Canadian Union Podcast for Employees'

January 2024 Meeting - New Executive Restructure

Waiting on the Bylaws but this is what I submitted to the Executive in March of 2023. Not sure if any of it was different. The Proposal Also if you haven't put in for the remaining of your Health and Spending Account. Do it before end of Feb. HSA H&DP 2021 12min

Health Spending Account 2023

HSA 2021 Video Every year you have to claim it to get it or you lose it. Follow the information and get back the health spending account back from the last year. You have until Feb to do this. Must be able to sign into GSC and must have your last pay advice of the fiscal year.

NEB Expansion Solution… DVP+

The only thing I would add is that The President, Treasurer, and Administrator are not from the same Province. Constitutional Resolution for the NEB and Committee/Working Groups. Be it resolved that CUPE National will be comprised of 28 National Executive Board Members. 3 of whom will handle the day-to-day workings of the labour organization, 13 Provincial/Terrtitory Orientated Regional Vice Presidents who will elect internally 6 General VP’s. These positions will be called the President...

July 2023 Update

Speed on Green and Red Light Camera Tickets are now the repsonsibility of the Employer. You can thank an arb in Edmonton for this.

March 2023 Meeting

I can say I am both extremely happy and mad at this recent meeting. You can be that when you are a member. Next meeting is the second tuesday of every month.

February 2023 Update or Lack of One

No quorum makes for a rough update. Apologies for the lack of publishing. I have been working and there just hasn't been a lot I can officially speak to. The letter of understanding on rest for 8hr in between shifts is a go. Big news since the next day would be paid for the full shift even though you may not make it with the required rest in between. Next episode we find out the new executive.

Health Spending Account 2022

Once again we have another year of time that has passed and you may not have used your health spending account. Let me know you how you can upto any amount owing with some simple yet usually forgotten methods of putting it back in your pocket. Please watch the video linked in the description. https://youtu.be/fMn92hb0V3g Or simply just search out Scott Cush on YouTube, and look for the video titled "HSA H&DP 2021 12min" Easiest 12 min of your life to get your HSA in your pocket.

October 2022 - Memorandum of Agreement

We are nearly into November and the union is still plugging away. Thanks for listening to the October 2022 update. We did not have quorum.

End of the Retirement Allowance

For those of you thinking of retirement. There are some deadlines approaching fast. Here are the rules to getting the right outcome. Employees will be eligible to receive the Retirement Allowance provided they submit their Notice of Intent to Retire and their last day of work is on or before the date of ratification of a new collective agreement. Example A: Last Day Worked by employee June 30, 2022 – employee using their outstanding vacation and Lieu time as time off until September 1,...

Local 38 ratified, Local 37 to Vote

Quick update.  Local 37 to vote sometime in July. TBA. Local 38 Ratifed. 

City of Calgary CBA - Voting About to Happen

I'm back in Local 37. CBA language is finalized, going to be voted on soon. Can't say much, but it is likely going to be good for those that are not red circled.  Probably should thank L38 for failing to acheive an monetary agreement, and choosing to go through mediated settlement. Everyone else was able to get what was mediated.

CUPE Alberta President - Rory Gill

Today I speak to how CUPE Alberta is handling Bill 32. We speak about Jason Kenny, the UCP, attacks, and the NDP. This is my first ever interview style conversation on this podcast. I got to speak to Rory Gill. President of CUPE Alberta. We go back aways when I was working on the Executive of CUPE Local 37 and when I was sitting in the CUPE Alberta Executive. Please enjoy and thanks for listening.

Day of Mourning - When a Product Fails.

While we remember the day of Mourning on April 28, 2022. I wanted to share one of the moments I realized why it is important to report product failure.

Congrats to the ALU

Want to highlight the amazing accomplishment of the ALU. Amazon Labour Union seems to have done the work, and now in the process of bargaining their first collective agreement.

CUPE 37 2022 Election Results

Another year, another election.

HSA 2021 - Getting Back Unused Health Spending Account

The Greenshield portal has changed and so too has the ways in which we can redeem last years remaining Health Spending Account. There are deadlines on this. Usually the end of Jan/Feb of the following year.  I made a video which can be found at https://youtu.be/fMn92hb0V3g or https://www.cityworker.ca 

CUPE Cast and my Brief on National Convention

Super excited to find out that there is another CUPE podcast in the ether. CUPE Cast from Ontario has three CUPE member anchors that speak on CUPE and many other things union. I really like the episode on the CLC. And of course my brief comments on CUPE National Convention.

3 Minute C18 - Pro microphone and explanation.

It is highly unlikely I will be saying this speech given where it sits on the order paper. Considering the motion to raise the minimum strike pay was referred... I'm going to say this is the only place your going to here this.  This isn't a popular motion, not even we wanted to realize this was a possible option. Given the Bill in how it is written. Unions are going to be silenced when it is proclaimed... Gonna need some way of getting people to realize just how bad this Bill is.

CUPE National Convention is going to be crazy... normal.

With only a few technical glitches and over 2000 in attendance virtually, yesterday will be the tone for tomorrow. The word of the day will be control. That can be a good thing in context. I think we may see some bonkers debate, but for the most part convention is going off without a hitch. A BC President is running unopposed. The Secretary Treasurer is a lock for Ontario. Makes me want to learn French every time I go to these.

CUPE National Convention and AB Bill 32

Resolutions are a plenty. Will Bill 32 be spoken of? Probably not, but we should talk about it before convention.

Election day in Calgary. My thoughts.

Every time we have elections as civil servants most day to day activities are independent of who sits on council. That is what I thought when I started. Now I am starting to see those who are council are very important to the vision of the City. What they decide moves its way across the corporation. Today I am not as worried as I was a week ago. Thanks to CalgarysFuture.ca, and Cross Border Interview Podcasts for showing me that being open and honest about the process is still possible. I ...

Time is running out. Vaccine or bust.

September 2021 Hello!

Big meeting this month. July, August were non-meeting months. Plus we have whatever needs to be voted in. Join the online zoom meetings. Its so easy. You just have to be a card carrying member.

Truth and Reconciliation Holiday

Hindsight is 20/20. Foresight is being able to see what might happen down the road.  Your contract watches out for you. In recent proclamations you now have a new holiday. Whether you respect the reasons for it or not. Pat your union on the back if they included language that allows for automatic enrollment in new proclaimed holidays.

Can you be terminated for not vaccinating? Yes but...

The short answer is not immediately. The median answer is probably but not because you didn't vaccinate yet.  In OHS terms if you replace Vaccinate with Ventilation it might make more sense. Mitigating risk is synonymous with identifying hazards and implementing measures. You always want to eliminate a hazard. If COVID were an atmospheric hazard we would look to ways to eliminate the source. Government OHS may just force businesses to do through the back door what the guise of medical choice...

August Hello

A little National, Provincial and Local news.

July Hello

People are coming back to work. Hello. For those of us that have had to be at work, its nice to have you back.

Day 3 of the CLC Convention

We logged in, we listened, and some participated. What did we learn? Shorter conventions should be spread over one more day. If we made it a week we would get about 10% of the business done. A hybrid of this virtual and in person would be nice going forward... voting in 60 seconds, to 12 min is acceptable and preferred. Perhaps points of order in a virtual environment could be written and submitted for consideration... Otherwise, overall good for what it was.

Day One and Two of CLC 2021 Convention

Day one and two of the CLC. I think I finally see what would happen if the traditional mic muffin were to be replaced by the question croissant. Answer... nothing. Both result in only the select few agenda items being debated.

CLC Convention - EFAP

EFAP has changed providers. Canadian Labour Congress is running an online convention. Mental health is important. If you need help, don't hesitate. Confidential help is closer than you think.

L37 2021 Election Results

Congrats. One short of a full executive.

Support your Community and Book a Fire Pit

You must sign up on the liveandplay database, but after that booking a firepit is free minus the wood that you have to bring. Keep within the rules of the pandemic protocol and enjoy the outside air. Just go to the city of Calgary website and type in "book fire" and you will see an option to sign in. Or type in "live and play if you feel you need to write more words in the search fields. Then select "Get Permit" and you will be prompted for more information. Stay safe!

Who are the redundant? Is it you, them, or me?

Redundant in a world where peoples jobs are at play is stressful at the best of times. When you are stuck at home, or waiting on more information, the mental games this can play could be large. What I do believe is that we won't be told as a group until the people who are found to be redundant, are given options either to be placed in a different role, or accept a severance, or decided to retire prior to the 2021 deadline. That confidentiality will be maintained until it must be shared wit...

Meetings are online for both 37 and 38.

Just contact the local, they will confirm your identity and send you an invite. Best way to be involved from the comfort of your own home.

National Literacy Committee 1st Meeting 2021

Question about the application of Benefits.

You can contact me at [email protected] I have looked at the contract language with Greenshield Canada for so long, I can't see the answer they have given me in documents referenced. It may be eluding me, it may not be there, it might be as plain as day. This is my submission to a process that seems to have no provable answers. If you can explain it to me with accompanying documents, please contact me. Until I go to the company benefit AGM I will be stuck at this point.

End of a Season

Thank you for a pretty good Season 3. Season 4 starts soon.

Co-insurance 100% Unless specified below.

I am looking for advice, an explanation really about what I am reading. If I am wrong and how I am wrong. It all started when something I thought should be covered wasn't. Or was it? The way I read it, everything is covered 100% unless it is specified below and isn't limited or excluded. Am I in a simple rabbit hole. If I am right, you have far more coverage than has been interpreted by your Level 2 plan. This is me speaking out my thoughts with the hope that somehow I or someone can tell ...

Transition to L38 from L37. Leaving my role as VP

I had to make a very difficult decision a couple of weeks ago. I applied for a position with L38 and I was successful. Which means I will be unable to sit on the L37 Executive.  Thank you everyone who listened to this. I will still do this but obviously there will be a slight change in how I report L37 issues. I won't be on the Executive so I will be reporting a bit differently.

Ratification of Proposals 2020

You need to come to the Ratification of Proposals... but if you can't I get it. Your a busy person with a lot on the go.  You won't get the information you need elsewhere about what the bargaining team will be trying to improve your contract. I would urge you to attend if you want to know what the survey and your team decided to press forward with. Voted approval is necessary to the next steps. October 14, 2020 at the Glenmore Inn at 6:30pm

2020 Fall Local Vocal

Newsletter is out, watch for it.

NEW S/A Guidelines around COVID-19 for Close Cohorts

Used to be if you had to stay home, you stayed home. That still exists, but what about when you are negative, or you have family or have been told a Cohort is quarantining? We have answers.

The Union Hours of Service

We are not open to walk in visitors during COVID and perhaps after COVID. We are open for appointments. Here is why.

How to Correctly Convey Your Issue to the Union

When you are in trouble, call the union hall. They are responsible for protecting and defending the membership.

2020 Ratification of Proposals

Like clockwork, it will be time to Ratify the Proposals prior to entering into Bargaining. This will be October 14, 2020 at 6:30pm at the Glenmore Inn.

Let's talk about Insubordination

There are only two avenues to refuse and order. Do you know what they are? Saying No is a big deal when it comes to following commands. Let's talk about it.

Mask Change in Practice

You may want to wear the face coverings now that the policy is in effect. It should be treated like its PPE but for regulatory reasons it will be called a face covering just short of PPE. Still important and still has valid reasons for using it.

Solutions around Bill 32

Change is hard, perhaps something positive or different can happen with the whole debacle. 

Alberta Bill 32 for Union and Non-Union Employees

My take on Bill 32. The box A is a problem for unions, averaging agreements are the problem for everyone else. Where do you start with a Bill like this? Just waiting on the regulations that make this document complete.  To be clear this podcast is not funded by my Local. It is about my Local and the factors that influence our Local may it be Provincial, Municipal, or National levels of the union movement.

Summer Meetings

We don't usually have summer meetings, but due to COVID-19 we are