FORT MCMURRAY – The union representing 46 locked out employees of Wood Buffalo Housing (WBH) says the employer is still refusing to engage in serious discussion to end the lockout, despite finally agreeing to meet face to face.

CUPE 1505 President Judy Collier said her union met with WBH today at the request of the company, but they wouldn’t engage in meaningful bargaining.

The employees have been locked out since May 10^th in a dispute over the future of 26 positions WBH wants to contract to fly-by-night operators. Until today, Wood Buffalo has refused to engage in negotiations to end the dispute.

“Wood Buffalo Housing is clearly intent on damaging our community by replacing family supporting jobs with fly-by-night contractors,” said Collier. “Residents of the WBH properties are already seeing a dramatic drop in the level of service and care of their homes.”

Collier said CUPE went to the bargaining table to discuss the employer’s financial situation and find ways to avoid eliminating positions but said the Employer will still not consider keeping all 26 CUPE members and wants the right to replace additional CUPE members with contractor as the positions become vacant.

Wood Buffalo Housing wants more and more non-unionized, fly-by-night contractors. This hurts our members and it hurts our community.”

Negotiations have broken off but CUPE says it will return to the table anytime if WBH is willing to talk seriously about saving unionized positions and preserving the level of care and service to the community.

GRANDE PRAIRIE – News that the Disabled Transportation Society (DTS) will be limited to only essential services as early as Friday and may completely close in June is alarming to the union representing DTS drivers.

CUPE 787 President Randy Wald said that while he is concerned for his members, the bigger concern is for the disabled residents who depend on the service.

“Disabled residents of Grande Prairie depend upon this service to get around,” said Wald. “If the service is lost, the disabled will become trapped in their own homes, limiting their ability to participate in Grande Prairie’s active community.”

Wald believes the cancellation is a direct result of City neglect, pointing to a recent budget cut that left DTS without enough funds to operate. CUPE is calling on the City to either bring the service in house or increase funding to the operator immediately.

“The City needs to step up and make sure the disabled community don’t get left behind.”

CUPE pledges further campaign tactics to follow

FORT MCMURRAY – Stand for Wood Buffalo.

That’s the theme of an advertising campaign launched today by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in support of locked out employees of Wood Buffalo Housing.

The 46 employees were locked out by the housing corporation last night. The corporation wants to replace the employees with fly-by-night contractors who pay minimum wage.

CUPE Local 1505 President Judy Collier said the aim of the advertising campaign is to warn the public about the impact of trading good jobs for poor services.

“If we let Wood Buffalo Housing use whatever fly-by-night contractor they can find from Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto or elsewhere, we will see our properties fall into disrepair and disrepute,” said Collier. “These employees are standing up for Wood Buffalo and for tenants, because somebody has to.”

Collier said the advertising campaign will continue until the employer settles the dispute. She said the current radio ad is only the beginning, and more advertising and other tactics will follow very soon.

The radio ad will run on 93.3 Country, 97.9 Rock, Cruz FM and Mix 103.7.

You can download and listen to the radio ad here.

FORT MCMURRAY – Wood Buffalo Housing (WBH) served its 49 employees lock out notice today, meaning that as of Friday at 4:30 pm, employees will be forced to hit the picket lines.

CUPE Local 1505 President Judy Collier said her members do not want to stop serving residents and the community, but the WBH is forcing their hands.

“Wood Buffalo Housing wants to lay off groundskeepers, maintenance staff, and housekeepers and replace them with minimum wage contractors without benefits,” said Collier. “Not only will that not save money, it will result in poorly maintained properties. And nobody is better off with that.”

“This is not about wages. This is about our members wanting to do what they were hired to do – take care of residents and their homes.”

Collier said CUPE knows from past experience that contracting out doesn’t actually save any money, as most of the lost wages are still paid to the contractor.

“It’s better to just pay staff a living wage and get better service for it.”

Collier says her members are ready to stand up for residents, even if it means getting locked out by their employer.

“If WBH wants to save money, they can and should work with their employees to find efficiencies,” said Collier. “That’s how you build a strong company, and how you serve your residents best.”

“Someone has to stand up for our community here, because WBH sure isn’t.”

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Contact:
Lou Arab, Communications Representative
780.271.2722

CUPE has filed an application at the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to represent flight attendants at WestJet Encore.

A majority of WestJet Encore flight attendants have signed cards supporting unionization with CUPE, after citing the need for better schedules and better opportunities for career advancement among their reasons for seeking to unionize. CUPE is thrilled to get to work improving the lives of Encore staff.

“CUPE has industry-leading experience and expertise in improving the working conditions and the lives of our flight attendant members,” said CUPE National President Mark Hancock. “We look forward to adding Encore flight attendants to our airline family.”

Flight attendants have a tough job ensuring the safety of their passengers at 20,000 feet, along with challenging working conditions and often unpredictable schedules. But being part of a union makes a world of difference, as flight attendants at WestJet mainline can already attest. “Most definitely, my life is a lot better after joining CUPE,” said Kruti Sutaria,  who is now the Secretary-Treasurer of CUPE Local 4070, representing WestJet mainline flight attendants.

In July 2018, CUPE was certified to represent roughly 3,000 flight attendants at WestJet’s mainline carrier. CUPE is Canada’s flight attendant union, representing 15,000 flight attendants at ten different airlines nationwide.

CUPE’S National Health and Safety Committee first proposed the creation of a national Day of Mourning in 1984.

That idea came to fruition in 1991 when the federal government passed legislation to establish April 28^th as the Day of Mourning. It has grown internationally as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and is recognized in more than 120 countries around the world.

When they envisioned the day, the members of the committee wanted to remember lives lost in the workplace. But there was a broader point. The day was also supposed to remind all workers that we need to fight for the living and inspire us to prevent further tragedies.

On each Day of Mourning, CUPE honours the members who died on the job.