Strikes continue in Windsor and Toronto against GreenShield

Three weeks on the picket line: Strikes continue in Windsor and Toronto against GreenShield

Published 

About 580 members of Unifor local 240 and 20 members with local 673 have been on strike since March 1, when their contract expired with GreenShield Canada.

President Jodi Nesbitt says the biggest “sticking point” has been job security, “making sure that we continue that work here in Windsor and within GreenShield Canada not-for-profit.”

Nesbitt says just 20 of the employees work at the office in Toronto with the rest working at the office on Anchor Drive. Unifor represents IT specialists, customer service reps, client administrators and claims adjustors.

“We have people on the picket line that are continually helping people get their claims processed,” Nesbitt tells CTV News. “We’re not processing it for them, but we are giving them the information they need because we do care about our customers.”

Nesbitt says the community support for her members has been “phenomenal” as striking workers appreciate the honks they can hear from motorists on E.C. Row Expressway.

“People understand that we are on strike and we are fighting for job security. We are not out there for anything but job security,” says Nesbitt. “It resonates with people. Job security is on the forefront of many workers minds. “

CTV News has not received a response to a request for comment from GreenShield.

MARCH 21 Elections Forum and CUPE-O Convention Candidates Elections

At the March 14 GMM a number of candidates were nominated for all executive positions of the local, for one trustee position, for delegates to labour councils, and for Bargaining Research Committee.

This Thursday, March 21,  you can hear from the candidates at the Elections Forum held at 4 PM, both in-person and on Zoom.

Elections of members nominated to be delegates to the annual CUPE Ontario Convention, starts at 3 pm, an hour before the Forum,  only in-person.

Please register for attending either of these meetings here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrc-murD4sGtOZF9FG8EBEfN6w9lNrBxE2

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing additional information about joining the meeting via Zoom and the location for in-person attendance.

 

 

Solidarity Rally for UNIT 4 Clinical Nursing Instructors

Our local is holding a rally for Clinical Nursing Instructors on April 4th at 9 – 11 am in the International Centre (GLB).

The CNIs are our newly minted Unit 4. They came to an impasse in negotiating their very first collective agreement.

Unit 1 and 2/3 are helping prepare for a labour action should the conciliation yield no fairness in contract language regarding wages. The responsible approach for Brock would be to pay the CNIs adequately to avoid high turnover. This is benefiting neither the workers nor the students.
The Clinical Nursing Instructors are doing the job of registered nurses in patient care but with the additional responsibility of supervising and teaching a student whose practical and theoretical education they facilitate, grade and provide feedback for. The provisions in their collective agreement must reflect this hard work!

 

 

Unions request remedy for Bill 124

The five labour unions that represent most workers at Brock sent a letter to the President, Lesley Rigg, demanding a remedy response to the recent repeal of Bill 124. The bill, enacted in November 2019, restricted public sector workers’ wages to 1% increase a year for three years. Education labour unions challenged the constitutionality of the wage restraint that was then ruled unconstitutional by both Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Appeal, and repealed by the Ontario government in February 2024. The courts ruled Bill 124 infringed on the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining (section 2d of the Charter).

 

CUPE 4207 in Solidarity with CUPE 911 Workers!

CUPE 911 has over 400 members who include Paramedics and Dispatchers.  They are heading into bargaining and they’re calling for better working conditions to better confront the recruitment and retention crisis. They’re seriously understaffed and can’t retain or recruit people.

Locals from across the region came to offer support and rally with Paramedics and Dispatchers from CUPE 911 at White Oaks this morning. Jeff Burch gave a short speech and offered support. It was a chilly and windy morning, but great to see all the support at the rally and from all the cars and trucks driving by!

Group Photo with CUPE 911 and support from other Locals

Jeff Burch, MPP – Offering support to CUPE 911 Workers

CUPE 4207 Supporting CUPE 911- Phil Wachel (President) & Tracy Kennedy (VP Unit 1 Instructors)

CUPE 4156 (DSBN Support Workers) President Sandi Unwin & CUPE 4207 President Phil Wachel

 

OPIRG-Brock & CUPE 4207 Assessment Update

Dear CUPE 4207 Member,

Your Executive Committee would like to provide you with an update regarding a recent change to the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG-Brock) and CUPE 4207 Assessment.

The CUPE 4207-OPIRG Brock Assessment Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a document signed by both CUPE 4207 and OPIRG Brock. At the March 2020 General Membership Meeting, the membership voted to collect an assessment of 0.25% from all CUPE 4207 member wages, which would be sent to OPIRG Brock directly each month.

CUPE 4207 members pay 2.5% in union dues, which include 0.85% to CUPE National and 0.04% to CUPE Ontario. The 0.25% CUPE 4207-OPIRG Brock MOU assessment was bundled in with CUPE 4207 Union dues to total a 2.75% deduction on member’s biweekly pay.

In the Spring of 2023, the Executive Committee discussed some queries from CUPE 4207 members about the assessment (for example: what it was, how the funds were being used, what social advocacy groups were being funded by the assessment, if charitable tax documents would be supplied, and whether they could opt out). The Executive Committee felt they had a responsibility to answer member questions and address any concerns that members brought forward.

A letter to OPIRG-Brock was sent in August of 2023 by CUPE 4207 to notify them that changes to the assessment might happen. An ad-hoc committee was struck at the September General Membership Meeting to discuss the relationship between CUPE 4207 and OPIRG-Brock and how to move forward. The ad-hoc committee prepared a report and submitted it to the membership in January of 2024 for review and it was accepted. At the same January 2024 General Membership Meeting, there was a motion to eliminate the OPIRG-Brock Assessment on March 31st, 2024. The motion was voted on by members; the motion passed to end the CUPE 4207 and OPIRG-Brock assessment of 0.25%.

Following the vote, the Executive Committee informed Brock University’s Payroll department to make the necessary deduction adjustment from 2.75% to 2.5% beginning April 1st, 2024. The Payroll department indicated that April 7th was the easiest time to make the change in their system. As 4207 members are paid with a one week lag, April 29th will be the first payroll to reflect the 2.5% deduction.

The Executive Committee will continue to work with OPIRG-Brock. The working relationship is not ending, just changing, and we will be meeting with OPIRG-Brock in the coming weeks. The Local is still very committed to supporting social activism and advocacy initiatives in our community, and will do so on a project-by-project basis or as the need arises.

For those of you who wish to donate to OPIRG directly, please contact OPIRG-Brock and they will help facilitate this. Here is the link to their website for more information:  https://www.opirgbrock.com/

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@cupe4207.org .

In Solidarity,

Your Executive Committee

CUPE 4207

Reminder – General Membership & Nominations Meeting Tomorrow!

 

General Membership & Nominations Meeting

Thursday, March 14th at 4pm – Hybrid: In person & on Zoom

On the agenda:

  • Unit 4 Bargaining Updates
  • Nominations for all Executive Committee Positions 
  • Election of three Returning Officers to conduct Elections
  • Election of CUPE Ontario Convention delegates

To attend in person or online, please register in advance by clicking the link below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing additional information about joining the meeting via Zoom and/or the location for in-person attendance.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAod-2grjIuG9AJDowhW-jz5i-zgml5ylbk

*Gentle Reminder: Being a Member in Good Standing gives you a say in how your union is run, and allows you to participate in events, elections, committees and more. Members in good standing can also run for elected union positions and are eligible to serve as delegates to union events, conventions, training, and conferences. This is a requirement as per the CUPE National Constitution.

If you are not a Member in Good Standing yet, please fill out the MGS form by March 14 in order to be eligible to vote. This is a hard deadline.

Click here to learn more and fill out your form if you haven’t already.  You can fill, print, scan, and email – or fill, print, take photo, and email. All completed forms are sent to info@cupe4207.org.

The full voting process will be explained by the elected Returning Officers at the March 21 Elections Forum GMM.

 

CUPE joins the world in celebrating International Women’s Day

Today and every day, CUPE celebrates women’s union activism.

CUPE women have always been at the forefront of the fight for gender justice. At the bargaining table, through political action and on the picket lines, women are showing leadership and building solidarity. We are using our collective power to fight for stronger public services, fair wages, and better working conditions.

Women are still far more likely to be subjected to violence and harassment, especially if they are also young, persons with disabilities, Black, Indigenous or trans. CUPE women are working to end gender-based violence in all its forms – at work, at home, and in our own union.

As we fight for women’s rights, we recognize that all struggles for human rights are interconnected. Solidarity is a powerful tool, and we unite with women across the globe demanding peace and a more just world.

To achieve justice for all women, we must dismantle all forms of oppression that women face including racism, transphobia, ableism, homophobia, and colonization.

This International Women’s Day, CUPE urges members to:

Take action:

  • Take the pledge to build a safer and more inclusive union
  • Take steps to implement CUPE’s Anti-Racism Strategy in your local.
  • Share Momentum’s #Act4QueerSafety campaign and tell the federal government to protect trans kids.

Check out: