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Striking ACL Lanark workers concerned about replacement workers

Members of CUPE 1521-02, on strike against Community Living Lanark, have expressed great concern over the care their clients are receiving at the hands of replacement workers.

We have seen things from the picket lines at the residences that concern us,” said CUPE 1521-02 Unit Chair Karen Bowes.
 
“We have witnessed incidents where replacement workers are not following basic daily routines including behavioural guidelines and health and safety practices,” Bowes said, adding that “one incident involving the inappropriate restraint of an individual with developmental challenges forced striking members to call the police.”
 
CUPE rep Doreen Beath told the Ottawa Citizen August 5 the two sides were prepared to go back to the bargaining table.  But as of publishing, no date had been set.


BC nurses are raiding: CLC

CLC President Ken Georgetti has told the nurses union federation that its BC members’ campaign to sign up HEU member LPNs is a raid.

Georgetti sent a letter to CFNU president Linda Silas July 30, asking her to direct the BCNU to stop its ‘associate member’ campaign.

Georgetti had sent a letter to BCNU President Debra Macpherson in May asking them to stop trying to sign up HEU members.

Meanwhile, Georgetti asked that the BCNU be banned from participating in BC Federation of Labour and CLC activities.


Donna Kennie, CUPE 813

Donna Kennie, the secretary-treasurer of CUPE Local 813 in Saint John, NB has died in a car accident.

CUPE 813 Recording Secretary Mark Richards wrote in an email, “Donna is local 813.  She held us together.  She will be truly mourned and missed by the membership.”

Condolences can be sent to the local via their website, www.813.cupe.ca.

CUPE 813 represents about 1,200 workers in 5 Saint John area healthcare facilities.


International Youth Day 2009 focuses on sustainability

Sustainability is this year’s theme for International Youth Day August 12.  It’s the second year in a row the day has had an environmental message.

Youth are telling all generations we need a liveable, healthy planet to sustain humanity.

The United Nations General Assembly first declared International Youth Day in 1999 as a day to mobilize young people globally on a common theme.

Rh’ena Oake, co-chair of the CUPE National Environment Committee, supports the environmental direction of International Youth Day:  “Youth worldwide are sending a clear message to everyone on the planet: we must change our course if young people and all of us have any hope of achieving a sustainable future.”


Greener travel to convention

CUPE encourages all National Convention participants to use the greenest modes of transportation available to Montréal.  In descending order of preference: train, bus, carpool, car and lastly, by plane while purchasing carbon offsets.

All transportation - unless you walk - has some negative environmental impact.  All major forms of transportation emit greenhouse gases and therefore damage the climate.

For more information: http://cupe.ca/environment/greener-travel-convention


CUPE 3906 gets first contract for post-doctoral fellows

McMaster University’s 130 post-doctoral fellows - members of CUPE 3906 - have their first contract.

The post-doctoral fellows voted unanimously last week to accept a 2-year agreement that included wage and benefit gains, improvements in job security language, better working hours and working conditions, and other gains.

From first contact to first contract, CUPE provided the necessary resources to secure this historic victory,” said Mary Ellen Campbell, CUPE 3906 president.  “The PDFs now have a voice in their workplace and we will be there to continue to improve their working conditions.”


Premiers must keep local purchasing rights

CUPE National President Paul Moist joined a group of national organizations in signing a statement urging the Premiers to reject an amendment to NAFTA that would eliminate the ability for local governments in Canada to give a special preference to local suppliers.

The proposed change comes as Stephen Harper looks to thwart “Buy American” provisions introduced by the Obama administration.

“Communities facing rising unemployment have every right to insist that local jobs be created with local tax dollars,” the statement reads.  “Why wouldn’t we use every tool at our disposal, including local procurement policies, to get people back to work as soon as possible?  The Premiers should reconsider their support for this very bad idea.”

:te/cope 491