News, Developments and Information

Notice of Nominations for Executive Positions

Nominations for the following Local Union Exectutive Positions will be held on March 19, 2012 at the Regina Union Center (2709 12th Avenue)

The Positions are :

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Recording Secretary
  • Financial Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Trustees (3)
  • Guide
  • Inside Guard
  • Outside Guard
  • Chief Shop Steward (Steel)
  • Chief Shop Steward (Pipe)
  • Chief Shop Steward (Office and Technical)
  • Bargaining Committee Member (Office and Technical)
  • Bargaining Committee Member ( Production and Maintence)

If you are nominating an individual who will be unable to attend the nomination meeting. Nomination forms can be obtained from Denise a the Union office (569 9663) or email her at dmanz@usw.ca. Please ensure the form is returned to Denise prior to March 19 so it may be presented at the nomination meeting.

Nominations will close at the membership meeting.

Please only submit “one” nomination per person

Local Union Election Manual

Proud to be a Steel Worker

James Nickerson was employed by Canadian Linen to look after the distribution of clothing at the Hilton. When a few of the 5890 members heard , just before Christmas, he was stricken with cancer they took it upon themselves to “pass the hard hat” amongst union and company employees alike to help him and his wife through this nightmare time.

They raised over $2000 which was passed on to James and his wife Wanda. Through this generosity, to a person who was not “one of their own”, Wanda was able to spend day and night with James through his hospital stay.

James passed away February 16 with his family by his side. Thank you one and all.

Bill Boomer (Retired Millwright)

Job Evaluation Pilot Project

The job evaluation committee has met 3 times and has evalutated  eight of the jobs off the list agreed to at bargaining. The system we are now using is one that the union committee came up with and has simplified the process of evaluating a job.

We have went from using 12 factors to 6 and are not constrained by the rules of Cooperative Wage Study. The committe is working well and actually accomplishing a lot which didn’t really happen that much when Cws was used.

Of the jobs evaluated 5 received increases.  Caster Helper increased from JC 10 to JC 12, Strand Operator increased  from JC 22 to JC 24, Ladle Controller increased from JC 16 to JC 18,  Oiler/Greaser increased from JC 8 to JC 11 and EAF Helper increased from JC 8 to JC 10.

Going forward the Company seems to like the system we came up with and I believe we will evaluate all the jobs we have with the new system so we will be back to having all jobs that we lost through bargaining over the years.

Reported by Steve Machuk

AON Hewitt Custom Survey

There is a conference call scheduled  with AON Hewitt and both locals (5890 and 6673) and the Company on Wednesday for further planning of the survey of trade and tech rates withing 400 km of Regina and Calgary. The parties plan on finalizing some of the details of the survey and dates for a meeting. Further details will be reported at the Membership Meeting on Monday February 27.

Evraz Cell Phone Policy

As many may be aware for several months there has been TWO cell phone policies posted on “My Evraz”. One is apparantly from Corporate Evraz which states at one point that it applies to all facilities or something to that effect. It appeared on “My Evraz” sometime in October 2011. This policy talks about keeping your cell phone in your lunch box or locker.

The other policy is the one that has been in effect for several years.  This policy is much more severe than the newer Corporate Evraz policy.

The Union has requested clarification several times including today from Evraz management  regarding which policy is in fact the policy we are expected to follow but as of today they still are not sure which cell phone policy applies or why both policies are on “My Evraz”. So there is no answer to the all the questions about cell phones.

When Evraz Management  does decide which policy applies the Union will request they remove the policy that doesnt apply from “My Evraz”and make an effort to inform everyone which one does apply to end all the confusion.

Trade Rate and Retention Survey

The Union and Company met today to listen to presentations from professional Human Resourse companies to select which company will conduct the wage surveys of Red Seal Tradesmen, Maint Technicians and Metalurgical Technicians. A selection was made and now the two parties are working to finalize the criteria that the survey will conducted under.

New Job Evaluation Pilot Program

The Job Evaluation Pilot that was negotiated in bargaining has been started. The Union Committee for the new program reported today that there is an agreement with the Company Committee on a system to evaluate jobs. They also reported that there are already  4 jobs are completed  and will be signed off  at the next committee meeting. The four jobs completed are oiler/greaser, strand operator, ladle controller, caster helper.

The Committee also reported it was happy with the Companies cooperation with this new Committee and its wilingness to settle outstanding issues.

Proposed Melt Shop Line Of Progression

As everyone is aware there were some changes negotiated in the Melt Shop Line or Progression, namely it was split into two lines.

The Seniority Committee reported today that all  the concerned members in the Melt Shop Line of Progresssion have been polled on which line they wish to be in after the split. The Seniority Committee also reported it will have a recommendation soon for the Executive Committee on how to move forward with the split and how  it affects everyone  in the future when there is movement in both “new’ lines of progression.

How to donate to the United Steelworkers Burns Lake Fund to Support Babine Workers and Families

BURNABY, B.C., 24 January, 2012 – The United Steelworkers (USW) announced today the launch of a fundraising campaign and the creation of a trust account to provide support to the workers of Babine Forest Products and their families in the wake of an explosion at the Burns Lake, B.C. sawmill.

“Since the tragedy at Babine Forest Products, we have been inundated with offers of support and assistance from other unions and union members all over the province and right across the country. The labour movement is a family, and union members join all British Columbians in mourning the loss of life and injuries to our brothers and sisters in Burns Lake,” says Steve Hunt, USW Director for Western Canada.

Continue reading How to donate to the United Steelworkers Burns Lake Fund to Support Babine Workers and Families

VALE Flagged For ‘Cold And Hard’ Conduct During Sudbury Strike

Steelworkers have won a major victory against mining company Vale at the Ontario Labour Relations Board. During the union’s year-long strike in 2010, Vale banned USW Local 6500 Vice-President Patrick Veinot from its property, thereby denying members access to him on company property. In a stinging rebuke to the company, the OLRB found that Vale’s conduct was unlawful.

The board has ordered that the company cease and desist.

  Continue reading VALE Flagged For ‘Cold And Hard’ Conduct During Sudbury Strike

Useless Evraz Seniority Lists

There has been a lot of confusion regarding the seniority lists posted on “My Evraz”. They are incorrect for both Steel and Pipe division. After repeated requests from the Union that they be corrected they have not. Either Evraz cannot post the list correctly because of technical issues or they are not interested in making the lists correct on “My Evraz”.

Everyone who wants a correct list please contact your supervisor and ask for a seniority list with only names and start dates  to be posted on your area bulletin boards. You are entitled to them under Article 12.07 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please do not tear them down if they are not behind glass.

Steelworkers Betrayed by Harper Government…..Again

The following column by Ken Neumann, United Steelworkers National Director for Canada, appeared in the December 17 edition of the Hamilton Spectator.

U.S. Steel workers, pensioners and many others in Hamilton are rightfully feeling betrayed, once again, by the federal Conservative government.

The Conservatives’ decision to abandon the court case against U.S. Steel for violating federal law is scandalous, even by the Harper government’s dreadful standards. It represents an historic lost opportunity, the implications of which extend beyond Hamilton to working families and communities across the country.

Continue reading Steelworkers Betrayed by Harper Government…..Again

Memo from Evraz regarding Bonus Payments

The following is a memo mailed out from Evraz that outlines the steps to get paid the recently negotiated Bonus paymet either through payroll or rolled into an RRSP

USW BONUS PAYMENT – 2011

On December 23, 2011, a bonus of $3,000 will be paid to all USW employees who have completed 750 hours of work in the previous twelve (12) calendar months. For those employees who have worked less than 750 hours in the twelve months prior to payment, the bonus will be pro-rated accordingly. You must still be an employee of the company to receive this bonus, actively working, collecting short term disability benefits, maternity/paternity leave or on lay-off status.

Continue reading Memo from Evraz regarding Bonus Payments

Ratification Meeting and Voting Reminder

The Bargaining Committee would like to thank everyone for the great turnout yesterday at the Special Meeting held at the Eagles Club. It was  great to see our solidarity at work!

Everyone should make every effort to cast their ballot tomorrow at lobby/security area of the change room building (Hilton). The voting stations will be open form 5 am to 8 pm.

For those members who were unable to attend the Special Meeting on December 7 there will be a paper copy of the overview of the tentative agreement available at the security desk today and tomorrow during the vote.