Friends and comrades,

 

In this week's Dispatch, we will be covering the most recent negotiations update, the September GMM, the August National Day of Action, some educational opportunities, as well as the opening of voting for the Front Yards in Bloom finalists.

 

Solidarity,

 

Kyle Turner, Communications Officer

 

According to the latest bulletin from National, a conciliator has been appointed as of Tuesday, August 13th. This follows CUPW filing a Notice of Dispute with the Federal Minister of Labour on August 2nd.

 

This conciliation period will last 60 days, but it can be extended if both parties agree. Following this if no agreement is reached, there is a 21-day cooling off period before the right to strike or lockout is acquired. At this point in time, the earliest we could expect to have the right to strike is November 3rd.

 

Details for strike votes will be announced in the coming days. To read the full bulletin, click HERE.

 

To be prepared for a potential strike, we will need picket captains. If you are interested in being a strike captain, please get in touch with the Local office at union@cupwedm.net.

This is mostly a reminder, but our September GMM will be happening in-person only at 10 am at Rundle Family Centre in Rundle Park (2909 113 Ave). This will be followed by a family-friendly strike preparation event and a town hall meeting, with the latest negotiations updates, strike plans, and time to ask questions and give feedback.

 

The next National Day of Action is scheduled for August 29th. The theme for this one is protecting our benefits. For an explanation of traditional benefits and what the employer is proposing with flex benefits, see this past negotiations update HERE.

 

If you are interested in becoming more involved with the Building Worker Power program, please get in touch with our regional organizer James Ball at jball@cupw-sttp.org.

We have two education updates. First, Regional has just announced that there will be a 5-day Turtle Island course this Fall in Whistler, BC. For more information and to apply, see our website post HERE.

 

Second, the Local education schedule has now been posted on the website. If you're interested in seeing what courses are coming up, click HERE.

Voting is now open for Front Yards in Bloom, which means you can vote for your favourites in each category. You can check out the finalists and cast your votes HERE.

• Upcoming Educationals: Applications are currently being accepted for the EDLC Annual Fall School and a Prairie & Pacific Regional 5-day course. For more information, click HERE.
• Elks Labour Day Rematch: The Local has purchased 20 tickets for this EDLC-endorsed match. For more information and to inquire about tickets, see the prior Dispatch HERE. Deadline to get your name in for these tickets is September 4th.
• Women's Committee Equinox: For more information about the Women's Committee Equinox, click HERE. Deadline to apply is August 15th.
• Women's Committee Workplace Harassment Survey: To take part in the workplace harassment survey, please click HERE. This survey is open to all members.
• Disability Supports: To access the Disability Supports portal, which provides a list of programs and services in your community, click HERE.