Unifor Local 1996-O

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Food + Pride = $1.00

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This week the staff of UNIFOR Local 1996-0 participated in our annual volunteer day at St. Francis Table, a local destination for hundreds of our community members every day.

GroupSt. Francis Table opened its doors December 1987 in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood.

With seating capacity for 40 people, serving an average of 250 meals per day, they’ve served over 500,000 meals to date.

Half of the patrons are post-psychiatric patients who are unable to work due to their illness. St Francis Table also provides meals to single parents, refugees, the unemployed, transients, ex-convicts and people living on our city’s streets, in our parks and alleys.

Many of the patrons spend most of their meager income on accommodation. About one-quarter of St. Francis Table’s patrons are senior citizens who come for nourishment and companionship.

In keeping with the Franciscan heritage, no one is turned away without the offer of a meal.

PreppingWe live in an era where there are no more “gold watches” for years of loyalty and service to corporations. Where workers must unite and fight tirelessly for fair wages, benefits–and even decent support for differently-abled team-members. When society is just beginning to get past the stigma associated with mental illness.

At a time when, despite all we have, we can’t seem to figure out how to distribute our success more evenly, thank goodness for organizations like St. Francis Table. They are an essential, binding element in the fabric of our society.

And they do it for a dollar.

Hungry guests who depend on the ethos and work of the Capuchin order are requested to make a small donation of one dollar. A meal can deliver more than charity. It can deliver a dose of dignity.

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It shouldn’t come as a shock that helping St. Francis Table do their work brings returns for volunteers as well. A meal at St. Francis Table is an opportunity for community, advocacy, and friendship.

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If you would like to join local 1996-o next year, please let us know, there’s always a need for another pair of helping hands.

 

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Safety is a team sport

From snowboarders to mountain climbers and skydivers, people have long sought the thrill of height. Two things help people who seek the rush of extreme activities that scare the hell out of most of us do their thing safely:

  1. Training
  2. Trust in their Gear

Properly maintained and employed safety gear and training with experts are standard. Thrill seekers know the consequences of an accident can be devastating. So they mitigate it.

The consequences of workplace accidents can be equally devastating. Workplace attitudes towards avoiding accidents should be no different.

Too many in the workforce skip or rush through those steps in the name of efficiency, or even laziness.

As a result, falls are the number one cause of critical worker injuries at construction sites in Ontario.

14 workers lost their lives falling from heights in 2015, leaving behind parents, children, siblings, and friends.

The sad reality is that too many are willing to push safety boundaries at work. Whether they’re due to a lack of training or a disregard for safety equipment, these injuries and deaths are preventable – the key is driving the message home to all parties.

We are ALL responsible for workplace safety.

Employers and supervisors, for providing comprehensive training, equipment and rescue plans.
Employees, for following guidelines, wearing their equipment and both refusing and reporting unsafe situations.

It’s easy to become complacent after years on the job, but it only takes one mistake to change everything.

Now, ignoring safety isn’t just dangerous or unethical–it’s also illegal. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), violators can be prosecuted resulting in heavy fines or even jail time.

Please spread the word and encourage your fellow workers to stay safe.

We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Let us know how we can help, and please share any questions you may have about workplace protection.

When it comes to creating safe work environments, we’re all in this together.

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federal elections

I%20will%20vote%20banner Federal Elections 2015
  

On October 19th, federal elections will be held. In accordance with the Canada Elections Act,  all employees are entitled to three (3) consecutive hours to cast their vote during voting hours on polling day, from 9:30AM to 9:30PM.

 

For this reason, by October 9, Workforce Management will adjust the schedule of regular full-time technicians to respect these arrangements. The release period will be coded POP and employees will be released for these hours only, without a pay reduction. The schedule of part-time employees will be set on DD-1.

 

Only these shifts need to be adjusted:

 

o    8AM to 7PM (a 30 minute release is necessary)

o    10AM to 7PM (a 30 minute release is necessary)

o    10AM to 9PM (a 2:30 release is necessary)

 

The following shifts do not need to be adjusted:

 

o    8AM to 5PM

o    9AM to 6PM

o    1PM to 9PM

 

 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Can an employee request a different shift modification than the one planned on his schedule? No, the planned schedules were made in consideration with business needs and the obligation for employees to have three (3) consecutive hours to cast their vote during voting hours on polling day. The time coded as POP cannot be changed nor postponed.

 

Am I going to be paid if my schedule is modified to go vote? Yes, even if you are released to go cast your vote, you will be paid for the entire shift, like any other day.

 

If an employee has questions, to whom should they ask them? The employee can address his questions to his manager.

 

If a manager has questions, to whom should they ask them? The manager can contact his Labour Relations consultant.

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Why I’m voting NDP

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I recently spent a day canvassing with NDP’s Peggy Nash. I’ve worked with MPs Andrew Cash and Rob Oliphant too. In support of their campaigns or just as a colleague fighting for workers’ rights and the public interest.

Maybe it seems strange that I’ll support both NDP and Liberal candidates. The thing is; I’m interested in people who stand up for the working Canadian. People who understand our membership and our industry.

When it does come to party politics, I want a federal government dedicated to keeping jobs in Canada. A government that supports a healthy telecommunications sector accessible to consumers and communities.

Not Harper’s Conservatives, in other words.

Harper has attacked unions, undermined health and safety laws. And he’s made foreign ownership of Canadian companies easier. Now Harper’s talking about international trade deals – without saying how they’ll work.

In our industry, the Conservatives have offered up telecom spectrum to Americans without reciprocity. They’re threatening Canadian jobs. They’ve also failed to regulate the sector in the public interest. Better access to reliable and affordable telecom services isn’t assured either.

The NDP inspires confidence.

They’ve called the Conservatives out on the secrecy behind the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership. And they’re only in favour of foreign investment policies if they support Canadian jobs.

They’ve also pledged to reintroduce the Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act. Abolished by the Conservatives, it ensures adequate compensation for tradespeople working on federal contracts.

The NDP is committed to repeal Bills C-377 and C-525, which make it difficult for workers to join a union. These bills also cost unions and other professional organizations millions of dollars in unnecessary red tape.

The NDP supports affordable childcare, a universal drug plan, fair wages, and human rights. They seem to understand the range of issues confronting working Canadian families today.

People as committed to public interest are inspiring.

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Did you know she ran ten times before getting elected? That’s commitment. That’s grit.

She’s also traveled the world, led union negotiations, and fought for women’s rights.

Peggy stands up for working people, pushing workplace and social equity.

Most of all, she’s there on the street in Parkdale, participating in her community and listening to what matters to her constituents.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure Stephen Harper isn’t listening to people like us.

Tonight, I’ll be out in my riding supporting Andrew Cash.

Voting day is October 19th – so WHOEVER you support, it’s important to get out and mark that ballot!

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