It could happen to anyone. You have something that is NSFW (Not Safe For Work) and you accidentally share it. What happens if the other party is offended? What happens if you just crossed a line? This happens more often than you think, and the results are pretty inconsistent. This episode will share an especially NSFW moment, that resulted in termination.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Monday, December 23, 2019
Edible Cannabis - Should you partake?
With the newly legalized edible market, an employee should ask themselves, is this right for me?
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
The End of the Retirement Allowance
There is some news on the Retirement Allowance. It is going to end fairly soon. Currently it exists in a Collective Bargaining Agreement that isn't ours, and there are enough people who are likely to retire before the end of this allowance in order to take advantage of the dividend. Are you one of those thinking of retiring? If so you may need to consider going sooner than you thought.
Council wanted to end the practice immediately, but it looks like there will be an estoppel in order to legally end the practice. It is possible this will be challenged but you may not want to wait around.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
The Executive Board of L37
Explains the order... are you interested in serving? Are you curious to how it works.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Clearing the Discipline Whirpool
You got in trouble. You accepted it or you lost your grievance. Now what? Let me tell you.
Being filmed. At work you can't do it, but Citizens can.
This Citizen is filming sites that are perceived to be public spaces. He has the right to film. It isn't a crime to be creepy, so don't engage him. He will post your interaction on YouTube and encourage people to comment on you.
What he is doing is legal, but you have the right to feel safe at work. Go through the chain of command, but don't give this guy anything worth posting.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
The little paragraph about Pensions
I'm doing this episode from Edmonton, Alberta for AMEC. I'm not even finished the whole budget read, but there is something that needs to be highlighted. Your Pension... may... be at risk.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Thursday, October 17, 2019
CLC - and the strike they are on the other side of.
The CLC is a huge grouping of labour unions that all want one thing, the best deal for their members. Which for the most part is large scale fair items that support the labour movement as a whole. It isn't perfect. You may have heard me rant about the CLC leadership once or twice. This very leadership literally ignored their own constitution to keep their President and various Division leaders in the CLC when Unifor bailed. It just goes to show you that when you are in power, you will do anything to keep status quo.
Now the labour congress is dealing with a harder more real situation I think they would have liked to avoid. Their Reps are on Strike after their negotiations hit two years without movement. They are arguing interesting points, and the CLC is the employer. What side do you land on? For the CLC situations like this are complicated. They can only do what they can afford and with Unifor leaving, and blah blah blah. The CLC is acting in the best interests of their bottom line, which is what every employer does.
With CUPE National in the rearview, the labour movement is dealing with a Strike of the Reps. It isn't great and it shows the problems we deal with externally are also happening internally as well. For those of us hardcore union followers we totally understand the purpose and structure of this move. For the general members remember that we don't cross picket lines. So if you are going to a CLC event or area that has A picket line, speak to the leader of the line, sign in if you wish to walk the line, and don't cross the line.
Now the labour congress is dealing with a harder more real situation I think they would have liked to avoid. Their Reps are on Strike after their negotiations hit two years without movement. They are arguing interesting points, and the CLC is the employer. What side do you land on? For the CLC situations like this are complicated. They can only do what they can afford and with Unifor leaving, and blah blah blah. The CLC is acting in the best interests of their bottom line, which is what every employer does.
With CUPE National in the rearview, the labour movement is dealing with a Strike of the Reps. It isn't great and it shows the problems we deal with externally are also happening internally as well. For those of us hardcore union followers we totally understand the purpose and structure of this move. For the general members remember that we don't cross picket lines. So if you are going to a CLC event or area that has A picket line, speak to the leader of the line, sign in if you wish to walk the line, and don't cross the line.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
CUPE National Convention 2019 - Wednesday
Today:
Elections, More Reports, Jagmeet Sing, Strategic Directions, and a technical adjournment.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
CUPE National Convention 2019 - Tuesday
Today:
Convention went from 9am to 6pm. Long days for Alberta, would have been nice if more stuck around, but business was completed for the day. Looking forward to Wednesday.
Monday, October 7, 2019
CUPE National Convention 2019 - Monday
Today: First days are always full of formality. This was no different. Tone is mostly around understanding there is an election happening and that the NDP are the party of choice.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Monday, September 23, 2019
October 15, General Meeting
Due to scheduling issues with quorum and the National CUPE Convention we needed to change the meeting dates for the General meeting.
Please come for 7pm at the hall on the third Tuesday of October. Don't come to the regular second Tuesday of the month.
The meeting date has changed.
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Diversity at CUPE National. My Con microphone monologue.
When on the convention floor you get 3 minute to say your piece. I couldn't do it with 7x that allotment. Here is my take on the National recommendation to add 5 diversity seats.
It is a Pro-Diversity stance at a Con microphone. Very CUPE in stance.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Inappropriate Sexual Behavior is not Allowed at Work
Most times this is explicitly obvious, other times it is not.
There are cases where the line is crossed, and there are cases where the line is blurry, and then there are cases where everything was agreeable. Yet in all of these situations in a work environment there is a possibility that the result is nothing short of termination. Today we are going to talk about the workplace conduct, and how you should be aware of the line.
DUI = A quick way to termination.
Over the last year the Province of Alberta made some changes to the penalties associated with a DUI charge. Their changes along with Fleet requirements to drive City vehicles have set the stage for locking in termination. We are going to talk about it and I encourage you to listen.
Thursday, July 25, 2019
New 2019 CBA Online
The new collective agreement is printing and until we get in out you can read it out our website. www.cupe37.ca or you can go to the City website and read it there.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
We have Ratified our Contract with the City
With mostly attention to language our contract was ratified with the members today.
Friday, April 5, 2019
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Boom Cards
Well if your address is current with the City of Calgary and that mailing list is current with us, you will be receiving a BOOM card in the mail.
I haven't yet done much but sign up on the website. When I find the savings for myself I will let you know.
I haven't yet done much but sign up on the website. When I find the savings for myself I will let you know.
Monday, March 18, 2019
CUPE Alberta - Lethbridge 2019 Convention
Spent today in two CUPE AB Education courses. Will be registering today for the convention. Looking forward to a few days of Convention business in the Coast Plaza Convention Centre in Lethbridge.
I will update as soon as I can.
I will update as soon as I can.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Post Election. Thank you for the votes.
2019 ELECTION RESULTS
Treasurer: Jody Sallans
Recording Secretary: Dustin Withers
Vice President: Scott Cush
Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Zachary Lawrence, Laura Petrella
Executive at Large: Dave Knudsen, Robin Orsulak, Marcello Manzoni
Recording Secretary: Dustin Withers
Vice President: Scott Cush
Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Zachary Lawrence, Laura Petrella
Executive at Large: Dave Knudsen, Robin Orsulak, Marcello Manzoni
First off thank you everyone.
Second what does this mean? The election went almost exactly like I expected. There were some surprises. Some of the Executive didn't get re-elected. However some of the executive got a different role, which puts two openings in the Executive. The Sergeant-At-Arms and one Exec-At-Large will be voted in at the next March meeting. The Sergeant-At-Arms will be heavily sought after as it is the number two position for being called up into the office. It is also a position on the bargaining team which is pretty huge since for the most part what goes on in the Bargaining process is confidential. March should be a very packed meeting for those who want to get into a one year role. If you want to support the person you believe should be in the roles, you should be prepared to come to the meeting in March.
I had to watch the kids so I was eagerly sitting at home getting updates. Sounds like I had a pretty good majority for my position. Also sounded like just over 500 votes were cast. Which is better than last time but not a super good turnout when you consider over 2000 ballots were mailed out.
What does this mean? I am going to be playing a more involved role at the union hall. This is because the VP fills in for the Full Time Staff as the first in line. With our newly elected Recording Secretary about to be called up as a fill in for National Officer duties, I will probably be calling the office home base for a couple months off and on.
This election like the others I have been a part of are always an honor to be elected. I am striving to be as upfront to those that read this message and listen to the podcast. That hasn't changed. I will still be open. Just keep in mind that unless I mark myself as opposed, decisions at this level are implied consensus. That means I will be compelled to tow a line that I may or may not fully believe in. This has for the most part been the case for many years. I have not been in the inside rings of the Table Officers, and that is now about to change. I don't think you have anything to worry about, but if that day comes, I will be sure to act accordingly. If you ever have a question about what I have posted or not commented on, please see me directly. I have found that it is not legally safe to post certain topics on-line or record on a podcast.
So before I report to work on Monday, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that voted for me and for those that didn't, no hard feelings. I am duty bound to represent all members, and I take that seriously. If you are in trouble, I will argue the best case I can for you. While we may have our differences, I represent you. I don't forget that, because it is vital to keeping my feet squarely on solid ground.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Dealing with Termination
I have been thinking about this for a bit. I see more people getting fired now, and frankly it sucks. Mostly because the people don't realize that they must be calm and collected. In a union we fight terminations, and when the evidence supports it we can win. Lets be real for eight minutes while I talk about some strategy and hints if you might be getting fired. It may just help you get your job back.
Thank You. Pre-election.
In case I don't win on Saturday, I wanted to say thank you to everyone that has worked with me along the way. It became very real today that on Saturday my Union life may become a lot different. When you run for one role and you don't have any extra time on the clock, this election for me seems to have the most significance.
If the past is any indication of this election I have estimated that nearly 500 mail-in ballots were returned. That isn't bad. It is better than before <optimist in me>. In an big election year with bargaining I was hoping for more. it also isn't great with the shear volume of people running. So with that being said let me first off wish everyone luck, and second may the best person win.
Considering the stakes this could be either a very stable election of sorts or a complete change over.
If the past is any indication of this election I have estimated that nearly 500 mail-in ballots were returned. That isn't bad. It is better than before <optimist in me>. In an big election year with bargaining I was hoping for more. it also isn't great with the shear volume of people running. So with that being said let me first off wish everyone luck, and second may the best person win.
Considering the stakes this could be either a very stable election of sorts or a complete change over.
- 5 Bargaining team members will be elected.
- 3 of the five Table officer will be elected.
- 3 of the 6 Executive-at-large will be elected.
All in all some big changes could come down, and I might not be around to help with the transition.
So before the election is over, thank you to all that have followed me and supported me. I have made some enemies, but that doesn't bother me too much. It goes with the territory.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
$75 Leather Work Boots
My Department already beat me to it but it bares repeating. You should see $75 on your paycheck this month. It is supposed to cover boots. Which we all know that must be over 4 years cause $75 will only buy you Walmart special pricers. If you are like me and go for the $200+ models this helps with the cost but doesn't fully cover it.
Never the less it is a requirement for almost all of our members to have steel toed workbooks on. In some cases there are other criteria, like ankle coverage, etc. While I do agree that $75 doesn't cover one half of a good pair of leather boots, it is something. So make sure it is on your paycheque, and if it isn't call the hall. There are only a few reasons why it wouldn't be. Could be you are one of the few that get boots purchased for you. Could be other reasons. In either case call the hall for more info.
Never the less it is a requirement for almost all of our members to have steel toed workbooks on. In some cases there are other criteria, like ankle coverage, etc. While I do agree that $75 doesn't cover one half of a good pair of leather boots, it is something. So make sure it is on your paycheque, and if it isn't call the hall. There are only a few reasons why it wouldn't be. Could be you are one of the few that get boots purchased for you. Could be other reasons. In either case call the hall for more info.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Boom Group Trial
Thanks to the people who showed up last night. We went over quite a bit in 90 min.
One thing to note, we were approached and have approved a new member reward program with a company called Boom Group. They scout out and obtain offers from companies to then provide those possible savings from companies to their members. I think of them as a Groupon, or a Coupon Redemption code provider. They have an app, and all of our Card Carrying members will get a card to allow them deals to the services. It will cost us a two year contract with them at $5.05 a member per year.
Which means it will be a trial of sorts. We will need to know if our involvement with Boom Group is actually saving us the sign up costs. Total costs will be about $32,000 for this trial. So if you are able to get the $1,600 savings they suggest per member we should be able to save the membership nearly $4,800,000 dollars. Which I suspect is just marketing. However if we can help our members save $50 each that means 10x more than just our investment.
Consider this. At one time, (if we are honest still today) you could get a City Corporate Discount when you bought from companies that also offered the discount with the employer. You just had to show you worked for the employer. There have been a few changes as of late. We have some members getting disciplined for Code of Conduct violations where they benefit from the discount offered. Unless you pay in cash, it is possible that the employer could track and take offense to you using this business relationship they have fostered for your personal life purchases.
The equation is a simple one. If our members have a thoughtful and evidence based argument it could cost upwards of $10,000 dollars to fight a discipline of this nature. If over two years three of these situations lead to legal opinions upto arbitrations we could reach the cost of what this Boom Group might offer. Or we spend more than this on Hats, Pins, Pens, Shirts, etc. If we were to reduce in this area we would more than save our members on things they may personally want to invest in. Rather than the branded items we get. That would mean reducing the amount we spend in order to get this card of sorts.
I voted in the minority against this last night. I didn't have enough information to feel comfortable with saying I am for this. However it was a majority yes to going through with this trial. I am not a fan of paying for things that our members don't really need. Not knowing what sort of discounts and what companies are available to the members is like handing $30,000 to a snake oil salesman. I'm not saying that is what this is. You have to but the membership before you know who is in their savings program. Normally we get three quotes on things like this. I don't know if there are three companies that do this sort of thing.
Some would say anyone can haggle a 10-15% deal from a sale if they bargain. This company takes the haggle out of it for a cost.
We will have to figure out a distribution method for the cards, and tracking. Our retiree members are lifetime members so we could have far more than 3000 cards issued. Then there is the tracking of the service. The boom group doesn't track how much we spend, just the possible savings to a member in theory. We will be told how many cards are activated, but we don't know who is associated with what cards. I am cautiously optimistic. It could be a great savings, or it could be a great cost for little return.
Stay tuned and if you are not a card carrying member, I would suggest you become one. The voting rights are the main reason, but this new savings/reward program might be another.
Also elections ballots have been mailed out. All 2078 of them. Please take the time to vote. It really means a lot to those of us running. It also shows that mailed out ballot work better to get the message from the members than having to physically show up. We had about 400 show up last time. While that is much better than 50. I would like to see over 1000 come in.
One thing to note, we were approached and have approved a new member reward program with a company called Boom Group. They scout out and obtain offers from companies to then provide those possible savings from companies to their members. I think of them as a Groupon, or a Coupon Redemption code provider. They have an app, and all of our Card Carrying members will get a card to allow them deals to the services. It will cost us a two year contract with them at $5.05 a member per year.
Which means it will be a trial of sorts. We will need to know if our involvement with Boom Group is actually saving us the sign up costs. Total costs will be about $32,000 for this trial. So if you are able to get the $1,600 savings they suggest per member we should be able to save the membership nearly $4,800,000 dollars. Which I suspect is just marketing. However if we can help our members save $50 each that means 10x more than just our investment.
Consider this. At one time, (if we are honest still today) you could get a City Corporate Discount when you bought from companies that also offered the discount with the employer. You just had to show you worked for the employer. There have been a few changes as of late. We have some members getting disciplined for Code of Conduct violations where they benefit from the discount offered. Unless you pay in cash, it is possible that the employer could track and take offense to you using this business relationship they have fostered for your personal life purchases.
The equation is a simple one. If our members have a thoughtful and evidence based argument it could cost upwards of $10,000 dollars to fight a discipline of this nature. If over two years three of these situations lead to legal opinions upto arbitrations we could reach the cost of what this Boom Group might offer. Or we spend more than this on Hats, Pins, Pens, Shirts, etc. If we were to reduce in this area we would more than save our members on things they may personally want to invest in. Rather than the branded items we get. That would mean reducing the amount we spend in order to get this card of sorts.
I voted in the minority against this last night. I didn't have enough information to feel comfortable with saying I am for this. However it was a majority yes to going through with this trial. I am not a fan of paying for things that our members don't really need. Not knowing what sort of discounts and what companies are available to the members is like handing $30,000 to a snake oil salesman. I'm not saying that is what this is. You have to but the membership before you know who is in their savings program. Normally we get three quotes on things like this. I don't know if there are three companies that do this sort of thing.
Some would say anyone can haggle a 10-15% deal from a sale if they bargain. This company takes the haggle out of it for a cost.
We will have to figure out a distribution method for the cards, and tracking. Our retiree members are lifetime members so we could have far more than 3000 cards issued. Then there is the tracking of the service. The boom group doesn't track how much we spend, just the possible savings to a member in theory. We will be told how many cards are activated, but we don't know who is associated with what cards. I am cautiously optimistic. It could be a great savings, or it could be a great cost for little return.
Stay tuned and if you are not a card carrying member, I would suggest you become one. The voting rights are the main reason, but this new savings/reward program might be another.
Also elections ballots have been mailed out. All 2078 of them. Please take the time to vote. It really means a lot to those of us running. It also shows that mailed out ballot work better to get the message from the members than having to physically show up. We had about 400 show up last time. While that is much better than 50. I would like to see over 1000 come in.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Maximizing Your Benefits - Ear Protection
This episode is for those that have chosen a level of benefits through Green Shield that gives them access to extended health. We talked about getting your full Health Spending Account back by years end. Lets now talk about something most of you like myself didn't realized existed.
Custom Ear Protection. I had some made for me by work 10+ years ago. I didn't know they were also covered by my benefits. 18 years in, I am concerned about my current hearing loss. Technology today makes it possible I can protect whatever is left for the remainder of my career.
We are going to talk about this little known area of coverage, and how to access it properly.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Mail Out of Ballots
We have an election and a lot of people at that are running for many positions. Some are running for more than one position. In total we have so many people running it is hard to really know what is about to happen. To put things into perspective, it is actually possible to have a pretty much entirely new bargaining team in March. Is it likely to occur, probably not but it is interesting to contemplate.
In my race I am running against 3 other people.
Vice President Candidates are: Scott Cush (Me), Kevin Galley (Past President), Zachary Lawrence (Exec-at-Lrg) and Elizabeth Tweedale (Past Rec Sec).
To say I don't have competition would be in error. To Zachary and Elizabeth I wish them luck in their other races. Kevin was a surprise for me. I didn't know I was going to be running against him until I settled on what I was running for. My hope is that I am successful, I get another two years moving up the ladder. With the possibility to run for President next year. I am getting to the point that I know how to do the job, and I know I will be great at it.
My next podcast should be out soon. Can't wait to publish it.
In my race I am running against 3 other people.
Vice President Candidates are: Scott Cush (Me), Kevin Galley (Past President), Zachary Lawrence (Exec-at-Lrg) and Elizabeth Tweedale (Past Rec Sec).
To say I don't have competition would be in error. To Zachary and Elizabeth I wish them luck in their other races. Kevin was a surprise for me. I didn't know I was going to be running against him until I settled on what I was running for. My hope is that I am successful, I get another two years moving up the ladder. With the possibility to run for President next year. I am getting to the point that I know how to do the job, and I know I will be great at it.
My next podcast should be out soon. Can't wait to publish it.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
The General Motors/Unifor Problem
I totally understand the anger and frustration that members of Unifor have over their employer, General Motors leaving Canada to make vehicles in Mexico. So many people relying on a business to continue the relationship with Canadians.
Why do we ship raw materials and finished products all over the world so that we can buy them again... profit. Labour in Mexico is cheap compared to Labour in Canada. When the dollar wasn't on par with the US, it was cheaper to make cars in Canada vs. USA. It is economics on a macro level. We don't question it when we benefit. What is horrible, I think most horrible here is that the Canadian Government did actually bail out the car companies so that they would be able to survive... in Canada. Only to have when they are making profits, a move away from that relationship.
What makes matters worse is the positioning Unifor leaders have made prior to this announcement. You might have heard my episode on the Unifor Conundrum. When Unifor left the house of Labour there were varied reasons given and believed for why they chose to leave the Canadian Labour Congress. There are a few Unions in Canada that have chosen to leave. These are usually Unions that can not ascribe to the values and rule sets put forth in the Congress. One of these totems is the value of not raiding other unions. Unions like CLAC, AUPE, and now Unifor are in a sense rogue bodies. Who for whatever reasons saw raiding as a viable solution. Maybe it was financial reasons. In the end these rogue unions made a choice that makes their Leader and the Executive of Unifor very hypocritical in their rhetoric.
The auto workers deserve to make cars that Canadians can afford to buy. Knowing that it was a Canadian that made the car is a great selling feature. I'm doubtful that in a society today people actually follow this mantra. I am a union person so I understand the importance of supporting Canadian, Union made products and services. The majority of the Canadian population I think doesn't share that mentality. I think that General Motors knows this. Until people demand that a product sold in Canada should have Canadian hands on the product I don't think it will matter.
When decisions are made at an upper level, we always hope that perhaps a sober second thought occurs at some point when they can say "we made a mistake and we are trying to fix that." GM like Unifor on different topics say the same things, they lean on their decisions and then blame the other side for the failure. General Motors due to their stock prices are extremely careful of their messaging. Which is why Unifor seems to be attacking the branding, hoping that a lower stock price or opinion of the company is enough for their money managers to offer a change of message.
Unifor is a good union that made a choice to leave the Canadian Labour Congress. Do they need to be a member? No. Is it in their interests to be a part of the Congress? Maybe. Are there consequences for leaving... currently it seems there isn't. So what is the point to all of this? I'll explain personally.
I have never owned a new car. Don't really know what that feels like. I don't buy vehicles from the dealership. I have never been given a choice to buy a vehicle based on who made it or where it came from. That was for people who had the money to do so, the businesses that could write off the investment. I had to save, and save, and spend not more than I made. I got a job that was unionized and that Union showed me a deeper way of looking at the economy, people, and the importance of thinking inside the economy box and outside of it. I was able to buy a house, and contribute to the economy. I was able to see parts of the world, and travel. I was able to save more for my future. Look into the world of retirement options. I got to see with wider eyes and a more open perspective on the world. Sure I made some good choices and chose to not spend more than I made. I live in a country that has health care, and an employer that provides benefits. I have been very fortunate.
Henry Ford new that his workers on the line needed to make enough money to be able to buy the vehicles they were producing. He knew that with extra money and time they could spend that money. Eventually if good paying jobs at any level leave a country, the people in that country will eventually not be able to support the economy for which it relies on to sustain investment and returns. For GM to leave, it is 24,000 jobs that will never be the same. Those 24,000 jobs will ripple to other services, and the money generated from the wages earned will create a deficit that must be made up or absorbed.
The Canadian Labour Congress is a collaboration of Unions that understand that the system of unionizing isn't perfect, and those imperfections can internally alter the relationships of the various groups of people that are represented. It creates a shared understanding. While raiding may be a effective tool to redistribute represented workers, it is poisonous to the health of those who are raided. It is just one of the totems that unions of various representative unions recognize destroy the foundation of unions. Greed is everywhere, it isn't just found in management, or stock holders. Unions too must be able to call out bad behaviour within.
So I say good for Unifor for doing their job and crying foul for General Motors leaving. Their mandate is to fight for their membership. I wish them only positive thoughts because it is going to take a financial shift in thought for that company to abandon that idea. I also want Unifor to come back to the house of Labour. They were a big part of the Congress before they left and I think they need to sit back and say they also made a mistake, and come back. The difference here is it will now be their bottom line, not the stockholders they must consider.
I wish you and your members only good thoughts. If I was able to buy a new car I would consider supporting GM if it meant keeping you in Canada working. So if that day comes, for me it will not be a GM... unless you figure this out.
Why do we ship raw materials and finished products all over the world so that we can buy them again... profit. Labour in Mexico is cheap compared to Labour in Canada. When the dollar wasn't on par with the US, it was cheaper to make cars in Canada vs. USA. It is economics on a macro level. We don't question it when we benefit. What is horrible, I think most horrible here is that the Canadian Government did actually bail out the car companies so that they would be able to survive... in Canada. Only to have when they are making profits, a move away from that relationship.
What makes matters worse is the positioning Unifor leaders have made prior to this announcement. You might have heard my episode on the Unifor Conundrum. When Unifor left the house of Labour there were varied reasons given and believed for why they chose to leave the Canadian Labour Congress. There are a few Unions in Canada that have chosen to leave. These are usually Unions that can not ascribe to the values and rule sets put forth in the Congress. One of these totems is the value of not raiding other unions. Unions like CLAC, AUPE, and now Unifor are in a sense rogue bodies. Who for whatever reasons saw raiding as a viable solution. Maybe it was financial reasons. In the end these rogue unions made a choice that makes their Leader and the Executive of Unifor very hypocritical in their rhetoric.
The auto workers deserve to make cars that Canadians can afford to buy. Knowing that it was a Canadian that made the car is a great selling feature. I'm doubtful that in a society today people actually follow this mantra. I am a union person so I understand the importance of supporting Canadian, Union made products and services. The majority of the Canadian population I think doesn't share that mentality. I think that General Motors knows this. Until people demand that a product sold in Canada should have Canadian hands on the product I don't think it will matter.
When decisions are made at an upper level, we always hope that perhaps a sober second thought occurs at some point when they can say "we made a mistake and we are trying to fix that." GM like Unifor on different topics say the same things, they lean on their decisions and then blame the other side for the failure. General Motors due to their stock prices are extremely careful of their messaging. Which is why Unifor seems to be attacking the branding, hoping that a lower stock price or opinion of the company is enough for their money managers to offer a change of message.
Unifor is a good union that made a choice to leave the Canadian Labour Congress. Do they need to be a member? No. Is it in their interests to be a part of the Congress? Maybe. Are there consequences for leaving... currently it seems there isn't. So what is the point to all of this? I'll explain personally.
I have never owned a new car. Don't really know what that feels like. I don't buy vehicles from the dealership. I have never been given a choice to buy a vehicle based on who made it or where it came from. That was for people who had the money to do so, the businesses that could write off the investment. I had to save, and save, and spend not more than I made. I got a job that was unionized and that Union showed me a deeper way of looking at the economy, people, and the importance of thinking inside the economy box and outside of it. I was able to buy a house, and contribute to the economy. I was able to see parts of the world, and travel. I was able to save more for my future. Look into the world of retirement options. I got to see with wider eyes and a more open perspective on the world. Sure I made some good choices and chose to not spend more than I made. I live in a country that has health care, and an employer that provides benefits. I have been very fortunate.
Henry Ford new that his workers on the line needed to make enough money to be able to buy the vehicles they were producing. He knew that with extra money and time they could spend that money. Eventually if good paying jobs at any level leave a country, the people in that country will eventually not be able to support the economy for which it relies on to sustain investment and returns. For GM to leave, it is 24,000 jobs that will never be the same. Those 24,000 jobs will ripple to other services, and the money generated from the wages earned will create a deficit that must be made up or absorbed.
The Canadian Labour Congress is a collaboration of Unions that understand that the system of unionizing isn't perfect, and those imperfections can internally alter the relationships of the various groups of people that are represented. It creates a shared understanding. While raiding may be a effective tool to redistribute represented workers, it is poisonous to the health of those who are raided. It is just one of the totems that unions of various representative unions recognize destroy the foundation of unions. Greed is everywhere, it isn't just found in management, or stock holders. Unions too must be able to call out bad behaviour within.
So I say good for Unifor for doing their job and crying foul for General Motors leaving. Their mandate is to fight for their membership. I wish them only positive thoughts because it is going to take a financial shift in thought for that company to abandon that idea. I also want Unifor to come back to the house of Labour. They were a big part of the Congress before they left and I think they need to sit back and say they also made a mistake, and come back. The difference here is it will now be their bottom line, not the stockholders they must consider.
I wish you and your members only good thoughts. If I was able to buy a new car I would consider supporting GM if it meant keeping you in Canada working. So if that day comes, for me it will not be a GM... unless you figure this out.
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Election 2019 - Vote For Cush! (me)
Elections are fast approaching and it is time again to start campaigning. Here is my first pitch into the ring of Vice President. Thank you to everyone that is taking the time to find me on this space.
I am running with 3 others.
- Elizabeth Tweedale
- Kevin Galley
- Zachary Lawrence
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Elections 2019 - I am running for Vice President
This will be the poster you will see in the coming months at the various sites. Good luck to everyone that is running. Nominations are tonight. If you are running, you need to be at the meeting tonight at 7pm. Come to the Local Hall. You need your meetings in to qualify.
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