4. USW overview
800,000 members
across North America
Canadian autonomy
within an
international union
225,000 members in
Canada
Most diverse union in
Canada
5. USW diversity & strength
2,700 collective
agreements across
Canada in every sector
50 agreements with
11,800 members under
the Canada Labour
Code
10 communications
sector units, 5 in the
U.S.: 1,800 members
6. USW democracy & structure
Most other unions choose
top leaders by delegates
at conventions
USW democracy: leaders
directly elected by one-
member, one-vote
President, National
Director for Canada, all
International Officers and
District Directors
7. USW democracy & structure
Same process for
USW Local Union
executive elections:
one-member, one-
vote
Next Local Union
elections: April
2015
8. USW Locals set
USW policy
LOCAL UNION MEMBERSHIP
elects delegates to
USW
USW
International
International
Constitutional
Constitutional
Convention
Convention
USW
USW Other
Other USW
USW
Canadian
Canadian Conferences,
Conferences, District
District
Policy
Policy CLC, etc.
CLC, etc. Conferences
Conferences
Conference
Conference
9. USW Overview: District 3
B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba and three northern
territories
Members in about 900 different
workplaces
Servicing offices in Burnaby,
Trail, Langley, Prince George,
Calgary, Edmonton, plus offices
in Saskatchewan and Manitoba
10. USW overview: District 6
Ontario and Atlantic provinces
Members in about 930
different workplaces
Servicing offices in Cambridge,
Hamilton, Hawkesbury,
Kingston, London, Mississauga,
Orillia, Oshawa, Ottawa, Sault
Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder
Bay, Toronto, plus four Atlantic
offices
11. USW overview: District 5
Quebec
Members in about 650
different workplaces
Servicing offices in
Montreal, Jonquiere,
Quebec, Rouyn- Noranda,
Brossard, Sept-Isles , Ste-
Therese
12. USW Dues
1.45% of pay, plus 2 cents per hour worked
44% to Local Union (education, lost time, membership
approved expenditures)
44% to USW (spent in Canada on services and staff
support)
7% to USW Strike and Defence Fund ($214 million)
3% to Organizing, 1% to Canadian Education Fund, 1% to
political action
13. USW Local Unions
Diversity: a broad mix of diverse local union structures,
designed to be flexible and meet members’ needs
All sizes of ‘stand-alone’ locals: single workplace /
employer)
All sizes of ‘amalgamated’ (geographic) locals covering
multiple workplaces/contracts
Sectoral locals
National and provincial locals
14. USW Services & Support
Structure: mix of single-workplace locals,
multi-workplace amalgamated locals
Services: delivered by USW Staff Representatives
Trained, experienced USW employees responsible to
elected Directors
Staff Reps access USW resources, experts (Legal
Department, Research Department, Communications,
etc.)
15. USW Services
and Support
Research Department
Legal Department
Strategic Campaigns
Health, Safety and
Environment
Education,
Human Rights, Retirees
Communications and
Political Action
Organizing
16. United
Steelworkers
Legal Department
• 7 full-time lawyers in
the Canadian National
Office
• Plus retained lawyers
• Provide legal advice
and support to USW
Staff Representatives
and Local Union
leadership
17. USW Legal Department
Collective agreement
language
Training for staff and Local
Union officials on legal issues
Collective bargaining strategy
Grievances and arbitration
Human rights issues
18. USW Research
Department
• 9 Research staff in
Vancouver, Toronto
and Montreal
• Trained experts in
financial costing,
benefit analysis,
corporate research
• Experience with very
wide variety of
industries
19. USW Research Department
When a union:
bargains a collective
agreement
develops a strategic plan
lobbies governments
engages in public campaigns
It needs to understand
the relevant facts
21. USW Membership Education
Other member education highlights:
Leadership
development with
global component
Scholarships for
members and Locals
Next Generation
program
22. Global
Partnerships
USW global union with
Unite (U.K.) – Workers
Uniting, 3 million members
USW founding member of
IndustriALL – 50 million
members in 140 countries
Partnership with Los
Mineros in Mexico
23. USW Humanity Fund
First union-based
international development
organization of its kind
Registered Canadian charity
funded by USW member
contributions
International development
projects, emergency
humanitarian aid and an
education program for
Steelworker members
24. USW Political Action
Activist union, founding
partner in the New
Democratic Party
Fighting for: better labour
laws, protection for wages
and pensions, job security,
health and social programs,
better trade laws and more
Legislative offices in
Ottawa and Washington
25. Women of Steel program
supporting women activists,
recognizing women's issues
as workers' issues
Women of Steel Leadership
Development Course
USW National Women's
Conference
26. USW – An Organizing Union
Canadian National Organizing Department
Strong legal and communications backup
13 full-time organizing staff at National and
District levels
Depth of experience in running large
organizing campaigns
Average 4,000 new members annually
28. USW – Strength through mergers
2001 – University of Guelph Staff Association
(Canada, 900 members)
2004 - Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers
Canada (Canada, 50,000 members)
29. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
Respects TWU-STT history as an
independent union
All USW services and democratic rights
Balance of autonomy and support
Mutually agreed transition toward the
USW dues structure
30. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
Alignment of USW resources to assist in
transition and collective bargaining
Democratic governance transition
31. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
Compliance with TWU-STT and USW
constitutions
Recognized by CIRB
Collective agreement continuity
Compliance by all employers
32. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
Mutually agreed plan
Careful legal strategy
Moving confidently from merger into
servicing and then into collective
bargaining
33. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
A partnership for a better future
Strong collective
agreements
Top-notch service
A strong voice for all
members
34. Questions &
Answer s
TWU-STT Presentation,
December 12, 2012
Editor's Notes
KEN: Introduce yourself Thanks to the TWU for inviting us to be here We ’re pleased to give you an overview of our union, to provide an outline of what we see some of the merger considerations to be and to answer questions about how we can work together. As you know, in early November of this year we met to renew the Strategic Alliance between our two unions. This is an alliance that we are proud of and that we expected would continue to grow and develop. Then in late November we learned from George that the Executive Council had passed its motion in favour of merger with the USW. In fact I recall that I was at a meeting of our union’s leadership in Quebec when I got an email from George asking that I give him a call about a motion that affected us. Until my assistant Mark called we had no idea that it dealt with the possible merger of our unions. But since then we have worked cooperatively to be part of a process that we think will inform and engage the TWU membership. We would be honoured to join together wit the TWU and its membership across Canada. But we know that this is a decision that only TWU members can make. Our team today will give you an overview of our union and I’m now going to turn it over to my assistant Mark Rowlinson who will speak to the next few slides. But before that I’d like the elected Director of District 3 of our union to say a few words – Steve Hunt Steve… Thanks Ken. As you heard, I am the elected director of the USW here in western Canada, and I’ve been a Steelworker for over 25 years… I started my working life in a mine, I’ve been a local health and safety activist, I’ve been a staff rep, staff in our district office and national office and a District Director for the past half-dozen years. As a District Director, I serve on our International Executive Board, with Ken and all the other directors. We just came from an IEB meeting where Ken spoke to all three Canadian directors about the TWU, and this opportunity for a merger. I just want to say, on behalf of all three Canadian District Directors – Daniel Roy in Quebec and Marty Warren in Ontario & the Maritimes – that we are very excited about the possibility of joining with the TWU to make our unions stronger, together. And importantly, I want to assure you that when we do mergers – and we’ve done quite a few – that, first and foremost, this needs to be about delivering better representation and a stronger union to the members, of both unions. For my part, and on behalf of all the Canadian district directors, we will provide whatever support we can to this exciting process. Now, over to you Mark…
MARK: Introduce yourself… We have a large team here to interact with you and to give you a idea about the range of our union ’s resources. I won ’t introduce each person because each of them will speak to you as part of our presentation today, but you’ll see there names here on the screen.
MARK: We ’ll give an overview of how the USW is structured, a bit about the diversity of USW membership, we'll review of the services we provide to our members, and then we’ll talk in some detail about some of what we see as important considerations for the TWU and our union to work together, and we'll have time for Q&A.
MARK – Note that all of the pictures in this presentation are of various actual USW members across Canada. This pic is of one of the leaders of our unit of technicians and technologists at the Xstrata mining operation in Sudbury Ontario. review slide
MARK – review slide (Pic is of member at University of Toronto – a unit of close to 4,000 members)
MARK – review slide, note difference b/w our elections and unions that elect leaders at delegated conventions Pic is of members voting on a resolution at a USW National Policy Conference
MARK – review slide Three (3) year term of office President, Vice- President, Financial Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Guards, Guides, Trustees
MARK – review slide USW Locals determine their own bargaining priorities with support from the USW Local also have a key role in setting overall union policies through getting involved in our various policy setting events such as NPC, Int Conventions, etc
SCOTT – introduce yourself – IWA merger history Review slide 50,000 - 65,000 members
SCOTT – Review slide
NATHALIE – – introduce yourself – current job as USW staff rep, but former leader of TCU prior to merger with USW. Mention recent bargaining with Nordia call centres. Review slide About 65,000 members on Quebec, known as les Métallos,
SCOTT – review slide
Scott – USW has a breadth and diversity of Local Unions: - "stand-alone" locals (e.g., single workplace / employer) . Big (e.g., Highland Valley Copper, Logan Lake, LU 7619, 1200 members) . Small (e.g., Behlen Industries, Brandon, LU 7913, 130 members) - "amalgamated" (geographic) locals covering multiple workplaces/contracts . Big (e.g., LU 2009, Langley, 4500 members, 120 units / workplaces) . Small (e.g., LU 5917, Regina, 510 members, 15 units / workplaces) - "sectoral" locals (e.g., LU 5966, security guards, Ontario; LU 2010, woodworkers in N. Ontario) - "national" or "provincial" locals (e.g., LUs 1976 & 2004 transportation/railway members) Larger USW locals often have full-time officers & staff ALL locals have an assigned Staff Representative
Scott – review slide
MARK – review slide To provide services to our members, Staff Representatives draw upon: Pic is University of Guelph
PAULA – introduce yourself and review slide
PAULA – review slide USW Legal dept would be involved in helping ensure that a merger goes smoothly and is in compliance with the USW and TWU constitutions and the relevant provisions of the Canada Labour Code such as section 43 which deals with successor trade union status and the requirement of employer to recognize such transitions.
BRAD – introduce yourself and review slide
BRAD – review slide Pic is member at U of T, L 1998 What kind of wage increases have other unions and employees in your sector obtained recently? How much would it cost to add new benefits? What is the real financial status of Telus? How will the industry be changing in the future? What are the long term trends in Canada ’s telecommunications sector? What are the prospects for the future for Telus?
DANA – Intro yourself review slide Back to the Locals focus Refer to USW priority on member education / training at both fed and prov levels
DANA – review slide Leadership Development 4 yr. scholarship Program developed in conjunction with George Meany University Leadership Development on a global level with a 2 year scholarship program offered in London England and Washington D.C. Scholarships for members and Locals offered annually as well as specific designated scholarships for Women and members under 30 The “Next Generation” Program
MARK - REVIEW SLIDE
MARK - REVIEW SLIDE
MARK - REVIEW SLIDE
BRAD Review slide Org plan in sector going forward
BRAD Review slide Org plan in sector going forward
SCOTT Review mergers NATHALIE - comments on TCU merger
SCOTT
BOB – Bob Matters My background was as an IWA member, activist and local union president in the Kootenays. At the time of the IWA merger with the Steelworkers in 2004, I was the president of my local, on our national executive board and a member of the merger negotiating committee. I just want to say, at the outset, that it was the ability to actually “negotiate”, raise issues and solve those issues that made the IWA merger with USW a success. Within the principles that we established – principles that worked for the USW and IWA – we were able to cross all T’s, dot all the I’s and make sure that all the details about what a merger looked like were dealt with. ….written, transparent merger agreement So, in that light, I just want to go through this slide …
BOB Review slide And, before I hand it over to Paula, I just want to say, from the perspective of the members I represented at the time of the merger, our merger was a huge benefit. In fact, with the economic downturn during the late 2000s, I’m not sure how well the former IWA and IWA locals would have fared on our own.
PAULA – review slide
BRAD – review slide
KEN – review slide
George moderates Q&A, directs questions to KEN