IMPACT! Edition 24, August 2007 [Archive]

Sam

08-06-2007, 04:02 PM

IMPACT! Edition 24 - August 2007
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An all-trades newsletter.
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NO ONE SIGNS UNTIL ALL HAVE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE!
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According to an August 1, 2007 report in the Edmonton Journal, the average price of a house in Alberta rose to $364,072 in June of 2007. This was a rise of 24.7 per cent over June of 2006. Coincidentally, construction tradesmen have been hoping to see a 25 per cent increase in their wage package, but over a two year collective agreement. <o:p></o:p>
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On the other hand, negotiators for construction tradesmen have offered the employer group, Construction Labour Relations of Alberta (CLRa), 7.5 per cent, and 7 per cent over a two-year collective agreement. However, no mention is made about our return to double time for all overtime! Is this good enough? If not, it is up to each member to personally speak to his business manager in order to convey his sentiments to him on this very important issue.
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Seeing as we have an amount of work unprecedented at any other time of negotiations throughout our 100 year history, we can achieve a fair collective agreement and likely without even the need to strike. The clients (buyers of construction) are anxiously waiting to start producing oil and tallying a healthy bottom line.
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As of July 27, 2007, out of a total of 25 trades, 14 (56 per cent) have ratified agreements. However, should five more trades ratify, this would give the contractors the 75 per cent of contract settlements required by the Alberta Labour Code in order to arbitrate the remaining unsettled contracts. It, therefore, cannot be emphasized strongly enough how important it is for the remaining trades to hold out for fair collective agreements. This they can do by supporting the five trades, who together, have given their negotiating committees a 95 per cent strike mandate. SOLIDARITY with, and UNITY of, the remaining unsettled trades is absolutely critical in order to receive fair settlements.
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Please copy, post, and distribute to your fellow tradesmen.
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Union Issues Awareness Committee uamembers@uamembers.org
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EXPOSURE 2007
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The news media have, of recently, been carrying the latest on the Schreiber/Mulroney affair. And no I'm not implying that they slept together - that, I don't really know. I'm referring to the Airbus affair - you know - the allegations that former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney received kickbacks in exchange for then Crown corporation Air Canada's purchase of Airbus planes in 1988.
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Well, apparently an Ontario court has ordered Mr. Mulroney to pay $470,000 to Mr. Schreiber in his lawsuit against Mulroney to recover $300,000 plus interest that Mr. Schreiber gave to Mr. Mulroney.
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This affair has an aroma surrounding it similar to the scandal that saw Paul Martin on the outside looking in at his prime ministerial job.
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There is the saying: "action is stronger than words" and one could also say the same of "inaction". Well, having said all that, I wonder how widespread this kind of thing is among people elected to serve us. How often is money tucked into someone's back pocket as a return for a favour complete?
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A. Non<o:p></o:p>
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