VRSP Forms are Now Available

Voluntary Resignation with Severance Payment (VRSP) forms are now available.

Please contact Veena to obtain forms.

If you have any questions about your VRSP please call Bob Ciprick at
1-647-367-2264.

Negotiations Update - Agreement Ratified

The membership has voted 86% in favour of accepting the Memorandum of Understanding. 

More details to follow.

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?

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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?

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

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

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

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

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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/

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.

UPDATE ON THE UPCOMING SHIFT STRUCTURES

The Union recently had a step two grievance meeting with WEG regarding the tellerless teletheatre and the upcoming shift structures in 2011. We are waiting for their response and we will bring this issue to arbitration if necessary.
There are many questions on this new structure and following are a few of the questions we put forward to WEG along with their responses. (Responses in italics):

1) Where will the customers at Woodbine and the Racebook get their vouchers when there are no tellers?

Customers will be able to obtain a voucher from the self-serve machine.

2) How will customers be able to cancel their tickets because of late scratches, etc?

If a horse is scratched from a race, a customer who has placed a bet on such a scratched horse will be able to put their ticket into the self-serve and a voucher will be issued. Otherwise, for tickets that a customer would like to cancel for any reason other than a scratched horse: a) if the customer is not an HPI account holder, then the customer must cancel the bet within 40 seconds of creating the bet at the self-serve terminal, or; b) if the customer is an HPI account holder, then it can be canceled up to post time.

3) What about Monday live at Woodbine?

Live racing will be staffed with mutuel tellers.

4) What will happen with Cheque Cashing and U.S. Exchange when tellers are not scheduled?

Cheque Cashing and U.S. Exchange will not be available when tellers are not scheduled. These services will only be offered during live racing.

5) Who will post the changes when tellers are not scheduled?

Changes will not be posted when tellers are not scheduled. Customers can obtain changes as they are scrolled on the television.

Please let other mutuel employees know that we will be posting updates on this issue on this website. If any employees who are not subscribers to our union website and would like to, they can send their emails to myself at robertciprick@gmail.com and I will see that they get listed.

Since the proposed changes to our shifts are going to cause some employees to have no or very little work they might be eligible for Employment Insurance. They can check out the following website. http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/types/regular.shtml#eligible

There they will learn if they become eligible to collect EI. For example one of the qualifications is “have been without work and without pay for at least seven consecutive days in the last 52 weeks;”

Bob Ciprick
President
CAW Local 2007

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

In Charge Doing Host Duties at Mohawk

Arbitrator Kathleen O'Neil agreed with the Union that the In Charge doing the Hostess duties at Mohawk was an extra duty. She gave the parties an opportunity to negotiate a rate. WEG offerred zero. A hearing is scheduled for February 23, 2011 with Miss O'Neil to set a rate.
A copy of the arbitrator's award is available here:

Notification of Local's New Executive Board

Effective Wednesday, July 21, 2010 the Local Executive will be:

President: Robert Ciprick
Vice President: Brian Henderson
Secretary-Treasurer: Maureen Innes
Trustee: Dawn Kelly

On behalf of our Members, thank you to outgoing Executive Members: Susan Borbely, Roxanne Harlow and Fred Sykes for your service.

In solidarity,

Brian D. Henderson
Local President

December News - Member Poll, Pension Matters, WEG Accountability Campaign

Pension Matters:
Unfortunately, there was not enough interest from our Plan Members to conduct the Pension Seminars scheduled for October, 2009.
The Power Point presentation, which was to be featured at the sessions, is available for viewing or downloading > Click here

The Part-Time pension complaint hearings conducted by the FSCO tribunal are completed. We will post the decision of the Tribunal when it becomes available.

WEG Accountability Campaign:
Local Union Representatives have ongoing meetings with Woodbine Management and CAW National Representatives to be informed of the planned changes to our workplace.
Together with CAW National, our Local is planning a campaign to our Provincial Government to demand accountability from racetrack operators for the $millions in slot revenues they receive.

Accountability for:
· the creation and maintenance of decent full time jobs
· evidence of racetrack industry building
· safe, serviced, responsible gambling facilities

We are launching our first poll:

The first in a series of polls to engage our membership in the issues that affect us all.
Click here CAW Local 2007 - Polling Booth to make your opinion count.

On a sad note: Former long time Seniority List Member Pat Petrie passed away on Thursday, November 12, 2009.

Notice of Union Meeting and Other Items

A UNION MEETING WILL BE HELD ON:

TUESDAY, Sept. 29th, 2009, 7:45 pm. at the

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

Regular Order of Business: Including discussion of the Voluntary Retirement with Severance Pay Packages. Applications due by noon, October 9, 2009.

Discussion to include:
· Estimation of the number of employees on the Seniority List by year end 2011 and beyond.
· Estimation of the number of hours available to non Seniority List employees by year end 2011and beyond.
· Estimation of the effect of new automated equipment on the future of teletheatre and money room jobs by year end 2011 and beyond.
· Severance and Termination Pay payable to Seniority List employees who do not receive VRSP packages and who do not work enough hours to remain on the Seniority List.
· Revenue Canada rules regarding the transfer of VSRP packages, Severance and/or Termination Pay to RRSP’s.
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Our Brothers and Sisters Need Our Support

As you may be aware, there are two long and difficult strikes by our fellow CAW brothers and sisters that are still in need of support. Our Local has offered some financial assistance but money alone is never enough. The way to help is firstly to be aware and then to participate in any actions or rallies when ever possible. As you know, picket line support, is always welcome and indeed the best sign of solidarity. Please get out there and support these workers.

Click the following links for more info:

Lexus Toyota Dealership Strike Surpasses a Month

Support Striking Zellers Workers in Scarborough

Remember to visit the CAW National Website often to stay informed about these and other campaigns.

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Kim Power Takes Over as Local's National Rep

Kim Power has recently replaced Brian Stevens (now the National Rep for the Rail Sector) as our National Representative.

Please note that this change and a few others in the Local's Reps are listed on the Contact Info page.
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New Collective Agreement Now Available

The Collective Agreement - Jan. 2009 to Dec. 2011 is available on the Documents and Reports page.

CAW National Fishing Tournament

The CAW National Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday July 11th

Click here for more information

Nominations for Stewards, Unit Chairperson, Health & Safety Representatives

The following Representatives have been acclaimed:

MEMBERS WELFARE
Maureen Innes

HEALTH & SAFETY
Angie Laurusaitis - Chief H&S Rep. - Woodbine
Bea Sopha -Greenwood
Brenda Laing - Teletheatres

STEWARDS
Patricia Ashby
Bob Ciprick
Maureen Innes
Dawn Kelly
Angie Laurusaitis
Nancy Mahar
Teri Nodello
Sylvia Surk

UNIT CHAIRPERSON
Sylvia Surk

ALTERNATE UNIT CHAIR
Angie Laurusaitis

Check our Links & Connections page for a complete and UPDATED list of all the Local's representatives, including email addresses.

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Understaffing at Teletheatres

Please notify our Chief Health & Safety Rep, Angie Laurusaitis, - alaurusaitis@cawlocal2007.ca if there have been any customer altercations or safety incidents related to under staffing at teletheatres.

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The 24th Annual 2009 CAW National Slo-Pitch Championship

Click here for more information and entry form

Nominations for Stewards, Woodbine Workplace Chair, Health & Safety Representatives

All Steward, Health & Safety and Woodbine Workplace Chair positions are up for renewal for three (3) year terms.
Any Member who wishes to volunteer to fill a position or who would like to nominate someone to fill a position, please contact the union office:
by fax (416-628-7959),
phone (519-856-0295) or
email - bhenderson@cawlocal2007.ca , by April 11th.

All representatives will be trained by the Union.

Local President,
Brian Henderson

Ratification Update

The Memorandum of Settlement presented at the Ratification Meeting, Sunday Feb. 8th, was accepted.

Click here for Memorandum of Settlement