During the week of March 22nd, the International Teamster’s Women Caucus hosted the 2002 International Women’s Conference in Chicago. Michelle Henderson, a flight attendant for Air Canada Regional, and a long time member of Local 362, attended the Conference, along with Brothers Finley and Eichel. Following is Sister Henderson’s report on that Conference: I was fortunate enough to attend as a representative for Local 362. The agenda for the conference was built around the premise of "Teamster Women Working, Helping, Educating, and Achieving Together" There was a choice of eight workshops from which each participant selected three to attend. As knowledgeable speakers hosted each workshop, it was disappointing that each participant could register for a maximum of three workshops. Some workshops dealt with issue that we face in the workplaces, such as Workplace Violence, Issues of Diversity, and Member to Member Conflict. Other workshops such as Building Union Power, and Teamster Women Building Strength through Organizing, centered on Teamster Women and their participation within the Union.
The highlight of the Conference took place on March 22nd, as close to 1,000 Teamsters gathered to witness the inauguration of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Executive Board. Brother James P. Hoffa, General President and Brother Thomas Keegel, General Secretary-Treasurer addressed the assembly. To hear these two strong speakers talk about their vision of Unity, Pride and Strength was awe-inspiring to say the least.
The experience of attending the 2002 International Women’s Conference is one that I will remember for a long time to come. I am proud to be a Teamsters, and prouder still to be a Teamster Woman!
Thanks to Michelle for her report and for her willingness to take part in the Conference. She did a great job of representing this Local.
We would like to welcome our new Brothers and Sisters, employed at Universal Reel and Recycle. These members became part of the Local Union by way of a voluntary recognition rather than an organizing drive. They are employed in the Crowsnest Pass area of south western Alberta/south eastern BC, and Brother Wallace will be the Business Agent representing them. Their first collective agreement is out to the Company for signature and should be completed any day now.
Several Collective agreement are open for negotiation at this time, keeping our Business Agents busy all across the province. BURNCO Rock Products – Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks and Edmonton are all open, as well as Northern Industrial Carrier Owner Operators, Wackenhut of Canada, Medicine Hat, Premay and PeBen along with nine other heavy haul carriers are currently in negotiation for new contracts. Lafarge and Inland mixers and pipe plants in Calgary are close to securing new agreements. Grimshaw will be voting their memorandum of settlement shortly. Byers Clerical agreement is out for signature. Union officials have signed for all Locals involved. The documents are now in the hands of Byers head office. Canadian Freightways contract was signed and returned to our office in early March and will be in effect until December 31/04. The books will be going to the printers as soon as we have the OK from the Company on the price quote. Gray Line of Banff (Laidlaw Buses) have a signed agreement through to February 28/04. A meeting was held with the membership last week in Banff to discuss implementation of the Dispatch Rules. Lafarge and Inland mixer drivers’ agreements were signed early in February, and run into the spring of 2004. Clarke Transport, Calgary and Edmonton, have new agreements in effect until December 31/04.
The dues office in Calgary recently went on a new computer system, put out by the International Union. That will account for any delays you may have experienced lately in receiving replies or receipts from our Calgary office. The training took place early in April, but I am sure you can appreciate it will take a little while of actual use to get back to feeling comfortable with it. The girls are doing a great job and working hard to catch up the backlog that occurred during the training period. It is amazing how much piles up over just one week.