COPE Local 491 will be in bargaining Sept. 13th and 14th to discuss pension jointly with CSU.
We will then be commencing our bargaining on October 2nd and 3rd to commence our bargaining.
The Bargaining Committee will update members as information is available.
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
The hearing dates that were scheduled for January 8/9 have now been concluded. This process was completed in the first day and the second day was cancelled. All parties now await a decision from the Vice-Chair of the OLRB (Ontario Labour Relations Board). We will share that decision once we receive it.
Happy New Year! The COPE 491 executive wishes to send good wishes for a fantastic year to each and every member.
Quick update on the OLRB hearings for the application that was filed in December. The hearing date originally scheduled for December 27 was cancelled and the hearing for January 8 and 9 will be taking place as scheduled. Until the hearings have taken place and a decision is rendered there may not be much information to share. We will continue to provide all information we can to everyone.
COPE 491 will be taking time in the first part of January to also welcome our new executive members and will be working together to move forward in a positive manner. The Bargaining Committee is continuing to work compiling proposals from those submitted by members. There has been a start on a bylaw review and a committee will be formed shortly as well. 2018 will be a busy year again and we look forward to seeing member involvement and seeing our local continue to grow and strengthen together in a unified direction.
In Solidarity,
COPE 491 Executive
Election Results are in!
Congratulations to Sister Sandra Lenuik, and Sister Pamela Nowosad-Federowich for being elected as RVP in your respective regions! Thank you to all who let their names stand.
Ontario Region 5A had a tie in the election and therefore a re-election will take place in the new year. Stay tuned for details of that election.
Click below for the Big Pulse Results pages:
The following is an update and summary of the RVP positions.
RVP’s have been acclaimed as follows:
REGION 2 – Alberta
Patty Kinahan
REGION 3 – Saskatchewan
Heather Dillabaugh
REGION 5B – Ontario Regional Office
Michele Hacker
REGION 6 – National Office
Wendy Barry
Tammy Laurin
Debbie Rebeiro
REGION 7 – Maritimes
Sheila Bourque
REGION 8 – Atlantic
Karri Patterson
There will be an election in the following regions. Click on each name to view the bio of that candidate, if one was submitted. I will add bios as they are received.
REGION 1 – British Columbia
Sandra Lenuik
Connie Taylor
REGION 4 – Manitoba
Pamela Nowosad-Federowich
Donalee Tauber
REGION 5A – Ontario Area
Daniela Greco
Brandi Kehoe
Elections will begin on December 14th. For all members in Regions 1, 4 and 5A you should receive an electronic ballot. Be sure to contact your current RVP if you do not receive a ballot. Thank you.
The nominations for the RVP positions has now closed. Below is the list of nominees. Thank you to all that accepted nominations and allowed their names to stand.
REGION 1 – British Columbia
Sandra Lenuik
Connie Taylor
REGION 2 – Alberta
Patty Kinahan
REGION 3 – Saskatchewan
Heather Dillabaugh
REGION 4 – Manitoba
Pamela Nowosad-Federowich
Donalee Tauber
REGION 5A – Ontario Area
Daniela Greco
Brandi Kehoe
REGION 5B – Ontario Regional Office
Michele Hacker
REGION 6 – National Office
Wendy Barry
Tammy Laurin
Debbie Rebeiro
REGION 7 – Maritimes
Sheila Bourque
REGION 8 – Atlantic
Karri Patterson
There will be an election for RVP in Region 1, Region 4, and Region 5A. All others have been acclaimed.
Details regarding elections will be coming out shortly. Congratulations to those members acclaimed and good luck to those nominees in the upcoming elections.
Sisters & Brothers:
As you know a second application was filed on November 30, 2017 to remove our National Office members from COPE 491. On Tuesday December 5, 2017 the Ontario Labour Relations Board ordered a vote to take place on Thursday, December 7, 2017 at National Office.
Further information will be communicated to you as it becomes available.
If you have any questions please send them to a COPE 491 Executive member and we will respond as soon as possible.
In solidarity,
Karen Carle
President
COPE 491
Sisters & Brothers,
The Bargaining Committee has an update to share with members. Access the full PDF update by clicking the link below. Plain text version is also available below the button.
Bargaining Committee Update #1
The COPE 491 Bargaining Committee met for a full day on Saturday, December 2nd, and have began preparing the proposal package compiled of all the proposals members brought forward. We will also be working together this week tallying the survey results to get a better understanding of what is important to our members.
Our next meeting will be in January to complete the proposal package and have it ready for the next meeting of the Executive.
Thank you for the many surveys and proposals that were sent in! The input of our members is important and very helpful in this bargaining process.
We will send further information as it is available.
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee
*Karen Carle
*Abigail Manangan
*Karri Patterson
*Collette Calvelli
*Lindsay Mills
*Trish Sinclair
The polls have closed for the election for the positions of President, National Vice President, Treasurer, Education Communication Officer and Trustee.
Click the link below to see the results in Big Pulse.
RESULTS ARE:
President – Sister Karen Carle
National Vice President – Sister Trish Sinclair
Treasurer – Brother Nael Abouelenein
Education Communication Officer – Sister Rachel Roberts
Trustee – Sister Christine (Teena) Tran
Congratulations!