IMPORTANT NOTICE

For those MUTUEL EMPLOYEES whose schedule shows 7 consecutive days of no work:

Woodbine will be issuing a Record of Employment (ROE) to these employees. The ROE will show that there is a shortage of work and you will be able to apply for Employment Insurance (EI).

When work becomes available, once again, you will be scheduled to work, although you will have to report any earnings to EI once you start receiving benefits.

If you do not receive a ROE and you believe you are entitled to one: please contact Veena Rampersad, Director Pari-Mutuels Operations Department at Woodbine and she will look into it.

****************

Negotiations Update

We have completed four days of negotiations and will be continuing to negotiate towards a new contract on December 20, 21, 22, 2011.
We have also set more dates in January 2012 to continue our negotiations.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

FOR THOSE MUTUEL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE 55 YEARS AND OLDER WHO ARE CONTEMPLATING EARLY RETIREMENT:

In applying Article 14(d), a Seniority List employee who on average did not work at least 24 (twenty four) hours per week during April 1 to December 31, 2011 will remain on the Seniority List until the end of January.

Therefore, a Seniority List employee in this circumstance can elect to retire up to January 30th and Article 22(5) re: early retirement, will continue to apply.

Such request can be submitted in writing to Veena Rampersad, Director Pari-Mutuels Operations Department, clearly indicating the request for early retirement and the date which will be the last day worked.

Note: If there is a labour dispute, lock out or a strike one cannot take early retirement during the labour dispute.

Woodbine Entertainment Group Cuts Customer Service

Racetrack teletheatres (off-track betting facilities) across the GTA are going tellerless.

Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) is pushing ahead with plans to automate all GTA teletheatres, threatening jobs at a time when attendance is booming and teletheatres are raking in huge profits. They are cutting off the important human element in Ontario’s gaming industry.

Ontario’s lottery and gaming sector was built to diversify the provincial economy with promises of corporate responsibility and the creation of good jobs in our communities.

Each year, millions of our public dollars help boost revenues for WEG and now they’re needlessly cutting out customer service employees. This doesn’t add up.

Real-life mutuel tellers currently play a vital role in the racing business. We provide quality service directly to customers. We understand and teach customers the rules of the game. We lend support when it’s most needed as customers place hundreds of thousands of bets each year.

WEG plans to automate teletheatres in the GTA will put 384 mutuel tellers’ jobs at risk. This makes no sense – especially since WEG raked in over $11.5 million in profits last year.

We’re calling on the company as well as teletheatre operators to stop this aggressive and poorly thought-out plan for more automation, at the expense of customer service. Instead, we’re advocating a common ground approach to technological improvements (as is done in other industries) – one that protects jobs and maintains a high level of customer service for you, the public.

Other service locations in our communities that have instituted automated machines (including banks, supermarkets, airports and transit stations) still employ live staff to ensure quality customer service is delivered. Woodbine is forcing automation on its customers. No compromises.

Shouldn’t it be the customer’s choice?

****************

You can help!    Contact your Member of Provincial Parliament

Don't know who your MPP is?     Click here: Current MPPs

Ask them: Why is the Ontario government allowing the horse racing industry to eliminate good paying jobs with benefits all while they are receiving millions of dollars of the taxpayers’ money each year through the Ontario Lottery Corporation slot profits?

Ask them: Why are long term employees who have contributed to the success of the race track operations now being replaced by automation?

Ask them: Why contracting out to private owners helps the Ontario economy when these contracts are replacing good paying jobs?

Ask them: Who contributes more to the Ontario economy, a long-term employee living and working in Ontario or rich foreign owner?

Notice of Meeting

There will be two sessions

DATE:    Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

TIME:    Day session 1:30 pm
            Night session 7:30 pm

PLACE:  Comfort Hotel - located across the street from Woodbine racetrack at the south east corner of Hwy 27 and Rexdale Blvd

Meeting Agenda:

• Negotiation Proposals Update

• CAW Campaign Update

Your attendance is important.

Am I eligible for EI regular benefits?

Many mutuel tellers are now facing schedules with reduced available hours. The following question is being asked.

Am I eligible for EI regular benefits?

You may be entitled to receive EI regular benefits if you:

• have paid premiums into the EI Account;
• lost your employment through no fault of your own;
• have been without work and without pay for at least seven consecutive days in the last 52 weeks;
• have worked for the required number of insurable hours in the last 52 weeks or since the start of your last EI claim, whichever is shorter; 
• are ready, willing, and capable of working each day; and
• are actively looking for work (you must keep a written record of employers you contact, including when you contacted them).

 You may not be entitled to receive EI regular benefits if you: 

• voluntarily left your employment without just cause;
• were dismissed for misconduct; or
• are unemployed because you are directly participating in a labour dispute (strike, lockout, or other type of dispute).

For more information:
Service Canada - Employment Insurance Website
Find your local Service Canada Office

CAW National President Ken Lewenza Meets With WEG - Sept. 13, 2011

The meeting was attended by:

For WEG: CEO Nick Eaves, COO Sean Pinsonneault, and Vice-President of Human Resources, Debra Carey.

For the Union: Ken Lewenza, National President CAW, Deb Tveit, Assistant to the President, Kim Powers, our National Rep, and Bob Ciprick, President CAW Local 2007.

Ken understands our current concerns and issues very well and his message was articulated with great conviction to WEG's senior management.

The discussion was frank and open as to the position of both sides concerning the recent developments of WEG's business plan for now and for the near future.

As you could well appreciate these issues are complex and will require follow-up conversations/meetings and time to resolve.

We will keep you informed as best as possible and in the meantime we will continue to prepare for the upcoming contract negotiations.

Attention All Members:

With Woodbine's aggressive move to tellerless teletheatres and tellerless days at their racetrack locations all in the name of 'efficiencies'...

I am asking each and every teller/money room worker to send me a short email describing how these reductions in available hours are affecting you emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and socially. (include the years you have been with WEG) 

In other words: How this is affecting you exactly. 

Be honest, be frank, be truthful, be heartfelt, but do not be vulgar, vicious, or malicious.

We are meeting with Nick Eaves and his compatriots on Sept 13, 2011 so please send these messages by then. 

My email is robertciprick@gmail.com

In solidarity
Bob Ciprick

CAW Local 2007 Mutuels Contract Negotiations 2012

CAW Local 2007 Mutuels Negotiations Committee is currently putting together a proposal to present to Woodbine Entertainment Group.

WE WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT

If you have an issue or suggestion that we should consider, please forward (in writing or by email) to one of the Committee members:

        Bob Ciprick
        robertciprick@gmail.com

        Wendy Fedecky
        roman.fedecky@sympatico.ca

        Nancy Guitard
        guitards@cogeco.ca

        Kevin McCool
        kevinvmccool@gmail.com

        Alan Stein
        inkydinkie@hotmail.com

In Solidarity;

Notice of Union Meeting(s)

There will be two sessions

It is of the utmost importance to attend one of these sessions.

DATE:    Tuesday, August 16, 2011

TIME:    Day session 1:30 pm
            Night session 7:30 pm

PLACE:  Comfort Hotel - located across the street from Woodbine racetrack at the south east corner of Hwy 27 and Rexdale Blvd

Meeting Agenda:

• Bob Orr, assistant to Ken Lewenza, and Kim Powers, our National rep, will be attending.

• The meeting will cover the present changes to our workplace; teller-less teletheatres and what is being done about it.

Your attendance is important.

Tellerless Teletheatres - What Can You Do About It

The aggressive move by Woodbine to convert teletheatres to teller-less operations is threatening our very existence.

Many members are asking... What is the union doing about it?

Let me remind you that the union is not just one or two members, the union is the whole membership. It is everyone's responsibility to do what you can to save, not only your own job, but also the jobs of your fellow brothers and sisters.

You can fight for your jobs by contacting your MPP and asking them the questions below or any other suitable questions . 

This fight is all of ours.

Members action "Contact your MPP."  You can use the following links to find the MPP for your riding.

MPP Addresses and Contact Information - Queen's Park Offices

MPP Addresses and Contact Information - Ministry Offices

MPP Addresses and Contact Information - Constituency Offices 

Don't know who your MPP is ? Click here: Current MPPs

Ask them: Why is the Ontario government allowing the horse racing industry to eliminate good paying jobs with benefits all while they are receiving millions of dollars of the taxpayers money each year through the Ontario Lottery Corporation slot profits?

Ask them: Why are long term employees who have contributed to the success of the race track operations now being replaced by automation?

Ask them: Why contracting out to private owners helps the Ontario economy when these contracts are replacing good paying jobs?

Ask them: How have the slot profits, given to the track operators, helped the Ontario racing industry and the Ontario economy?

Ask them: If they know that more and more American stables and owners are taking their share of our Slots profit induced purses out of Ontario?

Ask them: Who contributes more to the Ontario economy, a long-term employee living and working in Ontario or rich foreign owners?

Ask them: Who is accountable for the way that the Ontario Slot profits, that are directed to the horse racing industry, are being used?

Ask them: If they know that some of these tracks, subsidized by the Slot profits, are giving away in purses 2, 3, or even 4 times as much as their betting is on their race nights?

In Solidarity

Bob Ciprick

President

CAW Local 2007

Teller-less Teletheatres Planned by WEG

As you all know by now, WEG is planning to convert the following teletheatres to teller-less operations:

Albert's Palour on August 9th, 20011

Stonehouse on August 16th, 2011

Champion's on Kingston on Aug 23rd, 2011, and

Sport's Cafe Champions on August 30th, 2011.

The union still has an arbitration regarding these type of operations under judicial review.

Negotiation Committee Election Results

Your negotiation committee, as elected, is as follows:

Al Stein
Kevin McCool
Nancy Guitard
Wendy Fedecky

1st Alternative - Brian Henderson
2nd Alternative - Karen Riddell
 

Thank you to Maureen Innes and Alan Lee who helped with the counting of the ballots.

Negotiation Committee Election Update

Now that the postal workers are back to work, the counting of the ballots for the negotiation committee will take place on July 12th, 2011

Support Canada Post Workers

Canada Post: Mass Picket and Rally

Date:  WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011

Time:  9:00 a.m.

Location:  Yonge & Dundas

(At the legal offices of Canada Post)

To protest the collusion of Canada Post and the Conservative Government to strip workers of their legal rights to bargain in defense of working conditions, wages and benefits for the next generation of Canadians.

Bring your flags and banners, and signs of support for postal workers.

www.labourcouncil.ca 
Jenny J.H. Ahn
Director, Membership Mobilization and Political Action
1-800-268-5763
D: 416-718-8464
======================================================

PLEASE NOTE: 

The vote count for the negotiation committee will be delayed until the postal strike is over to ensure everyone's' ballot has been received.

Deadline For Submitting Ballots Extended

Due to the rotating postal strike, the deadline for receiving your 'negotiation committee ballots' will be extended corresponding to the length of the strike. This will allow any ballots delayed in the mail to be delivered.

Negotiation Committee Ballots Have Been Mailed

The Negotiation Committee Ballots have been mailed.

Please watch for the mailing and return your selections for the committee as soon as possible.

Bob Ciprick
President
CAW Local 2007

Stand Up for Public Services

Please read the letter below received by our local from the Toronto Civic Employees' Union Local 416. Click here for a flyer.

==========================================

Dear friends,
We would like to thank you for the support that you are showing the Toronto Civic Employees’ Union Local 416 as we Stand Up for Public Services and protect Toronto’s recycling and garbage services.  On May 17th, or 18th council will vote on a risky and dangerous precedent - whether or not to privatize:

•        Residential recycling, organics and garbage collection west of Yonge St.
•        Litter collection in all Parks
•        Street cleaning
•        Other collection across the city on an ‘adhoc basis’

PLEASE CALL 311 and ask to speak to your councillor immediately. You can also click www.keepitpublic.com   to find your councillor and sign our petition.  Ask them “Why take the risk?”

Please join us at City hall on May 17th or 18th to show that you oppose these contracts worth over a ¼ of a billion dollars going to a private for profit company. Please put these dates in your calendar and bring friends and co-workers down to City Hall, starting at 9:30 am and all the way through the evening.  We do not know exactly when this issue will come up for debate.  The mayor will likely try to keep the timing of this agenda item secret and change it at the last minute.

Be on alert for further updates – let us know that you can come to City Hall.  Just leave us as message at info@local416.com or call the union office 416-968-7800 (ext 257) and we will update you on Tuesday as things progress.

In Solidarity,
Mark Ferguson, President TCEU Local 416

Nominations for the Negotiation Committee are Now Open

Nominations for the Negotiation Committee are now open and will remain open until midnight on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011.

All mutuels members are considered nominated and each member must accept their nomination by email, in writing, or by fax before the closing of nominations deadline noted above. Any other way of acceptance will not be considered valid. Once the nominations are closed an election, by mailings, will be held to elect four (4) members to the negotiating committee.

Email address to send acceptance - robertciprick@gmail.com

Address for mailed acceptance -   CAW Local 2007
                                                15-2120 Headon Road
                                                Burlington, ON. L7M 4J9

Fax number: 416-628-7959 

If you have any questions about the negotiating committee and what is expected please call me at 905-334-6118.

Bob Ciprick
President
CAW Local 2007

==============================

 

CAW Economist, Jim Stanford Wins Public Policy Forum Testimonial Award

Please take a moment to read this fantastic speech by CAW Economist Jim Stanford, upon his receipt of the Public Policy Forum Testimonial award last week. 

Also honoured were: former Ontario Premier Bill Davis, RBC CEO Gord Nixon, Monique Leroux of Desjardins group in Quebec (credit union), Andre Picard (Globe and Mail health reporter), Victor Thomas (young Indo-Canadian president of the Regina Chamber of Commerce).

There were several excellent speeches that evening, but none better than Jim’s.  Read it here: http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2011/05/01/public-policy-forum-testimonial-dinner/

Notice of Union Meeting

A UNION MEETING WILL BE HELD ON:
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011, 7:30 pm. at the

Comfort Hotel - located across the street from Woodbine Racetrack at the south east corner of Hwy 27 and Rexdale Blvd.

Meeting Agenda:

    * Regular order of business
    * NEGOTIATION COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS

Your attendance is important

RALLY FOR RESPECT: Our COMMUNITIES, Public SERVICES, Good JOBS!

Community Day of Action in Toronto

1 p.m. Saturday, April 9, 2011

Rally at Dundas Square, followed by a march to Toronto City Hall

What’s at Stake?

• Services and programs that serve every resident and community, such as libraries, child care and recreation centres
• TTC serving all neighbourhoods
• Environmental leadership in challenging climate change
• Keeping public control of public services, such as garbage pickup
• Safeguarding vital public assets, such as housing
• Good jobs and the fundamental rights of workers

Take Action
On Saturday, April 9, 2011, rally at Dundas Square (Yonge & Dundas) and march to Toronto City Hall to defend our communities, public services and good jobs. Together, we can stop cuts, closures, user fees and privatization that will hurt every person and every neighbourhood in Toronto. Let’s speak up before it spreads to every city and town in Ontario.

Endorsing Organizations:

ACORN Canada Good Jobs For All Coalition Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario Toronto and York Region Labour Council Ontario Federation of Labour Canadian Labour Congress International Women’s Day Committee ... more to come!

New Stewards

The union would like to thank and welcome two sisters, Nancy Guitard and Rohanie Persaud, who have accepted the role as a work place stewards. 
All mutuel workers will benefit from the addition of these two stewards. 

Please use Nancy or Rohanie along with the current stewards as one of your contacts for workplace issues.

Notice of Union Meeting

A UNION MEETING WILL BE HELD ON:
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011, 7:30 pm. at the

Comfort Hotel - located across the street from Woodbine Racetrack at the south east corner of Hwy 27 and Rexdale Blvd.

Meeting Agenda:

• Regular order of business
• Discussion of our changing workplace
• Upcoming negotiation preparations

 

Your attendance is important