December 14, 2016

To all Custodial Staff,

It has come to our attention that some of our members have been “appointed” to their building’s Safety & Health Committees by the Principal/Administrator. This violates the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and the WSD Policy.

From The Workplace Safety and Health Act;

Membership of committee

40(8) A committee

(a) shall consist of not fewer than four or more than 12 persons, of

whom at least 1/2 shall be persons

(i) representing workers who are not associated with the

management of the workplace, and

(ii) appointed in accordance with the constitution of the union that

is the certified bargaining agent or that has acquired bargaining

rights on behalf of those workers, or where no such union exists,

persons elected by the workers they represent; and

(b) shall have two co-chairpersons — one chosen by the employer

members on the committee, and the other chosen by the worker

members on the committee — who shall alternate in serving as

chairperson at meetings of the committee and shall participate in all

decisions of the committee.

From WSD Policy

(c) Employee groups within the school, as required under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, shall

appoint their representatives to the committee.

Please contact myself, Bruce Morton, (204-228-1002), or Ray Ford (204-223-5781), if this applies to your building.

Bear in mind that we do have to have a representative on each committee, but the representative is to be determined by the Local 110 members in each building. Short of that, the union will cast the deciding vote.

Bruce Morton

Local 110 Safety and Health Rep

November 29, 2016

Letter to the Editor:

To start, Pallister tells Labour that our ability to negotiate a fair Collective Agreement is about to be impeded. Now he wants us to prematurely open our Collective Agreements; thus giving the province and/or affected employers another chance to butcher fairly negotiated contractual language, and/or possibly affect our nominal increases in a negative way.

Firstly: only an idiot would agree to open our collective agreement prematurely.

Secondly: perhaps Premier Pallister should practice restraint regarding his own wages.

Thirdly: according to many Labour Leaders, we (Labour) will not take this constant assault laying down.

Get ready for a knock-down-drag-out fight, Mr. Pallister.

Terry Egan, President, Local 110 Canadian Union of Public Employees

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November 22,  2016

Letter to the Editor

FROM: Terry Egan, President, Local 110 Canadian Union of Public Employees

Minimum wage is frozen, thus the working poor remain poor.

Organized Labour has just been told our ability to negotiate a fair Collective Agreement is about to be impeded.

Many Manitoban’s have to hold 2 part-time jobs to make ends meet. Manitoban’s are working for inferior wages, poor working conditions, and all around disenfranchised.

The supposed workers party (The NDP)  lost the election and rightfully so. With all the publicized back stabbing and disorganization, not to mention the party forgetting its deep Labour roots, we deserved it.

Organized Labour has to now take the forefront and represent the people who pay our wages.

We have to have noticed that everything leading to the WINNIPEG 1919 GENERAL STRIKE is happening again.

Unions, as well as Labour organizations, better pull it together and remember just who pays good monies for their representation.

The dues paying members are watching and they deserve their positions and their rights to be represented and to be represented well.

Labour has to put our petty differences aside and work productively and respectfully together in order to protect our members right to a fair bargaining process.

Leadership of organized Labour better step it up in preparing to represent the dues paying members in a big way and not just in lip service.

Maybe 2017 will become the new 1919… perhaps it’s time.

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Dear Mr. Barnaby,

November 3rd 2016

Eric Barnaby

Director of Human Resources

Winnipeg School Division

1577 Wall Street East

R3E2S4

Re: Grievance Article(s) (2, 9 and 34)

We the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 110, are requesting,  a meeting to discuss the following with the explanation attached, at your earliest convenience.

That the Divisions Human Resources Dept. act as the administrator/negotiator/interpreter  regarding the Collective agreement meet between ourselves and the Winnipeg School Division administration.

In light of the past 2 grievances involving 2 schools,and in light of the numerous views and/or interpretation of our Collective agreement … (we have over 85 buildings with as  many as 85 different interpretations of our Collective Agreement) … as well as the lack of Human Resources skills shown by some School Administrators. We do not feel this request to be unreasonable.

We agree that some School administrators have the skills required to conduct business with the Union as well some seem to have an understanding and/or abilities regarding Labour Law as well as Human Rights legislation, but most do not.

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Terry Egan President Local 110

cc Abe Araya Chief Steward 110

Exec 110

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September 6th 2016                             Welcome Back!

We will be having our Union nominations this Sunday. Nominations will be taken from the floor or you can file papers with the secretary regarding your intentions to run along with a signed nominator. This Sunday is the only time nominations will be taken and no one runs from the floor during the election process.

At our Union election most of the existing executive will be running for a position on the new executive. Some positions are open with no existing executive member seeking those positions. One would be Warden, another Secretary, as well as a Head Caretaker Steward.

The people who are interested in positions so far are

President (myself Terry Egan)

Vice President (Hamid Hamzeh)

Treasurer (Swaran Dhaliwal)

Secretary (open) however, John Hearn has shown interest and is seeking a nomination.

Warden (open) however, Terry Storoszczuk has shown interest and is seeking a nomination.

Head Caretaker Steward (open) however, Adam Petrash has shown interest and is seeking a nomination.

2 Assistant Caretaker Reps (Rick Petschel and Randy Goshey)

Painter Rep (Frank Harder)

Utility Rep (Abe Araya)

Mechanical (Andrew Vroom)

2 Health and Safety (Bruce Morton) with no one as of yet showing interest in the second H&S position.

As you can see most of the existing executive is re-seeking election. Nelson Petrash, our secretary, is retiring from the executive not the division and will be sadly missed. I have been with Nelson for years, and have known him well before being on the Exec.

The education process regarding protecting our uniqueness ie: such as NO PART TIME WORKERS, JOB SECURITY, PROTECTION FOR OUR 5^TH CLASS TICKETS and NO CHANGES TO OUR PENSION PLAN. The on going policing of our benefits package and the list goes on. For all new executive Members. will start asap.

I have worked for our union for some 20 years now and have watched the Executive change almost over night. I am very proud of my guys as some have done some major stepping up regarding membership representations, negotiations and protecting our contractual language and our political station.

Swaran has not only stepped up to the Treasurer position but has watched over our interests in our Pension Plan.

Abe is a great chair of wage and grievance as well as being my personal second.

Frank has watched over our benefits package for years now.

Bruce and Abe also represent our Union at the National level in H&S and Political action.

Hamid is a loyal 110 supporter and is willing to be educated regarding all aspects of our Biz.

Rick is well on his way to being a major player in 110.

Randy is doing great.

Andrew has become a valuable resource to myself in many areas.

Regarding myself, I can make the following commitment. Although I have had many opportunities to either work else where or to retire from the Union and/or the Division, I have chosen and continue to choose 110, its where my loyalties are ….. I do not need the money.

As well … I will not leave 110 high and dry and commit that unless my health worsens … I will complete the term … if elected.

In Solidarity with 110

Terry Egan President Local 110

July 25/2016

Eric Barnaby

Director of Human Resources

Winnipeg School Division

1577 Wall Street,East

Winnipeg, MB

R3E 2S5

Dear Mr. Barnaby,

The outside Union representing the painters,flooring mechanics and plasterers is all but non-existent.  The provincial wage standard regarding painting and flooring mechanics is higher dollar wise than the outside negotiated rate. The minimum standard now for a flooring mechanic is over $28 per hour.

We were set to enter into the negotiating process regarding the afore mentioned in November 2016 but because of the extreme wage difference regarding the supposed outside Union rate and actual wages paid, there would be to great of a difference for this situation to continue on any longer than it already has. As well, there is no industrial rate for painters even advertised. We are requesting to re enter the negotiating process regarding the Painters, flooring mechanics and plasterer in early September.

Further, regarding the 3 job classifications mentioned, we no longer want to be tied to the outside rate of some non-existent or non-functioning union.

Please RVSP

Sincerely

Terry Egan,President Cupe Local 110

CC: Abe Araya, Chair of Wage and Grievance

Frank Harder,Painter rep

Rik Panciera, Staff

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July 25, 2016

To The Members of CUPE Local 110

Nominations for executive positions will be accepted at the regular Union meeting in September 2016 followed by the election process taking place at the October 2016 meeting. All nominations must be brought forward in September. Nominations will not be accepted from the floor at the October meeting.

If you are the successful candidate and are on the executive of CUPE Local 110, you will be expected to attend courses related to negotiations and representations. All successful candidates will have to attend other Union schooling regarding political action, human rights and labour law. Attendance to political activities as well as keeping up to date with changes in legislation pertaining to Union activities (Labour Law, Public Schools Act, Workplace Safety and Health, etc.) is also expected. Some weekends and some after work time is typical, along with monthly executive meetings. It is especially important that successful candidates be willing to educate themselves or be educated regarding how to maintain an effective and cost efficient benefits package.

Local 110 is very unique. We have unique language regarding contracting out, our numbers clause and the fact the we do not have any part time workers. Further, one of the most important things you are going to have to deal with in the next little while is the protection of our pension plan. Our pension plan is probably if not the best, one of the best in the country and has been maintained that way due to our aggressive nature, our political acumen, and our unique way of participating in political action.

If you look around the country right now, pension plans are being busted apart; you may as well be only be buying RRSPs. Pension attacks have previously affected private industry and now public industry is under fire. Air Canada was affected before and now there is an attack to the pension plan of postal workers. Our participation in our pension plan is aggressive and being led by Swaran Dhaliwal, and supported by Abe Araya and Andrew Varoom.

We have set a high standard at this local and keeping the best representation possible for the membership. So, if you are willing to put the time in to learn, we are willing to put in the time to teach you.
Good luck to all who run.

In solidarity with 110

Terry Egan, President, CUPE Local 110

PS: We will advertise the interested parties for the positions in the very near future

April 25/2016

May General Meeting

Sunday, May 1, 2016

7:00 p.m.

R.B. RUSSELL HIGH SCHOOL

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April 11/2016

News concerning our by-laws

At our April 10, 2016 General Meeting we voted on a notice of motion that was submitted at our January meeting. The motion is:

For a member to run for a position on the Executive, Table Officers, Stewards, or any committees including Trustees; a member must have attended 75% of the General Meetings and Special Meetings should they be called over the (2) two year period between elections. Should there be a bi-election the 75% will be based on (2) two years prior to bi-election.

This motion was passed requiring all members who plan to run in future elections to attend seventy-five percent of the meetings. This motion has to pass through Cupe National before changes will take effect.

Those members in attendance voted overwhelmingly in favor of the above mentioned notice of motion, and believe it to be a positive step forward.

This motion added to our bylaws ensures that any brothers and sisters wishing to run in any future elections will have proved their commitment and dedication by being active in our union prior to running.

It’s yet another insurance in the continued protection of our local’s best interest.

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April 6th /2016

Letter to the Membership CUPE Local 110

Regarding our Benefit package.

Frank Harder, Swaran Dhaliwal and myself went to Saskatoon to re-negotiate our benefits package.

• It was well worth the time and lengthy travel to address our concerns with no financial increase for our members.

Your negotiating committee work very hard on our behalf.

Thank you Frank and Swaran.

In Solidarity

Terry Egan President Local 110

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July 7th 2015

Letter to the Editor:

                          Regarding the Winnipeg School Division Board of Trustees:

I was surprised to read the article that came to the conclusion that (The Winnipeg School Division Board of Trustees is out of control).

The Winnipeg School Division Board of Trustees was elected to represent the wants and needs of the constituents in their particular wards in a democratic process.

The people, living and working within the Winnipeg School Division elect people from their specific areas to represent our values and needs regarding the education of our children.

In my eyes, the Board of Trustees act as the governing body for the School Division and is or should be responsible for assuring that the Administration also represents the wants and needs of the people living within the boundaries of the Winnipeg School Division.

So to suggest that the Board of Trustees sit back and support Administration decisions without considering and/or representing the publics input or direction is an unrealistic/ridicules view.

Regarding the time restriction to “put the Board of Trustees house in order.¨  There is an election process regarding putting people in the political positions in the Winnipeg School Division. That opportunity comes open every 4 years. At which time they will be judged democratically.

Just as the provincial government shall be judged in 2016.

Sincerely

Terry Egan   President Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 110

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