Weekly Update: May 23 - May 31

Latest Grievance Resolves: A grievance was filed seeking to ensure that a particular member be granted Sundays off under the Canadian Human Rights Act on the grounds of their religious beliefs. A resolve letter was concluded whereby the company offered the member Sunday mornings off for religious purposes.

As well, steward Suzanne Amery of Calgary grieved the case of a member unable to work due to the airport being shut down and not being able to get to town, where the member wasn’t allowed to take a Pressing Personal Business day. At the grievances 1st level, the day was retroactively approved as Pressing Personal Business and the member was paid.

Another Labour Board win against Ericsson: Last November, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) certified Local 1944 as the Union of Ercisson’s 200 field technicians working on Rogers Wireless infrastructure. Since then, Ericsson has been trying to avoid bargaining a first Collective Agreement with the Union, filing an appeal in court to have the Board’s certification overturned by claiming that these workers are under provincial jurisdiction. Ericsson also filed an application to the Labour Board asking that they be allowed to delay bargaining with the Union until that court appeal is heard. Last week, the CIRB ruled that Ericsson cannot use their court appeal to delay bargaining with the Local and must now begin negotiating with us.

In Solidarity,

Michael Phillips

President

USW Local 1944