News from the President - USW · argaining Update Our local, working with our sister locals, 9597,...
Transcript of News from the President - USW · argaining Update Our local, working with our sister locals, 9597,...
Summer 2016
Newsletter for members of United Steelworkers Local 5296
Spring 2020 Inside this issue
COVID-19 Resources…….........2
Benefits & T4 / T4As....….…….4
Dental Centre Closures.………..5
Int’l USW Convention.….……...6
Black History Month..….……...7
Int’l Women’s Day.....….……...8
Website Members Portal…….9
MONTHLY LOCAL 5296 MEMBERSHIP
MEETINGS ARE CANCELLED UNTIL
FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO COVID-19
OFFICE HOURS ARE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
PLEASE CALL US:
(905) 629-3892
(416) 593-7587
EMAIL US: [email protected]
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL YOUR LOCAL
REPRESENTATIVE
DIRECTLY FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR
ASSISTANCE
News from the President
Our local union is working hard to respond to the
needs of our members during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to social distancing precautions, we have closed
our offices, but are still available by phone, email, and
have updated information on our website
www.uswlocal5296.ca. Our monthly local meetings
have also been cancelled until further notice.
These are stressful times, and we are concerned
about the health and safety of all workers, our families
and the front line workers responding to this global pandemic.
On Monday March 23rd, 2020, the Province of Ontario announced the
closure of all non-essential businesses. Private Security is considered an
essential service to the province of Ontario, and we are fortunate enough to
ensure that our members who want to continue to work, can as a result. We
would like to thank our members for their communication with the local union
on issues at their specific worksites, and their dedication to doing the best job
possible under these difficult circumstances.
Inside this issue of our newsletter, there are tips that reflect the current
science and medical recommendations to protect yourself from COVID-19
transmission. There is also information for those who need to take leave due to
COVID-19, either due to illness, family obligations, or due to shortage of work,
how to access supports through Service Canada.
Please be advised the Steelworkers Dental Centres along with all other non-
emergency dental offices have been forced to close as a result of the state of
emergency in the province.
In solidarity, Julia Rodriguez President USW Local 5296
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COVID-19 Guide for USW Members
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the new or novel coronavirus spreading in Canada. Not everyone exposed gets sick, and most of those who get sick make a full recovery. But the virus is more dangerous than other respiratory diseases, like the flu. The chance of a serious infection goes up with the amount of exposure, age, and other health problems, especially heart and lung problems, and diabetes.
Stay informed and rely on trusted government and local public health authorities: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
Here are some simple precautions that will reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Hands should be scrubbed for at least 20 seconds with
soap and water. If possible, they should be dried with paper towels, not blowers, which can
spread droplets. It’s especially important to wash after touching objects or surfaces that many
others have touched, like doorknobs, elevator buttons, computers or cash registers. It’s also im-
portant to wash as soon as you get home after being in a public place.
• Use hand sanitizer when you can’t wash. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol kills germs
and viruses, if it touches them. But it does a poor job of removing dirt, where pathogens can
hide. Don’t use vodka or other spirits. Anything under 120 proof won’t do a proper job.
• Disinfect surfaces that might be touched by the public. Proper disinfectants are based on alco-
hol or chlorine, and are labeled as killing 99.9% of germs and viruses. It’s not necessary to fre-
quently clean surfaces that only you touch or objects at home so long as no potentially infected
person has touched or coughed on them.
• Try not to touch your face with potentially contaminated hands. Some infections come from
airborne droplets, but most people become infected when they touch their face after touching a
contaminated surface. Under the right conditions the virus can live for up to four days on a sur-
face. Indoor surfaces are worse than outdoor surfaces, since the UV-radiation in sunlight is a dis-
infectant. It’s hard not to touch your face. Frequent washing helps. A good strategy is to keep a
box of tissues or wipes handy and put one over your fingers if you need to touch surfaces or your
face.
• Practice social distancing. Avoid crowds! Avoid public places as much as possible. Don’t shake
hands. In public, try to stay two metres (six feet) away from other people.
• If you’re sick, stay home. The symptoms of COVID-19 are a dry cough of unknown origin, fe-
ver, and sometimes, shortness of breath. If you know the reason for the cough, for example
asthma or an allergy, and you have no other symptoms, it’s unlikely to be COVID-19. But any
other cough or symptom should trigger a call to your physician and, in the case of a cough plus
a fever, a call to a public health department for a COVID-19 test. If the symptoms become se-
vere you may need to go to the hospital, but call first, so the hospital is prepared.
• If you’ve been around a person known to be infected, stay home for 14 days. Many employ-
ers are establishing policies requiring or allowing this, and are paying people for the time off.
You may have legal protections too. If your employer retaliates against you or threatens to, let
the union know right away.
• Avoid unnecessary travel. If you absolutely have to travel, it’s safer by car than by air, since
airports involve large crowds from many different regions.
• Get a flu shot, if you haven’t already. The flu vaccine does not protect you from coronavirus.
But having the flu along with coronavirus is especially dangerous. This would also be a good
time to review all your vaccinations with your physician, and make sure they’re up to date.
• Stay up to date. You can check reliable websites, like the ones below, and news organizations,
like the major networks and the CBC. A few other links are below. And check the USW website
for updated information.
• And finally, keep our brave health-care workers and first responders in your thoughts. Many
are union members. All of them are fighting hard to protect us, often at risk of their own
health. They are the heroes of this pandemic. Other links for more information:
The Public Health Agency of Canada: www.canada.ca/public-health
The Public Health Agency of Canada coronavirus telephone info line: 1-833-784-4397
Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline: 416-338-7600
Peel Region Public Health: 905-799-7700
Durham Region Public Health: 905-668-2020
The Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
Employment Insurance line for those in quarantine: 1-833-381-2725
Service Canada Information:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html
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Steelworkers Pension
All pension inquiries are addressed by Gloria Zoratti at BPA extension #1376.
Please visit http://members.steelworkerspensionplan.ca to review your
pension plan contributions and statements.
All health benefit claims are processed through Claimsecure. Members can
now submit claims electronically. Please register at www.claimsecure.com
using the ID and certificate number on your USW prescription card. For all
inquiries, please contact Claimsecure at 1-888-513-446.
Health Benefit Claims
Short-term Disability & Life Insurance
Inquiries regarding life insurance, accident death & dismemberment, short term disability or critical illness, go to the Benefit Plan Administrators (905) 275-6466. Please check your benefits booklet to obtain details of the coverage and limitations. Failure to update your contact information with the BPA may result in denial of benefit claims. To track your benefits go to http://member.steelworkersbenefitplan.com.
Tax Season is here, Look out for your T4 and T4A!
As part of the contribution to the Benefit Plan, your Employer pays for
your life insurance premium. This is a taxable benefit. The Benefit Plan
Administrators (BPA) issue members a T4A slip that must be reported on
your 2019 income tax return. If you do not receive the T4A by the end of
March, please contact the BPA at (905) 275-6466. The Canadian
government has extended the tax filing deadlines due to COVID-19 to June
1st 2020.
News & Events
Keep updated on a variety
of events and information
with USW 5296. Text the
name of your employer to
32323 to subscribe. Text
“STOP” to unsubscribe.
Standard Message & Data
Rates May Apply
Your Contact Info
Please update your contact
information if you have
moved or to request
electronic copies of the
newsletter. Ensure your full
name, your mailing address,
and the company you work
for is included when
contacting us.
Dental Office
Locations
Available For Members
The Steelworker Dental Centres are closed until further notice due to the declared State of Emergency by the Province of Ontario. Dentists providing non-emergency services have been ordered to close. If you have a dental emergency, please contact the Dental Emergency Service at 416-485-7121 or visit the link below to locate a dental office near you.
https://www.rcdso.org/en-ca/rcdso-members/2019-novel-
coronavirus/covid-19-dental-clinics-offices-offering-
emergency-services
United Steelworkers Local 5296 dental benefits are for use with the Steelworkers Dental Centres at 33 Cecil Street, To-ronto and 1158 Aerowood Drive, Mississauga. In addition, our benefits plan also allows our members the use of the private offices listed below and be covered under our plan. 1. Ajax Dental Center - 161 Harwood Avenue North Unit
5B, Ajax, L1Z0A1 (905) 426-8304
2. Dr. Meera Gopalakrishnan - 385 Silverstar Blvd.
Scarborough (416) 491-4533
3. Markham Health + Plex Dental Centre -
5995 - 14th Avenue, Markham (289) 859-9901
Please call W.A. Health Maintenance at (905) 281-9948 to
request an appointment at these offices.
Just a reminder the annual administration fee for the
dental office is $10 for a single member and $20 for a
family.
Local 5296 Contacts
President:
Julia Rodriguez
Vice President:
Jana Papuckoski
Financial Secretary
Parvinder Kaur
Recording Secretary:
Kim Milliard
Toronto Office
Tel (416) 593-7587
Mississauga Office
Tel (905) 629-3892
Fax (905) 629-2610
Website:
USWLocal5296.ca
Office hours are suspended
due to COVID-19 until further
notice. Please call the offices
or email us any questions or
concerns you may have.
Benefit Plan
(905) 275-6466
Claim Secure
1-888-513-446
USW International News
The United Steelworkers International Convention is being held in Las Vegas, Nevada August 3rd to 6th 2020.
Nominations and elections to attend this event will be held at the Tuesday May 19th 2020, Local 5296 membership meeting.
Eligible members must be in good standing, have 2 years seniority, and have attended 1/3rd of the local meetings in the last two years to be considered for election.
In the event that the COVID-19 restrictions are still in place at that time, further information will be on the USW 5296 website at www.uswlocal5296.ca.
Bargaining Update
Our local, working with our sister locals, 9597, 2020, 5481, have
commenced bargaining for our latest collective agreement with
our employers, GardaWorld, Paladin and Securitas. Many
thanks to all those who have completed a bargaining survey
and returned it to our Staff Rep, Syed Akhtar.
Former Primary Response guards with
GardaWorld in full health and dental benefits
Good news for our former Primary Response guards with
GardaWorld. Our Union was able to negotiate an earlier start
date for full benefit coverage. Benefits were originally to start in
July 2020, but are now effective January 1st 2020. If you are not
already registered for our benefits plan, please contact the
Benefit Plan Administrators at (905) 275-6466 to get a
registration card and benefits booklet mailed to you, and have
any questions you may have regarding benefits answered.
Black History Month February 2020
Rally Against Cuts by Ontario Conservative Government Niagara Falls
Steelworkers, CBTU and the District 6 Human Rights Committee celebrated Black History Month February 22nd, at
the Steelworkers Aerowood Drive office. Black History Month acknowledges and celebrates the contributions
made by black workers to the labour movement. Sheku Koroma (far right) represented USW Local 5296, and also
sits on the District 6 Human Rights Committee.
On Saturday Feburary 22,
workers, unions, community
groups descended on
Niagara Falls to rally against
cuts by the Ontario
Conservative government.
Left to right: USW Staff Syed
Akhtar, District 6 Next Gen
Co-Chair Jordan Rego, USW
7536 President Raul
Gutierrez and his local
member were a few of many
Steelworkers in attendance.
International Women’s Day 2020
Jana and Wendy
attend Peel
Regional Labour
Council’s
International
Women’s Day
Brunch on Sunday
March 1st 2020 in
Brampton. Money
raised at the event
went to a number
of shelters in Peel
Region, supporting
women, families
and youths facing
homelessness.
Toronto Steelworkers
Area Council along
with Toronto and
York Regional Labour
council marching
down Yonge Street on
International
Women’s Day,
Sunday March 8th
2020.
Steelworkers Toronto
Area Council
celebrating
International
Women’s Day with a
breakfast in honour
of Mary Spratt, a
steelworker activist
and feminist. NDP
MPP Faisal Hassan
was one of many
guest speakers.
USW Local 5296
Toronto Office:
25 Cecil Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 1N1
Phone: (416) 593-7587
Mississauga Office:
1158 Aerowood Drive
Mississauga, Ontario
L4W 1Y5
Phone: (905)-629-3892
E-mail: [email protected]
Members Portal Now Available
Connect with us at USWLOCAL5296.CA
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