Holidays Mean Family,
Stories and Good Company, December 2007
Whatever holidays you celebrate, and at whatever time of year you
celebrate them, holidays are times when we gather together with the people we think of
family. We eat, laugh, tell old stories and plan new ones.
At this time of the year, many of us are caught up in
plans with our children, spouses, friends and extended family, intent on making a
holiday for the people we live with and love.
Whatever the season means to you at home, I hope that at
work you will also give part of your attention to bringing a renewed sense of holiday, a
new feeling of "union" to our workplace.
The things that bind our families together are very
similar to the things that make us a good local and a good union. We have our war stories
to tell each other: The times we pulled together to make success out of failure; the times
we failed and learned; the times we fought and made up; our plans for the future; our bond
to each other.
I want you to know that my own sense of commitment to you
comes from seeing you pull together, brave storms and celebrate successes. I hope you
enjoy the same sense of "union" with each other, and I hope you all take the
time to celebrate our local and union as this year comes to an end.
Thanks to you for your hard work. Thank you for being part
of our "union." Please accept my warmest holiday greetings to you and your
family.
Lois L. Scott
President
New OPSEU President
Classification Grievances
Ontario Provincial Election, October, 2007
Collective Bargaining
Strike?
These issues and more are facing our membership in the near future. What will be their
ramifications on each of us? How will they affect our jobs, our job security, our working
conditions, our livelihoods?
We don't have any answers yet, but I plan to pursue each
and every one of these issues and how they will affect each of us.
This website will be your source of information to
keep informed on these issues and more. My goal is to keep every one of you as
informed as possible about anything that presents itself to us.
I sincerely encourage your feedback, your comments and
concerns to myself or any of the stewards. All of our names are posted on the front page
of this site and you can call or email any of us at any time. If we don't know the answer
for you, we will find out the answer - that's my promise to you.
As this year unfolds, it foretells a year of change for
all of us - good/bad, we don't know yet, but we plan to be proactive in the pursuit of
what we need to best equip ourselves for anything that arises.
I promise to keep all members informed via this site of
all issues that come up that could affect you, the member ... and it is your
responsibility, as the member, to be inquisitive, inquiring and proactive as well,
regarding your rights.
Do not forget your basic union rights...
• You
have the right to ask to have a union Steward or Officer present if management asks
questions that could lead to discipline.
Tell them: “I request that my union representative, officer, or
steward be present at this meeting. Without representation, I choose not to answer any
questions.”
• Don’t sign or agree to anything before talking with the
union.
• “Obey now, grieve later.” Follow any order by management
unless it is clearly illegal or unsafe. If you feel it violated the contract, you should
contact the Union to file a grievance after work or during your break as soon as possible.
• Know your Rights, know your Contract, know your Steward.
Lois
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