ASP Members Send a Clear Message

ASP Members Send a Clear Message

November 16, 2011 at 10:30 AM

As you know we conducted a series of meetings and a strike vote Tuesday November 15. The purpose of these meetings was to update the membership on the status of negotiations and to ask the membership to authorize a strike mandate if an agreement cannot be reached with the employer. On behalf of the bargaining committee we thank you for taking the time to attend the meetings. It was a great opportunity to engage the membership in direct dialogue with your bargaining committee and allow us an opportunity to tell you first hand what is happening at the table; more importantly it was a great opportunity for us to hear directly from you.

By law in the Federal Jurisdiction, the Union has to take a strike vote and in order to be in a legal strike or lockout position the members voting have to vote by 50% plus 1 to authorize a strike.

The membership voted 57% in favour of strike authorization. This strike vote gives the committee the right to issue strike notice.

This strike vote of 57% is a strong vote considering the interference by the employer and the Teamsters. It is no coincidence that both the employer and the Teamsters have attempted to sabotage the strike vote in the same week. The CAW believes this to be a despicable act for a Union to attempt to destroy the bargaining of a contract and threaten the livelihoods’ of our members. The Teamsters have sunk to a new low. Clearly weakening the CAW bargaining committee would have allowed the employer to dictate the agreement. In their pursuit of your Union dues the Teamsters have taken the side of the employer once again, reinforcing the reasons why you abandoned them in the past.

The committee is going to return to the bargaining table and ensure that the employer understands that it is our desire to bargain a collective agreement without a work stoppage. We need to bargain an agreement that provides improvements. It is important that the employer address the needs of the membership and provide recognition you – the members – for your hard work and dedication. ASP is a successful and profitable Employer and you are entitled to the fair share of the profits that are generated each and every year.

The best way to ensure a positive future is to put an agreement in place that assures labour stability. To do that the employer needs to come to the bargain table and put a fair agreement in place. Knowing your costs going forward is the only way to ensure that you can bid on work.

Once again thank you for your support and we will continue to keep you up to date on the status of talks as we return to the bargaining table.

  

In Solidarity,

Your CAW ASP bargaining Committee
Savithri Alahari
Jesse Jackson
Patrick Williams
Joel Fournier, National Representative
Ashley Watkins, Executive Assistant

  

  

For more information, please contact:
Ashley Watkins, Executive Assistant