Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada

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Bonspiel 2012

Thanks to all who participated in our 2nd Annual Bonspiel. There are some pictures now posted in our Photo Gallery. Please stay tuned for more upcoming events.

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Creating a New Union

(TORONTO/OTTAWA) -- The executive boards of the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions have unanimously approved a process to explore the possibility of creating a new Canadian union as soon as mid-2013.

Leaders of the two unions have held preliminary discussions for several weeks, reviewing the current labour relations climate and the challenges facing organized labour, and considering whether the formation of a new Canadian union would help the movement to address those challenges. Now those discussions have been formally endorsed by the elected National Executive Boards of both unions. At separate meetings within the last week, the two boards unanimously approved a “Process Protocol” document. This document sets out the terms of reference and a timeline for union representatives to explore issues related to the formation of a new union.

“Events like the lockout at Caterpillar have made it increasingly obvious that Canadian workers need a stronger, more active, and more innovative labour movement to defend them,” says Ken Lewenza, CAW national president. “Our movement cannot afford a ‘business-as-usual’ approach in light of the attacks we face from both business and government. We need to combine our resources, and use them more effectively, if we are to protect Canadian jobs and push for greater equality in this incredibly hostile economic environment.”

"Our goal is to create a new, Canadian union," says Dave Coles, president of the CEP. “We are examining every aspect of our work as trade unions, from organizing to bargaining to political activism. We are working to create a stronger union movement and a better future for workers.”

Under the Process Protocol, a representative committee will work over coming months to investigate specific issues related to a new union (including dues and finances, representative structures, and regional issues). It will issue a report on whether a new union is feasible and desirable in time for the upcoming conventions of both unions (August 2012 for the CAW, and October 2012 for the CEP).

Both unions pledged a high degree of transparency concerning the work of the Process Committee, including the establishment of a joint website devoted to the project.

Letter to Locals from CEP President

Protocol & Process

Discussion Paper

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2012 CEP Scholarships

The National Office is now accepting applications for the CEP Scholarship awards for the year 2012. These scholarships are available to members in good standing and their children. Applicants must be entering or undertaking post-secondary studies for the 2012-2013 session.

Click here for more details and application forms.

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Here We Grow Again!

We are happy to welcome a new bargaining unit into CEP. It is composed mainly of the people who do the television production work at OMNI Toronto, including Directors, Production Assistants, Writers, Reporters and many others. The total number of new members is approximately 100.

Click here for a copy of the CIRB decision.

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Recognition of Prior Service as Seniority

In the last three years our Local Union has grown substantially. Along with CTV’s sale of Citytv to Rogers, our National Union organized OMNI-TV operations and engineering employees who are now solidly part of our local. In addition, employees of Etalk are now part of our local, and so are operations and engineering employees of BNN. However, we have not been consistent in the way that we have treated these new members in terms of seniority; if they were organized or came into our bargaining units by agreement all of their prior service was credited for seniority. If they were transferred into the bargaining unit by the employer or applied for a position from another division their prior service with the Company was not credited as seniority.

The employers we deal with now; Rogers and Bell Media, have different views about service and seniority than did CHUM Limited. As a result it was necessary to review and to update our policies about service and seniority in order to treat all of our members fairly and equitably. Therefore, here is a motion passed by your local executive board. The objective of the motion is to recognize the service that many of our new members have brought with them from other divisions of the same company. We will also recognize service that our long term members brought with them from other divisions of CHUM Limited. In this way we feel we will correct the inconsistency in our treatment of members’ seniority.

We are requesting that members who have come from other divisions of Rogers, CTV, or CHUM and who may not have received credit for “uninterrupted service” as seniority to contact us with the details.

Click Here for a copy of the motion.

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Office Hours

There will be office hours from 10:30am to 6:30pm on the indicated days: