Friday March 11 2022
During its meeting last week, the National Executive Board (NEB) discussed the framework required to achieve an hourly rate for RSMCs and reviewed applications from members who wish to join the RSMC Hourly Rate Committee.
The NEB decided to set up two committees: a working committee and a steering committee.
Sister Nancy Beauchamp, National Director for the Metro-Montreal Region will chair both committees. For the Steering Committee, she will be supported by Brothers Carl Girouard, National Grievance Officer, and Martin Champagne, 4th National Vice-President and work measurement expert, as well as Sister Barb McMillan, National Union Representative, Grievance and Arbitration. The Steering Committee will lead our efforts on the RSMC hourly rate as well as the technical discussions with the employer.
For the Working Committee, given the amount of work needed to create a comprehensive and well-planned project, the NEB has selected four members.
Here are the members of the Working Committee:
Sister Barb McMillan’s experience on three bargaining committees will certainly be an asset. In addition, she has worked on the time study in Letter 3, the Pay Equity Committee and the Work Content Committee. It was important to have someone who knows the position of the Corporation over the years on this issue. Barb is from the Central Region and has been with Canada Post since 1999.
Another member of the Work Content Committee will join the team. Brother Jeffery Cook is President of the Yarmouth Local in the Atlantic Region. He has been working with his Local Executive Committee since 2009 and has been with Canada Post for 15 years. His thoroughness and self-reliance as well as the knowledge gained on the WCC make him perfect for our Working Committee.
Sister Angel Hoare is Union Representative for the Pacific Region. Her expertise in the collective agreement has been proven over the years with numerous arbitration victories. She will no doubt be very effective in adapting the collective agreement from piecework to an hourly rate. She was a contractor for ten years before obtaining employee status in 2004, which is when her involvement with CUPW began.
Last but not least is Jean-Sébastien Daoust, member of the Outaouais Local in the Quebec Region. He joined the RSMC Unit as an OCRE in 2014, allowing him to see the differences between the routes and realize how the existing time values do not reflect the reality in many situations.
Thank you to all members who submitted their application. I am glad to see that many people are willing to put their lives on hold to fight for the rights of their brothers and sisters.