News, Developments and Information

The ‘new’ Saskatchewan: Oklahoma North?

Of the litany of proposed changes contained in the Saskatchewangovernment’s Consultation Paper on the Renewal of Labour Legislation in Saskatchewan,the most pernicious is the suggestion that employees be allowed to opt out of paying union dues, yet still receive the full benefits of union membership. This idea is dangerously reminiscent ofU.S. right-to-work (RTW) laws that already pervade the American south and have recently been proposed in northern states likeWisconsin andIndiana.

If this is the direction the current government wants to move, then it is incumbent that the people of Saskatchewan recognize what the adoption of RTW laws entail, because it will not only affect union members, it will affect all workers in our province, unionized or not.

Continue reading The ‘new’ Saskatchewan: Oklahoma North?

Drug and Alcohol Reasonable Suspicion Workshop

Locals 5890 and 6673 (Calgary) attended a workshop in Regina on September 17 to educate stewards in the process of assessing and  determining impairment. This workshop has provided stewards the knowledge to properly and effectively recognize a worker that may be under the suspected use of drugs or alcohol in the workplace.  It is important for our Union stewards and OHS members to be proficient in assessing workers for impairment. The local believes that in the past Evraz has overstepped it rights to test members for drugs and alcohol. The purposes of the training is to keep our workplace safe from drugs and alcohol and to protect our members from unwarranted and unreasonable submissions to testing.

Membership & Benefit Society Meetings

A Local 5890 monthly Membership meeting will be held on Sept 17th at the Regina Union Center, 2709 12th Ave. at 7:30pm sharp. Agenda will be the presenting of financial reports. The swearing in of new members. Reports from committees, schools and conferences. Unfinished business and new business that arises.

A Benefit Society meeting will be held on Sept 20th at the Italian Club, 2148 Connaught St. at 7pm. Agenda will be the nomination of new Executive positions to the Society. Explaination of new By-Laws. Q & A. * (Only Benefit Society Members will be allowed at this meeting)*. Meaning if dues for the Society are deducted from your check then you are a member.

Please make every effort to make it to one of these meetings.

In Solidarity!

Signing Kronos Card Sheet

The Local would like to advise the membership that members have the OPTION of not signing the Kronos Card Implimentation sheet after having your picture taken. Your Local has concerns with how this system is being set up and questions about the requirements of employees that we are still seeking answer for from the Company. We ask that if you do refuse to sign the sheet, be polite and respectful.

Shop Stewards Training

Level #1 Stewards Training will take place Oct 18-19th 2012. If your are interested in becoming a Steward in the Local. Please perpare the following before or for the Sept 17th/2012 membership meeting to attend the upcoming training . You need to be a sworn member in good standing with the USW and submit 10 signatures of fellow members, signed and dated supporting your request to become a Steward.

As a Union rep and activist you will play an important role in building a united, organized and involved membership in your workplace. You will be a communicator, organizer, problem solver and leader in the Union.

The Local encourages Brothers & Sisters to step forward at any time to join and volunteer as Stewards or Commitee members. Together!…We are bigger, better and stronger.

In Solidarity!

United Steelworkers Benefit Society Release

To all members of United Steelworks Locals 5890, 5917, 6717

As some of you are now aware there has been a misappropriation of funds from the United Steelworker Benefit Society. The processes that are in place to safeguard the Society’s funds worked properly and the misappropriation was detected.

The Directors of the Society acted immediately and requested an audit. The audit determined that a misappropriation of funds had occured and the individual responsible has now resigned from all positions held within the USW along with two other members of the Society that were asked to resign and both have done so.   Continue reading United Steelworkers Benefit Society Release

Evraz implementing Kronos Chubb cards

Evraz is implementing a Knonos Chubb Card system starting October 21th 2012. The Company will be requiring all employee’s to obtain this card with their picture on it. A representative from Human Resources will be at Security in the Operations Building beginning Sept 10th/2012 from 5am-8am to take employee’s pictures. The Local will be discussing this new card system in a meeting with the Company on Sept. 10th as well

New Top Officer

With a unanimous vote of confidence by the Local Executive, we would like to welcome Brother Vasco D’Almeida as the new Vice President of 5890.  We ask the members to extend your support to Brother D’Almeida as he transitions into his new role.

Local Audit

This Local and the USW Benefit Society have been undergoing an audit by the USW International that was completed earlier today. The Local executive has been assured by the auditor Betty Bailey, that intial indications show all funds are accounted for within 5890. A final report with recommendations will be forth coming from the auditor later this fall. Until such time the Benefit Society funds have been temporarily frozen pending further direction from the International. If you have any questions please contact Sonny Rioux, USW Staff Rep. at the Regina Steelworkers Office 569-9663.

Resignation of Ian Gretchen

The Union would like to inform the membership that Ian Gretchen has tendered his resignation as President along with all other committees and functions within the Local. In keeping with the local by-laws of the USW, Corey Liebrecht now holds the position of President. The vacancy for Vice President will be filled accordingly by the Local Union Executive ASAP.

In Solidarity

The Saskatchewan government is trying to rewrite all our labour laws. And fast

And their changes would impact everyone. They’re threatening to swing labour laws firmly in favour of employers — and that means all the rights and protections we’ve worked hard to achieve for Saskatchewan families could be erased overnight.

We’ve built a prosperous economy based on fair labour laws, hard work and the ability of unions to speak out for workers. It’s the Saskatchewan way, it’s a balanced approach — and it’s working.

We only have until July 31 to tell the government to keep it working. Have a read of the information included in the tabs above, and then add your voice in our efforts to protect workers and families.

via Homepage | The Saskatchewan Way.

Surveillance Camera Grievance Update

Corey Liebrecht c.liebrecht@usw5890.com

UPDATE: This grievance has moved to step #3 and was discussed during a meeting with Human Resources (HR) held June 28th. During that meeting it was agreed to place this file in Abeyance. This means we have granted the company 60 days from this date to respond further. During this time, the Union has continued gathering information to strenghten its position on this file. Anyone wishing to make a written statement pertaining to this group grievance is encouraged do so. Please submit it to a Steward or Executive member of the Local.

Stop Harper’s low-wage plan

Following is the opinion of Hubich, president of the Saskatchewan Federation  of Labour, along with his provincial and territorial counterparts.

It has become clear that the federal government, supported by a number of  employer organizations, has a plan for transforming Canada’s labour market in  ways that will profoundly hurt Canadians.

It’s a four-prong strategy which includes the dramatic expansion of the  Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), the erosion of Employment Insurance,  raising the country’s retirement age, as well as a systematic effort to  undermine the ability of unions to stand up for the rights of working people and  improve their standard of living.

Continue reading Stop Harper’s low-wage plan

United Steelworkers response to Sask Party discussion paper

As everyone should know the Sask Party has started the process of a discussion paper to outline their ideas to dilute and minimize Saskatchewan workers ability to bargain and organize collectively which effectively attacks the rights of working people like us in general

The Sask Party are proposing sweeping changes of the scope of Unions, using laws of accountability that apply to no organization except Unions to undermine their ability to represent workers, certification and decertification rules that both make it difficult for workers to organize their Union but to maintain it under an attack from their employer and succession rights of a Union if their workplace is sold (Our local has gone through a sale twice in the last 5 years and its not inconceivable a sale could happen again)

Please read the complete document for all the information Submission to Saskatchewan Minister of Labour Relations

Workers down tools on job and salary cuts at Evraz

On July 15th 2012 2000 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) employed by Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium down tools in protest of salary cuts and retrenchments.

Russian multinational corporation, Evraz has ignored legislation and the collective agreement it has with NUMSA to make changes to workers’ conditions of employment. The company has cut workers’ salaries by half and retrenched more than 500 workers, in its pursuit of greater profits.

Workers have embarked on a legal strike to demand that the company reinstate dismissed or unfairly laid off workers, reinstate workers’ salaries and other conditions of employment and engage constructively with the union.

In response to the legal strike, Evraz has suspended its Highveld Steel and Vanadium operations and has said that it can’t guarantee supply from these mills. It has also brought in hundreds of security personnel and police to intimidate workers.

Workers remain committed to their action, according to NUMSA shop steward at the company,

“the situation is very tense but we are determined that we cannot accept such an outrageous act, they can’t just cut our salaries, we have laws here and we’ll fight this with our union”.

Benjamin Davis

Director of International Affairs

United Steelworkers

source: IndustrALL Global Union

Trade Wage Study

The much anticipated wage study has finally been completed.  After some discrepancy on the final calculation the Union and the Company were able to come to an agreement on the following rates, which will be retro-active back to Dec 7, 2011:

  • Electrician-$38.393
  • Millwright-$38.393
  • Machinist-$35.216
  • Welder-$38.393
  • Electrical Technician-$38.802
  • Mechanical Engineering Tech-$35.642
  • Metallurgical Tech-$33.943
  • Senior Metallurgical Tech-$35.076
  • Instrument Man-$38.393
  • Heavy Duty Mechanic-$38.393

Effective August 1, 2012 the new rates will be as follows:

  • Electrician-$40.714
  • Millwright-$39.890
  • Machinist-$35.216
  • Welder-$39.232
  • Electrical Tech-$38.802
  • Mechanical Engineering Tech-$36.820
  • Metallurgical Tech-$36.398
  • Senior Metallurgical technician-$39.912
  • Instrument Man-$39.521
  • Heavy Duty Mechanic-$39.521

The Union has been informed by the company that the first rate increase should take effect in the next pay period, and the Company has stated they will pay the retroactive amounts on the Aug. 31, 2012 pay.  The retro active amounts are applicable to all hours worked from Dec 7, 2011 to present and also applicable to your previous and current year’s vacation.

As always, continue to check your pay stubs to ensure accuracy.  Any questions or discrepancies should be directed to your supervisor and/or payroll.  Any unsatisfactory results from that, please speak to a Shop Steward.

*Please note; those who received the market average prior to Aug 1, 2012 will receive the negotiated 2.1% increase.

Napoleon Gomez Urrutia recognized as leader of Mexican Miner Union

Napoleon Gomez was assisted by the USW (district 3) to escape persecution in Mexico for Union activities. The following was reported today in the Mexican media.

The Mexican government has recognized Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, who was ousted  from his post and forced into exile in Canada in 2008 amid fraud allegations, as  the leader of the Mining and Metalworkers’ Union, or SNTMM, officials said.

The union was notified that Gomez Urrutia is being recognized as  secretary-general and Mario Garcia as acting secretary-general, the Labor and  Social Security Secretariat said.                Continue reading Napoleon Gomez Urrutia recognized as leader of Mexican Miner Union