December 10, 2019 - The current Collective Agreement between Shaw Abbotsford and USW Local 1944 expires March 31, 2020. On November 27, 2019, Unit 60 members working under this Agreement met to begin preparations for the upcoming round of bargaining. While bargaining begins prior to the expiry of the Collective Agreement, please note that the terms of the existing agreement remain in effect for the duration of bargaining until either impasse is reached or a renewed agreement is voted upon and accepted by the membership.
At this meeting, members elected a bargaining committee to represent them. The committee will consist of James Large, Rob Wall and Keller Reeves, all three of whom have served on previous bargaining committees. They will be at the table alongside BC Regional Executive Officer Jayson Little, who also works for Shaw under the Vancouver/Richmond agreement. The committee will be supported by Local Union Representatives Steve McWhirter and Tamara Marshall and National Acting President Donna Hokiro.
As with all bargaining as a USW member, there will be much support from both the District and the Canadian National Office as needed and members can continue to expect the bargaining team to communicate with them regularly.
The Communication Action Teams (CAT) will be reaching out to each member working under this agreement in the coming weeks with a bargaining survey to make sure that the Bargaining Committee is speaking with confidence on members’ behalf. Communication and solidarity are key to achieving an improved agreement! If you are interested in becoming more active or a member of the CAT, please reach out to John Hughes.
We look forward to members’ input on the surveys as we build a bargaining package that will result in a fair and respectful Agreement for all!
In Solidarity,
USW Local 1944