June 12, 2012 at 4:30 PM
On June 5, 2012, the United Sports and Entertainment Workers applied to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to have the CAW/TCA Canada replaced as the bargaining agent for ASP security guards. This marks the second time in only months that a ‘so called union’ has tried to replace the CAW and confuse the members of ASP.
The first time this occurred is when Teamsters Local 847 made the same assertion in April claiming to have the support of the ASP membership only to have their application withdrawn by Teamster Canadian International Vice President Robert Bouvier. That decision was also supported by Teamster International President Jim Hoffa as the application was both inappropriate and frivolous.
This second attempt to displace the CAW with the United Sports and Entertainment Workers is dubious as this group is not a union; these are ex-Teamster Local 847 members that did not respect the earlier decision by Teamsters President Jim Hoffa.
The United Sports and Entertainment Workers have no members and have absolutely no experience or credibility representing working people anywhere in Canada. This rogue group of individuals has no respect for ASP members or their former union, Teamsters. They only wish to take advantage of the membership for their own personal gains.
The people heading up the United Sports and Entertainment Workers are the same group of people who worked for Teamsters Local 847. These are the people who secretly agreed to your current agreement on January 25, 2010 which is set to expire on December 31st, 2012. ASP management has continued to take advantage of this agreement at the expense of the ASP members.
The CAW continues to have discussions with ASP to renegotiate a new collective agreement, and is fully aware of the frustration that our members are having with ASP not recognizing seniority, the poor scheduling of hours, disregard for the loss of shifts and the continued closure of gates by the GTAA.
If ASP continues to refuse to renew the existing agreement or not agree to arbitration, the CAW will again be filling Notice to Bargain in September. The difference this time is that ASP will not be able to ignore us; it is within the legal time limits of the expiry of the current collective agreement and ASP Management will be forced to negotiate or have binding arbitration imposed by the government.
CAW/TCA Canada would like to thank the ASP membership for the continued support and loyalty shown to your elected CAW Bargaining committee.
We will continue to be open and transparent throughout this process.