The COPE491 Executive has reviewed the applications received for the committee vacancies and have now made the appointments.

The appointments made are as follows:

• Sick Leave Bank (NO requests) – Sister Connie Taylor
• EAP Committee – Sister Shelley Douan
• JBT Committee – Sister Lindsay Mills

The Executive would like to thank all members who put their name forward and congratulate those members appointed.

STATEMENT FROM COPE LOCAL 343 REGARDING DISAFFILIATION OF UNIFOR FROM CLC

From COPE Local 343 website:

Sisters, Brothers and Comrades,

As you may or may not know, Unifor decided to disaffiliate from the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). This decision will have a negative impact on the labour movement. COPE Local 343 feels that leaving the house of labour is not only divisive, but in contradiction of everything we believe the labour movement stands for.

To be clear, it is our belief that this move by Unifor to disaffiliate from the CLC is directly related to the raiding actions taken by them over the last several weeks against UNITE HERE Local 75 members.

This is a huge risk for members of UNITE HERE Local 75 who are in a statutory freeze in their collective agreements during the open periods in 2018. When you decertify from your union your collective agreement is not protected, and these members could risk the provisions of the collective agreements they fought so hard to negotiate.

The Executive Board of COPE Local 343 is sending out this statement to you, our members, because we have members who work for UNITE HERE Local 75, and if this raiding is successful, these members, some of whom have worked for UNITE HERE Local 75 for over 45 years, will lose their jobs. We need to follow the lead of our members working for UNITE HERE Local 75 to support them and protect them to the best of our ability from the repercussions of the raiding by Unifor by participating in anti-raiding actions.

We know that Lis Pimental, the former President of UNITE HERE Local 75, dismissed the elected Executive Board when they did not support her interests. The former President took further actions and locked out the elected Executive Board and staff from the office, and appointed a new executive board. Lis Pimental is now assisting Unifor with the raiding. Of our 14 members working at UNITE HERE Local 75, 3 followed her to Unifor. These actions violate the constitution of the Local and it is our members and the elected Executive Board who requested the UNITE HERE International put Local 75 in trusteeship. To be clear, this is not a “US Invasion”.

It is important that we respect the democratic process and follow the constitutions of our organizations. In 2004, COPE/SEPB sought autonomy from OPEIU International. Amongst many ongoing issues, OPEIU International imposed a per capita increase that would have burdened us. The Canadian locals democratically and legally split from OPEIU to become their own Canadian Union – COPE/SEPB. Our departure from the International is a completely different situation than the one occurring here now with UNITE HERE Local 75 and the raiding of their members by Unifor.

To reiterate, we want our members to know that we do not take the actions of the Unifor raid on UNITE HERE Local 75 lightly and that we will support any anti-raiding actions our members who work for UNITE HERE invite us to participate in.

At a time when workers across the country are becoming more and more emboldened to rise up, we must now more than ever adhere to these principles and help those who wish to organize to do so.

Feel free to contact us at office@cope343.com for more information and the President Kelly Belbin will respond to you.

In solidarity,
The Executive Board of COPE Local 343

Sisters and Brothers:

I want you to know that your COPE 491 Executive is working for you and doing everything we can to protect our member’s rights.

As you know, an application to decertify the National Office was filed with the Labour Board on Wednesday, November 22nd. We know members have many questions and concerns about what is happening. Here is a summary of what is currently happening:

Friday, November 24th, COPE 491 filed their response with the Labour Board, as required, asking that the application be dismissed.

The employer also responded to the application, submitting their response to the Labour Board on November 24th, which also asked that the application be dismissed.

According to the rules set out in the Labour Board process, the vote must take place 5 days after the application is filed; which will be Wednesday, November 29th. The Labour Board Officer assigned to the file will determine if the vote will take place or will be postponed. That determination has not yet been made.

A Labour Board Officer conducts the vote and produces the ballots to be used.

The Table Officers will be at National Office on Tuesday, November 28th, to meet with members and discuss any questions and/or concerns they may have.

The Table Officers will also be available on site on the day of the vote.

COPE 491 was required to appoint a scrutineer for the vote and Brother Steve Smith has agreed to fill this role.

That is a summary of what we currently know regarding this application and the raid of our COPE 491 members.

Union business, however, carries on.

We are in the midst of elections for Table Officers. Please read the biographies and make sure to cast your vote. Your vote counts, be sure to make your voice heard in your ballot.

There is an arbitration scheduled for December 1st and Sister Trish Sinclair, Interim National Vice President, has been busy preparing.

Sister Rachel Roberts, Interim Education Communications Officer, has been working hard, ensuring email lists are kept current; updating our website as well as assisting with creating communiques.

The RVP’s are busy with the usual work with members on a day-to-day basis. If you have any questions, concerns or issues, please contact your RVP to assist you. They are your voice, your best tool, to bring concerns/questions/comments to your executive.

The Bargaining Committee has been elected and is in place. A bargaining survey and amendment form has been sent out and we have had many members return the completed forms already; which is great! An extension was granted and the deadline to return those surveys is Monday, November 27th. The Committee has a meeting scheduled for December 2nd.

It is a very busy time for our Local. We will continue to stay strong; keep our strength up in our numbers and we will continue to do our very best for our members. Work carries on and we will remain focused on our members and their needs.

Thanks to entire executive for the work they do everyday and their commitment to COPE 491. Thank you also to our members; you are why we do what we go everyday!

In Solidarity,
Karen Carle
President

1. We currently bargain our own collective agreement and have many great assets within that agreement. If you leave COPE 491, you are NOT guaranteed to keep what we have now or gain anything more.

2. We do not pay additional legal expenses for legal counsel as it is provided by COPE Ontario and is included in our dues.

3. We have a staff representative assigned to us to advocate our rights and ensure our collective agreement is protected.

4. You would lose all assets, including monetary, and affiliations we currently have as COPE 491 if you join Rosie 2.

5. We have our unlimited Strike and Defence fund backed by 35,000 members.

6. We have representation on the Joint Board of Trustees.

7. We have seats on all joint committees.

8. We have a Sick Leave Bank with days that you and the employer have contributed to and you would lose that.

9. We have access to the Educationals that are currently available to us through COPE Ontario, CLC and the provincial Federations.

10. We have strength in numbers in a larger Union and there is no guarantee your voices would be heard in a smaller association.

Sister Rachel Roberts has taken over the responsibilities in the interim while we work toward filling the vacancy of the Education/Communication Officer position.  Please be patient as she will be working on the website and making updates and new posts as necessary.  However, it is a learning process and if you see something suddenly go missing or turn into garble, please advise by email at: communications.cope491@gmail.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

COPE Temporary Employee Seniority List December 2016

Permanent Employee Seniority List December 2016