Bid/Award Procedures at CP

Over the last few months, the company has been reviewing the bid/award procedures in an effort to increase efficency and decrease the problems (as well as cost). Local Chairman Ross Terry sat in on this study, to lend a Union standpoint.

I'm sure all of you realize that the way we bid and the way that those bids are awarded is a time consuming and often extremely confusing procedure. With the advent of "senior may/ junior must" a few years ago and now with the extra gang labourers bidding for their positions, the process has become even more complicated. Yet the method by which the vacancies are bulletined, bid and then awarded has not fundamentally changed. Other than the more common use of fax machines over the last decade or so, the technology used to perform these functions, has not changed either.

Every year there are more and more examples of members making mistakes on bids, that cost them dearly, either in preference of position or rate of pay. Plus there is the matter of the initial gang bulletins that are up to 35 pages long full of confusing and often redundant information.

Bringing the Bid/Award system into the 21st century, if done right, has the potential for gains on both sides. But it has to be done right. We have many jointly agreed to safeguards within the collective agreement which protect us when bidding. We cannot lose these if we go to a new method. We have to be able to reach the same end result, with no loss in rights, benefit, or seniority, yet in a more efficent easier, to understand method.

There is definitely a lot of room to streamline the procedure and I think that it is a good idea to look at doing so. However, that said, I also understand that the company must not be allowed to just do it on their own. First off, any changes must be negotiated. We msut, as stated earlier, protect the rights that we have now and as any redevelopment of the bidding procedure will benefit the company far more than it will benefit us, we must negotiate a fair trade for doing so.

We were given a presentation of what the company's review has found so far, and it is easy to see that most of the things that need to be done, are things that the company can accomplish now, with no change to the collective agreement. A few examples are:

Once we see that the company is serious about cleaning up some of the problems that it has created, problems that can be rectified without adjustments to the Collective Agreement, we will be more than willing to sit and talk with them about positive, mutually beneficial changes. This is an important issue and I will be discussing it with the rest of the Executive Board and with the membership that I will be seeing over the next couple of weeks and I will keep you apprised. Any comments or advise, don't hesitate send them.

On another issue, at the beginning of the season we spoke often at the gang start up meetings about the company's intention to closely monitor expenses, especially mileage claims. They made it quite clear at negotiations that they were going to be especially vigilant for, and hardline with, any blatant violations. Though, there haven't been a lot of cases, the company has been true to its word on those that there were. So please take this as a reminder, that if you are unsure of what to claim, call your Director or me and we will advise you of what you are entitled to. Even though we grieve 99% of discipline issued, the arbitrator takes a dim view of cases involving alleged fraud and theft.

Stay safe out there, and watch not only your own back, but watch over those working with you. Together we can all get home safe and sound.

Bill Brehl
President
TCRC MWED