Bus routes are based on repetition — driving a bus around the same loop again and again.
For that reason, there’s a certain symmetry to having arrived at the same spot as four years ago with respect to a contract with transit union employees. In three months, somewhat unbelievably, Saskatoon Transit employees will once again be without a contract.
Greetings!
As promised at the last Canadian Council meeting, we are forwarding the information from SEIU on the Million Women’s March in Washington on January 21, 2017. If you require any further information, please contact Sister Stewart directly at president@seiuhealthcare.ca.
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Bonjour!
Comme nous l’avons promis au cours de la réunion la plus récente du Conseil canadien, nous vous faisons suivre l’information de l’UIES au sujet de la Marche d’un million de femmes sur Washington qui aura lieu le 21 janvier 2017. Si vous souhaitez obtenir de plus amples renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec la consœur Stewart directement à l’adresse president@seiuhealthcare.ca.
Dear Brother/Sister,
As President of SEIU Healthcare and International Vice-President of SEIU International, the fight for equality is something I am a part of every day. The rhetoric of the past election cycle in the United States insulted and demeaned many of us and we must take a stand!
On January 21st, 2017, the day after Donald Trump will be sworn in as President of the United States, there will be a Million Women’s March in Washington, D.C.
The idea for this event is to have one million women involved; and as a Canadian woman who exemplifies leadership, I urge you to join me to march at this monumental occasion.
Our voices will be heard and our presence must be felt. As strong, proud Canadian women, we need to stand in solidarity with our neighbours to the south for the protection of women’s rights and marginalized communities.
Together we will send a clear message that Canada will never tolerate those types of politics. Together we can make a difference.
The plan is to meet in Washington and march together with Canadian flags and wearing red and white. Would be great if we had 500 Canadian women there.
I am asking that as a leader of your organization that you consider sending women officers, executive board members, women committee members and rank and file leaders. As a progressive organizations and as proud Canadians, we must voice our resistance to this type of attack and oppression. I look forward to seeing your organization there.
Please e-mail me before December 31 to let me know if you will be joining me in Washington. I look forward to us standing side-by-side, fighting fear and ignorance and spreading hope and compassion.
For more information please see FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/2169332969958991/
In Solidarity,
Sharleen Stewart
President
SEIU Healthcare
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Chers frères et sœurs,
En tant que présidente de SEIU Healthcare et vice-présidente internationale de SEIU International, je me bats pour l’égalité au quotidien. Les discours du dernier cycle électoral aux États-Unis ont insulté et rabaissé bon nombre d’entre nous et nous devons nous défendre!
Le 21 janvier 2017, soit le jour suivant l’investiture de Donald Trump à titre de président des États-Unis, se tiendra la « Million Women’s March », une grande marche des femmes à Washington, D.C.
L’objectif est d’obtenir la participation d’un million de femmes et je vous invite, en tant que Canadienne occupant une position d’influence, à profiter de cette occasion unique pour venir marcher avec moi.
Nos voix seront entendues et notre présence doit se faire sentir. Fières Canadiennes, nous devons afficher notre solidarité avec nos voisins du sud pour la protection des droits des femmes et des collectivités marginalisées.
Ensemble, nous enverrons le message clair que le Canada ne tolérera en aucun cas de telles politiques. Ensemble, nous pouvons changer les choses.
Le plan est de nous rencontrer à Washington et de marcher ensemble en brandissant le drapeau du Canada, vêtues de blanc et de rouge. Ce serait fantastique de pouvoir compter sur la participation de 500 Canadiennes.
Aux chefs d’organisations, je vous demande de considérer d’envoyer des femmes dirigeantes et membres du conseil de direction, des femmes membres de comités et des chefs de la base du syndicat. En tant qu’organisations progressistes et en tant que fières Canadiennes, nous devons exprimer notre refus d’accepter ce genre d’attaques et d’oppression. J’espère pouvoir compter sur vous.
Veuillez m’envoyer un courriel avant le 31 décembre 2016 à l’adresse president@seiuhealthcare.ca pour m’indiquer si vous serez des nôtres à Washington. Au plaisir de marcher à vos côtés pour combattre la peur et l’ignorance et inspirer l’espoir et la compassion.
Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements, visitez la page Facebook de l’événement : https://www.facebook.com/events/2169332969958991/
En toute solidarité,
Sharleen Stewart
Présidente
SEIU Healthcare
Andrea Horwath says she’s “really worried” that Hamilton’s light-rail transit (LRT) will be a private operation that places the bottom line over the needs of residents.
The Ontario NDP leader and Hamilton Centre MPP discussed the project in a Facebook Live interview Wednesday with CBC Hamilton.
Horwath said she’s concerned about plans to make LRT a private-public partnership, or P3. The $1 billion system should be publicly owned and operated, she said.
“If the service is about providing value to private interest, how do we make sure it’s Hamiltonians’ interests that are at the top of the agenda?”
Saskatoon transit workers have withdrawn their job action, which included work to rule and a ban to overtime, after a majority ratified a collective agreement with the City of Saskatoon on Tuesday.
Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 voted 55.83 per cent in favour of the agreement and city council will finalize the deal with a vote on Thursday. By signing the new agreement, transit workers have agreed to join eight other unions and associations in accepting changes to the defined benefit pension plan.
The work to rule campaign and ban open overtime affecting city transit is over.
Amalgamated transit union local 615 has ratified a tentative agreement with the City of Saskatoon. That means all transit service is back to the regular schedule. The city says that the agreement includes a 10 per cent wage hike and back pay to 2012.
Tonight, Saskatoon Transit workers will be voting on a deal that could end a labour scuffle that has lasted for years.
Last week, the Amalgamated Transit Union announced it had reached a tentative agreement with the City of Saskatoon after their latest round of bargaining.
Reino Pitkanen says he was blown away by the generosity of Thunder Bay residents this past weekend.
As the chair of the Thunder Bay Food Bank, he was hoping this year’s Santa Bus campaign would match last year’s total of 7,000 pounds.
The TTC has provoked the ire of its largest union by announcing that it will begin randomly testing its employees for drug and alcohol use starting on March 1.
In a news release on Thursday, the transit agency said that it had given formal notice to its workers that it was moving ahead with the plan, which has been in the works for five years.
Transit workers were illegally locked out for four weeks in the fall of 2014. The provincial Labour Relations Board earlier ruled that the city had to pay workers back for the first two weeks of lost wages — about $651,ooo altogether. The union argued its members should be compensated for the full four weeks of the lockout.
Transit services in Lethbridge and area got a major boost Saturday with the announcement of $12.55 million in new Federal-Provincial funding.
The City will receive $10.1 million from the province’s GreenTRIP program and $2 million from the federal Public Transportation Infrastructure Fund to support the construction of a downtown regional park ‘n’ ride transit terminal. In addition to the provincial and federal funding, the City of Lethbridge will contribute $4.9 million toward the overall $17 million cost of the transit terminal project.