The upcoming ratification votes are rapidly approaching. As you are all aware, we will all be voting on the tentative renewal of our Collective Agreement. The National Executive Board (NEB) has unanimously recommended approval.
The Vancouver Local Executive Committee (LEC) met earlier this month to discuss the tentative renewal. The Vancouver Local Executive is not making a recommendation on how to vote on the contract extension. Our message to the members of the Vancouver Local is; whether you are a Yes or a No, the most important thing is that you vote.
Voting on this tentative agreement is a very personal choice. This pandemic has truly been an unprecedented time, for everyone and has impacted us in many different ways. Vote for what you believe is best for you, your family, your job, and for postal workers.
Ask yourself, is it better to fight at this point in time, or is it better to fight later? This is what you must decide.
There will always be demands that need to be met, and many changes that need to be made to improve our working lives. More personal days, better staffing, and realistic workloads are among the many issues that the Vancouver Local needs to have addressed. But, is now the time? That is ultimately for you to decide.
In the event the contract extension is voted down, the Vancouver LEC is resolute in our support of our negotiators and prepared for job action if necessary. If the vote is yes and the contract is extended, we commit to working with you and our organizing committee over the next two (2) years to prepare our work floors and our communities to mobilize, all the while ensuring our demands are heard loud and clear. YOU are the ultimate authority in this Union and we will stand with you, whichever way the vote goes.
We strongly encourage everyone to exercise their democratic right to vote! This is the opportunity to have your voice heard! There will be several online ratification meetings held for our local. These meetings are open to all Urban members in the Pacific Region. The dates and times are as follows:
- Tuesday, August 17 at 1:00PM and 7:00PM
- Thursday, August 19 at 10:00AM and 7:00PM
- Monday, August 23 at 10:00AM and 7:00PM
- Wednesday, August 25 at 1:00PM and 7:00PM
- Saturday, August 28 at 9:00AM
You can attend as many meetings as you wish, but will only have the option to vote once. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions at these meetings. We encourage you all to be prepared with any questions you may have.
If you need to update your address or email the deadline to do so is August 3, 2021. Here is the link to National’s website to update your information. You can also send your information to the email address below. If you have a smart phone you can use the attached QR code for a direct link to the national website:
Link to the website: https://www.cupw.ca/en/member-contact-information-form
Email: [email protected]
We encourage you to inform yourselves and we trust that you will make an informed decision based on what you feel is best. If you have questions, please feel free to call the local office. We can be reached at 604-685-6581. You can also find contact information for the local officers on our website at cupwvancouver.org.
Thank you all for everything you do, and please get out to vote!
In Solidarity,
The Vancouver Local Executive