Checkout June 2008

VOLUME XVIINO. 2JUNE 2008

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS OF LOCALS 175 & 633 UFCW CANADA

Local Unions’ Elections ............ . .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .Page 26

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Rolf Numsen wins activist award .........................................................The Precautionary Principle.....................................................................

President’s Message.............................................................................Secretary-Treasurer’s Message................................................................ LOCAL 175

PresidentShawn Haggerty

Secretary-TreasurerTeresa Magee

RecorderBetty Pardy

Executive AssistantsJim HastingsHarry Sutton

UFCW Local 633President

Dan BondySecretary-Treasurer

Marylou MallettRecorder

Neil Hotchkiss

Provincial Office 2200 Argentia Road

Mississauga L5N 2K7 905-821-8329 Toll free 1-800-565-8329

Fax 905-821-7144Benefits Representatives

Sherree Backus, Joanne Ford

Benefits Intake RepresentativeOrsola Augurusa

Legal Counsel Victoria Shen

Communications RepresentativesCheryl Mumford, Jennifer Tunney

Servicing RepresentativeLien Huynh

Health & Safety RepresentativeJanice Klenot Legal Counsel

Marcia Barry, Michael Hancock, Rebecca Woodrow, Natalie Wiley

Legal RepresentativeFernando Reis

Organizing RepresentativesRick Hogue, Steve Robinson

CENTRAL EAST REGIONDirector

Luc LacelleUnion Representatives

Jehan Ahamed, Mona Bailey, John DiFalco,Anthony DiMaio, John DiNardo,

Emmanuelle Lopez, Angela Mattioli, Rob Nicholas, Dave White

SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONDirector

Sylvia GroomUnion Representative

Judith BurchServicing Representatives

Brenda Simmons, Roy Etling,Mark Stockton, Mario Tardelli

TRAINING & EDUCATION CENTRECoordinator of Education

Kelly Nicholas

8Benefits Department News

Web contest winner announced.......................Card-check campaign continues......................Staff changes announced................................Horizon’s JHSC strives for safer workplace.......

Conferences

People

Workplace News

13

15

Members at Karma know candy........................................................... 10

Stewards raise $11,000 for leukemia research.....................................“Excellent!” was the consensus on Local 175’s Sixth Annual Health Care Conference.................................................................................

5

CONTENTS

2

CENTRAL 412 RennieHamilton L8905-545-83Toll free 1-8Fax 905-54DirectorPaul JokhuUnion ReprMatt DavenJoe DeMelDan SerbinServicing RSam Caeta

EASTERN 20 HamiltonOttawa K1Y613-725-21Toll free 1-8Fax 613-72DirectorDan LacroUnion ReprSimon BakPaul HardwDaniel MerServicing RJacques N

SOUTH WE124 SydneyKitchener N519-744-52Toll free 1-8Fax 519-74DirectorRay BromlUnion ReprWendy AbsJulie JohnRick WauhRepresentaMike Dude

NORTH WELakehead L21-929 FortThunder Ba807-346-42Toll free 1-8Fax 807-34DirectorHarry SuttoUnion ReprColby Flan

PublishedISSN no. CHECKOof Locals United FoWeb site: E-mail: m

cep Local 571

Education Georgina BDerek Jok

6

24Negotiations

12Youth

1314

17Community

19

3

4

Health & Safety

20

26Local Union Elections

28Hockey Tournament raises $22,000

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9

LOCAL 175President

n Haggertyy-Treasureresa Magee

Recorderetty Pardy Assistants

m Hastingsrry Sutton

Local 633President

Dan Bondyy-Treasurerlou Mallett

RecorderHotchkiss

cial Office entia Roada L5N 2K7

0-565-83295-821-7144esentativesee Backus, anne FordresentativeAugurusa

gal Counsel toria Shen esentativesfer Tunneyresentativeien Huynhresentativeice Klenot

gal Counsell Hancock, talie Wileyresentativeando ReisesentativesRobinson

T REGIONDirector

uc Lacelleesentativeshn DiFalco,n DiNardo,la Mattioli,

Dave White

L REGIONDirector

via Groomresentativedith BurchesentativesRoy Etling,rio Tardelli

N CENTREf Educationy Nicholas

CENTRAL WEST REGION412 Rennie StreetHamilton L8H 3P5905-545-8354Toll free 1-800-567-2125Fax 905-545-8355 DirectorPaul JokhuUnion RepresentativesMatt Davenport, Tim Deelstra, Joe DeMelo, Linval Dixon, Dan Serbin, Kelly TosatoServicing RepresentativeSam Caetano

EASTERN REGION20 Hamilton Avenue NorthOttawa K1Y 1B6613-725-2154Toll free 1-800-267-5295Fax 613-725-2328 DirectorDan LacroixUnion RepresentativesSimon Baker, Chris Fuller, Paul Hardwick, Marilyn Lang, Daniel MercierServicing RepresentativeJacques Niquet

SOUTH WEST REGION124 Sydney Street SouthKitchener N2G 3V2519-744-5231Toll free 1-800-265-6345Fax 519-744-8357DirectorRay Bromley Union RepresentativesWendy Absolom, Kevin Dowling, Julie Johnston, Angus Locke, Roy Reed, Rick WauhkonenRepresentativeMike Duden

NORTH WEST REGIONLakehead Labour Centre21-929 Fort William RoadThunder Bay P7B 3A6 807-346-4227Toll free 1-800-465-6932Fax 807-346-4055 DirectorHarry SuttonUnion RepresentativesColby Flank, David Noonan

Published six times yearly. ISSN no. 1703-3926CHECKOUT is an official publicationof Locals 175 & 633 of the United Food & Commercial Workers.Web site: www.ufcw175.comE-mail: [email protected]

Education RepresentativesGeorgina Broeckel, Gail Carrozzino, Derek Jokhu, Ashleigh Vink

3JUNE 2008

Your Local Union works to protect jobs

Bargaining a good new collective agreement – andmaintaining good-paying jobs for members – isalways a challenge. It requires specialized skill andknowledge about the employer’s business opera-tions and the role that workers fulfill. Fortunately,Local 175 has a large knowledgeable staff who arewell-experienced in negotiating good collectiveagreements for the more than 50,000 membersworking in approximately 20 sectors of Ontario’seconomy.

For the past several years Ontario’s manufacturingsector has been hit hard. Low-cost Asian imports,along with high energy prices and the slowing U.S. economy (some would say “reces-sionary”) have produced difficult market conditions. The problem is compounded by therising Canadian dollar, which reached parity with the U.S. dollar in September 2007.This is a substantial increase from its low of 61.79 cents U.S., which occurred inJanuary 2002. The fast rise in value has made it even more difficult for our manufactur-ing industries to compete and sell their products in the U.S. and around the world. As aresult, sales of Canadian manufactured goods, for December 2007, dropped to thelowest level in three years.

Many members in several Local 175 workplaces have already suffered because of theseeconomic forces, and others will continue to be threatened. In Guelph, Cargill’sBetter Beef laid off more than 200 of its workforce in early 2008. Another 80 mem-bers at Pharmaphil in Windsor, which was purchased last year by The QualicapsGroup, were laid off between April and June of this year. Despite ongoing attempts tofind a buyer, Cangro Foods, a division of Kraft Foods in Exeter closed in May and thefacility in St. Davids will close in late June, resulting in job loss for a total of 268 members.

The Locals 175 & 633 Labour Adjustment Program will be in full force to assist thesemembers in every way possible, just as it did in 2007 for 200 workers at Unilever inBelleville and 54 at Inovatech Egg Products in St. Marys.

Corporations are continually assessing the feasibility and profit potential of relocatingand/or consolidating their divisions. Members at A&M Cookies in Kitchener, ownedby Parmalat, were aware of possible plant or product line relocations. Fortunately, thishas been forestalled, for the present at least.

Even some of our retail members have been affected negatively by the rising dollar.Sobeys in Niagara Falls saw its sales decline close to 20 per cent over the last severalmonths and members have suffered reduced hours as a result.

Of course, it’s not all bleak. There is intense pressure on both the Ontario and Federalgovernment to implement initiatives to assist manufacturing. The recent federal budgetoffered some additional help, but not as much as is needed. Some manufacturers are

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SHAWN HAGGERTY

. . . continues on page 5


On March 8, 2008,women and men of theGreater Toronto Areaand beyond cametogether for Inter-national Women’s Day(IWD). They gatheredto commemorate 150years of women work-ers’ struggles at work,at home, and in socie-ty. They met at theUniversity of Toronto,

inside the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education(OISE) auditorium, above the rumbling sound of thesubway train and surrounded by frigidtemperatures and endless hills of snow.

International Women’s Day was initiallyinspired by women working in the gar-ment and textile industry in New Yorkcity. They organized a demonstration onMarch 8, 1857 and marched togetherin solidarity to seek an end to lowwages, the twelve-hour workday, andheavy workloads. But the immediateresponse to these courageous womenwas undeserved and severe police brutality.

More than 150 years later, working women still havelower wages than men. Today, in 2008, 70 per cent ofminimum-wage earners are women. More than half ofthese women are immigrants and members of visibleminority communities. Two million Canadian workersearn less than $10 an hour, and two thirds of these arewomen.

Non-union women earn, on average, only about 70per cent of what men earn. Unionized women, howev-er, earn 93 per cent of what unionized men earn.Locals 175 & 633 union contracts, which contain jobclassifications, advancement & educational opportuni-ties and no-discrimination language, help to eliminatethe inequities. Union women still don’t earn 100 percent of what men earn, largely due to family responsi-bilities. Some unionized women have less seniority andlower wages than men because they have chosen to

Secretary-Treasurer’s Message

work part-time or take time away from work to care fortheir families.

Union contracts ensure that women members have“pay equity.” This means they receive equal pay forwork of equal value. Pay equity attempts to correct ahistorical inequity where traditionally male-dominatedjobs, like a janitor or parking lot attendant, paid morethan traditionally female jobs like day care worker orlibrarian. This occurred even when female-dominatedjob categories had more responsibility and requiredmore education and skills. As a result of pay equityclauses in Locals 175 & 633 contracts, women mem-bers have been awarded thousands of dollars in payequity increases.

But, non-union female workers still lagfar behind their unionized sisters inachieving fairness in the workplace. Thequest for equality and justice is not justabout the past. For them, the spirit ofresistance must be kept alive in the dailystruggles to achieve equality at work.There is so much more that needs to bedone for our non-unionized sisters, andof course the most important first step isto organize their workplaces.

If you have female friends or family members who arestruggling to make ends meet while working in a non-Union workplace, help them to help themselves bytelling them about the benefits of belonging to a goodUnion, like Locals 175 or 633.

TERESA MAGEE

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NON-UNION WOMEN EARN,ON AVERAGE, ONLY ABOUT

70 PER CENT OF WHAT MEN

EARN. UNIONIZED WOMEN,HOWEVER, EARN 93 PER

CENT OF WHAT UNIONIZED

MEN EARN.

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“I see pay equity in your future . . . but only if you organize with a Union.”


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taking advantage of the higher dollar and temporarytax write-off measures to purchase capital equipment.These purchases are expected to increase productivity,enhance competitiveness and hopefully lead to expan-sion and more good jobs down the road.

Federal NDP leader Jack Layton is seeking toughertakeover rules to ensure that foreign investors deliver anet benefit to Canada instead of closing plants and lay-ing off workers. He has also renewed his call for anational drug plan. Laid-off workers are losing theirbenefit plans he said and added: “They will have to say‘no’ to prescriptions that their doctors say they’re sup-posed to have. In the end, they’ll end up in an emer-gency ward and there’s no economy there.”

The Provincial government of Dalton McGuinty haschallenged the federal government to do more formanufacturers and Ontario’s unemployed workers, who

receive $4,000 less in EI payments per year than thosein other provinces. The McGuinty government said itwould help manufacturers develop greener, moreadvanced products.

But until these market conditions actually improve, Iurge everyone in the hard-hit manufacturing sector tobe very strategic when it comes to bargaining propos-als and ratifications of new collective agreements. Thegoal of your negotiating committees is always toachieve the best contracts, while protecting the viabilityof the business and your future employment. Pleaseparticipate in the bargaining process, from the initialproposal and committee election meetings through tothe ratification vote. It is only by being involved in theprocess that you and your co-workers can make atruly informed decision that could very much affectyour future.

President’s message continued from page 3

Each year the Workers Health & SafetyCentre (WHSC), in conjunction with districtlabour councils across Ontario, recognizes thecontributions of health & safety activists duringan awards dinner.

Rolf Numsen, who works at ADM Milling inPort Colborne, was selected by the PortColborne & District Labour Council toreceive a 2007 Health & Safety Activist Award.He was nominated for the honour by UnionRep Kelly Tosato who says: “In the 20 yearsthat Rolf has been a member of the JHSC hehas achieved many significant changes at hisworkplace. He very much deserves to be rec-ognized for his efforts and excellent results.”

Rolf has been a member of the H&S Com-mittee at ADM since 1985 and the LabourCo-Chair since 2004. He was instrumental inestablishing accident investigation programs and guidelines for confined space entry.

He also helped implement Hot Work Permits Guidelines. These relate to the dangers of working in a flour millwhen “hot work” is being performed, such as welding, given that flour dust can be very explosive. Rolf wassuccessful in persuading the employer to agree to have the JHSC members rotate the monthly inspections sothat everyone can be actively involved. As a Licensed Millwright, Rolf is continually moving around the plantand is ever vigilant for possible dangerous conditions. His co-workers have great respect for this dedication.As a result of Rolf’s efforts, everyone is aware of the importance of a safe workplace.

Ro l f Numsen w in s a c t i v i s t awar d

Union Organizing Representative Rick Hogue (left) presented the award to Rolf Numsen atan awards dinner on December 5, 2007. The photo is taken in front of the LifeQuilt, whichwas created to honour the memory of young workers who were killed on the job. Readmore at: www.youngworkerquilt.ca

”


6

O c cupa t iona l Hea l th & Sa fe t y and theTHE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE IS

NOT NEW. THE ESSENCE OF THE

PRINCIPLE IS CAPTURED IN EVERY

DAY SAYINGS SUCH AS: “AN

OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH

A POUND OF CURE,” “BETTER

SAFE THAN SORRY,” AND “LOOK

BEFORE YOU LEAP.” These were the thoughts of publichealth officials in the 1920s whenthe petrochemical and automobilecorporations announced they weregoing to start putting lead intogasoline. Public health officialsargued that this should be delayeduntil possible repercussions couldbe investigated.

The corporations argued that, inthe absence of convincing evi-dence of widespread harm, theyhad the right to proceed. In theend, the corporations won out andthis set the standard for corporatebehaviour for the next fifty-plusyears. Industrial chemicals weregiven the equivalent of civil rightsand they were treated as “innocentuntil proven guilty.”

Historically, in the face of scientificuncertainty, corporations wereallowed to proceed with danger-ous activities until evidence wasgathered requiring them to imple-ment control measures. Millions ofpeople and our environment havebeen harmed and suffered as aresult.

While the Precautionary Principlehas primarily been used interna-tionally around environmentalhealth issues, other groups areadopting this philosophy to protectthe health of workers. In 1996, the

American Public Health Associationpassed a resolution entitled, ThePrecautionary Principle and ChemicalExposure Standards for the Work-place. This resolution recognized theneed for implementing the precau-tionary approach. It establishedstrict, preventive chemical exposurelimits, including shifting the burdenof proof of potentially dangerouschemicals until the extent of toxicityis sufficiently known.

Labour has argued for many of thekey parts of the PrecautionaryPrinciple long before the term wascoined. In November of 1999 dele-gates at the Ontario Federation ofLabour (OFL) Convention debatedand passed a policy paper entitledOccupational Disease: Shifting theBurden. It contained a section on thePrecautionary Principle and an ActionPlan. The plancalled on theOFL and itsaffiliates tolobby for leg-islativechanges toensure that thePrecautionaryPrinciple isapplied to theintroduction ofnew sub-stances,processes or job designs into aworkplace.

The Precautionary Principle is essen-tially an approach to eliminatinghazards before they cause harm. Thephilosophy behind PrecautionaryPrinciple reads, “when an activityraises threats of harm to humanhealth or the environment, pre-cautionary measures should be

taken even if some cause and effectrelationships are not fully establishedscientifically.”

The principle of precautionary actionhas four parts, which are: • People have a duty to take action

to prevent harm before it happens. If there is a reasonable suspicion that something bad may happen, then there is an obligation to try to prevent it.

• The burden of proof of harmless-ness of a new technology, process, activity, or chemical lies with those who wish to use or introduce it, not with the public or workers.

• Before using a new technology, process, or chemical, or starting a new activity, people have an obli-gation to examine a full range of alternatives including the alterna-tive of doing nothing.

• Decisions applying the precaution-ary principle must be open, informed, and democratic and must also include affected parties.

After the introduction and spread ofSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS) which swept through Ontarioduring the spring of 2003, theOntario Government established aSARS Commission to conduct anindependent investigation. SARSkilled 44 and resulted in approxi-mately 330 cases of serious lung dis-eases. The title of the commission’sfinal report is “Spring of Fear.” TheCommissioner was Justice ArchieCampbell of the Superior Court ofJustice and the commission recom-mended that:• The Precautionary Principle, which

states that action to reduce risk need not await scientific certainty, be expressly adopted as a guiding principle throughout Ontario’s

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health, public health and worker safety systems. This could occur by way of policy statement, by explicit reference in all relevant operational standards and direc-tions, and by way of inclusion, through preamble, statement of principle, or otherwise, in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act, and all relevant health statutes and regulations.

• Reasonable efforts to reduce risk need not await scientific proof. Ontario needs to enshrine this principle and to enforce it throughout our entire health system.

• We should not be driven by the scientific dogma of yesterday or even the scientific dogma of today. We should be driven by the Precautionary Principle that reasonable steps to reduce risk should not await scientific certainty.

In trying to define the precautionaryprinciple, Justice Campbell relied

on the report of another commis-sion. The Krever Report was aninquiry on the Blood System inCanada. In that report Justice Kreversaid: “Where there is reasonableevidence of an impending threat topublic health, it is inappropriate torequire proof of causation beyond areasonable doubt before takingsteps to avert the threat.”

Unions in all sectors should recog-nize the potential impact of theoccupational health and safety rec-ommendations for all workers inOntario. The adoption of thePrecautionary Principle into theOccupational Health & Safety Actwould mean a dramatic improve-ment in workplace health & safetyand public policy development. Thelong history of the fight for occupa-

tional health and safety in Ontariohas demonstrated time and againthat we will only get what we arestrong enough to take. Labour haslaunched a struggle to see thePrecautionary Principle enshrined inlaw. We also know that what we getfrom one government can be takenaway by the next so we are alsoproviding this material as a resourceto negotiate the Precautionary Principlein our collective agreements.

Language should be negotiated intoall collective agreements that en-shrines this Precautionary Principleand covers issues such as employerresponsibility, hazardous substances,protective reassignment, Joint H&Scommittee, pandemic planning, ventilation and personal protectiveequipment.

HEALTH & SAFETY BROCHURES AND POSTERS ARE AVAILABLE AS INTERNET

DOWNLOADS, OR BY CONTACTING YOUR REGIONAL OFFICE .

The Locals 175 & 633 Executive BoardHealth & Safety Committee is a resourcethat meets regularly to exchange informa-tion and initiate changes for safer work-places.

Individual committee members bring forthissues of concern from their workplaces andthe committee works together to resolvethese concerns. Discussions and action planshave focused on issues such as WHMIS, safeneedlesticks and safety equipment. Many ofthe committee members are trained todeliver H&S courses and do so at variousevents and locations throughout theprovince.

Your E-Board H&S Committee strives for safer workplaces

Your committee members are: front row, from left:, Karen Vaughan,Chris Watson, Bryan Braitwaite, Bruce Dosman and Gary Kelly. Backrow: Carolyn Levesque, Virginia Haggith, Toni Pettitt, Pat Tweedie,Betty Pardy and Locals 175 & 633 H&S Representative, Janice Klenot.Absent from photo: Jeff Aldworth and Brian Ogilvie.


8

H u r t v e r s u s H a r m – a n d t h e I mTHE CURRENT PRACTICE OF THE

WSIB – IN PARTICULAR CLAIMS

ADJUDICATORS – IS TO REQUIRE

INJURED WORKERS TO RETURN TO

WORK BEFORE THEIR INJURIES ARE

FULLY HEALED. A worker’s complaints and report-ing of pain are often minimized orignored. The WSIB theory is that anEarly and Safe Return to Work(ESRTW) promotes a faster recoveryand integrates the worker morequickly back into the workforce,reducing the amount of lost time.To assist injured workers in theirreturn to work, the WSIB wantsemployers to “accommodate”workers with job modifications andlight duties that are within theircapabilities as injured workers.

The WSIB states that ESRTW isrehabilitative. It contends ESRTWmay reduce the chance of theinjury becoming chronic and per-manently impacting on the work-er’s ability to work. As employersincreasingly profess that they can-not accommodate permanentrestrictions, the goal is to reducethe risk of Labour Market Re-entry(LMR) and retraining. It alsoreduces compensation costs.

This approach to managing claimshas caused a great deal of anxietyand tension for our members whohave sustained a work-relatedinjury. Pain is very subjective. Thepain threshold and ability to copevaries from individual to individual.Being forced to return to work dur-ing the acute phase of an injurycan be difficult, especially if aworker is still receiving medicaltreatments, such as physiotherapy.

The treating physician may haveauthorized the worker to be offwork, but then be told by the WSIBthat the modified duties offered aresuitable. Workers are faced withthe difficult decision of whether tolisten to their medical professionalor potentially face a reduction ortermination of their benefits if theydo not return to work. How manyof our injured members have beentold: “Returning to light dutieswon’t cause any harm, so just dealwith it?”

A significant portion of the appealshandled by the Benefits Depart-ment consist of issues surroundingESRTW and the denial of loss ofearnings. This ESRTW concept hasnot assisted in the favourable reso-lution of appeals, especially forRepetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs),which are com-mon in the retailsector. In fact, 37per cent – or141 – of all theBenefitsDepartment’scurrent filesrelate to theretail sector. Ofthese files, 44per cent – or 62file claims – arefor RSI.

A new study from the Institute forWork & Health Canada argues that“an effect of the discourse about‘hurt versus harm’ is a systemiclack of recognition of both hurtsand harms incurred by workers.”Specifically it suggests that the rela-tive invisibility of some types of hurtaffects the handling of workers’compensation claims in a way that

hinders their ability to return to sus-tainable work. Rest is no longer con-sidered to be an acceptable form oftreatment for soft tissue injuries.

The study states: “Evidence is accu-mulating that pain severity plays amore important role in disability thanpreviously assumed . . . an impor-tant finding draws attention to thereality that activity in a workplacecannot be compared with activity ingeneral because, when at work,individuals do not have the sameliberty to determine their physicaland social circumstances. Actualreturn-to-work arrangements areaffected by the employer’s willing-ness to fully oblige the injured work-er.” Their conclusions suggest theneed for a broadened concept of‘hurts’ and ‘harms.’

The study also states: “This discourseclouds over hurtful processes andsituations that don’t fit with the dom-inant model. When harms relevantto costly, long-term workers’ com-pensation claims are not recognized,this affects the handling of claims ina way that hinders workers’ ability toreturn to sustainable work.”

The findings of this study supportwhat the Benefits Department hasbeen saying for a long time: ESRTWpolicies do not work for all injuredworkers. Harm is created when aworker is conflicted about followingdoctor’s instructions or losing finan-cially by not returning to work asdirected by the WSIB. The stress iscompounded by unsuitable jobduties and pressure from manage-ment, or even co-workers, to per-form at an unrealistic level. Areduced income increases the stressand severity of the symptoms an

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The WSIB policies must be reviewed. Employers havemanipulated ESTRW policies to lower compensationcosts, with little or no regard for workers. Employers mayoffer modified work until their New ExperimentalExperience Rating (NEER) window has passed. But then

they often consign the injured worker to an LMR, caus-ing them to lose income, benefits, seniority, contact withco-workers and a familiar work environment. WSIB mustadapt its policies to remain true to its original mandate,which is to assist workers in accessing sustainable workand ensuring fair compensation that provides justiceand dignity for all injured workers.

Later in the month, on International Repetitive StrainInjury (RSI) Day, several Local 175 staff attended confer-ences, meetings and rallies across the province toreview and plan ways to reduce these injuries. Althoughthe Ontario government introduced guidelines in 2006,this crippling disorder still represents the largest categoryof claims at the WSIB. And unlike workers in British Col-umbia, Saskatchewan and those under federal jurisdic-tion, Ontario workers have no legislative protections toenforce safe work practices.

“This needs to change,” says Local 175 BenefitsRepresentative Sherree Backus. “Workers need to beon a level playing field with employers in discussionsabout the way work is being performed. Worker input isvital. Little or no thought has been given to the impactof repetitious work and the increasing pace of produc-tion. Legislation would compel workplaces to assess riskfactors and decrease or eliminate the risk factors thatcontinue to injure our members.”

LOCAL 175 STAFF ARE CONTINUALLY UPGRADING

THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD SAFER WORKPLACES.On February 21, 2008, they convened with otherinjured-worker advocates to listen to the WSIB ChiefPrevention Officer, Tom Beegan explain the strategy foreliminating workplace injuries.

“Change is necessary because the status quo is unac-ceptable,” he said. In Ontario, based on WSIB 2006statistics, on average, two people die each week from aworkplace incident, another five succumb to occupation-al disease and a further 1,600 worker-injuries result inlost time away from work.

The strategy outlined to eliminate injuries is summarizedin the acronym HABIT, which stands for: H: Having a commitment – from the highest levels, of

both employers and government.A: Accountability – it is the responsibility of employers to

ensure that the working environment is safe andworkers must stand up for their rights.

B: Being a role model – everybody should “walk the talk;” education needs to start at a young age; gov-ernment agencies should only give contracts to those employers who are in compliance with these values.

I: Insisting on improvement – working together, levelling the playing field between employers and workers.

T: Tracking trends and taking action where needed.

Other suggestions included increasing accident aware-ness and follow-up by having the Health and Safety cer-tified members’ names appear on the Form 7 – Employ-ers’ Report of Injury; mandatory training of supervisorsand establishing a standardized approach to this train-ing as well as that of certified members, with refreshercourses also required.

Locals 175 & 633: Working for safer workplaces

BENE

FITS


10

M e m b e r s a t K a r m ak n o w c a n d y

Earlier this year, members at KarmaCandy were very busy cooking, decorat-ing, packaging and shipping thousandsof chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies.They make a range of chocolate prod-ucts all year round, from bite size to 1lb,with fillings such as nuts, crisps, cara-mel, peanut butter and truffle. Membersalso produce numerous hard candies,such as lollipops and candy canes invarious colours, striping and flavours.

Karma Candy is now the largest sugarconfectionery and seasonal chocolateproducts manufacturer in Canada. It hasproduced these products for some of theworld’s top confectionery brands, such

as Cadand Ne

For almwas forhas opApproxnow woEmeralthat coMembeof expeachievi2007.

Maria D. Ferreira, Packer and Rosa Chieffo, Packer

Luzimara Bozzo, Monitor

Julia Martinez, Foil Wrapper Antoiniett

Maria Swiderska, Monitor and Chief Steward Mario Milazzo,Relief Monitor

WORKPLACE NEW

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JUNE 2008 11

maecorat-sandsnies.prod-to 1lb,ara-mbersdies,s inurs.

ugarolate. It has

e of thesuch

as Cadbury, Hershey, Laura Secordand Nestle.

For almost 77 years the company, whichwas formerly known as Allan Candy,has operated in the Hamilton area.Approximately 200 Local 175 membersnow work at the large facility onEmerald Street in Hamilton in a plantthat covers almost 300,000 square feet.Members there, who average 19 yearsof expertise in making candy, celebratedachieving a first Union contract in July2007.

Antoinietta Tassone, Lead Hand

Maria Ferreira, Foil Wrapper

Norbina Manazzone, Packer

Ruben Pineda, PackerMiroslaw Grzybowski, PackerSauline De Braga, Packer

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YOUTH STEWARD SPOTLIGHT: MIKE MATTIOLI

Mike Mattiolibegan workingfor Fortinos atthe age of four-teen. He startedat the Fortinosstore on UpperOttawa inHamilton. When it closed he transferred to Fortinos#68 in Stoney Creek.

Mike maintained his position withthe company while attending BrockUniversity to study PhysicalEducation & Kinesiology. Duringthat time, he transferred one moretime to the Real CanadianSuperstore in Grimsby where he iscurrently employed as a full-timenight shift assistant manager andactive Union steward.

Mike says: “As a young worker, I

12

L o c a l s 1 7 5 & 6 3 3 e n c o u r a g e YoCANADA’S LABOUR MOVEMENT HAS

UNDERGONE DRAMATIC TRANSFOR-MATION DURING THE PAST SEVERAL

DECADES, THE RESULT OF CHANGES

IN LABOUR LAWS, ECONOMIC

STRUCTURE AND THE NATION’S

WORKFORCE DEMOGRAPHICS, ONE

OF THOSE BEING YOUTH.Young members in our Locals arenow costantly demanding morefrom their employers, why you ask?It is because our young membersare the best educated, most suc-cessful and most involved of anyyoung workers. This is because ofUnions.

Why should YOUth get involved intheir Union? All workers have goodreasons to form and join unions.For young workers, the reasons areeven more compelling. As youngworkers enter the labour marketthey demand a job where they willbe treated with respect, have goodcommunication with co-workers,experience a feeling of accomplish-ment, have an opportunity to devel-op their skills and abilities and mostimportantly, have their voice heard.Your voice is the tool that you willuse to better educate and helpyourself and your co-workers.STEPS TO GETTING INVOLVED:1. Talk to your co-workers – mainly

your workplace steward.2. Speak with your Union represent-

ative about activities and initia-tives in which you can become involved.

3. Visit your Local Unions’ Web site: www.ufcw175.com to see how Youth are getting involved.

4. Call your Locals 175 & 633 Youth Committee or e-mail: [email protected].

5. Talk to other young members about things they are involved with within the Union.

Locals 175 & 633 have now andwill continue to strive for increasedyouth activism. They will ensurethat the voice of youth is heardAND taken into account in allUnion issues. As more young mem-bers get involved in our work-places, it will make all of us andour Union stronger.LOCALS 175 & 633 YOUTH STATISTICS:• More than 6,000 young mem-

bers under the age of 30.• Most young members work in

the grocery/retail industries.• Only 15 are stewards.

often found that management wouldtry to use age as a tool to manipulatethe rules in our collective agreementto its own advantage. Having beenraised in a household that believedstrongly in Unions, I was aware thatthis was not acceptable and therefore,I began to educate myself by readingmy collective agreement.

Once I became more knowledgeableabout our collective agreement, Ibecame more outspoken on the ben-efits of becoming an active member. Ieventually became a steward becauseI had several individuals approachingme on a regular basis with issuesconcerning their rights as employees.

If required, I file grievances but al-ways try to resolve issues at store levelbefore it resorts to that. I find that oneof the best methods of resolvingissues in the store is to have the mem-bers become more educated aboutthe process by reading their Unioncontract.”

Mike began attending his annualstewards’ conference in Niagara Fallsto further educate himself on differentUnion issues and gain the knowledgethat he needs to better help his fellowmembers. From there, he beganapplying for the Stewards Scholarshipweek-long educational programs. Hewas chosen for the annual YouthLeadership Development Program.

Mike says it was during one of theseprograms that he became more awareof the activities and programs thatwere available to young members. Hesays: “The program taught me moreabout Union education and labourissues and also helped broaden myviews and knowledge about Unions

on both

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continues on page 13 . . .

continued f

YOUTH


JUNE 2008 13

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on both a community and global level.”

During the Youth Leadership Program (YLDP) Mike volunteered to join the YouthCommittee. Very shortly after, he took part in a Train the Trainer program inwhich youth learned to facilitate Popular Theatre Workshops for the annual stew-ards conferences. Mike says: ”I cannot stress enough the importance of becom-ing involved and volunteering your time for different Union activities. It will onlyincrease your knowledge and beliefs in the brother/sisterhood to which we allbelong. I am a firm believer that my workplace would be in no way, shape orform where it is today without the aid of our great Union. It may sound like acliché, but truly: ‘knowledge is power’, especially in the workplace. Be sure tostop and look at the Union boards that are displayed around your differentworkplaces and take full advantage of the opportunities that Locals 175 & 633make available to you.

I encourage all members, not just the youth, to continue to take an active part intheir Union whether it be reading over your collective agreement, discussingissues with your stewards or reps, or even just a co-worker during a lunch orbreak. Be aware of your rights and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO OUR YOUNG WORKERSYour numbers in the workforce are increasing every year and you are the futureof organized labour. It is you who will influence what will happen, so make sureyour voices and opinions are heard.”

Card-check campaign continues at community events

On February 2, 2008, UFCW Local 175 Servicing Representative Lien Huynh and Organizer Keith Murdochattended the Chinese New Year Festival at Exhibition Place inToronto. They did so to publicize the need for card-check leg-islation in Ontario.

Workers at the festival, like our own unionized brothers andsisters, work in private industry and in factories. More oftenthan not, these workers have to endure substandard workingconditions because they don’t have a Union to representthem. Without card-check certification legislation in place, itis very difficult for them to form a Union in their workplaces.

Does Premier Dalton McGuinty, who is elected by workers inthis community across the province, really care about whathappens when these workers attempt to form a Union toimprove their working conditions? All workers in Ontariodeserve fairer treatment, and the time is now! Keith and Lien explained the need for card-check certification legislation

from the UFCW booth in the Automotive Building at Exhibition Place.

Web C on t e s t w i nne ran n oun c ed

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For the second year in a row,Locals 175 & 633 ran a contestencouraging members to visit ourWeb site and learn more abouttheir Local Unions.

Thegrandprize win-ner isEricSwitzerofPharmaPlusProm-enade inThorn-hill. Hewins atrip for two to the Caribbean.

Eric’s lucky entry was drawn frommore than 6,100 that were submit-ted in the contest.

age 13 . . .

continued from page 12 . . .


appoinpositionCo-ord

Prior toTEC sta2002, Union full-timHorizoa gradprograhas be1998 wHorizon

“Kelly haspectsShawnsmooth& 633 will con

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633 Provincial Officeas Executive Assistantto President ShawnHaggerty.

“Brother Sutton hasdone an outstandingjob as Central WestRegional Director,” says PresidentShawn Haggerty. “We are verymuch looking forward to his assis-tance in the Mississauga office.”

Harry became a member of Local175 in 1973 after he began workingthe night shift at the Miracle FoodMart store in Brampton. He contin-ued to work the night shift until 1983when a grievance award enabled himto transfer to the day shift at theGeorgetown location.

During his time at Miracle Food Mart,Harry saw the value of having a goodUnion. He assisted co-workers byserving as a Union steward for 12 ofthe 14 years that he worked for thecompany.

In 1987, Harry joined the Local 175Organizing Department. He workedon the Super Carnaval campaign.The stores were sold to NationalGrocers during the certificationprocess so the resulting first-contractformed the basis of the collectiveagreement for all the Fortinos stores.Subsequently he became a UnionRepresentative servicing workers in allsectors, from day care to funeral serv-ices . . . and everything else inbetween.

After a bitter 10-month strike at PizzaPizza in 1991, Harry achieved a his-toric contract, believed to be the firstin the world to cover employees work-

14

After 10 yearswith the Locals175 & 633Training &EducationCentre, mostrecently asDirector, VictorCarrozzino has moved to theUFCW Canada National Office.

He is now Executive Assistant toNational President WayneHanley. Victor will work closelywith President Hanley, assistinghim with the many responsibilitiesinvolved in leading the 230,000-member strong national Union.

Local 175Senior LegalCounselNaveen Mehtahas also movedto the NationalOffice as Direc-tor of HumanRights, Equity, and Diversity. Hewill continue much of the workhe started with Local 175’sCommunity Action NetworkCommittee, as well as other ini-tiatives and programs, expandingthem across the country.

“These individuals have madesignificant contributions to theLocal Union on a daily basis,”says President Shawn Haggerty.“I know UFCW Canada will alsobenefit from their expertise anddedication.”

Harry Sutton, who has servedas Central West RegionalDirector for the past seven years,has moved to the Locals 175 &

Staff changes announceding from home. It also provided jobguarantees and an enhanced severancepackage that would allow members toleave the job with dignity and on a vol-untary basis.

In 1999, Harry became the RegionalCo-ordinator for the North West Region,working out of Thunder Bay. In 2001 hewas again promoted to Regional Directorfor the Central West Region. He says: “Asa Director, I was proud to help developnew staff, teaching them how to becomeeffective advocates for the members andgreat representatives for the Union. Asan Executive Assistant, I look forward toworking with Shawn, Teresa and Jim tocontinue to be the best Local Union inOntario.”

Paul Jokhu, who hasbeen a representative inthe Central East Regionfor the past six years,has been appointedCentral West RegionalDirector.

“Brother Jokhu is a man, upon whomyou can always rely to get the job done,”says Central East Regional Director LucLacelle. “He’s extremely efficient andworking with him is always a pleasure.”

Before joining the staff of Local 175,Paul was President of the UFCW TorontoIndustrial Council and also served 10years as President of the UFCW Local529P in-plant Union at the Cadburyplant in Toronto. The members of Local529P voted overwhelmingly to mergewith Local 175 at a meeting heldJanuary 27, 2002.

Kelly Nicholas, a senior representativewith the Locals 175 & 633 Training &Education Centre (TEC), has been

Sta

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PEOPLE & EVENTS


knowledgeable and dedicated work-er advocate who is always ready tospeak up on behalf of members.”

Roy Etling hasbeen reassigned asa Local 175Servicing Represent-ative in the SouthCentral Region. Hewas previously arepresentative in theBenefits Department.

Roy originally became a UFCWmember in 1979. He was working atArcher Daniel Midland FlourMilling (ADM) (formerly MapleLeaf Mills) in Port Colborne.

ative in the CentralWest Region.Executive AssistantJim Hastings, whohas responsibilityfor the LegalDepartment says:“Brother Reis’ assis-tance has been invaluable to thework of the department. I am verypleased that he’s now joined us ona full-time basis.”

Angela Mattioli, who was formerlya servicing representative in theSouth Central Region, is now aUnion Representative in the CentralEast Region. Prior to coming on staffin 2005, Angela spent 17 years as amember and stew-ard in variousFortinos stores.

South CentralRegional DirectorSylvia Groomsays: “Angela is a

appointed to theposition of TECCo-ordinator.

Prior to joining theTEC staff in August2002, Kelly was aUnion steward andfull-time machine operator atHorizon Plastics in Cobourg. She isa graduate of the Labour Relationsprogram at McMaster University andhas been a Local 175 member since1998 when she started working atHorizon as a student.

“Kelly has extensive experience in allaspects of the TEC,” says PresidentShawn Haggerty. “I know it will be asmooth transition and the Locals 175& 633 Training & Education Centrewill continue its excellent work.”

Fernando Reis now works with theLegal Department on a full-time basis.Formerly he performed a dual role,also serving as a Union Represent-

JUNE 2008 15

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Staff changes continued

Don Carman is the plant chair at HorizonPlastics. He is also on the Joint Health & SafetyCommittee (JHSC) and is strongly committed tomaking his workplace safer.

Although Don has only worked at Horizon for fouryears, he has been a Union member since 1982 andhas experience in numerous workplaces. His firstUnion involvement with UFCW came in 2006 whenco-workers urged him to join the NegotiatingCommittee because he is articulate and manage-ment listens to him. “Negotiations are a goodopportunity to reinforce the H&S message,” hesays. “You can make a good business case with thepeople in charge of running the company to saythat H&S spending is a good investment – not justa cost expense.”

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The environment at Horizon is extremely challeng-ing. Like so many Ontario manufacturers, whose pri-mary market is in the United States, the company’ssales suffer when the U.S. economy weakens. “Con-sumers are less likely to buy a child’s slide for thebackyard when they’re having trouble paying theirmortgage or putting food on the table,” Don says. InHorizon’s case, an estimated 85 per cent of produc-tion goes to the U.S. Increasing oil prices and thehigh Canadian dollar make it more difficult for thecompany to compete for sales.

When revenues decline, the company becomes reluc-tant to increase H&S spending, even when it’s aninvestment. Nevertheless, the JHSC at Horizon isworking hard to improve workplace safety. Theymeet and do plant inspections every month. All

Horizon’s JHSC strives for safer workplace

worker members of the committee are certi-fied. Don and other members in the plantalso do training in Lock-out, WHMIS andforklift operation. Don says the training thathe and is co-workers received from Local 175was excellent and really opened people’seyes about important issues such as unilater-al and bilateral work stoppages and desig-nated substances. Their longer-term goalsinclude improvements in ergonomic issues,air quality and noise abatement.


tickets, as well as $25 from each entryfee, enabled a donation of more than$1,200 to the Leukemia &Lymphoma Society of Canada(LLSC). The winner of the derby was9-year-old Barrett Haggerty, whocaught a 20-inch whitefish. “He madethe rest of us look bad,” says tourna-ment organizer Steve Robinson.“Fortunately just about everyone wassuccessful in catching lots of smallerperch.” Barrett very generously donat-ed his $100 prize money back to theLLSC.

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Fishers raise $1,225 for leukemia researchOn Sunday, February 24, severalmembers enjoyed a beautiful winterday together and experienced thesport of ice fishing at the Locals’ sec-ond annual derby at PeninsulaResort on Lake Simcoe. The condi-tions were excellent. The ice thicknesswas 16 inches while the temperaturehovered around a near-balmy zero.The new venue enabled everyone tofish from the comfort of a heated hut.

Approximately 20 members participat-ed in the event. The sale of prize draw

16

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Alexandra Leigh Boyd, whose mother (right) SandraDemey works at Pharma Plus store #1628 in Sault Ste.Marie, won a UFCW Canada $500 Beggs-Dowling-Mathieu Scholarship.

Every year, Locals 175 & 633members raise hundreds of thou-sands of dollars for leukemiaresearch to help find a cure forthis horrendous disease.

Members raise funds throughwalk-a-thons, ride-a-thons, golf,baseball, hockey and other tour-

2008 Fundraising Eventsnaments, as well as BBQs, mer-chandise sales, payroll deductionprograms and many other events.

To find out about events sched-uled for your area, visitwww.ufcw175.com or contactyour regional office.

Union Steward Michele Ellis presents a Locals 175 &633 $1,000 scholarship cheque to Brendan Curry. Bothwork at Havelock Foodland.

Ms. Guertin won’t need to apply for a$1,000 Locals 175 & 633 scholarship for afew years yet, but her young age isn’t stop-ping her from thinking ahead. She is thedaughter of Bob Guertin who works atBusch’s Auto in Fort Francis.

Anyone wishing to apply for one of the 56scholarships offered in 2008 needs to sub-mit an application by the August deadlinedate. Information and applications forthese and other scholarships are availablefrom your Union rep, regional office or atwww.ufcw175.com.

S cho la r sh ip sI t pay s t o p l an ahead

PEOPLE & EVENTS


Once again this year, Local 175 will sponsor the annualCanada Day Weekend Sri Lankan Schools CricketFestival. The matches, which will run from 9 a.m. to 7p.m. on Tuesday, July1, 2008, will provideopportunities to play,be entertained, eat,drink and socializewith family andfriends.

It takes place at theMaple CricketGrounds in KingCity. If you havequestions about thisevent, contact UnionRep Jehan Ahamed.

JUNE 2008 1

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Outstanding Member Achievement Awards for 2008

Locals 175 & 633 offer four annual awards of $500(one award per criterion) to members who:• Demonstrate outstanding contribu-

tions to the community;• Manifest leadership and advancement of

the UFCW;• Dedicate themselves to fundraising for leukemia

research, or;• Enhance and achieve improvements in health

and safety for their workplace, including WSIB.

Members can nominate co-workers, who they feeldeserve recognition for outstanding achievement, in oneof the above categories.

Nomination forms are available on the Web site:www.ufcw175.com/Awards or by contacting your region-al office. Winners will be chosen based on merit. Thedeadline is August 31. This is not an academic bursary.

These awards are made available through partnershipwith American Income Life (AIL) Canada.

L e t ’ s a l l c e l e b r a t e C a n a d a ’ sb i r t h d a y, o n C a n a d a D a y, Tu e s d a y, J u l y 1

ONE IMMIGRANT’S VIEW OF CANADA:

A PLACE LIKE CANADA

Give me a place where in SummerThe sun shines warm and boldWhere the trees are green, the sky is blue,A place where that which I have, I can hold.Give me a place where in AutumnLeaves of orange, gold, russet and brown, a placeWhere the finger of God had touched them,Just before they fall to the ground.

Give me a place where the wind blows coldAnd its chill gets me to the bone.Where I can breathe and pay no heed,Where my thoughts can be mine, mine alone.Oh give me a place where I can seeA world so soft and white.Where the snow can fall so whispery sweet,When days can look quite like night.

Give me a place where I can be free,Where with those I love I can shareA vision of hope and the chance is remote,For sorrow, hate, greed and despair.Just give me a place where I can walkWith God and peace in my breast.Where I can be proud when I move with the crowdWhere at night there is sleep when I rest.

These and other poems by Ephigenia Gonsalvesare in the book: Then There was Nonpareilfrom Morning Star Press, One Massey Square, Suite1910, Toronto, Ontario, M4C 5L4ISBN # 0-9694081-2-9 • August 2001

Reprinted with the permission of Ephigenia Gonsalves.

Copies of the book are available from: David GouveiaNonpareil Natural Health Retreat RR#3, 658 Wellmans Road Sterling, Ontario, K0K 3E0www.nonpareilholistic.com

drault Ste.-

U F C W L o c a l 1 7 5 s p o n s o r s C a n a d a D a y C r i c k e t E v e n t

5 &Both

People of all ages attended the 2007 Canada DayCricket Event.

s


18

Approximately 270 members and their fam-ilies attended Local 175’s second annualLunar New Year Celebration on January 26,2008. It was hosted by the CommunityAction Network (CAN) Committee at theMississauga Provincial Office.

Guests enjoyed a sumptuous lunch, whichincluded barbeque piglet and duck, tradi-tional vegetarian dishes, rice and noodlesmixed with vegetable or meat, tanger-ines and traditional sweets such as driedcoconut and dried lotus seed. Activitiesfor children included free picture paint-ing and a draw for stuffed animals.

The early celebration ensured that mostmembers who wanted to participatecould do so and still be free to mark theoccasion with family and friends on theactual Lunar New Year. “This was anextremely successful and well-attendedevent,” says Local 175 President ShawnHaggerty.

In the Chinese calendar, 2007 – known asthe year of the Golden Pig – ended onFebruary 6, 2008 with the Year of the Ratstarting on February 7. There are twelveanimals in the Chinese Zodiac and the ratis the first animal in the sequence whichrecurs every twelve years. Hence, the Yearof the Rat signifies the beginning or renewalof all things. In Chinese culture, childrenwho were born in the Year of the Rat arerespected and considered as courageousand enterprising individuals.

Members celebrate Lunar New Year Sre

COMM

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ar

19JUNE 2008

The annual Central East Stewards Confer-ence, held February 16th and 17th, sawmore than 200 stewards attend a variety ofcourses over the weekend.

Members participated in training that cov-ered general steward skills and collectivebargaining as well as specific education inWSIB, Early & Safe Return to Work, Health &Safety, Analyzing the Workplace, Arbitration,Organizing and Youth in the Union.

President Shawn Haggerty addressed thecrowd on the importance of organizing.Central East Regional Director Luc Lacellereinforced the importance of solidarity whenhe spoke about the 11-week strike thatDollar Thrifty members stayed true to inthe fall.

Staff sold raffle tickets all day for the prizedraws held at lunch and after dinner. Therewere many big prize winners over thecourse of the evening, with several bigscreen televisions and other items wonthrough raffle draws.

“Everyone here really showed their generos-ity,” says Luc. “I was very happy to reportwe reached $11,000 in just one day’sworth of fundraising.”

In addition, the winner of the Locals 175 &633 Web contest grand prize was on handto collect his prize. Eric Switzer of PharmaPlus in Thornhill won an all-inclusive tripfor two to the Caribbean. While many mem-bers entered the contest every week – andwon weekly prizes for doing so, Eric enteredonly a very lucky one time. Look for detailson the next contest this coming September.

The next conference for this region will beheld on October 18th and 19th of this yearto coincide with the other region’s seminars,which traditionally take place in the fall.

Stewards raise $11,000 for Leukemiaresearch over educational weekend

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On Monday, April 7, 2008, Local 175 President Shawn Haggerty welcomed morethan 100 participants to the Local 175 Sixth Annual Health Care Conference.

President Haggerty commended the members for their hard work, caring andadvocacy on behalf of the vulnerable people whom they serve. In retirement cen-tres, nursing homes and community clinics, Local 175 members provide both avoice and support to those who are in need of care and assistance.

Brother Haggerty recalled seeing his mother, who was a Registered Practical Nursein the geriatric ward at Port Colborne Hospital, returning home from many, manydifficult shifts. He remembers that she often returned from work with an achingback and sometimes other injuries that had been inflicted by the mentally illpatients for whom she was caring. President Haggerty commented that: “Shouldthe day come when my own parents require more care than either my wife or I canprovide, I am relieved to know that there are caring, dedicated people like mymother and all of you to watch over our elders.”

South West Regional Director Ray Bromley both opened and closed the confer-ence with very emotional and inspiring words for the stewards to take back to theworkplace. Having serviced health care units for many years, Brother Bromley com-mended our Health Care Stewards for their dedication. He praised them for thecare they provide to the residents in their facilities. Equally admirable, he said, isthe manner in which they defend the rights of their co-workers. Despite all theirefforts to provide the best possible care for their residents, they are often kicked,bitten and verbally abused by the very people they work so hard to assist.

Brother Bromley said this Union is very proud to represent health care workers andwill continue to advocate for safer work environments inside our homes. “Don’tthink for a minute we don’t know what you encounter on a daily basis in your

“EXCELLENT!” was the consensuson Local 175’s Sixth AnnualHealth Care Conference

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CONFERENCES


JUNE 2008 21

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us workplace,” he said. “Use your Union and your representatives to force youremployer to listen to your concerns. Working short and encountering abuse is notan acceptable hazard in your job.”

Eastern Regional Representative and former Health Care worker Marilyn Lang co-hosted the conference with Director Bromley. Sister Lang also urged the delegatesto always report working short and ensure that patient transfers are being donesafely. She stressed the importance of always using a two-person lift for the safetyof both residents and workers. She reminded delegates that deviating from therequired protocol can lead to discipline issues as well as injuries. “If this meansthat work is left undone at the end of the shift, then be sure to document it,” shesaid. “This is the only way we can build a case at the bargaining table to addressthe ever-increasing issue of working short, which is way too prevalent in the healthcare field.”

Guest speaker Alex Farquhar, the Managing Director for the Occupational HealthClinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) said health care is in crisis today. He saidworkers are facing extremely serious issues, such as concerns about ergonomics,violence, avian influenza and other forms of infectious disease as well as thenecessity of being prepared for a pandemic. He urged Union members to workwith OHCOW, either directly with the Union or through their Joint Health & SafetyCommittees to eliminate workplace hazards and prevent problems in the future.

Local 175 Health & Safety Representative Janice Klenot provided delegates withstatistics concerning: “Why we need a Day of Mourning.” She said the WSIBreported 378 work-related deaths in 2007 and 333,938 total claims. Janicestressed the importance of using JHSCs to assess and eliminate workplace risks.The Toronto Star released several articles recently, which expose the WSIB’s shock-ing practice of giving employers million-dollar rebates supposedly for “safe” workenvironments. But at the same time, these employers were assessed only minisculefines for the deaths of workers in those very same workplaces.

Ruth Collins, who is an RN with the Peel District Health Unit and has internationalcertification in infection control, provided an informative update on various types ofinfectious disease. She discussed precautions and prevention strategies. “Handhygiene is the cornerstone of infection prevention and control,” she said. “It’sessential in stopping the spread of disease.”

CONF

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22

Workshops were held to discuss two other common areas of particularimportance in our health care units. The first workshop discussed collectivebargaining in health care, which differs from other sectors. Instead of strikingor being locked out, health care bargaining impasses are sent to a board ofarbitration under the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA) for afinal agreement imposed by an arbitrator. Workshop presenter FernandoReis said: “Please remember this type of ‘interest arbitration’ is like a box ofchocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. A Health Care negoti-ating committee’s number one consideration should always be: ‘Will we dobetter at HLDAA arbitration than what we have achieved during the courseof collective bargaining?’” The other workshop discussed the practices andpitfalls of the WSIB’s Early and Safe Return to Work Program and how TheDuty to Accommodate differs between the WSIB and Human Rights legisla-tion.

Ontario Federation of Labour Vice-President Terry Downey stressed theimportance of legislation to increase the comfort and safety of both residentsand workers in the health care field. She said Ontario needs mandatoryminimum hours of care standards, as are common in other jurisdictions.Terry noted that: Three point five hours of care per long-term-care resident,per day, would help ensure the assistance that’s needed. “A minimum carestandard would also reduce worker stress by relieving some of the tempta-tion to do too much in too little time,” she said.

In the final session, Brother Bromley once again emphasized that no healthcare worker should ever be subjected to verbal or physical abuse on the job.“Dementia is not an excuse,” Ray said. “If the employer is not prepared totake steps to ensure the safety of workers, then members must contact theUnion to intervene on their behalf.”

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CONFERENCES


JUNE 2008 23

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What the participants said about the conference“It was a fantastic conference. I thoroughly enjoyed learning so much, especiallythe vital information on infectious diseases and antibiotic-resistant organisms. Thevideos were excellent as well. I don’t think I’d ever been told the proper way to puton and remove infection-control protective gear.” Sherri Adair, Coleman CareCentre.

“This was my first conference and it was really cool. The information on infectiousdisease was very useful and I’m sure we’ll be taking more precautions in the work-place now that we’ve learned so much.” Jadie Schattino, Queen Street WestCommunity Health Centre.

“This was my second conference. The infection control information is very useful forme, as a Personal Service Worker . . . and important for my co-workers too.”Marcia Wilson, Erin Mills Nursing Home.

“I always find the conferences so informative. Even when you attend every year, it’swonderful to get a refresher and also learn about changes and all the latest infor-mation. It’s a great opportunity to share information too; you learn a lot by talkingto the other people.” Diane Ballantyne, Caressent Care Nursing Home, Listowel.

“This is my first conference and I’m really enjoying it. I learned so much . . . fromcollective bargaining and global labour issues to the Duty to Accommodate andinfection control specifics.” Judy Tsao, Queen Street West Community HealthCentre.

“It’s my first conference and it’s been very good. We learned a lot about accom-modation in the workplace and gained more knowledge to deal with the chal-lenges we face.” Palmy Seibold, Erin Mills Nursing Home.

CONF

EREN

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24

Bunge workers ratify On December 4, 2007, the 70-member bargainingunit in Hamilton voted in favour of a new three-year contract. Highlights include:• Annual wage increases of 3 percent for all. • The sick pay benefit increases by 3 per cent in

each year of the contract.• Supplementary health coverage increases to

$10,000 and the annual dental cap rises to $1,500, paid according to the most current Ontario Dental Association fee schedule.

• The employer’s contribution to the pension plan increases by $1 per hour annually.

• Coverage for life insurance increases to $60,000, vision care to $195, hearing aids to $600 and chiropractic care to $250.

• The orthopedic shoe benefit increases to $400 in any calendar year.

• The annual tool allowance increases to $240 for maintenance and up to $95 for others.

• Permanent vacancies are now posted on all bulletin boards for 10 calendar days.

• The number of bargaining unit employees on the H&S committee increases to four.

• The rate of pay for maintenance workers, car-rying a pager on the call-in system, increases to $13 per day from Monday to Friday and $22 per day on Saturday and Sunday.

Union Negotiating Committee: DennisPackham, Chuck Smith, Ray Williams andUnion Representative Kelly Tosato.

Members working at PXL Cross Linked Foam inCobourg have a first collective agreement A majority of the 25-member bargaining unit voted in favour of the new two-year Union contract at rati-fication meetings held on January 30, 2008. Members achieved:• Wage increases ranging between $1.50 and $2 per hour, for all job classifications, over the term of

the collective agreement. • Two additional paid holidays plus an improvement in the way vacation pay is calculated. • Agreement from the employer to maintain the employee’s health & welfare coverage for a period of

six months when a worker is on layoff or leave of absence. • Significant new language in the contract, such as increased overtime payments. • Assurance of the protection of steward representation at disciplinary meetings and the right to review

their personnel record. • A formal grievance procedure to resolve member complaints, disagreements or differences of opinion

with the employer. • Job posting provisions and restrictions on the use of non-bargaining unit members performing bar-

gaining unit work. • Important language clauses stipulating that the workplace is free of harassment and discrimination. The company manufactures foam products, which are used in the automotive, air conditioning, packagingand construction industries.

Union Negotiating Committee: Tim Conway, Matt Slade and Union Reps Chris Fuller and MarilynLang.

Delft Blue and Grober members vote in favourof final offerFollowing a mediation session with the company on December 14, 2007, members working at DelftBlue and Grober voted on a final offer from the company at a meeting held December 16, 2007. Themore than 100 workers at the two facilities in Cambridge ratified the contract, which included the fol-lowing:• Wages increase across-the-board by 30 cents per hour retroactive to July 1, 2007 with subsequent

increases totalling $1.30 per hour over the duration of the contract.• All full-time employees receive a signing bonus of $500.• Vision care coverage improves to $200, up from $170. • Both Life Insurance and AD&D coverage each increase to $35,000, up from $32,500.• Company contributions toward the pension plan increase by a total of 15 cents per hour.• The meal allowance increases to $9, up from $8.50, and the laundry allowance is now $6.50, up

from $6.• The employer will contribute $350 per year toward the Local 175 Training & Education Fund.• Improved language addresses a number of issues including: hours of work, job postings, statutory

holidays, call-ins, contracting out and recall rights improve to 21 months, from 18 months.• Bereavement language improves to include step-parents.• New language addresses pay equity, provides for a sunset clause of one year, and the Chief Steward

will now be a part of the negotiating committee.

Union Negotiating Committee: Jason Herd, Rob Rodriguez, Paul Sihota, Union Reps Mike Dudenand Rick Wauhkonen and South West Regional Director Ray Bromley.

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NEGOTIATIONS


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Office staff at Katoen Natie Canada ratifyOn December 20, 2007, members working as office staff at the Katoen Natie facility in Mississaugaachieved a new three-year contract. Highlights include: • A $500 lump sum signing bonus effective January 1, 2008 plus another $500 lump sum payment in

both the second and third year.• In the second year, the end rates increase between 25 cents and 50 cents per hour in addition to a

recent Pay Equity adjustment that added an additional $1.15 per hour to the wage scales.• Members can earn up to an additional $500 per year from the new attendance bonus point system.• A shift premium of 55 cents per hour applies to work done during the Afternoon shift, and $1.05 per

hour for those scheduled to work the Night shift.• Workers benefit from the addition of a floater day and Family Day is now a recognized paid holiday.• Contract language establishes that the current level of health and welfare coverage will be main-

tained throughout the term of the contract. • New Vision care coverage includes $250 per 24-month period and the employer will cover the cost of

the eye exam.• Improved language covers steward representation and new language provides a seven-minute grace

period with respect to recording time worked.

Union Negotiating Committee: Danuta Zeitouni and Union Rep John DiNardo.

Grand River Poultry members vote “ Yes” Members at Grand River Poultry in Beamsville, formerly known as L&V Poultry, ratified a new col-lective agreement on December 2, 2007. The 71-member bargaining unit achieved numerous improvements, including:• Hourly wage increases, for all classifications, of 75 cents effective December 1, 2007, plus an addi-

tional 40 cents on December 1, 2008, another 40 cents on December 1, 2009 and a further 60 cents on December 1, 2010.

• The standard workweek is now Monday to Friday inclusive and no longer includes Saturday.• Work in excess of 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week is paid at the rate of time and one half

the employee’s regular straight time rate of pay. Saturday work is now also paid at time and a half, with Sunday paid at double time.

• The maximum workday, including mandatory overtime to complete daily production, has been reduced from 12 hours to 11. Additional overtime is voluntary and reduces the maximum workday for voluntary overtime from 12 hours to 9 ½ until December 1, 2008 and 9 hours after that.

• Company contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase, reaching $1.00 per hour effective December 1, 2010.

• Company contributions to the dental plan increase to 32 cents per hour.• Members benefit from a new Long Term Disability plan which provides the lesser of 50 per cent of

the employee’s basic monthly earnings (non-indexed) or $2,500 maximum.• New coverage provides an annual benefit for employees of $1,000 for massage therapy and chiro-

practic treatments (combined) and for the first time, life insurance of $25,000 each for the work-er’s spouse and children.

• Additional language improvements include time spent at meetings now paid as time worked and the sunset clause relating to discipline is reduced to 18 months, from 24 previously.

Negotiating Committee: Lucy Barbosa, Brian Wilson, and Union Representative Kelly Tosato.

Imperial Parkingmembers ratify“cleaner air” contractThe 116 members working at Imperial Parkingin Ottawa ratified a new collective agreement onNovember 11, 2007. The negotiating committeeachieved the following improvements in the newthree-year contract:• Language changes and additions address

Union representation, layoff and job postings as well as health and safety including fre-quent mandatory air quality testing.

• Wages increase by up to 19 per cent for Cashiers and up to 22 per cent for Shuttle Bus Drivers. In addition, workers benefit from an increased night-shift premium.

• Major benefit enhancements with a new Trusteed Benefit Plan, which will be offered to full-time workers at a very low cost.

• Vacation pay is now included in the calculation for vacation pay.

Union Negotiating Committee: Jama DahirAbdi, Ali Ali Mohamed, Dennis Wood andUnion Rep Simon Baker.

Three-year contractfor Firestone workersThe 180-member bargaining unit at theFirestone Textiles Company in Woodstockachieved a three-year collective agreement at ameeting held December 19, 2007. Contract high-lights include:• Wage increases totalling $1.30 per hour

including retroactive pay to December 15, 2007.

• Improved language addresses the UFCW Leukemia Charity Fund, vacation, seniority, discipline, layoff and recall, and the establish-ment of a new classification called “Direct Cabler Operator.”

Union Negotiating Committee: Jason Kramer,Bob Maclean, Ian Paterson, GarthSutherland, Andrew Raymond and Union RepAngus Locke.

te and detailed information on negotiations, visit our Web site: www.ufcw175.com


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26

LOCAL 175

President Secretary-Treasurer Recorder Vice-Presidents (VP) as listed below:

CENTRAL REGION

VP #1 HOPE Sector VP #2 HOPE Sector VP #6 Industrial Sector VP #7 Industrial Sector VP #8 Industrial Sector VP #9 Industrial Sector VP #10 Industrial Sector VP #11 Industrial Sector VP #18 Retail & Service Sector VP #19 Retail & Service Sector VP #20 Retail & Service Sector VP #21 Retail & Service SectorVP #22 Retail & Service SectorVP #23 Retail & Service SectorVP #30 VP at Large

NORTH WEST REGION

VP #4 HOPE Sector VP #14 Industrial Sector VP #26 Retail & Service SectorVP #32 VP at Large

NOTICE OFNOMINATIONS

The International

Constitution and Local

Union Bylaws require

Officers of the Local

Unions (175 & 633) to

be elected every four

years. The current term

of office expires on

December 31, 2008.

Officers for the following positions must be elected:

SOUTH WEST REGION

VP #5 HOPE Sector VP #15 Industrial SectorVP #16 Industrial SectorVP #17 Industrial SectorVP #27 Retail & Service Sector VP #28 Retail & Service Sector VP #29 Retail & Service SectorVP #33 VP at Large

Notice of Nominations continued on page 27 . . .

LOC

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Vice-Vice-Vice-Vice-

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LOCAL 633

President Secretary-Treasurer Recorder

Vice-President #1Vice-President #2Vice-President #3

EASTERN REGION

VP #3 HOPE Sector VP #12 Industrial SectorVP #13 Industrial SectorVP #24 Retail & Service SectorVP #25 Retail & Service SectorVP #31 VP at Large

ELECTIONS


A nomination package including “official nominationpetition forms” will be available to any candidate for anelected position by contacting the Election Chairperson,John Hurley at the Provincial Office of Local 175 (1-800-565-8329 or locally 905-821-8329) on orafter July 14th, 2008, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.Monday through Friday.

Nominations will only be accepted on an “official nomi-nation petition form” which shall be prepared and pro-vided by the Election Chairperson.

All petition nomination signatures must be made by amember of that Local Union and such nominator mustbe from the designated region and sector (if relevant).

To be eligible for election, a candidate must be nomi-nated by the required number of eligible nominators.

Properly completed official nomination forms must bereturned to the Election Chairperson no later than 5 p.m.on July 25th, 2008 for review and verification.

Nominations post-marked no later than 5 p.m. on July25th, 2008 by Priority Post or received (and receipted) atthe Provincial office of the Local Union by the same dead-line will be deemed properly received by the ElectionChairperson.

All official nomination petition forms submitted forreview must be original documents and will not bevalid if submitted by copy or facsimile.

The results of the nomination process, acclamations, dis-qualifications, and nominees to specific positions will beposted in units after the close of nominations in accor-dance with the Local Union Bylaws.

JUNE 2008 27

7 . . .

LOCAL 175

President 900Secretary-Treasurer 900Recorder 900

CENTRAL, SOUTH WEST, EASTERN REGIONS

Vice-President Retail & Service Sector 50Vice-President Industrial, Meat & Poultry Sector 25Vice-President HOPE Sector 10Vice-President at Large 100

NORTH WEST REGION

Vice-President Retail & Service Sector 25Vice-President Industrial, Meat & Poultry Sector 2Vice-President, HOPE Sector 2Vice-President at Large 25

Nominations for all positions will be conducted in accordance with Local Union Bylaws and the InternationalConstitution in the form of petitions. The required number of nominating signatures are:

LOCAL 633

President 25Secretary-Treasurer 25Recorder 25Vice-President 10

For election purposes only,Vice-President positions arenumerically designated andnominations will be conductedby the designated number (seelisting on page 26).

ELEC

TION

S


The “Most Goals” trophy went toMike Sikora of Sobeys Milton

( C).

Return postage will be paid by:

United Food and Commercial WorkersLocals 175 and 6332200 Argentia RoadMississauga ON L5N 2K7

Canada Post Corporation Publication Agreement No. 40064671

HOCKEY TOURNAMENT

RAISES $22,000On April 11 & 12, 2008, members participated in the 11thannual Locals 175 & 633 Skate For A Cure in Oakville, whichraised $22,000 to benefit childhood leukemia research.

The money was collected thanks to the involvement of numeroussponsors and volunteers as well as the approximately 300 playerswho played for the 16 teams participating in the weekend event.

Plans for next year’s tournament are already underway. It will beheld in April 2009 at the same location. For more informationplease contact Harry Sutton, Executive Assistant to the President,at the Mississauga Office.

President Shawn Haggerty and Central West Regional Director, Paul Jokhu, present “Best Goalie” award to Patrick DiPronio from Bunzl. Bunzl played off against Sobeys to win the trophy in the final game.

The second place team was Sobeys Milton RSC.

John Carbone, who coached theBunzl team, accepts the winner’strophy.

The winning team was Bunzl.


Retail Suppo RSrt Centre

Checkout June 2008

Documents

Transcript of Checkout June 2008