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21 April, 2022
Dear Member;
April 2022 – Business Manager – Year End Update
Preface
The last year (2021-2022) proved to be a very challenging, and at the same, a very satisfying year. The challenges have been many. One has only to look at COVID-19, Collective Bargaining, and the Strike to get an idea of some of the difficulties that have faced our membership over the past year. As a result, you may wonder why I consider this to also be a source of satisfaction. And simply put, it’s because of the successes that the members have achieved, despite the many trials and tribulations they have had to endure along the way.
The following outlines some of our achievements over the past year. Undoubtedly you will be able think of others. If there is a lesson to be learned from the past year, it’s this: Never Give Up! We must be persistent in our efforts and in our demands. When we stand together, it makes it easier to hold our ground. And when we hold our ground, we slowly make progress. Let’s keep this in mind as we review the successes of last year and think ahead to the challenges we will undoubtedly face in the next.
Communication
During the last year we identified ways to improve and communicate more effectively with membership. Making myself more accessible continues to be one of them. The Pandemic has identified opportunities for local units or locations to invite me into meetings where we were more able to intimately discuss bargaining, proposals, and daily business. These meetings took place over the lunch hour or immediately preceding or after the conclusion of the regular workday, and I look forward to their continued and expanded use.
If you want to set up a group chat, a Teams, or a Zoom meeting, feel free to email or just call me directly. My email is mespenell@ibew2034.com and my cell # is 204-941-3766. I look forward to meeting more of our members in the future.
Partnership
Throughout the last year, we continued to build and cultivate strong partnerships with the Labour Board affiliates and the opposition government who agreed to hold up Bill 16: The Labour Relations Amendment Act. The new Act proposed an end to alternate dispute resolution. As a result, we were able to lead the province in the efforts to strike down Bill 16, and to carve a path for other affiliated unions to achieve fair increases in their public sector collective bargaining.
The past year allowed us to forge strong partnerships with our brothers and sisters from other unions working at Manitoba Hydro. We continue to collaborate and work together to common goals. Also, we have persisted in forging strong partnerships with IBEW unions across Canada so that we can share our “roadmaps” to victory and learn valuable information and strategies from each other.
Member Development
IBEW 2034 remains committed to learning on many levels, to and personal development. In 2020 (during Covid) IBEW created remote learning resources for Advanced Shop Steward training. The following is a sampling of some of the videos reviewing the provincial and federal laws, policies and legislation designed to protect members from unjust treatment in the workplace.
- Complaint or Grievance
- Conflict Management
- Duty of Fair Representation
- Group Goals
- Influencing Others
- Interpersonal Communication
- Legislation Protecting Members
- Progressive Discipline and Code of Conduct
Interested members should contact admin@ibew2034.com. Members that have expressed interest in many of the online training resources may be additionally invited to attend future in person training events.
Collective Bargaining
The past year also saw us successfully defend our seniority and bidding rights under the Collective Agreement while the Corporation attempted the largest, most erroneous, mass PLT appointment in Manitoba Hydro history.
But, probably most memorable for all of you was our successful conduct of one of the only Rotating Strikes in Manitoba history. This activity allowed us to engage in alternate dispute resolution. This in turn enabled us to achieve a Labour Board arbitration decision that saw us make gains of 3.5% instead of the Corporation’s offer that would have seen 2 years of government mandated zeros. Those front-loaded zeros would have resulted in significantly diminishing our members purchasing power and ability to keep up with the rising costs of inflation.
The Labour board ruling also recognized that, given the nature of our members roles and responsibilities, many employees in the bargaining unit were not able to perform their work from home during the pandemic and were exposed to additional risks, hazards and hardships. In recognition of the circumstances, the Corporation made a one-time special payment of $1.00 per hour worked from March 20, 2020 to July 31, 2021, up to a maximum of $1,250.00.
Leadership
We displayed to Manitoba Hydro, the province, and others that with unity, pride and solidarity we will not be taken advantage of, and that we demand to be treated with respect. In keeping with this, we are currently engaged in binding mediation regarding a large breach of Personal Health Information regarding policy P613.
Our collective efforts have resulted in some positive news on the horizon. Manitoba Hydro has recently committed to hiring 114 tradespersons in a variety of locations. These positions mean the addition of resources and support staff.
Financial Stability
We challenged the Corporation and kept it accountable on a variety of pressing issues. At the same time, we managed to maintain very strong financial picture. This strength allows IBEW 2034 members to see NO increase in local dues during the next year. We have been able to maintain our strong financial position despite paying out close to $500,000 in stipends to our dedicated and supportive members efforts on the picket line in 2021.
Member Welfare
We’ve partnered with the Corporation to ensure the Manitoba Hydro Employee Fund remains strong and accessible to our members and retirees for years to come. This partnership is a result of a) allowing members to donate $350 in lieu of their retirement gift to the Manitoba Hydro Employee Fund, and b) to have Manitoba Hydro match any member contributions. This has resulted in contributions of $18,000 from our IBEW membership and a grand total of $32,000 combined with Manitoba Hydro’s contributions for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. This fund helps members and retirees who are experiencing hardships. We are proud to be the only union contributing in this fashion, and by so doing, directly helping members in need.
For anyone interested in this initiative, contact information is provided below:
- MPower – Employee Interests – Employee Fund
- Alternate Numbers Cynthia Bauer, 204-981-8097, Janet Mayor, 204-793-0456
Upcoming
Coming up, we’ve scheduled a Shop Steward Conference for Thursday/Friday, September 7-8th. (There are “In-Person” and “Virtual” options for members unable to attend in person). The event will consist of sessions on a variety of Level II training topics for Shop Stewards, Conflict Management, Legislation Protecting Members, including interpreting some of the most contentious issues in the Collective Agreement. More information will follow as plans firm up. Interested members should contact admin@ibew2034.com
The Annual IBEW 2034 Family Day Picnic and Rodeo is scheduled for Saturday, September 10th. We anticipate strong participation from Manitoba Hydro and many dedicated vendors and suppliers at this year’s event. More information on this event will be shared as plans solidify and details become available. Interested members Volunteers/Participants/Vendors) should contact tcraig@ibew.com .
It’s often easy to put down unionism as ineffective and long past its “best before” date.But over the past year, we’ve proven that this is anything but the case.By joining forces with our brothers and sisters in other unions, and by collaborating with the opposition government, we were able to realize some important wins for our members.Highlights of our effectiveness were seen in the demise of the following pieces of “would be” legislation:
- Bill 28: The Public Services Sustainability Act, which mandated wage freezes for the province’s public sector workers, was one of the first pieces of legislation the PCs introduced after they came into power in 2016.
- Bill 16: The Labour Relations Amendment Act. Bill 16, introduced in March, would have removed a unique Manitoba policy that allows labour disputes to be resolved by arbitration, 60 days after a strike or lockout. It would have also made it easier for employers to fire workers for participating in strikes.
- Bill 35: The Public Utilities Ratepayer Protection and Regulatory Reform Act, Bill 35 would have also removed the ability for the PUB to conduct public hearings and make decisions based on public interest and social issues. For example, in 2017 the PUB recommended separate Hydro rates for First Nations reserves based on discussions of poverty and inequality during public hearings. Bill 35 was thrown out in September, facing opposition from a coalition of community and Indigenous organizations.
- Bill 40: The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Amendment and Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Amendment Act, Bill 40 would have amended Manitoba’s liquor laws to allow private, third-party retailers to sell hard liquor in urban areas. That means more private companies would be able to advertise and sell liquor in competition with publicly owned stores in Manitoba cities.
Closing
As you can see, we’ve had a busy year. We’ve had to fight hard for the gains we’ve made, but we have definitely made forward progress and had some great successes. And it is these gains that should rejuvenate us and help us realize that, even if we can’t get everything we want, this year has certainly shown that hard work, cooperation, and solidarity has, and will continue to, pay off. Continued effort on our part will undoubtedly persist in serving us well.
In solidarity,
In solidarity,
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