What does this mean to you?
- The employer advised you that they tried to contact the union to discuss this merger and stated that they sent a letter in December, 2009.
- The union has no knowledge of receiving this letter.
- The union was in steady discussions with the employer and its legal counsel on other matters in December, 2009 and January and February of this year. The employer’s alleged initiative to discuss the merger was never raised with our BCGEU representatives on those occasions.
- The employer’s application at the Labour Relations Board asks to have your certification cancelled and the collective agreement declared void.
- By making this request of the Labour Relations Board, the employer seeks to avoid:
- the larger group of new employees gaining the rights and privileges in your contract; and
- the continuing need to negotiate with you as a BCGEU unionized group.
- If this application succeeds, as anticipated by the employer, employees of Cantest would not have the rights and privileges of your current collective agreement and neither would you.
- The current collective agreement will remain in place until this matter is settled at the Labour Relations Board.Your collective agreement negotiated by your bargaining committee provides and protects wage increases, seniority rights, contracting out language, job security, layoff and recall rights, vacation and special leave provisions.
- You have access to procedural guarantees of fairness in discipline issues.
- You have educational opportunities, bargaining and legal resources.
- You are not alone when you have a collective agreement.
Our members at Maxxam are our priority right now.
We will keep you updated as this matter before the Labour Relations Board continues to unfold.
Should you have further questions please don’t hesitate to call me at (604) 215-1499.
In solidarity
Cheryl Prowse
BCGEU Staff Representative
