CEP MEDIA PAGES

The unusual power outage and the related toxic release that took place on April 14th, 2003 illustrates thee need for Hydro One, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Labour to conduct full investigations regarding the incident and to make the results of those investigations public.

"The community has every right to be outraged about late and incomplete information and in some cases no information at all concerning the incident and the emissions," states CEP Administrative Vice-President Bob Huget.

"The community has every right to expect that every reasonable precaution be taken and that when incidences occur accurate information is released quickly. The incident also demonstrates the need for a new more inclusive approach to community health and safety," says Huget.

The CEP calls for the creation of a new working group representing labour, industry, medical professionals, community representatives and the Ministries of Environment and Labour.

The new Community Safety groups' goals must include:

THE CEP BELIEVES IT IS TIME FOR A NEW PLAN

For further information please contact:
Bob Huget, Administrative Vice-President Ontario Region (613) 299-9839
Glenn Sonier, National Representative (519) 339-6290

Pay Equity - The Struggle Continues

The BCE Annual General Meeting will have to deal with pay equity concerns of Bell Canada's operators. The meeting, scheduled for May 28 in Montreal, will become a major rallying point for operators and their supporters, whether the employer likes it or not.

One year ago BCE CEO Michael Sabia made a commitment to sit down with CEP and "put the cards on the table." Despite CEP's willingness to meet and resolve the lopng-standing concerns of Bell's operators Bell Canada hasn't been willing to put money on the table and that is what is needed to resolve this problem fairly.

Join us on the bus May 28, bring your proxy and be prepared to let Bell and its shareholders know that throwing money at their lawyers will only delay not change the need to settle with the operators.

For further information contact Megan at mbydal@cep.ca
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Member of local 333-15 have successfully ended their strike resisting employer demands for benefit concessions. In fact, the members by taking a firm stand on this crucial issue were able to improve the benefits package in the area of both short-term and long-term disability while reducing the cost sharing formula for employees.

The Union congratulates these members for engaging in the fight to prevent employers from shifting ever greater benefit costs on to the backs of our members.

One Hundred and eighteen members of Local 1178 have been locked out by their employer, Hood Packaging since Saturday May 10, 2003. The major outstanding issue at the bargaining table is Pensions. Hood Packaging employees work in Burlington and Guelph.
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CEP continues to aggressively pursue all options to ensure that the Weyerhaeuser mill is sold to investors who are prepared to run the operation and allow it to continue to once again provide economic benefits to the community of Sturgeon Falls. The Union remains hopeful that a positive solution will be found.

At the same time as the Union is searching for a buyer, we continue to protect the plant to ensure that Weyerhaeuser cannot strip the assets and reduce the value of the mill. Members continue to picket the plant, preventing the employer from removing equipment or documents.

More than 100 members and their families enjoyed the arrival of Spring with a picnic on May 8th. Maintaining the spirits of the community is an important part of winning this battle. Employers believe that if they can drag the process out for a very long time, workers and their families will lose hope and abandon the fight. That simply will not happen in Sturgeon Falls.

The Union is also building political pressure. Ernie Eves, the unelected Premier of Ontario, who has refused to help save this mill, went North as part of his election preparation tour. His event was picketed by 20 CEP members from the mill to highlight the fact the government refuses to pay attention to issues of importance to northern communities.
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Local 87M, The Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild (SONG) was recognized by the CEP Media Council at its recent Halifax Conference for outstanding efforts in bringing new members into the Union. Over the past year, the local has successfully organized at the London Free Press and the Toronto Sun. The Free Press campaigns add 360 new members and create wall-to-wall certifications at the paper. The new members join the 70 members in the editorial department who have been in the Union for 15 years.

The Editorial unit at the Sun adds about 160 new members. It is our hope that employees in other departments at the Sun will not take as long to see the benefits of a Union and a good collective agreement and follow the editorial unit into CEP.

Both of these papers are part of the Sun Media chain, a Quebecor subsidiary.

One of the reasons these organizing campaigns were successful was they were led by employees from the bargaining units who are respected by their co-workers. This respect along with a strong commitment to improving working conditions proved to be an unbeatable combination.

Local activists Brad Honywill (L) and Wojtek Liwosz (R) join 87-M President Martin Mittelstaedt in accepting CEP's media organizing award honouring the efforts of organizing teams at the Toronto Sun and the London Free Press

CEP Members Strike to Protect Benefits

CEP members employed at Wood Wyant, a Division of Cascade are on strike to protect their benefit plans. The 120 members of Local 333-15 went out March 2, 2003 when the employer attempted to move from a fully employer paid benefit plan to one which not only includes co-payments but also imposed serious caps on the maximum benefit payable to employees. Wood Wyant manufactures industrial toilet paper and hand towels.

One of the key reasons employers and employees are seeing skyrocketing benefit costs is the decision of Brian Mulrooney's government to extend patent protection for pharmaceutical companies, thereby delaying the introduction of generic drugs. The costs of the brand name products far outstrip that of the generics. These increased costs are paid by the insurance companies who then pass them on to our employers and to us.

Because the under funding of Medicare by all levels of governments is a continuing problem, there will be further shifts of services and their related costs to our extended health programmes.

Our brothers and sisters at local 333-15 are some of the first CEP members who have taken on the challenge of this battle.

They will welcome your messages of support that can be sent to: <cep333@sympatico.ca>
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Sturgeon Falls - The Struggle Continues

A picket line has been up in front of the Weyerhaeuser Mill in Sturgeon Falls since February 1, 2003. CEP members are making sure that the assets of the mill are not stripped away and sold off piece meal.

In spite of promises that it would cooperate with efforts to sell the mill and keep the jobs in the community, Weyerhaeuser has done everything but cooperate. One potential buyer has submitted a formal letter of intent but Weyerhaeuser is refusing to allow the potential buyer to conduct a normal due diligence investigation by demanding they first indicate the price they are willing to pay. This creates a classic "Catch 22" situation - it is impossible to make a realistic offer until you have examined the books and evaluated the assets and you are not allowed to do the evaluations until after you have made the offer. Nobody who is serious about selling does business this way.

CEP continues to explore all possible avenues to bring this situation to a successful conclusion. We have met with the town Council and other community organizations in an attempt to create a coordinating committee to respond to Weyerhaeuser. In addition CEP representatives along with the OFL have met with representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources, seeking their assistance in setting up meetings with the Company.
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Members Choose to stay with CEP

Members of local 1999 employed at Bartley Services (a subsidiary of Union Energy) have chosen overwhelmingly to remain members of CEP, rejecting an attempted raid by the United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters (UA).

The members of this unit work in the London/Woodstock area providing contract commercial maintenance services.

CEP has filed charges under the CLC constitution against the UA and we intend to pursue those charges vigorously.
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Odds are increasing that Ontario voters will be going to the polls in a Provincial election this Spring.

CEP recognizes that protections won at the bargaining table can easily be taken away by Legislatures. For this reason CEP has been active in supporting the New Democratic Party as a voice for workers in the country's parliaments and legislatures.

Two CEP members have been nominated as NDP candidates in the coming election.

Glenn Sonier, an Ontario National Representative is the candidate in Sarnia Lambton and Ken Cole, President of Local 333 is running in Mississauga South.

You can help by participating in the Victory Fund. Click here.

Sporting News -- Sportsnet Contract Ratified and TSN to be certified

Members of Local 79M ended more than one year of struggle when they ratified a first collective agreement at Rogers' Sportsnet in February 2003. Sportsnet was formerly owned by CTV and employees were seconded by CTV to work on Sportsnet programming. While these employees were members of local 79M and were paid in accordance with the collective agreement, they were not employees of Sportsnet.

This created a problem when the CRTC ordered CTV and its parent Bell Globemedia to sell Sportsnet after they had purchased TSN. Because the workers were not employees the Union could not claim successor rights. The employer offered individual employment contracts to employees and also offered them a $0.50 per hour "union-free" bonus.

Organizing began in November 2001 with a certification from the CIRB coming in March 2002. After challenges from the employer were dealt with and bargaining finally got underway the Union was able to negotiate a collective agreement that meets general industry standards.
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When Bell Globemedia purchased TSN Local 79M filed an application to the CIRB under a number of sections of the Canada Labour Code claiming that CTV and TSN were a common employer. The local sought to have the recognition clause in its CTV collective agreement revised to reflect the jurisdiction of the Union over TSN.

But not wanting to limit their options, the local also began signing cards at TSN. In February of 2002 the local had obtained a majority of signed cards from employees and filed an application for certification. At the same time the CIRB was considering whether or not to declare CTV and TSN common employers.

The Board has ruled that the Union has valid cards and will be certified but has given the parties an opportunity to work out their differences before it rules on the other issues before it.

The Union expects that those discussion to be concluded in the near future.
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