A Year of Challenge

This past year has been a year of radical changes for the members of Local 592. Some very tough decisions had to be made and the membership decided to go down a new path to help ensure a future for our local and a secure future for this mill. Some people had to set aside some very basic union principles (including myself) in order to accept the changes needed for our survival, and yet other people have maintained those principles and unfortunately will do what ever it takes to make this agreement fail. I honestly admire and respect their loyalty to their principles but I just can’t understand why they would want this operation to fail and take the entire membership down with them. I too have principles and one of them is “to do what ever it takes for the benefit and welfare of the entire membership of this local”. I know when I say that, some of our laid off people are saying “what about us”? Those people are still living in a world of uncertainty with no clear vision of the future. Over the last few years we have tried to do everything possible for these people by providing some clarity on what their future at this mill may look like. This local negotiated an early retirement offer, an enhanced severance offer, and reluctantly accepted the 5 shift schedule in order to provide full time employment for some of our junior people. Unfortunately some of these people have, in the past, declined ordinary severance offers, job elimination severance offers and, most recently, enhanced severance offers and gambled on the possibility of steady employment. Unfortunately there were no guarantees of employment below the lay-off line. Every one in this local was well aware of the seniority needed to maintain full time employment after May 1st when we ratified the agreement last February. The facts are that these lay-offs would have happened at any rate regardless of the new agreement. Also the depth of these lay-offs would have been far deeper than January 1984. We would be trying to survive as a one machine operation and would probably be down by now. So perhaps one should think of all the people that could be adversely affected by adhering to one’s deep rooted principles.

Since May 1st we have had to adjust to new ways of training and how we relieve for manning shortages. Both are very contentious issues and are constantly being challenged by all concerned. The Wage Delegates meet every Wednesday with local management as well as Brian Johnson to discuss any new or outstanding issues resulting from the agreement. “Training” and “running lean” are usually on the agenda at these meetings and trying to find the ways and means to provide meaningful training and adequate relief for manning shortages in a cost effective manner is a challenge. After all, this whole exercise is about labour costs. We could choose to ignore the concerns of labour costs and just demand that we do things like we did in the past but I believe that the result would be no jobs to train for and no one left to relieve. We will continue to address concerns about training and relieving until we can come to a common sense resolve that meets everyone’s needs.

As every one is aware we are bound by this agreement for the next 5 years. We could put some effort into making this work or we can throw up roadblocks at every turn with the chance of losing everything. It’s your choice.

The remainder of the Catalyst locals are now in bargaining and I hope I speak for all in giving them all the support we can in order for them to achieve the industry pattern agreement. We are attending these negotiations as observers only and are bound by the protocol agreement of an information blackout. Details of these negotiations will not be made known to the general memberships until after a tentative agreement is reached. The pattern agreement will be implemented for Local 592 once the remainder of the Catalyst locals have ratified their respective agreements.

As I stated at the beginning of this article it been a very difficult year for everyone with numerous challenges that we all had to overcome. The next few years will be equally challenging with more contentious issues that we will all have to deal with. November is rapidly approaching and with that are the elections for the executive board for 2009. Now is the time to start contemplating what direction you think this local should take, considering the year we have just gone through. Now is also the time to consider running for a position on the Executive if you want to make a difference. I personally have not made a decision on my future but having said that, I’m not a quitter. I will consider my options over the next several weeks.

Please try and make every effort to come out for the October General Meeting and be a part of the decision making process of this local. As I have said before this union is what you make it, so take part.

Pete Rayburn

CEP Local 592 and Catalyst Agree on Pattern Agreement

All Members CEP Local 592,

An understanding was reached earlier today after a meeting with Steve Boniferro (Senior VP HR), Local 592 Wage Delegates, Local 686 Wage Delegates and Management Representatives over the implementation of the "me too" clause in our A4 Start-up Agreement. Both locals will receive the industry pattern agreement after the ratification of agreements by the remaining Catalyst Locals. The Letter of Understanding is contained in an email sent to all 592 Members with a Catalyst email account. If you don't have a Catalyst email account then please ask your work mate for a copy.

Pete Rayburn

Meeting Dates, Agenda and Forward Look

Things are usually pretty quiet in the summer and not much seem to be happening so it's been awhile since there have been any posts on this site. The president is on holidays and there hasn't been any new news that I'm aware of apart from the continued acceptance of the pattern bargain by other companies.

I hope you have all had a great summer. The weather has been better than last year but it has still been running hot and cold, literally!

September is quickly upon us and with that comes the resumption of meetings. The meeting dates for September are:


SHOP STEWARDS: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 7:00 PM
(Note Change of Day)

EXECUTIVE: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 6:00 PM

GENERAL: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 7:00 PM

I am about to commence my 22 days off (starting tomorrow) and I will be out of town and absent from the September meetings. I have done up an agenda, however any potential Executive Recommendations are not on it because the Executive meeting for September has not yet occurred. The agenda can be found here.

The final item today concerns the Forward Look. It is unlikely that I will be anywhere near internet access the week the Forward Look normally comes out so I am going to suggest to the President that he post any submitted articles directly to this blog. We should be back to normal for October (whatever normal is anymore).

For those of you seeing your children back to school soon, I hope that goes well for you and for them. And, for all my "C" crew compatriots, enjoy your holidays. I know I will.

In solidarity,

Tim

Catalyst Bargain Re-scheduled

Due to some scheduling conflicts and previous commitments the Catalyst bargain is now tentatively set to commence Sept. 22nd.

Pete

Catalyst Locals To Negotiate In Early September

At the Presidents Council in Powell River last Thursday, the Catalyst locals decided to start negotiations on the 2008 industry pattern agreement in early September. The locals will meet on Sept. 8th to deal with any local items that are common to all the locals. They have also set Sept. 9th as a possible date to exchange agendas with Catalyst management. Hopefully discussions will commence on the 10th any carry on until an agreement or an impasse is reached.

Pete Rayburn

Pattern Agreement

To All Members of Local 592

The latest concern going around the mill is about the interpretation of the “me too” clause in the A4 Start-up Agreement. Local 592 Wage Delegates are maintaining that the “me too” clause to the 2008 Main Wage Agreement refers to the “pattern agreement” as negotiated by the Western Region Caucus. The pattern for the 2008 bargain is now in place with the Canfor locals ratifying the Memorandum of Agreement.

John Young and myself met with the Local 686 Executive to confirm a common understanding and that we will expect nothing less than the “pattern”. The Wage Delegates will meet with the company as soon as possible to discuss this issue.

Pete Rayburn
President CEP Local 592
Catalyst Paper
Port Alberni BC

Canfor Bargain

Pete asked me to post the Canfor Bargain. You can find it by clicking here. It is a 5mb pdf file.

(I have removed a couple of updates on this post wherein I made some personal opinion statements that should not have been done on this public blog. I apologize for this lapse in personal judgment.)

In solidarity,

Tim