Tuesday 27 February 2007

Company Talks Update

Just to let you know what's happening, the Wage Delegates met yesterday to discuss a number of issues. We met today with the company for a couple of hours to get some additional information. The plan is to put together something to present to the company and we will be working on this tomorrow. I don't know when we will meet with the company again but we are trying to put together a trip to Crofton to see how some of the things work there since they are always held up as the model in this company.

Talks are still relatively friendly compared to where they went last fall but there are concerns about how this all works. Management needs value to present to Vancouver who will then need to take it to the board. Packages cost money and that only comes with board approval.

It is a difficult position to be in but we will try to find a deal that we can present to the membership for consideration.

I also just wanted to make a brief statement on some of the comments flying around on this From the President post. It is good to see opinions expressed with, mostly, a respectful nature. One commenter spoke about main wage items in respect to department seniority. Just to clarify, department seniority is a local agreement and not main wage. Main wage only addresses seniority, period. Department seniority is done differently in different locals.

It is no secret that the company wants some language changes in the back of the book regarding the application of department seniority. It is a topic that generates some heat just within the 4 wage delegates so it is not an easy issue by any means. While it is being looked at very carefully, I can assure you that nothing will be undertaken lightly and nothing is easy and great care and attention is being paid to this issue.

I will try to keep you updated but nothing much except work will be occurring in the next few days.

In solidarity,

Tim

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