July 11, 2023

Dear IBEW Members,

Please see the attached communication below (Italicized) .  It was shared with IBEW from concerned AMHSSE members.  Please read it carefully and see our notes.  Feel free to have a discussion with AMHSSE members in your workplaces who are not being supported and feeling forced to do the dirty deeds for the corporation and compromise their reputations.  They need to be supported and made aware of their options.

Greetings,

The AMHSSE Board is providing the following update regarding AMHSSE contingency work during the current IBEW labour disruption.

The AMHSSE Board has been in continuous discussion with the Corporation for the last couple of months in preparations for the disruption and continue to have weekly meetings with the leadership teams.

AMHSSE negotiated Safe Operating Procedures(SOPs) outlining the rules around prioritizing work on a contingency basis. Please ensure you have read these SOPs. If you do not have them, please ask your management team to provide them.

AMHSSE will be bringing forward concerns and issues to management as they arise, so forward your concerns and comments to your Unit Chairs.

Some common questions that we are receiving:

1. Q. Do I have to attend training?  A. Yes- as with any training if you are directed to do so, you must comply.
2. Q. Do I have to do contingency work?  A. AMHSSE has committed to supporting the people of Manitoba and encourages our members to aid the corporation in restoration efforts. Under the Manitoba Labour Law you cannot be forced to do work of other Bargaining units, however the company also has the right to send you home if there is no work in your base job resulting from the labour disruption.
3. Q. What if I don’t feel safe doing the work? A. At any time you don’t feel safe, you are obligated to STOP, then discuss with your leadership team the conditions and actions required to make the situation safe. Nothing has changed with this, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to work in an unsafe manner.
4. Q. Last time the compensation for staying out of town or on standby was inconsistently applied – what has changed?  A. Next to ensuring the safety of our members, this was the most important issue raised and noted by management. AMHSSE is having follow up meetings this week to address any discrepancies.
5. Q. If I’m not given 5 days’ notice for Standby – what is the rate? A. AMHSSE negotiated in the last CA to have Standby x 1.5 anytime you are not given 5 days’ notice, up until your 5 days has occurred. Make sure you are getting this.
6. Q. Can they cancel my vacation? A. The corporation can at any time cancel your vacation regardless of the labour disruption. However, if you are called back from vacation, the corporation must compensate you at the OT rate. In addition, any expenses incurred from the cancellation of your approved vacation will be reimbursed. Vacation requests have always been balanced with operational needs whether or not you are a contingency worker or there is a labour disruption.
7. Q. Last time we went 60 days without a break. Are we expected to do this again? A. AMHSSE has raised this with the corporation and have been assured that staff will be rotated to ensure they have time off.

AMHSSE recognizes that we can’t foresee every condition that occurs.  If something comes up that you need clarification on, please reach out to your Unit Chairs. They are available through Teams, Cell Phone, and Email. They will make themselves available to you. Please reach out and express your concern.

Further updates will be made when more information is available.

IBEW reached out to AMHSSE prior to the the initiation of any labour action or restrictions to discuss what AMHSSE’s position would be.  IBEW shared that it was considering posting all names of those who were willing to scab and discuss possible sanctions like removing IBEW seniority and laying charges under the IBEW constitution.  AMHSSE shared that it was a sympathetic party to IBEW membership and the strike.

IBEW’s comments on Question #2

• This is absolutely false,  IBEW members have been at work without any interruption to regular duties.  How could an AMHSSE members be sent home because of a shortage of work when the members they supervise are at work? 
• Taking the position that the membership should perform another bargaining group’s work puts AMHSSE members in significant conflict with the very staff that they will have to work with in the future. 
• AMHSSE Encouraging the membership to perform dirty deeds for the current gov’t and Jay Grewal greatly undermines the very argument used at their negotiations for years. Driving IBEW down or relatively close to their poor contract, makes any future potential for a me-too minimal.  Who thought this one through?

IBEW’s comments on Question #5

• It is more appropriate to call this a “me-too” to IBEW than calling it bargaining. 

What should have been shared is that AMHSSE membership prior to any activity was:

• Members feeling stressed about being asked to perform IBEW work have grounds to get a sick note restricting them from the duties that stand to cause them the stress from “scabbing.”
• Members also have the ability to furnish a sick note relieving them from performing duties in IBEW that stand to injure or harm them.
• Members have the right to refuse IBEW work.  In the only 3 labour disruptions that have taken place over the past 25 years, AMHSSE is the only bargaining unit that has performed IBEW work in all of them.
• AMHSSE’s communication in this message is basically telling its members to be a scab.
• The Manitoba Labour board would never allow the employer to send their members home. AMHSSE could easily defend its members if it made a choice to do so.
• AHMSSE members should be contacting their association why they are not being supported.

I ask you this question,  and deeply consider and discuss the following with your fellow AMHSSE employees:

• What part of this communication demonstrates any level of sympathy for its own AMHSSE members or IBEW members?
• How does AMHSSE address the conflict that exists for their co-workers who may be tempted to perform IBEW work?
• How does scabbing IBEW work by AMHSSE members benefit AMHSSE?
• For the past 30 years, IBEW has led bargaining and AMHSSE members have followed. How does eroding IBEW’s ability to get a fair and equitable deal serve AMHSSE members who have historically attained a me-too in almost every previous round of collective bargaining?
• The most recent and historic round of AMHSSE bargaining is the first time AMHSSE has concluded collective bargaining first (before IBEW, CUPE, UNIFOR), and it has resulted in one of the weakest contracts over the last 3 years.
• This deal was endorsed by AMHSSE executive?
• Did you know that not all AMHSSE members who retired during the contract period were included in the retroactivity portion and were carved out.
• This sub-standard agreement has been referenced and used to anchor all collective bargaining to a new-low across the province.   
• AMHSSE is not affiliated with the Manitoba Federation of Labour or the Canadian Labour Congress.  If it was, it would never entertain scabbing.  We have heard that the AMHSSE association was created by Manitoba Hydro as a “sweetheart union” and registered with the labour board to block other unions.  Consider what AMHSSE stands for and who it really is designed to serve!  Take a look at the following link for comparison

Mexican Auto workers to choose new union in Landmark vote

Please take the time to review the attached document below and feel free to share and discuss with your fellow AMHSSE staff.  Remind them that solidarity with other groups will greatly benefit them as well!  

Under Manitoba Labour Law you cannot be forced to do work of other Bargaining units

In solidarity,

Business Manager
IBEW Local Union 2034