHem hear our voice loudly!
Either they will show this matters. That they DO care and that they value us and redirect the work we do, or they will refuse, and prove that their apologIes are like i suspect; empty words designed to try and calm us down.
I will be meeting the employer Tuesday morning so I’m going to go armed with all of these things! YOU WILL BE HEARD. AND WE WELL BE LISTENED TO.
They already have taken notice very clearly that they screwed up way bigger then they thought. and we aren’t being shown the respect we deserve. And we ARENT going away. even after this is over. until they prove to each and every member that we MATTER.
SPREAD THE WORD! and let me hear your ideas below, in person, or message me privately.
I am so proud of each of you for the passion you have displayed. help me ensure our employer never forgets that we are the strongest Local in the city,with a virulent and dedicated membership ready to engage at ANY time!
in solidarity Brothers and Sisters,
Ric
The employer informed me at 10am this morning that our full retro pay would not be deposited tomorrow as promised.
There will be a portion from April 1 2015 until August 13 2015 deposited tomorrow.
They have told me the rest will be delivered by September 11.
This despite the fact that as of TWO days ago we were assured everything was on track.
We do not feel this is acceptable in any way.
They cannot be allowed to think we will sit quietly while they just not pay us for the amazing services we provide each and every day.
Although I cannot force them to pay us tomorrow, i can, and will promise you that we CAN make them regret not paying us, And not respecting the work we do.
Already a grievance has been filed. A labour board complaint for unfair labour practice is in the works and will be filed monday ish. And the arbitrator has been contacted regarding the employers breech of his award.
A court of Queens bench appeal is being drafted by CUPE National but there is a two week waiting period to be able to file it. we will persue any and all legal remedies possible to the fullest extent.
If anyone incurs or will incur financial difficulties, including late charges, nsf fees, inability to pay a bill, etc please be sure to let us know. we are persuing the employer paying all of these costs as part of the grievance.
Further if you know it WILL happen tomorrow…please call Val Wiebe in the morning and let her know. she has indicated the employer will do what they can to help alleviate those concerns. be sure to let us know too!
We will be holding a brief rally/sit in Friday morning at 1130 in the front lobby at concordia hospital to let the employer know we will not be silent about the disrespect and ridoculous breech of our collective agreement.
If anyone has any questions, comments, or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Finally this is not specific to Concordia. It is also affecting Grace, Seven Oaks, Riverview, DSM and perhaps others.
Thank you.
and stsy tuned for more information and actions we will take next week to ensure our anger and dissatisfaction is heard loud and clear!