The Union is
Only as Strong
As its Members.
Only as Strong
As its Members.
THIS BOOKLET IS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE UNION IS AND WHAT IT DOES FOR YOU
AND YOUR CO-WORKERS. IF YOU STILL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS JUST DROP BY THE UNION OFFICE.
The Union is Only as Strong As its Members. |
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YOU ARE THE UNION |
CONTENTS |
What does the Union do? ……........................................……………………………………………2
What is a Union ……………………………….....................................………………………………3
What does it cost? …………………………...........................................……………….....................4
Union Representatives ……………………....................................………………………………..5
Employee Problems …………………………...................................……………………………….6
The Grievance Procedure ………………….....................................……………………….………7
Most Commonly Asked Questions ………..........................................………………….……8 & 9
What’s it Like to Lose Your Union ………...........................................………………….…10 & 11
Job Classifications Rep by Teamsters #362 .........................................………………….……12
Dignity…justice…a voice in the work place. These are the principles on which organized labour was founded. No single union has ever achieved these goals with more success and consistency than the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. |
WHAT DOES THE UNION DO?
The Union works for you! The Union Reps provide leadership Negotiating Collective Agreements Enforcing the terms of the Settling disputes between the
The Collective Agreement is a legally binding contract between the Company and the Union. It is negotiated by the Union Business Rep and Representatives Of Management |
EMPLOYERS AND THE UNION Most employers don’t want to have Unions in their business. Why? Because Employers know that with a Union, workers have more power to make their voice heard. Employers have to sign a contract with the employees creating a better workplace. Unions help to get more for the members which can cost the employer more |
WHAT IS A UNION?
Many years ago, Employers demanded performance from their workers without regard for their needs, safety or right to a quality life. As a result, the workers “united” and demanded change. The administration of the Organized Labourers was known as a Trade Union whose job was to represent the workers with the Employer, by uniting, the Employers were forced to listen to the problems and needs of the workers. Today, the Union is often the only way to gain a voice on the job. Through the Union, workers gain the protection of a legally binding contract with the Employer through Collective Bargaining. The Collective Agreement is the central tool of the Union in its representation of the worker with the Employer. Union employees, on average, make higher wages and have better benefits than non-union workers performing the same jobs. These wages, working conditions and benefits are negotiated with the Employer at the Collective Bargaining Table. Once the Collective Agreement is signed, the Union is responsible for enforcing the promises made by the Employer in your Collective Agreement and to make sure that the workplace is a safe environment. |
The Employee agrees The Employer agrees You are accountable to |
WHAT DOES IT COST? To JOIN the Union you must pay the As a member of the Union, while you While you are working at a Union job, Q: What are my Local Union membership dues? A: Local 362 dues are calculated as follows: If you earn $11.00 per hour, or less, your dues rate is 2 times your hourly rate of pay, plus a $4.00 assessment for the legal fund and strike fund. Those earning over $11.00 per hour pay 2 ½ times their hourly rate of pay, plus the $4.00 assessment |
WITHDRAWAL CARD Upon termination, layoff, leave of absence, change of employment or in some instances, a medical leave, you are advised to come in or contact the Local Union office to obtain a Withdrawal Card. Effective January 1, 2009 there is no fee for this card which terminates your membership in the Local. Should you return to a Union position at a later date, it ensures that you will not be charged a Re-Initiation Fee or payment of back dues. NOTE*** Be sure to obtain your withdrawal card as soon as possible after you leave your place of employment. After ninety (90) days of no dues remittances, you become a suspended member and are ineligible for the withdrawal card. If you are unable to come to the Local Union office, you may obtain your withdrawal card by mailing or faxing a letter requesting same to either the Calgary or Edmonton Union offices or by phone. Include your Social Insurance Number, your current mailing address and your last day worked at that employer. Your withdrawal card will then be mailed to you. It is YOUR responsibility to obtain your withdrawal card. DO NOT ask your Shop Steward nor your Business Agent. |
UNION DUES ARE 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE!!!
UNION REPS Shop Stewards Elected or appointed co-workers who work with the Business Agent regarding Union matters in the workplace. Shop Stewards are the most vital contact between the employees and their Union. The role of Shop Stewards is to assist the Business Rep in representing the members in each workplace location. Duties include giving information to the members about the Union activities and the Collective Agreement, going to meetings between individual members and management whenever asked, taking details of employee complaints and assisting in the grievance procedure. Safety Committee Reps Some Teamster workplaces have a Safety Committee with representatives from Management and Union. You can elect safety reps or the Union will appoint them. Whenever you face a situation which you feel is unsafe, you report it to a Safety Rep. Business Agent There are numerous Business Agents, based in Calgary and Edmonton, who travel the Province of Alberta and N.W.T. representing the membership. |
UNION MEETINGS At your workplace there is a Union bulletin board where your Business Rep will post information and meeting notices. Any member can request a union meeting and/or call the Business Rep to have a question or issue put on the meeting agenda. Attending meetings is |
EMPLOYEE PROBLEMS All Employers must follow the Labour Board The Union’s Collective Agreement goes beyond When an Employer fails to meet the requirements of the Collective Agreement, the employee can go to the Employer and ask that the problem be corrected. If they fail to respond, you can then meet with your Shop Steward who will try to help. If the Employer still does not respond, the Shop Steward will help you to file a grievance and the Business Rep will then act on your behalf in solving the problem with the Employer. Usually, they are able to reach an agreement, however, if there is not a resolution, the Union can take the problem to Arbitration. The Union pays for legal counsel, and shares the cost for the arbitrator and other costs incurred. The Arbitrator will hear the problem and, like a Court Judge, make a decision as how the problem will be resolved. Grievances and Arbitrations do not cost the member anything. Your Union dues are used to cover all the costs involved. |
HUMAN RIGHTS One of the “new” roles of the Union is to assist the Union brothers and sisters to recognize that they are entitled to treatment that respects them as people and does not tolerate prejudice or harassment of any kind. |
GRIEVANCES What is a Grievance? A grievance is a formal complaint which a member is entitled to lodge against his or her employer under a Collective Agreement. In some cases, such as where allegations of harassment are made, a member is entitled to file a grievance against another member. How soon must I file my Grievance? In almost all Collective Agreements, a grievance must be filed within ten working days of the date of the incident. If you file later, the Union may continue the grievance, but on the understanding that it may have to be abandoned due to late filing. How do I start a Grievance? You meet with your Shop Steward and review the problem. You complete a Grievance Form which sets out the particulars of the problem and describes your employment. A copy of the grievance is sent to the Company. After the grievance is “filed”, the Shop Steward and/or the Business Rep begins discussions with the Employer in order to settle the dispute. Your Collective Agreements sets out the specific steps which the Employer and the Union use as a guide in this process. How long does it take? Your Business Rep realizes that patience is the key to any successful settlement and your cooperation is essential to resolving the grievance. |
The Union can only accept those grievances which allege violations under the Collective Agreement. For example, you are entitled to complain about scheduling and seniority, but not complaints about your Employer outside of the working relationship.
The Union can also file “Policy Grievances” which is when a policy of the Company is in violation of the Collective Agreement and affects more than one employee. |
MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What are the Local Union initiation fees?
A: The Local Union initiation fee is $100.00.
Q: What are my Local Union membership dues?
A: Local 362 dues are calculated as follows: If you earn $11.00 per hour, or less, your dues rate is 2 times your hourly rate of pay, plus a $4.00 assessment for the legal fund and strike fund. Those earnings over $11.00 per hour pay 2 ½ times their hourly rate of pay, plus the $4.00 assessment.
Q: What do I do if my Employer didn’t deduct Union Dues from my paycheque?
A: Contact your Local Union office at (403) 259-4608 in Calgary, (780) 455-2255 in Edmonton or (780) 791-2118 in Ft. McMurray. At some point in time the employer will deduct Union Dues, if you do not report it, you will end up with a large deduction from one of your paycheques.
Q: What are my rights as a member covered by a Collective Agreement?
A: A copy of your Collective Agreement can be picked up at the Local Union office. Once you have received your copy, please read the agreement in its entirety. The Collective Agreement outlines your rights and responsibilities to the Company at which you are employed as well as the Company’s obligations to you.
Q: How do I know what’s in our Collective Agreement?
A: When you are hired, the Employer should ask you to fill in a Teamster Application Card and give you a copy of your Collective Agreement. Read it and ask your Rep about any questions you may have.
Q: What are the normal office hours of Local Union No. 362?
A: General office hours are subject to change, but currently are:
Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Fridays 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Q: Who do I talk to if I have questions about my employment conditions or the treatment I receive from the Company?
A: Generally, all companies have either elected or appointed Shop Stewards who in most cases, can quickly answer day-to-day questions. However, there will be situations where he or she will not be able to answer your questions or is not available to speak with you. If this is the case, simply contact your Local Union office and speak to your Business Representative.
Q: How do I become a Shop Steward?
A: Tell your Business Agent or another Shop Steward that you want to work for your brothers and sisters.
Q: I’m afraid of my boss, but I think I have a problem at work.
A: The Union realized that it takes a significant degree of courage for an employee to complain. We’ve been told time and time again that the “Boss is always Right”. For Union employees, however, the Collective Agreement is the measure of right and wrong and the Union Reps will make every effort to support you through the process.
Q: I’ve been called to the office and don’t want to go alone.
A: Every member is entitled to have a Shop Steward present when meeting with management. You can simply ask the manager which Shop Steward will be attending the meeting with you.
Q: What do I do if my boss yells at me or tells me to leave, or I’m fired, or I get a discipline letter?
A: When you believe that you are being unfairly treated, you talk to a Shop Steward, or come to the Union Office and report your concern to the Business Rep – immediately. DON’T WAIT!
Q: Why haven’t I received any Local Union correspondence?
A: In order to receive Local Union information it is imperative that you keep your current mailing address up-to-date with your Local Union office. Simply call the office and leave a change of address with the office personnel.
WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LOSE YOUR UNION
I am writing to you to hopefully warn you to avoid what has happened to me and my other Machinist brothers and sisters in this plant. We were once members of the International Machinists’ Union with the usual gripes about our Union dues, slow grievance procedures, seniority disputes, incentives, overtime arguments, etc. We though our Shop Stewards and Union Reps were freeloaders with jobs that commanded no respect and that the company would treat us just as good with or without them and were in agreement when someone said, “The union is selling us out.” Never the Company.
Well, this was in 1978 and now we no longer have these old problems, for in October 1978 we voted to decertify and break away from the International Union. We are now non-union and no more union dues! We no longer have any seniority disputes because we are placed by ability, which means whoever is the bosses’ pet. And the same with overtime. Our grievance is no longer slow, it is non-existent. We don’t have any absentee problem – if you miss one day, you must have a doctor’s slip so most absentee problems were fired long ago with nobody to represent them. Our incentives now are: Do more work or you will be disciplined for refusal to work.
All this for less money, small hospitalization benefits, fewer holidays, and seven days without overtime – if it’s an emergency – which is almost every week. Our ex-stewards and union officers are no longer a problem; most of them have been discharged on one technicality or another, or set up in a discharge situation.
How did this happen? Well, one night at a local tavern a supervisor said the company hired a union-busting firm out of Chicago at seven hundred dollars an hour to come in and train their supervisors and foremen in the skill of union busting with the threat that any foreman disclosing this would be fired.
He explained that there are a lot of companies in the business (of union busting) because they think the time is right with inflation, plant closings, conservative Republicans and Democrats being elected and a general fear of job loss in a lot of plants. He said they held a lot of management classes and were taught the following ten rules (he had a piece of paper that he read them from – I tried to get them down)
We hear of groups of Union members complaining about the Union. These complaints arise out of frustration and are fostered by the Employer. The following is a true account of a Machinist who lost his Union when the workers voted to decertify and trust the boss to look after their interests. This letter was in a Teamster Newsletter in March 1984. Things haven’t changed!!!
1. Try to confuse the seniority system for lay-offs, move-ups and overtime to get employees jealous of one another. Then, when employees complain, send them to the Union, thereby shifting the blame, even if you have to use racial or sexual disputes. Most important, create fear and mistrust.
2. Draw out grievances as long as possible.
3. Threaten employees if they file grievances or safety complaints.
4. Increase discipline for even minor offenses to cause an overload for the union, slowing down their effectiveness or timeliness.
5. Make sure employees get all benefit books or letters on insurance benefits, pension, etc. that the company gives – not Union negotiated.
6. Increase management trainees or substitute formen.
7. Get your stool pigeon – big mouth employees, every area has them – to criticize union officials and union dues. (You know who these are.)
8. Hold department meetings with employees to convince them that you agree with their problems, but that the Union has to do something. (Deliberately scheduling improperly is a very good example to use in this step.)
9. Convince them that you are on their side about job class increase or incentives on the job, but that your hands are tied and it’s up to the Union.
10. Last, but not least, the company must become the Big Brothers, the good guy, and the Union becomes the enemy by distorting the truth on Agreement. By the time the truth is known they won’t trust the Union anyway.
When I heard this, I realized they had followed the game plan perfectly. All of these things happened to us and they were laughing at us the whole time. So I felt I had to write this letter to warn you how easily we were led down this road to disaster. I only hope in some little way this will help you to avoid what happened to us. Don’t go back 40 years in time like we have. Are any of these things going on in your company? They may be training your management now. Beware! I cannot sign this letter, in fear of my job and family. Hopefully someday I will be back with you, without fear. It’s a terrible lesson to learn.
JOB CLASSIFICATIONS
Flight Attendants Transit Bus Drivers Concrete Mixer Drivers Linehaul Drivers Armoured Car Drivers Waste Removal Drivers Recycle Plant Workers Storage & Distribution Owner Operators Mechanics Clerical Workers City P & D Drivers Warehouse Personnel Food Service Personnel Tankhaul Drivers Poolcar Services Carhaul Drivers Heavy Haul Drivers |
Tour Bus Drivers School Bus Drivers Industrial Construction Moving & Storage Airplane Refuellers Pipe Stringing Special Equipment Driver Security Motion Picture Industry Caterers Pipeline Sorters/Recyclers Courier/Small Package Municipal Workers Wranglers Industrial Bus Drivers Concrete Pipe Plant |
JAMES R. HOFFA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
 |
The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund is available to al available to children and/or grandchildren of Teamster Members. The fund was established as a non-profit Local Union No. 362 is very proud of the number of |
For information about this fund visit the IBT Website or contact this Local Union’s Calgary office at (403) 259-4608.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP…
Call us with your questions
GENERAL TEAMSTERS
LOCAL UNION NO. 362
Affiliated with the
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS
and the
CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS
ABTC