Negotiations with the employer will not be completed before the current collective agreement's December 31, 2011 expiry. However, this does not mean that members are left without collective agreement protections while negotiations continue.

Clause 36.05 of the agreement indicates that the provisions of the collective agreement remain in full force and effect until either the parties have negotiated a new collective agreement or the requirements of section 89 (1) of the Canada Labour Code have been met. This section of the Code provides the process by which the employer may obtain the right to lock out its employees and the Union obtains the right to strike.

This means the collective agreement continues to apply after December 31, 2011. Members should continue to ensure that their rights and benefits are respected by the employer, using the resolution procedures in article 9 of the collective agreement.

Parties Continue to Meet

The parties continue to meet in sub-committees during the week of December 18 – 24, 2011, dealing with the demands listed under the headings of General and Union Rights and Operations. The General and Union Rights sub-table is dealing with various proposals such as shop steward rights and Human Rights protections (demands 31 – 41 & 48 – 50 in the August 2011 issue of Perspective). The Operations sub-table is dealing with various issues, including right-hand-drive vehicles, health and safety and workload (demands 11 – 24).

Negotiations to Continue in January

After this week's meetings, the parties have agreed to break until early January. The Union wants to negotiate a new collective agreement without undue delay, so the early part of 2012 will be a busy time for the Negotiating Committee and RSMC members.

Please continue to show support in 2012 for your demands and your Negotiating Committee -- stay aware of the issues, read Union bulletins, access the Union’s website and participate in activities organized by your local executive committees.