"Dark Clouds" Loom on an Otherwise Sunny Labour Day Picnic

Members of the CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) Local 241 couldn't enjoy their Labour Day as much as they would have liked, for they're concerned that some members might be looking at their last Labour Day as employees of the City of Guelph.

CUPE Issues Swipe at U of G 48 Hours Before Deadine

If the students of the University of Guelph thought they dodged a labour disruption bullet a few weeks ago, it looks like their "March break" will be a forced break from routine if the university's trades and maintenance hit the picket lines. And 48 hours out from the deadline, thinks are looking bleak for a last minute deal.

GUELPH POLITICAST #70 - Manuel Marques, Grievance Co-ordinator, CUPE 3913

Last weekend, the Canadian Union of Public Employees successfully negotiated an agreement with the University of Guelph and avoided a strike or lockout by the university's 2,500 teaching assistants and sessional lecturers. Not bad, right? Classes keep going, studies aren't interrupted and everybody's happy! Well, not everyone. 

3913 Rebuttal: Negotiations About Giving Power Back to Members Says Union Prez

Following up on today's new Guelph Politicast, I talked to the Canadian Union of Public Employees local 3913 about the negotiations with CUPE 1281 from their point of view, and what they're goals are so far as the difficulties in reaching an agreement.

GUELPH POLITICAST #69 - Laura Maclure of CUPE on Precarious Work

 

Earlier this month, when the Canadian job numbers for January were released, there was a lot of congratulating from all levels of government about the unexpected increase in the number of private sector jobs created in the first month of 2017. In all 48,000 people got new jobs, but what wasn't discussed as much was that less than a third of them got good paying full-time work, and this has been a trend for a long time now.

U of G: One Strike Averted, Another Pending

All signs pointed to dicey first day back from Reading Week for the students at the University of Guelph, but a deal was struck last night to keep teaching assistants and sessionals working on through the rest of the semester.

Top 10 Guelph Political Stories of 2016

It's that time of year for lists, a glorious time for ranking and evaluation people, places and things that happened in 2016, and Guelph Politico is no exception to the trend. So submitted for your approval below are the Top 10 Political Stories of the Year. Share. Discuss. Dissent. It's all good. 

City Council Ratifies CUPE Deal; Full Details Still Not Known

Monday night, city council ratified the new contract between the City of Guelph and three Canadian Union of Public Employees locals that was reached on April 3. The motion was passed unanimously with all councillors and the mayor voting in favour, but they know what's in the deal. We, among the general public, still do not.

City Reaches Agreement with CUPE Unions

Despite the issuance of a "no board" report a little over a week ago, and the inference that there may have been issues in reaching a deal between the City and three key CUPE locals, it seems that a four-day weekend of negotiations has wiped away all concerns. Tonight, as city plows hit the roads to deal with an early spring winter storm, the people of Guelph are assured that there will be no lockout of, or strike by its office employees, outside workers and librarians.

CUPE Negotiations with the City Hit a Snag

A quick but ominous press release was fired off from City Hall late today saying that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) locals 241, 973 and 1946 have requested a "no board" report be filed with the Ontario Labour Relations Board. It means that the parties involved are basically not close to making a deal, but more ominously, it starts a three week countdown to potential job action.

OPEN SOURCES GUELPH BEAT #1 - CUPE and Affordable Housing

Do you like Open Sources Guelph, but hate when we talk about issues going on in places other than Guelph? Good news, we have a brand new podcast that takes the Guelph segments from Open Sources, and spins them off in a convenient half-hour dish called Open Sources Guelph Beat. (I know, what an original title!)

This Week in Press Releases - January 23-29, 2016

Every week, the City of Guelph and other groups send out notices to announce new events, imperatives, and information that you need to know. Here is this week in press releases.

CUPE 1334 Marks Day of Mourning for Workers

Wednesday is Canada's National Day of Mourning for workers who have suffered workplace injury, illness and death. To commorate the day, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1334 offers this press release and the event it discusses to help Guelphites mark the occassion.

Day Of Mourning will emphasize criminal code provisions for worker deaths.

Guelph — On April 28, workers, their families, labour leaders and others in Guelph will gather to demand improvements to workplace health and safety laws and better enforcement of existing laws. This includes enforcement of Criminal Code provisions regarding workers killed on the
job.

Bill C-45 amended Canada’s Criminal Code in 2004. It created requirements that hold organizations and individuals within the organization criminally liable for death or bodily harm caused at work. Specifically, Section 217.1 of the Code establishes a legal duty for persons directing the work of others to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of workers and the
public.

To date, one company has been convicted under these provisions. The first C-45 charge in Ontario proceeded to court on March 22, 2010. Millennium Crane Rentals of Sault Ste. Marie was charged with criminal negligence causing the death of a worker. A criminal investigation into the December 24, 2009 construction incident that killed four workers and shattered the
legs and spine of a fifth worker is now underway.

According to Workplace Safety & Insurance Board statistics, last year the families of 488 workers filed death claims and more than 317,000 workers filed occupational injury and disease claims. The outcomes of countless other workplace incidents and exposures go unreported, especially occupational disease claims.

In 1984, the Canadian Labour Congress, and its affiliated unions, established April 28th as the day to honour workers killed, injured or made ill. Today the day is recognized in more than 100 countries. Day of Mourning events will take place in more than 40 Ontario communities and
many more workplaces.

Local Event Information

Event Host: Guelph and District Labour Council
Location: Goldie Mill Park
Date: Wednesday April 28th, 2010
Time: 5.00pm
Speakers: Mayor Karen Farbridge, Blain Morin CUPE OHSC, Janice Folk Dawson CUPE 1334, The Gurley Flynns