National
Update
I'm sure you've
all been hearing rumours about the tentative agreement that the
IBEW (signals) signed at CP. Well, so have I and I wanted to talk
to Kevin Kearns, the chief negotiator for this tentative 'deal',
but he is on annual vacation. So I called one of the advisors
on the IBEW negotiating team and learned a little bit of what
is in there.
It seems that what I was hearing was correct. They signed a five
(5) year 'deal'... which I had never heard of at CP Rail, up until
now. Five (5) years without a shot at bargaining no matter which
way the industry goes, even though from all indications, CP Rail
is going to be making record profits again and for awhile yet,
especially with all the upgrading of the right-of-way. When you
look at the announcement today of the fantastic profits that CP
is making, its a no-brainer that you don't want to be locked into
low percentage increase in the future.
Personally, I don't believe that any five year deal can be labour
friendly at CP.
It also appears that they signed for the "co-pay" benefit
provisions. This is something that the company tried to get from
most, if not all, of the Unions that bargained over the last two
years. However, most of the other Unions (including us) rejected
it.
Another item that concerns me about this tentative 'deal' is the
percentage increases that they signed for:
3% in 2005, 3% in 2006, 3% in 2007, 4% in 2008 and then back down
to 3% in 2009!!!
I understand that there is also a “Right of Selection”
clause for foremen on their work gangs. This could mean, basically,
that the company can choose the foremen, they are not awarded
bids based fully on seniority. This is an item that comes up every
session where we bargain and we have never agreed to it. If the
signals ratify this ‘deal’, I predict that we will
be fighting extra hard to keep the rights we have now.
It
has always been the contention of most of us, that the company
plays pattern bargaining with the rail unions and this is why
we need to bargain, or at the very least communicate, and assist
each other. The thought has always been that the company attempts
to set the patterns with the weaker negotiators and then holds
the rest of us to these substandard 'deals'. This is why we see
the unification of rail labour as so fundamentally important.
Though the company may try to stick us with these patterns being
tentatively set, I can promise you that we will not be coerced
or pushed into signing substandard deals... after all, we're Teamsters.
That said, my opinion is that for the protection of all rank and
file rail labour, I hope that the IBEW rank and file membership
vote down this "deal" and get their negotiators back
to the table and away from 5 year company security blankets, backpedalled
wage increases and co-paid benefits.
I have always believed that the IBEW is a strong and proud Union.
They should be able to deliver a lot better than this to their
membership. Lord knows, their membership deserve it.
Fraternally,
Bill Brehl
President
TCRC MWED
