Author: Admin

Mediation has Broken Down

After 3 days the mediation process of negotiations with Evraz has broken down.
Mediation started off this week with the Union wanting the concessions to be removed from Evraz’s monetary package.
Not once throughout the 3 days of bargaining did the Union sit down face to face with Evraz.
On the 2nd day of this process the Union even invited the Employer back to the bargaining table and Evraz declined.
All of the discussions held between the Union and Evraz went through the Mediator.  The Mediator would meet with one side than relay that message to the other side.
It took 2 trips from the Mediator into Evraz’s room to convey the message that their concessions need to be removed from their monetary package.
Evraz sent a monetary package back down with 1 concession remaining, transition wages for new employees, and 1 new concession tied to all members… A hybrid pension plan.
Evraz has decided to offer no real money and has taken the step to attack all of our pension plans by adding very little money to future pension years and nothing to pension years all ready accumulated.
Evraz’s monetary package contained next to nothing in real $$$.
Evraz has decided to play with each and every one of our lives, both now and in retirement.

Through the mediator we received a wage proposal.
Wage Increases;
2016 0%
2017 0%
2018 1%
2019 1%
Because of all of this, we said “NO” and this is what the Union walked away from!

Under the Labour Relations Code of the Province there is a 14 day cooling off period that follows Mediation, the fourteen days start, the first day following the date on the letter from the Mediator excusing himself from the bargaining process, we hope to have that letter on Aug. 11th 2017.

 

Summer School Travel Itinerary

We are meeting at 6:30am, leaving at 7 am, at the office on June 10th. Coming back June 16th, late evening. We have to pick up a member from 5917 out of Moose Jaw on the way as well.

We have rooms booked at the Super 8 in Fernie again this year for the 10th as we could not get rooms at the lodge. We would like to leave  at 9:00 am on the 11th to Kimberly.

Also I have booked a tee time at the trickle creek golf resort for 11:09 am if anyone would like to join. There’s room for 2-6 more players.
If you want to add anything else to the message feel free to do so.
Kael Dolejsi
President
USW LU5917

CBA BOOKS

​The Union has filed a grievance under Article 18.04 Copies of Agreement

The Company and the Union desire every employee to be familiar with the provisions of this Agreement and his rights and duties under it. For this reason, the Company will have the Agreement printed in booklet form and Management will give a copy to each employee.

Bargaing Update

​A Bargaining Update will be given at the monthly membership meeting on Nov. 21st.

Changes have been made to the lines of progression in the Steel Division.  For the EAF, LMF and the new position, Degasser.

We also have an update on the status of the current CBA.
Please come out to our monthly meeting and be the 1st to know what has transpired from last week’s, 4 days of meetings with Evraz.
Come out and ask any questions that you may have, to the bargaining committee.

Grievance Protocol Practice

Recently as you may know the the Union filed a complaint to the Saskatchewan Labour Board regarding Evraz engaging in unfair labour practices. Before a hearing with the  Labour Board an agreement was reached with Evraz. It is as the following:

GRIEVANCE PROTOCOL

In the interest of encouraging constructive grievance handling and resolution, the parties agree as follows:

  1. If an employee wishes to discuss an active grievance with a supervisor, the supervisor will ensure that a shop steward or member of the union executive is present for the discussion and, regardless of who initiates such a discussion, the discussion will not occur without the presence of the shop steward or member of the union executive.
  2. If it appears that the terms of paragraph 1 are not being followed, the Local President will inform the Senior Human Resource Manager or Senior Divisional Operations Manager for attention.
  3. The parties affirm the importance of the grievance process and remain committed to ensuring its integrity.
  4. Nothing in this protocol is intended to affect or restrain regular operational communications on the shop floor, nor alter the terms of the collective agreement related to grievances and arbitration.

DATED October 6, 2016.

Sept Bargaining Update

On September 20th your bargaining committee met with the company for 3 days with much of the discussion forming around Article 9.09{overtime distribution} and Lines of Progression language. The parties have agreed to new language under Article 9.09.

During this discussion the Union informed the Company that the Mandatory Overtime they have proposed is a non- starter. In response the company replied that it will be there till the end. Brothers and Sisters it is and will be the stance of this bargaining committee that all Overtime is Voluntary!

Your committee is working on dates to continue the discussions on Lines of Progression. When dates are finalized with the company we will communicate that information to you as well.

C.O.L.A

The CPI figure for July 2016 was released on August 19, 2016. As per the Collective Agreement the following calculation will apply.

July 2016 132.8

April 2016 132.3

Difference 0.50 (Divide by .063 per each 1 cent) = $0.07

Effective with the first pay period after the release, COLA will be $0.58 per straight time hour worked as it was previously $0.51

CUPW’s struggle is our struggle

CUPW is one of the largest unions in the country and as such might as well have a bullseye painted on it’s head. If we allow our own government corporation to shut down this union and take away their pensions and continue to pay women 30% less than male workers it will be the death knoll of the labour movement in Canada. Every neoliberal of course salivates at the thought of our perfectly good crown corporations being defunded to the point of nonfunctioning and then sold off to the lowest oligarch bidder. Crown corporations were created to fulfill a need OTHER THAN seeking profit. This dominant culture of the individual has divided us into winners and losers, and even the losers are brainwashed into thinking they are winners by embracing greed and entitled superiority as their own, even when they are slowly but surely enslaved and economically compromised by the very politicians and elites that they support and vote for. Continue reading CUPW’s struggle is our struggle

Ralph Bilsky Obituarie

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Ralph Bilsky May 17, 1949 – June 6, 2016 With profound sadness we announce the passing of Ralph David Bilsky, on June 6, 2016. Predeceased by his wife Mary Bilsky of Regina, SK and parents Micheal Bilsky (1999), Gertrude Bilsky (2015) of Rama, SK. Survived by daughter Tisha Keeler (Arlie) of Biggar, SK, son Brent Bilsky (Gwen) of St. Stephen, NB, sister Cecilia Sliva (Gerald) of Winnipeg, MB, sister Therese Sandager (Robert) of Preeceville, SK and grandsons Anthony, Dalton, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Joseph and Ian; as well as many friends and extended family members.

A Memorial Reception Teua will be held Saturday July 2, 2016 from 2-4 pm at King’s Corner Church of God located at 2110 King St., Regina, SK.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan.

Published in The Leader-Post on June 28, 2016

June 3rd 2016 Bargaining Update (Camrose)

USW 5890 & 6673 have been in contact with the Unifor 551 employee’s of Evraz Camrose.  They have been in bargaining for a couple months and are facing a series of concessions totalling in the 30% range.  They currently have a hybrid pension that was implemented in the last set of negotiations.  This time around, Evraz is demanding a full DC pension plan and the complete elimination of their hybrid/DB plan.  The last time that the Unifor Bargaining Committee met with Evraz, for bargaining, was in April.

The Unifor 551 Bargaining Committee and the USW 5890 & 6673 Bargaining Committees have agreed to continue talking with each other.  Both groups feel that there are common goals that can be achieved through the sharing of information.  Both committees find it more than just a coincidence that proposals are on our tables that seem to mimic those that are currently on the table at Tenaris.  Tenaris (Prudential) located in Calgary, AB. Tenaris is also an OCTG Tubular Manufacturer.  The employee’s at that location are also USW workers.

Tenaris is currently in negotiations with that local’s USW workers.

Bargaining Update June 2

Bargaining sessions scheduled between USW 5890 and EVRAZ for June 1st 2nd and 3rd has been adjourned.

The company continues to engage in practices which are interfering with the collective bargaining process, to that end, after consultation with the Union’s Legal Department your Bargaining Committee has decided to pursue an Unfair Labour practice complaint against EVRAZ Regina.

We will be working with the lawyers over the next few days to complete an evaluation of the complaint.

EVRAZ has taken a position on the Steel side concerning Art. 8.09 (2)   Dead shift/160 Hours in a 28 day period that the Union is disputing through the grievance process.

Managers have been bargaining with workers on the floor trying to negotiate a settlement of this grievance and undermining the CBA.

Bargaining will resume when the unfair labour practice complaint has been decided.

** If you would like to receive text messages from your bargaining committee please fill out your name and cell # and leave in the Union Mailbox.  Name_____________________ Cell #_________________

May 19 Bargaining Update

On May 19, 2016 your Bargaining Committee met with the Company representatives’ and officially opened bargaining by exchanging Non-monetary and Common Non-monetary proposals. The meeting started with a detailed presentation by the Company outlining the state of the Pipe and Steel industry and its impact on Evraz. The Company finished the presentation with a plea to work together to reduce costs and improve flexibility, to put us in the best position possible to be competitive in the market.

The Union inquired if the new Evraz/Wasco plant being built in Regina would be part of the negotiations. The Company emphatically refused to add this to the agenda and ended the conversation with the statement similar to: If you want that plant Unionized, go ask Wasco.

Your Bargaining Committee emphasized that the relationship between the Company and its employees has not improved. In part, because of the lack of a printed CBA from the last set of negotiations and the ongoing lack of respect for employees by some supervisors. Due to the Company’s continued delay tactics and their unwillingness to settle issues in a timely manner, there is an accumulated list of outstanding grievances.

We are looking forward to having a printed Collective Agreement (CBA) prior to our next bargaining meeting scheduled in Regina for June 1, 2016.

160 hrs in 28 days

For all Steel employee’s who have not been paid overtime for working over 160 hours, there is a group grievance being filed with the company. Please keep track of your hours till there is a resolve to this matter. The Union has also requested that employee’s remain on the B15 shift until this matter is resolved.

USW 5890 Pension Seminar

May 3rd & 4th
7:30pm
Eagles Club
1600 Halifax Street
Regina

Senior USW staff will be in attendance to go over details and answer any questions you may have regarding our Pension plans, as well as address current market conditions and outlook for the Canadian Steel industry.
Please take this opportunity to come out and ask questions and find out how you will be impacted in the future.

Today from Rachel Notley

Today, in Montreal, I delivered the following message to hundreds of Steelworkers from around the country:
Quite frankly, Albertans can’t continue to support Canada’s economy, unless Canada supports us.
So I come here today to say let’s put aside divisive battles and let’s work together. We need to open up new markets by building a modern and carefully regulated pipeline to tidewater, because it’s in everyone’s interest to ensure that the energy exports that ARE permitted under the Climate Leadership Plan get the best possible world price.
We must get this done, or everybody loses.
We must open up new markets for our energy.
We must get to “yes” on a new pipeline.
(Photo: United Steelworkers – Syndicat des Métallos)

March 2016 Bargaining Update

The bargaining committees from USW Local 5890 & 6673 met in Regina on March 16, 17, 18, 2016 to discuss and prepare for our upcoming collective bargaining. Discussions were held on both local and common non – monetary proposals for 5890 &6673 and a proposal exchange date has been confirmed with the company for May 19, 2016 in Calgary.
Collective bargaining is an important process for all of our members and their families and your bargaining committee is committed to keeping all of our members informed.  Bargaining surveys indicated our membership has questions about their pension, to that end membership meetings facilitated by senior USW District 3 Staff have been set up for May 3rd and 4th   for a pension seminar and informational session outlining the status of the Canadian Steel industry and the impact on us now and going forward.  These meetings will be held at the Eagles Club, details to follow.
Your solidarity is important in everything we do, bargaining updates will continue to come directly from your bargaining committees. Our next chain meeting between the bargaining committees will be held on May 3 & 4, 2016 in Regina.

SASK. PARTY PASSES ON AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN

The Own It! Campaign and Project: Community have partnered to host all-candidates debates on Crowns and public services in Moose Jaw, Regina, Prince Albert, and Saskatoon.

All parties were invited. Only the Sask. Party issued an outright refusal to participate in any of the debates.

The Sask. Party: they’re just #NotListening.

For details on the debates, visit:www.notlistening.ca/events.

The SFL represents over 100,000 working people across the province in Sask.

C.O.L.A Fourth Quarter 2015

The CPI figure for January 2016 was released on February 19, 2016. As per the Collective Agreement the following calculation will apply.
January 2016 131.0
October 2015 131.7
Difference -0.7
(Divide by .063 per each 1 cent) = -$0.11
Effective with the first pay period after the release, COLA will be $0.31 per straight time hour worked as it was previously $0.42.

The Union is checking these calculations as sometimes they have been incorrect in the past.