Bill 124

cupe3906vp Political Action, Postings, Unit 1 Bargaining, Unit 3 Bargaining

You have likely heard a lot about Bill 124 and its effect on Units 1 and 3’s bargaining. We at CUPE 3906 want to make sure our members are informed about the challenges that we and public sector workers across Ontario face.

What is Bill 124?

Bill 124 was proposed by Doug Ford’s government on June 5, 2019 to the Ontario Legislative Assembly.  If passed, the bill imposes a series of 3-year “moderation periods” that limit compensation and salary increases to 1% per year for affected workers.  “Compensation” is defined very broadly in the bill, and some interpret it to mean any increased cost to the Employer (e.g., for our units, benefits, increased hours of work, and, in our Employer’s interpretation, additional paid training, and even statutory deductions like CPP and EI).

The bill proposes that the government will enforce the 1% compensation limitations by reviewing any Collective Agreements or Arbitrated Settlements that are negotiated after June 5, 2019.  If the Agreements do not meet the government’s cap, the parties (i.e., the Union and the Employer) will be forced to renegotiate the agreement until it meets the government’s limitations (even though the parties already reached agreement independent of the government’s interference).

According to the bill, Employers and Unions are not allowed to negotiate increases to make up for the moderation periods once the 3 years have passed.

Who is impacted by Bill 124?

Many, many public sector workers would be directly impacted by the proposed bill.  Workers in hospitals, schools, non-profit long-term care homes, power workers, crown corporations, children’s aid societies, universities, colleges and more would be subject to this legislation.  Municipal and certain for-profit institutions are excluded.

Every worker in Ontario, however, would be indirectly impacted by this bill because it proposes to infringe on basic constitutional rights to free collective bargaining.

Why should I care about Bill 124?

Not only does Bill 124 restrict workers’ abilities to negotiate contracts that allow for increases that at the very least keep up with increases to the costs of living, it also restricts workers’ fundamental constitutional rights to free collective bargaining under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Workers—and employers—currently have the right to negotiate collective agreements that address workers’ needs and priorities.  If either side—the workers or the employer—feel that negotiations have ground to a halt, they can resort to a strike or a lockout according to the Ontario Labour Relations Act.

Bill 124 proposes to interfere with free collective bargaining by dictating what the kind and extent of gains can and cannot be negotiated.  Even if the Union and the Employer agree to a Collective Agreement that both parties think is fair, the government will have the power to tear up the agreement and make the parties start the negotiation process again if the Agreement doesn’t fit the demands of Bill 124.

If workers do not like the Agreement that the government imposes, their only legal recourse under the Ontario Labour Relations Act—the right to strike—becomes meaningless.  Similarly, employers are not free to bargain above the maximum increases according to the bill, even if they think their workers should get a better deal.

What can I do about Bill 124?

It’s important to realize that Bill 124 is, at present, just a Bill.  This means that it is not yet law.  With enough pressure from the public, it can be amended or struck down entirely.

Since Bill 124 is not law, Employers such as McMaster University are still free to negotiate Collective Agreements that they think are fair for their Employees.  We invited the Employer to join us in a campaign to defend free collective bargaining at McMaster University and throughout Ontario, but the McMaster Administration declined this offer.  It’s therefore up to workers, students, and community members to demand that the Employer negotiates according to what is currently lawful and right according to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Workers, students and community members need to put pressure on the Ford government to drop Bill 124 before parliament reconvenes at the end of October, 2019.  Bill 124 is not law, and there’s still time to make sure it never becomes law.

Join our Bargaining Support Team or our Political Action Committee to get involved in the fight back.

Wanted: Benefits Committee Members

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

We are actively looking for new members for our Benefits Committee. This committee plays an important role in helping to determine the level of benefits that the local administers, and also approves Professional Development Applications. The time commitment is minimal, and our local cannot function without an active committee.

If you’re a 3906 member interested in being on the committee, please let us know.

CUPE 3906 Solidarity Statement on Grassy Narrows

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

The Executive of CUPE 3906 openly condemns the Canadian federal government’s failure to meaningfully address the mercury crisis that has impacted the community of Grassy Narrows First Nation for more than fifty years. The government of Canada has long eschewed its responsibility and broken many promises to address the consequences of the community’s long-term exposure to toxic levels of mercury, which started when a paper mill in Dryden, Ontario was allowed to begin contaminating the Wabigoon River. Recent studies have even shown signs of congenital mercury poisoning in infants and young children.

It is incumbent upon the federal government, the leader of which campaigned on the importance of fostering “nation-to-nation” relationships with Indigenous peoples, to rectify this incredible injustice in ways deemed suitable by the community itself. CUPE 3906 thus endorses the following demands being made by Grassy Narrows community members: (1) Compensation for everyone in Grassy Narrows for the ongoing
mercury crisis, and (2) That the government of Canada put the full cost of building and operating a Mercury Home in Grassy Narrows into a trust so that the commitment is fulfilled regardless of who gets elected this October.

These demands will be central to River Run 2019: Walk With Grassy Narrows for Mercury Justice, wherein members of the community will be in Toronto from June 17 to 22 to lead several events and raise public awareness about their struggle for environmental justice, culminating in a large march to Queen’s Park on June 20 at noon.

CUPE 3906’s Political Action Committee will provide $300 in financial support and send a delegation of members to Toronto in order to help ensure that the River Run is a success and receives the attention it deserves. We also call on other organizations and associations like ours to do the same.

An original signed copy of the letter can be found by clicking here

CUPE 3906 Statement on Racial Profiling at Congress

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

The Executive Committee, Equity Action Committee, and Political Action Committee of CUPE Local 3906 have released the following joint statement on the recent racial profiling of Shelby McPhee of the Black Canadian Studies Association that occurred recently at Congress.

It reads, in part “We in CUPE 3906 stand in solidarity with Shelby McPhee and the BCSA in calling upon the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences to meet all four of the BCSA’s demands. We would also implore other organizations and associations like ours to voice their support of Mr. McPhee, the BCSA, and all other members of the academy who not only experience anti-Blackness on a regular basis, but also continue to do the difficult work of dismantling the structures of anti-Blackness that evidently pervade academia to this day.”

The full statement can be found by clicking here.

Unit 2 Dental Plan Opt Out Information- Spring 2019

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

If you are a Sessional Faculty Member teaching for the first time this academic year in the Spring or Summer 2019 term, this message applies to you.

New Sessional Faculty Members who are beginning their teaching for the 2018-2019 academic year in May or June 2019 are able to make changes to their CUPE 3906 dental coverage until June 30, 2019.

Please note: change of status (including family coverage enrollment and opt outs) expires for all members on August 31, 2019.  To maintain your coverage status (or opt-out) next academic year (if you are returning as a Sessional Faculty member), you must complete this change of coverage process again in September.

For more general information on dental coverage or dental change of coverage, please visit https://cupe3906.org/sessionals-unit-2/unit-2-dental-coverage/ or contact administrator@cupe3906.org.

 

Ford Government’s attack on workers’ rights

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

As you may have heard, the Ford government – on the day they announced that the legislature would recess for 5 months – introduced a draconian piece of legislation that would place a wage restraint on public sector workers, require the provincial minister to approve a new collective agreement, and restrict free collective bargaining. As we hear more, we will provide updates. Below is a message from CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn.

Ford Government’s attack on workers’ rights a continuation of their assault on the people of Ontario, says CUPE Ontario President

TORONTOJune 5, 2019 /CNW/ – Legislation tabled today at Queen’s Park that would violate public employees’ right to engage in free collective bargaining is a continuation of the Ford Government’s assault on the people of Ontario, said the Leader of the Ontario Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE Ontario).

Fred Hahn made the comments today after the Government tabled so-called ‘wage restraint’ legislation that will affect union and non-union employees this afternoon.

“Over and over again, we see the Ford Government continuing its assault on the people of Ontario. We saw it when they cancelled a scheduled increase to the minimum wage and when they stalled increases to social assistance. We saw it when they passed a budget that has resulted in devastating cutbacks to schools, universities, health care, social service agencies, libraries and a host of other services,” said Hahn.

“Now, after a sham ‘consultation’, the Ford Government is showing its hand again, targeting hardworking front line workers with legislation aimed at driving down wages, benefits and working conditions for public employees. In CUPE, our members make an average salary of $40,000 a year, and over the last decade, if there have been pay increases at all, they have not kept pace with inflation. The Government is sending a clear message to other employers that it’s open season on their employees as well,” he added.

“A government which forgoes billions in revenues, wastes hundreds of millions (and possibly another billion) more by casting aside signed contracts, which then tries to balance the books on the backs of hundreds of thousands of hard-working Ontarians while proclaiming the need for ‘wage restraint’ legislation should be considered a disgrace said Hahn.

He went on to urge every Ontarian—not just CUPE members—not to stand for a government that is indifferent to the harm they are causing to the norms and values Ontarians cherish.

“Ontarians need to make their voices heard—in their MPPs offices, in their communities, on the streets and on the grounds of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. CUPE Members will be standing shoulder to shoulder with them. If left to their own devices, Doug Ford and his government will inflict irreparable damage on this province. No one can sit this one out,” said Hahn.

CUPE’s Response to Provincial Wage Cap Legislation

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

The 3906 Unit 3 (Postdocs) bargaining team was at the bargaining table late this afternoon when we were informed of this draconian, unprecedented, and unconstitutional intrusion into the collective bargaining process.

We know that the government plans on capping wage increases at 1% for three years, but that the legislature will be put on recess beginning tomorrow. The legislation will not be passed until November. It is unclear how this will impact our bargaining and our members.

The Unit 1 (TAs) will be at the bargaining table next week.

We will keep members informed as we gather more information, and vow to fight this attack on working people. Click here for a statement from CUPE Ontario.