Bulletins

Latest Bulletin

>

BARGAINING CLARIFICATION

We understand now that everyone has had a chance to absorb the new contract that not every employee completely understands the terms of the settlement. Your Bargaining Committee worked very hard on your behalf and we feel we did not leave anything on the table.

Regular vacations seem to be an issue and there are rumours that some of our membership are feeling deceived. Nothing could be further from the truth! Although we may be guilty of not explaining that issue fully, it was agreed that both Parties would follow the current CBA in regard to vacations. We are still entitled to the full vacation, but not the pay as per Art. 20.08, so we will be short 2/12 of pay for next years vacation. This is not anything new. As we understand it, the only time we were credited for vacation pay was for a brief period of time after we signed and while awaiting 9705 to ratify their agreement which was in 1987.

Another issue that has come up is the gainshare. This was not a bargaining issue, however, the Company brought up the fact that they were looking at taking it away. What was said from the Unions perspective is that it is the Company's issue and if they wish to discontinue it, we have no say in it. We have heard that some supervisors have told employees that extensive talks took place on the issue which is absolutely not correct.

One of the key issues for this Company is the fact that this Union stuck together and accomplished what we did despite their efforts to break the membership. Don't let them drive a wedge when we have fought so hard to overcome their mistrust. Remember, we have just come through a very trying strike and now more than ever, we need to stand in solidarity and show this Company that we were and still are united in our fight for respect.

Issued 12 Oct. 2005

Local 480, USW

SOLIDARITY WORKS!

LOCAL 480, USW

Update Vacations

We would like to apologize for not explaining in detail the issue of Vacation pay for next year. As has been the practice in all the past bargainings vacation pay will be deducted as per article 20:08 of the Collective Agreement. We are sorry for any misunderstanding this may have caused. This was an oversight and our policy of being completely honest and upfront with everyone continues.

In Solidarity

Your Bargaining Committee

SPECIAL THANKS GOES OUT TO ALL

Your Bargaining Committee wants to take this opportuniy to thank each and every member for their support, without you we would not have had the success of a fair Collective Agreement.

We also want to thank all the many Businesses, Community Leaders  and all the other Unions that help supprot our cause. We greatly appreciate all the efforts that the many members who put in an amazing amount of time at our Union Hall helping with the various events from the Barbeques to handing out weekly checques, from the Kitchien staff to the Health and Welfare dept., from the Security Crews to the grounds crews and the Janitorial staff and special thanks to the Picket captains for their hard work.

The coorinators of the picket lines deserve a special thanks for a very well run strike and to our friend Randy McCallum we can't say enough thanks for all his great work in asisting our efforts.

THANK YOU ALL

STRIKE OVER: THREE YEAR AGREEMENT RATIFIED

Strike over at Teck Cominco: Three-year agreement ratified

Canada NewsWire - Wednesday October 5, 2005

VANCOUVER and TRAIL, BC, Oct. 5, 2005 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- United Steelworkers' Western Canada Director Steve Hunt announced Wednesday evening that members of Locals 480 (1,140 production and maintenance employees) and 9705 (170 office and technical employees) have ratified new, three-year agreements with Teck Cominco Ltd., ending a strike that started July 19. Voter turnout was high, 78 per cent of Local 480 members and 81 per cent of Local 9705 members.

The agreements increase wages by a total of 10 per cent (4, 3 and 3) and each employee, including temporary ones, will receive a lump-sum cash payment of $3,500. That amount will be pro-rated for casual employees.

Pension plans for both groups of unionized employees have been improved, along with other benefit boosts. "This strike was successful in the end because our members did a lot more than just walk the picket line," said Hunt. "They demonstrated at corporate headquarters in Vancouver, put the spotlight on the company's profits from hydroelectric sales, appeared on syndicated talk shows and never let people forget about where Trail is on the economic map of BC."

Hunt said area businesses supported the strikers in different ways, including offering discounts and providing funding for the bus that carried Steelworkers to Vancouver for demonstrations. Lower Mainland Steelworkers provided breakfast for the strikers, who slept over in the Langley union hall, while politicians in the West Kootenays came out to rallies and lifted workers' morale on several occasions.

"Municipal and provincial politicians, along with business people, understand that the economic life of a region relies on people working, and preferably at good-paying union jobs," said Hunt. "Our members support the community when they're working and the community around Trail have paid us back with their support and kindness. That played a huge part in our ability to hang in and get a decent contract settlement.

"Our thanks to everyone who did their part."

SOURCE: United Steelworkers of America

Steve Hunt, (604) 683-1117, (604) 816-2554

Copyright (C) 2005 CNW Group. All rights reserved.

FINAL LOCAL 480 and LOCAL 9705 RATIFICATION VOTE RESULTS

RATIFICATION VOTE RESULTS: LOCAL 480 and LOCAL 9705

The final outcome of the contract offer ratification vote of Local 480 and 9705 unions and their decision to accept or reject the tentative contract offer made by Teck Cominco is as follows:

THE CONTRACT OFFER HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY OUR UNION MEMBERS BY 79%

IN SOLIDARITY

Local 480 & 9705 Bargaining Committees

Teck strikers to vote on offer

Globe and Mail Article

by Peter Kennedy

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2005, PAGE B 12

Teck strikers to vote on offer

VANCOUVER -- Teck Cominco Ltd. is facing higher operating costs at its British Columbia lead-zinc smeltering operations after reaching a tenative agreement with 1,300 stirking employees in Trail.

More of this Globe and Mail story can be viewed by clicking here.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY & PICKET DUTY CHECKS FOR UNION MEMBERS

It's Thanksgiving Weekend, and a time for our union members to pick up their turkeys, and this week's picket duty check.

Each union member will be able to pick up a turkey on Thursday October 6, 2005 so they can enjoy a wonderfully home-cooked turkey dinner with their family, friends and relatives, and have good times together.

WHEN and WHERE

On Thursday, October 6, 2005 Local 480 and Local 9705 union members can pick up their Thanksgiving Turkey and this weeks picket duty check at the Local 480 & 9705 Union Hall from 8:30 to 4:00. Union members can pick up next weeks picket duty checks next week.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your family, friends and relatives.

In Solidarity,

Local 480 and 9705

Canadian Press: Teck and Union Reach Deal

Teck Cominco, union reach deal

Monday, October 3, 2005 Posted at 5:27 PM EDT
Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — Teck Cominco Ltd. and the union representing 1,300 workers on strike at its Trail, B.C., smelter have reached a tentative agreement, the company said Monday. Details of the agreement were not released, but wages and pensions had been key points in the dispute, which resulted in the first strike at the smelter since 1990.

The company and the United Steelworkers had been meeting with the help of a mediator since last week in a bid to end the strike, which began July 19. Union members are to vote on the tentative deal Tuesday and Wednesday.

Teck Cominco spokeswoman Carol Vanelli-Worosz said once the employees are back on the job it will take about seven days before the smelter is back to running at full capacity.

“I think there is a sense of relief that we have reached this tentative agreement and hopefully the membership will ratify the agreement that is put forth to them,” Vanelli-Worosz said.

The workers are represented by two locals of the United Steelworkers of America: Local 480, which represents 1,140 production employees in Trail, and Local 9705, representing 170 technical and clerical workers.

They had been looking for their share of the windfall that Teck has received from extraordinarily strong metal and coal markets in recent months that have driven the company's earnings. The union was seeking wage increases that are almost double what the company offered, as well as improvements to pensions and earlier retirement with full benefits. The company was seeking to shift from a defined-benefit pension plan to a defined-contribution plan for new unionized workers, as it has done with non-union employees.

Rick Georgetti, president of Local 9705, said the strike, though long and painful, was necessary.

“A company that is making record profits coming after concessions, our members found very unacceptable and we were able to succeed because of the support we got from our members,” he said.

“I'm satisfied that our bargaining committee got all the money that was achievable without prolonging this thing for a long period of time.”

In its second quarter, Teck Cominco earned $225 million or $1.04 per diluted share for the three months ended June 30. That compared with a profit of $116 million, or 56 cents per share, in the same period a year ago. Quarterly revenue grew to $994 million from $777 million. Teck Cominco shares closed down 40 cents at $51.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday.

Day 77 & 78: RATIFICATION VOTE ON CONTRACT OFFER

RATIFICATION VOTE

Local 480 and Local 9705 (Oct, 3rd and 4th, 2005)

On day 77 and 78 of a long drawn out tenuous strike situation with Teck Cominco, mainly over wages and pensions, approximately 1,480 combined members of USW Steelworkers Local 480 and 9705 unions will vote to accept or reject the new contract offer in a two day union member RATIFICATION VOTE. 

VOTE DURING or AFTER TUESDAY GENERAL MEETING and ON WEDNESDAY

On Tuesday, October 3rd, during and shortly after the general meeting of union members being held at the Trail Arena complex starting at 11:00 am, union members of Local 480 and 9705 will be able to listen to the tenative contract offer from Teck Cominco which will be presented to them by the Union Bargaining Committee's and the union local Presidents Doug Jones of Local 480 and Rick Georgetti of Local 9705.

During the union membership ratification meeting, union members will be given the full details of the tenative contract offer from Teck Cominco to the unions bargaining committees this past weekend, and then the union members will be able to vote to accept or reject Teck Cominco's offer.

WHEN & WHERE TO VOTE on TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY

VOTE ON TUESDAY AT TRAIL ARENA COMPLEX

Union members will be able to vote at the designated voting stations (yellow voting boxes) during Tuesday's general ratification vote meeting being held at the Trail Arena Complex in Trail, B.C., and this vote will continue at Tuesday's ratification vote meeting up until shortly after the general meeting ends, or when the arena complex clears of it's members.

VOTE ON WEDNESDAY AT UNION HALL

Those union members unable to attend the ratification vote at the Trail Arena Complex on Tuesday, or for those that can't decide which way to vote at this membership ratification vote meeting, will be able to vote their choice on Wednesday, October 4, 2005, from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm, and the voting stations (yellow boxes) which will be available at the USW Steelworkers Local 480 and 9705 Union Hall in Trail B.C. 

Local 480 & 9705 Union Hall

910 Portland Street, Trail, B.C.

HOW RATIFICATION VOTE DETAILS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE

The full details of the final outcome of the contract offer ratification vote of Local 480 and 9705 unions and theirt decision to accept or reject the tenative contract offer made by Teck Cominco is expected to be made available to the union members by way of a Bargaining Bulletin or on the local radio stations. As well, the final contract vote will be amde on the Union web site and this Union unplugged weblog site after the union member final votes are tallied and counted late Wednesday, Octber 4th, 2005.