Overwaitea Demands Rollbacks, No Talk of Wage Increases
The 10th meeting between the union and Overwaitea wrapped up on Friday March 7. So far, the company has focused on dealing with some housekeeping issues, but continues to refuse to offer a wage increase, or address ANY of the critical issues facing all members today. In addition, a number of company demands for rollbacks remain--2 hour shifts, co-payment of benefits, elimination of ATO, and store conversion threats among the most serious of the company's demands. Click here for all the latest negotiations news.
The Union Negotiating Committee is set to meet with Overwaitea again on March 19 and 20, and has made it clear the company needs to start addressing the key issues: including good wage increases, getting rid of Grid B (2-tier contract), and job security, particularly as impacted by the threat of PriceSmart conversions. The company needs to address these important issues, as they will influence almost every part of a new contract, and the company's positions so far have put us on a collision course for a strike or employer's lockout.
Safeway Demands Rollbacks
After four days of bargaining with Safeway, the Union Negotiating Committee has presented union members' proposals, and heard the company's initial demands--demands for roll-backs and concessions to the contract, including items like General Clerks to perform Cashiers' work, 2 week advance posting of schedules, and many other changes that would have a negative impact on union members. Click here for all the latest negotiations news.
Safeway's Lifestyle conversion has been extremely successful, and Safeway continues to compete and grow in the BC market, but Safeway management emphasized the PriceSmart contract to which Overwaitea has been converting Save-On stores is a real threat to Safeway's ability to successfully compete for market share in BC.
The Union Negotiating Committee has made it clear we will accept NO roll-backs to the contract now or in the future. The scare tactics and fears that the company are attempting to instill in members will not work. The entire membership deserves good wage increases, equality in the contract (no more Grid B/2 tier), and future opportunity.
Upcoming bargaining dates with Safeway have been set for March 25-26.
Union Wins 5 Full-Time Postings for Save-On Members
Arbitrator Mr. Colin Taylor has ruled that five full-time job postings should go out province-wide at the Westbank (Kelowna) Save-On Foods store after there were no successful applicants within the contract area.
Save-On management had been posting full-time positions within the store, and had awarded the position to an ineligible applicant, who had not met the necessary requirement of 4680 hours worked. The employer was supposed to have posted the positions provincially, but did not, and the union filed a grievance.
In a previous decision, the arbitrator had ruled that if no eligible pre-ratification employee applied for a full time posting and if there are no Junior Clerks who have worked at least 4680 hours, the jobs must be posted provincially and awarded by company seniority. The employer ignored these decisions, and awarded a full time posting inappropriately in October. This was followed by four additional postings being posted in this particular store, even though there were no eligible applicants.
The issue was brought to Mr. Taylor, who wrote an award in favour of the union.
Hours Slashed & Workloads Heavier Than Ever; Union Members Not Impressed
Union members at both Overwaitea and Safeway are reporting that hundreds of hours are being slashed off store schedules, and management at both companies are once again playing the old game of pressuring union members to speed up and work faster.
Members from across the province are reporting massive cutbacks to hours in the stores. The hours cutbacks are bad enough for members who can't earn a living wage as it is, but management is making the problem worse by harassing members in the stores to speed up, and get the work done even faster.
"This is not only wrong on the part of management, it can be dangerous for those members who are more vulnerable to pressure from management," says UFCW 1518 President Ivan Limpright. "It's a well-established fact that these kinds of speed-ups are exactly the kinds of circumstances that lead to more injuries on the job. Remember, you owe your employer nothing more than working to the best of your ability."
The union recently won a grievance on behalf of five members working on a night crew when their store manager improperly punished them for not meeting the manager's "piece count", a direct violation of the contract.
Please be aware of your rights and do not put yourself at risk of injury just because management is getting pushier than usual. Members who believe they are being harassed or improperly treated should contact their Shop Steward or Union Representative immediately.
Factually Incorrect: Overwaitea Management At It Again
Union members across the province have been reporting to the union that Overwaitea management are once again spreading rumours about negotiations, and in some cases, blatantly lying to union members about what is going on at the bargaining table.
Some management people have been claiming that the Union Negotiating Committee and company are close to agreeing on a new contract, and that the only hold-up in signing a new contract is that the Union Negotiating Committee is stalling.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
"We have some very serious issues to deal with before we get a new contract in place," says Ivan Limpright, President of UFCW 1518, "and the Union Negotiating Committee has been focused on moving forward in negotiations and establishing a contract that meets the needs of ALL union members. No one wants a labour dispute, but we will be prepared to take action if the company continues to ignore the major issues: good wage increases, getting rid of Grid B, and solving the PriceSmart conversion issue."
"Our honesty and our credibility with the union's members is the most important thing for us as a bargaining committee," he said. "The members deserve an honest account of what is happening, because these negotiations are all about the members and their future."
It has also been reported that some in management are saying the company would "never" convert their store to a PriceSmart, and that even if they did, things would be just the same. There are many members in Save-On stores now converted to PriceSmarts who learned the hard way that management was once again being economical with the truth.
"Your Union Negotiating Committee is made up of union members from stores across the province," said Limpright, "and we all understand very clearly our obligation to give the members the straight goods, because they deserve nothing less."
After every negotiating session, the union puts up a report on the union website and on the telephone hotline about what happened that day. Information is also sent out by e-zine on a regular basis.
Click here for all the latest negotiations news.
Self Scan Check-outs Arrive at Safeway
The first of Safeway's self-scanning Cashier-less check stands became operational at Safeway store #44 in Burnaby on February 29. More stores are scheduled to be receiving the new self-scan check stands throughout the next few months.
Although there has been discussion of these checkstands for over a year in BC, the timing of the company's decision to launch the new technology is being viewed with real suspicion by union members from Safeway.
Negotiations are ongoing with Safeway, and the contract is set to expire on March 29, so many union members are viewing this as an attempt by Safeway to scare members and undermine their job security and lower their expectations for what can be achieved in negotiations for a new contract.
Scare tactics like this are nothing new to Safeway members. During the run-up to negotiations for the 2003 contract, Safeway announced they were closing their store in Duncan, only to reverse their position a few weeks later and eventually open a brand new store.
These scare tactics have not worked in the past, and they will not work now. Union members continue to stand together in their fight for a new and improved contract.
The issue of self-scan checkstands impacting UFCW 1518 members is not a new issue. Please visit the UFCW 1518 website for more information at www.ufcw1518.com.
Income Tax Prepared for $40!!!
Its that time of year again, and the due date for income tax completion is coming quickly. Working Enterprises (W.E. Group) is once again offering the special price of $40 for income tax preparation, to all UFCW 1518 union members. For more information on having your income tax professionally prepared for you for $40, please visit the www.wegroup.ca or call 1-800-845-1181.