News, Developments and Information

MONTREAL – The Transportation Safety Board sees things clearly! The report that was released today confirms what the Syndicat des Métallos (United Steelworkers) has been saying all along: that the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway (MMA) was taking safety risks and Transport Canada failed in its duty to provide supervision and monitoring.

It is time to stop treating the workers as scapegoats. The TSB’s message is crystal clear: the MMA “cut corners” with respect to safety, and Transport Canada did not carry out inspections “often enough and thoroughly enough,” and lacked the means to ensure that the Safety Management System set out on paper was actually effective. Continue reading Finally the True Culprits, Transport Canada and MMA, Are Identified

TORONTO – The Steelworkers Humanity Fund (SHF) is contributing $25,000 to combat spread of deadly Ebola virus in West Africa.

“The Ebola outbreak has killed over 1,000 people in three of the world’s poorest countries – Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, and the World Health Organizations warns that the outbreak is not yet under control,” said Ken Neumann, President of the Steelworkers Humanity Fund. “In response the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is making a $10,000 contribution to Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières, as well as providing $15,000 to a grassroots NGO in Liberia to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus.” Continue reading Steelworkers Humanity Fund contributes $25,000 for Ebola support in West Africa

The monthly membership meeting will take place on Monday August 18th, 7:30pm sharp. Regina Union Center, 2709 12th Ave. Downstairs using the south side entrance.

Agenda:

Communications
Grievance Reports
Financial Reports
Committee’s Reports
Staff Rep. Report
Initiation of new members
Unfinished/New Business

*Second reading of three for amendments to local by-laws

Stay informed, stay involved in your local.

Solidarity Forever!

Brothers and Sisters,

As our collective agreement expires on July 31st, I want to take this opportunity to assure the membership that bargaining is still moving forward. Talks are taking place at the table and communication with the company remains open. Production will continue as normal while we work diligently to bring our members a new contract. Let’s remain strong, focused and see this through to the end together. Solidarity Forever!

Corey Liebrecht, President

TORONTO – The Steelworkers Humanity Fund is contributing $20,000 to the Red Cross in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to support families and communities recover from widespread flooding.

An intense storm system deluged parts of southeast Saskatchewan and southwest Manitoba over the span of a few days. Over 30 communities in each province were under states of emergency. It has been estimated that the cost of flood recovery in Saskatchewan will exceed the $360 million incurred following the 2011 flooding.

“Flooding has caused real financial strain and hardship to families in communities in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the Steelworkers Humanity Fund wants to assist them in the recovery,” said Ken Neumann, President of the Steelworkers Humanity Fund.

Founded in 1985, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is a registered charitable organization which focuses primarily on development projects and emergency aid in developing countries, but also supports Canadian communities in crisis. United Steelworkers (USW) members contribute to the fund through clauses negotiated into collective agreements. In some cases employers make matching contributions.

Brothers & Sisters

Recently you may have received a document in the mail from Evraz called “Strong Rewards”. The timing of the release of this document just as we enter bargaining is highly suspect. However, it would seem that the company would like you to believe that they have ‘Compensated’ us through benefits that have been graciously given to employees as a reward for the work we do which quite frankly is not the truth at all.

The real truth is our benefits are NOT a reward. They came from the Brothers and Sisters before us that held a sit down, a walk out, three strikes and another strike that was averted at the 11th hour a mere twelve years ago. This was all accomplished through hard fought negotiations at each and every bargaining table since September 21, 1959 when this local was proudly certified and they are not to be taken lightly!

Our first Collective Agreement (Contract) was signed in 1959 with Ipsco and did not include any benefits for workers. Job Classes ran from 1-15 and paid $1.70 and $2.54 per hour respectively. The Contract was 30 pages long.

The second Contract was signed in 1961 with a new Article named ‘Welfare’. This was the first time anything remotely close to benefits was mentioned. The coverage included two things in the article. First the company agreed to pay the premiums to cover Medical Services in the province. Second they agreed to cover Sickness and Accident Insurance that would pay a member $20.00 per week for 13 weeks.

Our next improvement to benefits came in 1966 when still under the Welfare Article the union achieved Accidental Death or Dismemberment Insurance that paid $4000.00.

In 1970 the local successfully negotiated yet another new article into the contract which was ‘Bereavement Pay’.

As 1972 rolled around the members demanded a pension. The response from the company was a flat out NO. The local responded with the first strike at Ipsco. Solidarity on the line was strong and the members were determined. Stories abound about then Ipsco President Jack Turvey driving over spikes at the entrance leading down to the main office and arriving there with all four tires flat. As well, there was supervisors living in the plant for days while food and supplies were flown in by a helicopter that was rumored to have been shot at from somewhere on the picket line. In the end the workers held “Strong” and their “Reward” was a Defined Contribution pension where the company contributed 10 cents for every regular hour and the employees contributed 5 cents.

When negotiations ended in 1974, the local had achieved the first mention of a ‘Dental Plan’ under the Welfare Article.

COLA was bargained into the Contract with the header ‘Letter of Understanding’ in 1976. This was also the year that the word ‘Welfare’ was removed from the contract and ‘Benefits’ replaced it to more accurately reflect what the members were receiving.

In 1978 the local was successful in negotiating a ‘Supplementary Unemployment Benefit’ or (SUB) fund.

With the Contract in place in 1983, the local negotiated that the company would pay full premium costs of “Extended Health Benefits”.

Negotiations in 1987 turned ugly as the union demanded a change to the pension plan. In the end the local won a Defined Benefit Plan pension for the members that we still have today.

2009-2010 Ipsco is bought first by Swedish company SSAB only to be resold to Evraz months later.

2011 negotiations began with Evraz wanting to freeze wages and benefits and make major changes to the pension plan that was not beneficial to our members or the future of this local. These were successfully fought off at the bargaining table and gains in the Collective Agreement were made.

*Paid Statutory Holidays are not a company “Reward”. They have been written into our contract since the inception of the first one in 1959 and are enshrined in the Saskatchewan Labour Code.

In the last 55 years no matter what company has splashed their name on the buildings at work or what kind of “Values Driven” organization they claim to be; understand that not one damn thing has been has been given to us, Brothers and Sisters. Every benefit, every increase in wages and every gain that has been made in the 188 pages of the current Collective Agreement has been achieved through tough negotiations with the strength and support of the membership. Together we are strong and just as determined as those that came before us. Your Bargaining Committee is committed and determined to build on the successes of the past and leave a better future for the next generation of our members. When that is achieved, that is what will be rewarding.

 
Solidarity Forever!

Corey Liebrecht
President

A special thanks to the following for their support of the Habitat for Humanity “Steelworker House”. Continue reading Recent Habitat for Humanity Donations

Important Notice: The monthly membership meeting date has been re-scheduled and will now take place on July 14th, 7:30pm. Regina Union Center, 2709 12th Ave. Downstairs using the south side entrance.

June 20, 2014 – Long-promised changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) announced today fall short of protecting good jobs for Canadians and will leave low-wage workers in the same vulnerable position as before, the United Steelworkers (USW) says. Continue reading Forced to Act, Conservatives Still Fail on Temporary Worker Program

It’s time for a complete overhaul of the Harper Conservatives’ scandal-ridden Temporary Foreign Worker Program to stop the suppression of Canadian workers’ wages and the exploitation of foreign workers, says the United Steelworkers (USW).

Continue reading Steelworkers Call For Overhaul To Temporary Foreign Worker Program

We are excited to announce that the following dates have been scheduled as Build Day dates for volunteers to come out on site and help with the construction and be a part of the future “Steelworker House” located at 263 Lewvan Drive. Continue reading Habitat “Steelworker House” Build Days

June 23 – A meeting of 500 New Democrats yesterday afternoon at the Orr Centre nominated economist Erin Weir as the NDP candidate for next year’s federal election in the new riding of Regina–Lewvan on the city’s west side.
“I’m excited about electing New Democratic MPs from Saskatchewan for the first time in a decade and helping to replace Stephen Harper’s Conservative government with a progressive government led by Tom Mulcair,” said Weir. Elections Canada reports that the NDP would have won Regina–Lewvan had it existed in the last federal election.
Weir grew up in the riding and completed his first degree at the University of Regina. He campaigned in 2004 as a federal NDP candidate in Regina and ran last year for leader of the Saskatchewan NDP. He has gained national experience working in the federal public service and trade union movement.
“I am honoured to be chosen as the federal NDP candidate in Regina–Lewvan and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I encountered on doorsteps throughout the riding,” said Weir, who has an extensive track record of research, writing and advocacy for quality public services, strong social programs, fair corporate taxes, workers’ rights and a clean environment.

“Erin has demonstrated his abilities on the national stage as a sharp and insightful progressive economist in both official languages,” said Linda McQuaig, a national best-selling author and recent federal candidate. “He is a brilliant addition to the federal NDP team who will help it shape a progressive economic vision for our country.”

Steelworkers Support Erin Weir:

May 2014 – Erin Weir is seeking the federal NDP nomination in the new riding of Regina–Lewvan on the west side of our city.

I campaigned in 2004 as a federal NDP candidate in Regina and ran last year for leader of the Saskatchewan NDP. After joining the federal public service through the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Finance and the Privy Council Office, I also worked in both official languages as an economist for the Canadian Labour Congress, the International Trade Union Confederation and the United Steelworkers.

I am running to provide a progressive voice in Parliament on issues that matter to Regina. We need an MP with the conviction to push back against the Conservative assault on our values and to articulate policy alternatives. I would be honored to have your support for the nomination and would welcome the opportunity to discuss my candidacy.

You can also share your ideas, ask a question or volunteer by calling my cell phone: (306) 541-3746. Together, we can make Regina’s progressive voice heard on the national stage.

Yours truly,

Erin Weir

 

Locals 5890 & 6673

Bargaining Up-Date

STRONGER TOGETHER

A tentative date of June 18, 2014 has been set for a meeting in Regina to exchange non-monetary proposals between the company and both Locals 5890, Regina and Local 6673, Calgary.

Your Bargaining Committees are committed to keeping you informed.

 
In Solidarity!

Your Bargaining Committee