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Montréal emergency dispatchers settle

CUPE reached a tentative agreement with Montréal’s Emergency dispatch corporation April 9.  The agreement ends a six year struggle for a collective agreement.

The 40 dispatchers, members of CUPE 3642, have been on strike since April 2008, but essential services legislation limits each member to one hour of picketing per day, and limits how many people can picket at once.


New Brunswick nursing home workers launch appeal

New Brunswick nursing home workers are looking for support against strike-banning legislation and a legislated wage freeze.

A day after CUPE’s New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions approved a tentative agreement, the government extended its two-year wage freeze for public sector workers to cover nursing home workers.

The employer association refused to ratify the agreement they’d just negotiated because they argued they could not be assured of government funding unless the unions agreed to the wage freeze.

Rather than let union and management work things out, the government introduced special legislation declaring most CUPE nursing home workers essential, banning them from striking.

www.nbcnhu.cupe.ca/action/a-deal-is-a-deal


Proposed federal pension law changes say ‘fend for yourself’

The federal government is proposing changes to laws governing pensions in federally-regulated sectors of the economy.  But they do nothing to change the current “fend for yourself” approach to public pensions.

Worse, they would transfer risks and costs from investors and corporations to pensioners and workers.

CUPE supports the CLC’s call for an expanded Canada Pension Plan and a federal system of pension insurance.  Support the CLC’s call for an expanded CPP and pension insurance at www.cupe.ca/action/federal-pension-law-changes


CUPE 3903 settles with York

After nine months of negotiations - and an 85 day strike - CUPE 3903 has reached a mediated settlement with York University.  Details will be announced following a ratification vote.

The union represents 3,400 contract professors, teaching assistants, graduate assistants, and research assistants.

The provincial government legislated an end to the strike in February.


Colombia liquidates Cali unions

Paul Moist is asking CUPE members to send email to President Alvaro Uribe Velez after riot police and soldiers evicted city workers in Cali, Colombia and liquidated their union.

The move puts 439 union members out of work, including Maria Fernanda Bolanos, who toured Canada in 2008 as part of a solidarity exchange.

This is privatization at gun point,” said Moist.  “It’s chilling to think that the people who are doing this are those with whom our government has just signed a trade agreement.”

To send email, visit www.cupe.ca/action/cali-public-sector-workers.


HEU bargaining with Sodexo, Aramark, and Compass gets tense

HEU members working for Sodexo and Aramark gave their union a mandate to call a strike to push their demands this week, as talks resumed with Compass.

Negotiators hope the vote results will send a clear message to the employers that members are serious about returning to the bargaining table.

Compass walked away from the table in late January, but was back bargaining this week.


BC Paramedics protest government inaction

Striking BC paramedics gathered outside the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre this week as B.C. Liberals gathered inside for a $125 per-plate luncheon.

The CUPE Local 873 members and their supporters were there to protest government inaction in the week-long paramedic strike.  The government has called for a 90-day delay in bargaining.

:te/cope 491