Steelworkers Local 343 Group Insurance Plan Jim Dorey (613) 384-7190

Steelworkers Local 343 Savings Plan Call Mike Fobert at the Unity Credit Union (613) 546-5567

Local 343 Hall Rentals Call (613) 546-4364

Alcan Plant Union Office (613) 541-7555 Local 343 fax 549-148

Published by the United Steelworkers of America Local Union 343
206 Concession St. Kingston Ontario K7K 2B5 December 15, 2000

Presidents Report by Peter Boyle

These are uneasy times in Ontario with the Mike Harris government exerting an unprecedented attack on working women and men with legislative changes that most working people know little about. Two recently introduced bills effect changes to the Ontario Labour Relations Act (OLRA) and The Employment Standards Act (ESA). How do these affect you, as a Steelworker and our union in general are questions you might be asking yourself if you have heard about these changes at all?

The OLRA changes include the obligation of employers to post in the workplace and ensure that their employees given information on how to de-certify their union. So Harris and employers are joining forces to try to remove unions from Ontario workplaces. I say this because there is no corresponding requirement to inform employees in the same manner on how to form a union in workplaces. The general direction of the changes to the OLRA head in this direction.

The ESA takes the same kind of approach to workers. The ESA is a minimum set of workplace standards in Ontario and was developed mainly because unions pushed for change in workplaces through collective bargaining and monorinized the law although slowly by moving the standards of workers both union and non-union higher. Most union agreements have better provisions to deal with standards like voluntary overtime, vacations, minimum pay and protection from unjust actions to an employee for asking for the rights given in the act.

There are many employees, not all thank goodness, out there who do not follow the minimum standards and break the law and get away with it. An employee in a non-union workplace must make a complaint about their manager on their own without support from anyone. You probably know someone who works in a non-union workplace and if you ask them most would tell you they would be branded a trouble maker if they asked for their full rights under the law when a boss was not. So they do not complain because they feel they risk loosing their job, it’s a scary situation to be in. In a unionized environment we stand together and have the guarantees of asking for our complaints to be heard without risk of our standing as an employee in the workplace. These changes in the law will further erode those protections. It is important that we fight against these changes because of the immediate and future impact on all Ontario workers.

Local 343 has started up an e-mail list to inform members quickly on issues the local is involved in and information about our workplaces. We are asking members who want to be kept informed to give it a try and sign up in your workplace when asked or send us an e-mail asking to be added to the list. Mail will include meeting notices and any information about your workplaces on pensions, changes and safety. You can get on by sending an e-mail to Peter Boyle pboyle@kos.net or ask your union representative.

WHAT’S GOING ON AT HERBIE’S? By Leslie Wolzka Unit Chairperson

We are currently entering into collective bargaining and have only submitted our proposals at this point.

We have asked for a lot of changes and are confident that the company may finally see our point of view. We have many non-monetary as well as monetary requests. We have asked for some type of benefit plan, which we have never had. We are hoping that Rexall has a bit more money to send our way than Herbie’s did. We have asked for quite a few language changes to help us from being sucked into the demolition of the Employment Standards Act. Although I believe that negotiations will be long this time, I think that we can get somewhere a heck of a lot better than where we are right now.

Just Stop here for the JOKE PLACE

With the Holiday season upon us the Kingston Board of Health has proposed that warning signs be placed on all alcohol bottles and in local establishments to tip off drinkers about the possible peril of drinking a pint or two of any alcoholic beverage.

1. WARNING: Consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like an idiot.

2. WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell the same boring story over and over again until your friends want to assault you.

3. WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause you to thay shings like thish.

4. WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell the boss what you really think of him.

5. WARNING: Consumption of alcohol is the leading cause of inexplicable rug burn on the forehead.

6. WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher, handsomer and smarter than some really, really big guy named Psycho Bob

USWA Names New International President

Leo Gerard, former director of District 6 and Canadian National Director was named to replace George Becker as International President on December 13, 2000. Leo will assume duties on February 28, 2001.

Behavioral Based Safety, The Steelworker Viewpoint
by Jim Stewart, Area Coordinator USWA

Your Local at Alcan is not alone when it comes to the newest “wrinkle” in the ongoing issues of Health and Safety. There is this seemingly new programme called BBS (behavioural based safety). I always hesitate to wade into the day-to-day workplace based issues of locals I represent, but this one is an exception.

Our Union has confronted this issue in many workplaces throughout the USA primarily, but now it is creeping into Canada. The Steelworkers Union almost single handedly from the early 70’s fashioned the arguments and pressure, which has, over the years, resulted in the Occupational Health and Safety legislation in our Province. The basic premise in the identification and enforcement mechanisms of the “ACT”, is that conditions cause illness and accidents.

The basic premise in BBS is that YOU cause accidents by your “behaviour” and that each of you should audit each other and police the system. It’s no wonder that there would be opposition from Steelworker Union leaders to these kinds of perverted attempts at governing the safety of a workplace. We teach them to do just that!! We have always had the health and safety of every worker at the forefront of our 30-year fight to make workplaces safe. Important to that end, is our ability to insist that the Company, through legislated enforcement, comply and fix conditions that are threatening to your health or safety. BBS sidesteps all of this and puts focus and blame where Companies love to have it. Squarely on you! They package up this stuff, with the help of consultants, and proceed to sell it like a painted up “lemon” car.

Mike Harris, and his anti worker government, is increasingly emphasizing “self compliance” and “self regulation” for Companies. That basically means Companies are encouraged to devise ways to avoid any “blame” where accidents or industrial illnesses are concerned. It costs less to blame you than to allocate money to bolster the safety of the workplace. You would do well to follow the lead of your local union as they struggle to validate any participation in BBS by raising serious concerns we have with it. Our Union nation wide, is working with many locals to open members’ eyes to this kind of approach to safety and we want you to beware before you find yourself so deep in the quick sand of BBS that it’s too late.

A Christmas Wish From Local 343

May we wish you and your family a holiday season full of joy and happiness along with some well deserved rest and fun as we get ready to spend a few days with family and friends at this Christmas season. Let us not forget those who are less fortunate than us and will not have the opportunity to share in the abundance that we will. Perhaps we can think of making a donation to our local food bank in that light so others may enjoy as we do the season.

Christmas greetings from Cheryl Hartwick
Unit-Chair Unit 343-08 Pine Meadow Nursing Home

Pine Meadow Nursing Home is the newest workplace to join with Local 343. We are located in Northbrook (about 7 miles north of Kaladar). We have 2 stewards, Valerie Bird, and Wayne Dacuk. Pine Meadow has about 60 members including Registered Nurses, Registered Practical Nurses, Health Care Aides, Cooks, Dietary Aides and Housekeeping/Laundry Aides. We are a 60 bed Nursing Home and are currently full.

At the present time Pine Meadow has only 3 management staff and are currently looking for a Food Service Supervisor, and an Administrator/Director of Care. We are a community owned, not for profit, Nursing Home. We are also hiring registered nurses (if any can be found) and hopefully some health care aids too.

We don’t usually have a lot of grievances ongoing, actually only 2 this year. The one that is going to arbitration is a human rights case involving WSIB and duty to accommodate. I will keep you posted on how this is going.

Just recently USWA District 6 has formed Health Care Council which should be a good place for a gathering of information for collective bargaining, as well as a sharing of ideas. One of the Stewards from Pine Meadow was elected as the president of this council, Valerie Bird. The secretary is also from Pine Meadow and that would be yours truly, Cheryl Hartwick.
I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!

Unit 343-01 MacPherson Steel News
By Bob Ogilvie, Unit Chairperson

There are 9 of us working on the floor and there are 4 in the office at our Kingston plant on Railway Street. We are in the boiler head business and involved in the manufactures of pressed boiler heads from carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel and brass. The heads are all cold formed from 4 inches outside diameter to 120 inches. The company has recently put new equipment into our workplace. The installation of a new industrial washing machine last July to wash the heads was followed by a building extension that added a loading dock to our plant.

We have a top-notch incentive plan based on weekly production that has worked very well for us in the last few years. We have averaged about $5,000 dollars per year per person yearly, on top of our new contracts generated yearly raises. We negotiate our collective agreements every two years and our company has treated us very well. For that reason we have never needed to have a grievance filed by our union. A good company has a good working relationship with its union. I hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas!

Unit 343 - 04 Hartford Fibers

Report by Dave Tuppenney

The topic I would like to bring to everyone's attention is Local Union Membership Attendance.

Being an amalgamated local there has been many times that I have attended local meetings to represent Local 343-04 and have been the only member from Hartford present. There are many decisions made at these meetings that affect everyone and a spirit of union at these meetings that many feel does not exist. There is always the usual order of business, then a learning experience hearing from all the other workforces and issues that everyone could relate to.

The union donates to many charities and worthwhile causes in the area and you might want a say in how, or where that money is dispersed. (It is your money!) Also, there are members that want to know what is happening in their workplaces, grievances, arbitration cases, etc. It is difficult for the reps to keep everyone up to date on a one on one basis. It is your right to know, and this is the place to learn and interact with your union. Come on out to a meeting! It will be worth your while. +

STEELWORKERS LOCAL 343 TALK TIME Page 6

I work in an industry that is fairly new to the steelworkers union; I work at a Nursing Home. I have been on many different education courses that this Union offers and over the years have seen some changes. The first time I was ever at Chaffey's Locks I was the only woman in a class of 12. Not once during that whole week did I feel out of place or awkward. I was made to feel like an important part of that class and everything I said was listened to and respected, I was made to feel that I was just as important as any one else in there.

That was my first experience and they only got better from there. Now we see more women at these schools and that is great. Any person, man or woman can learn so much from the brothers and sisters we meet. I have grown as a person, learned to speak up a little more and how to face management. These lessons are out there for all of us so I encourage as many people as possible to get out and get active.

Local 343 is now on line with a new
re-designed homepage.
http://ca.oocities.com/local343

The company says there is no discipline in the Behavioral Based Safety system (BBS). Not So! I found out different. I was chosen by the BBS development team to attend a focus meeting. At the time of the Union had asked the company for written assurances on certain issues. The written assurances never materialized so the Union withdrew its support to endorse the new safety process.

I was was asked to attend the focus meeting at the time we were thinking of supporting the process. I returned the invitation to Bert Walsh and said I did not choose to participate in the process. The next day I was called in to Jim Richardson office and was told that I should attend the focus meeting. I said that I wasn't going to attend.

Just to make it clear to the company at the Joint Health and Safety Committee meeting, I told the committee where the Union stood regarding BBS.I also said I didn't like being called in to Richardson office and told to attend the focus meeting. Roland Billings said I would be attending and if I didn't I would be disciplined. I let M. McQuillan know that I wasn't attending the meeting that resulted in me being summonsed to report to Roland Billings's office on Monday morning after my night shift weekend. I was told I did not understand what's going on. I was to attend the meeting or be disciplined. I said it was not mandatory meeting for everybody and I should not have to attend. In disturbing tone of voice was told not to report to the cashline but report directly to conference #8.

I feel I was only defending our members from this regressive draconian BBS safety process from coming in our workplace without members being protected. I should not have been treated like I was from Billings. I have worked for you the members and yes for the company for health and safety for many years.

The way I was treated is unacceptable. I cannot continue to work with this company on health and safety related matters. I have resigned from the Joint Health and Safety Committee including the confined spaces and machine guarding sub-committees.

We as informed union reps need to look at different ways of handling health matters. Beware of BBS. The company's insistence to shove to BBS down our throats is a warning to heed.

Send letter or comments to the Newsletter Committee, Local union 343, U.S.W.A.