Ottawa, ON – On Tuesday, November 28 2023, more than 200 labour activists met with MPs on Parliament Hill under the banner of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) – and once again the dominant group came from the IAM.
This time 57 IAM members lobbied parliamentarians on the need for a quicker implementation of the Anti-Scab Law, A national Pharmacare plan and sustainable jobs.
As the world transitions towards a greener future, it’s very important for workers to be at the table in a tri-partite discussion with employers and governments; jobs in manufacturing, energy and aerospace are particularly affected due to their high usage of fossil fuels.
On Monday evening, the IAM had a caucus meeting of members from across Canada and discussed our own priorities, as well as making sure we all lobbied on behalf of workers and working families. There was also a “lobbying training” from the CLC for all trade unionists from all unions present.
Along with a number of first-time IAM attendees, many members are already veterans of this process and showed their comfort by speaking with Members of Parliament from all parties, as well as Senators.
“The more we lobby our elected officials on topics important to workers and the more we are comfortable in doing so, the more we will be able to persuade them that we are a force to be reckoned with,” said Derek Ferguson, Grand Lodge Representative responsible for Political Action. “I look forward to having as many IAM members trained in political action and lobbying as possible so that we can be a voice for working people.”
IAM in the House! Meeting with BQ MP Rhéal Fortin Meeting with Senator Claude Carignan
The annual Siemens and Siemens Energy Labour Conference was held in Chicago from April 11-13, 2023. Representatives from seven different unions from three different countries were present in order to discuss the current labour situation within the companies.
Brian Lamm from the IBEW was the host and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers were present for the first time. Organizing efforts across Canada and the US were discussed, the most prominent of which at the moment is the Sacramento, CA plant which has resisted several attempts to unionize.
Similar to the International Framework Agreement adopted by Siemens AG several years ago, Siemens Energy AG will be adopting an International Framework Agreement for its locations around the world. The goal of this IFA is to ensure that certain basic human rights and freedoms, along with the freedom of association, are adhered to in all countries where Siemens and Siemens Energy conduct their business. Below is an excerpt:
– Abolition of forced labour
– Non-discrimination and equal treatment
– Ban on child labour, setting a minimum age for employment
– Freedom of collective bargaining and association
– Occupational safety and working environment
– Promotional framework for occupational safety
The Siemens Energy IFA is set to be official in May 2023.
On February 7, 2023, union representatives from across the country gathered in Ottawa to lobby the Canadian government for changes to laws that would positively affect Canadians. George Zoni and Ivan Halar were the IAMAW Local 2468 representatives at this lobbying action. This was the biggest CLC Lobby Day to date, with the IAM once again sending the most members at 403! The main issues that unions across Canada are lobbying for:
Investing in the care economy:
There are many in Canada who also need care to help them get to work, get an education, live a dignified life or relieve the pressures of family caregiving, but are not able to get the help in a timely way, or can’t afford privatized care. The shortage of workers in care is jeopardizing the safety of workers and care recipients. The undervaluation and compensation for paid care work, the increasing precarity, poor work conditions, and the intensification of work all contribute to care workers leaving their jobs in their sector and retiring. While unpaid care work is the invisible labour that enables people to go to work and the economy to function, the people (mostly women) providing unpaid care are under increasing strain, leaving the paid workforce and experiencing mental and physical health impacts.
Just Transition is about how the world of work allows us to meet out climate targets in a way that is fair and equitable to workers. The CLC is calling on the government to set out a process for engaging workers in decision-making about transition.
It is high time to remove this immoral and destructive influence from labour relations in the federally-regulated private sector (FRPS) by implementing a total ban on scabs. The deployment of scabs in a work stoppage is economically wasteful, prejudicial to constructive and orderly labour relations, and harmful for workers, their families and surrounding communities.
Canada’s unions want workers and pensioners to come first when companies restructure or go bankrupt. To ensure this, we are asking senators to quickly pass Bill C-228 (Pension Protection Act). For decades, pensioners and pension plan members have suffered benefit cuts in the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) proceedings. Corporate insolvency is not the pensioners’ fault and retirees are typically least able to adjust to benefit cuts. Yet, pensioners and plan members are asked to pay the cost anyway. For decades, senators and opposition MPs have advanced private members’ bills trying to protect pensioners in insolvency proceedings. All have been defeated. Now in a minority Parliament, Bill C-228 is within reach of becoming law.
After 23 years of service to Rolls-Royce Canada and Siemens, Colin Adams retired on September 1 2022. Colin was a past member of the 2468-RRC Negotiation Committee and 2468-Siemens Grievance Committee. He also held the role of 2468 Secretary-Treasurer since 2015; he has been replaced by Daren Legault. Colin has provided a brief auto-biography:
I started my working career on September 5th 1978, as a Sheet metal worker/ Coppersmith apprentice.
After four years I was placed in the Maintenance and Manufacture department in Derby’s Sinfin factory. I volunteered for a time to join instrumentation for the development of the V2500.
I left RR, when severance was offered to follow a different path. After a couple of small companies I was taken on by Rotadata, a relatively small company that had huge contracts in Derby and elsewhere in the world.
Primarily Rotadata is instrumentation and I worked with a highly skilled, older crowd than I was used to. I was very lucky to be given lessons in instrumentation techniques by men 30 years my senior. that are still viable and useful today,
Taking a lot of what I had learned I was dispatched to Berlin to help the Germans with the development engine BRR710, and BRR715. On return to England I was not happy and gave my CV free reign on the internet, Alastair McFarlane called me one night to offer me a position in Montréal.
The Trent engine was having problems with combustion and I stayed until my retirement last month.
The end!
I would like to thank Colin for his service and devotion to LL2468 of the IAMAW; he was always smiling, he liked everyone and was liked by all.
Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors; health, happiness and prosperity!
On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, LL2468 sent one member to Quebec City as part of a lobbying group organized by the FTQ. The main issues were the following:
Create a public, universal pharmacare program for all Quebecers;
Improve the public health care system and limit private health care;
Increase the minimum wage to $18/hour;
Ensure a fair and equitable transition to a green economy.
The goal of this effort was to communicate to the MNAs (Members of the National Assembly) of Quebec the importance of the issues and how they affect all Quebecers.
The key issues are working in collaboration with governments to increase R&D spending, develop training programs and ensure that Quebec and Canada continue to be a key players in the world’s aerospace sector.
I was part of a group of four union representatives from four unions/sectors: Aerospace/IAMAW, USW (United Steel Workers, who represent SEC in Trois-Rivieres and Drummondville), COPE (Canadian Office and Professional Employees union) and the SEIU (Service Employees International Union). We met with Claude Reid, MNA for Beauharnois, and Claire IsaBelle, MNA for Huntingdon.
The subjects were met with openness and questions. Within the aerospace sector, a universal pharmacare program could alleviate the need for employer-funded medical benefits, which could in turn result in an incentive to invest/remain in Quebec. This could also mean more leverage when negotiating a collective agreement, and potentially the hiring of more members.
I invite all members to visit the links above for more detailed information. Any members who wish to join the LL2468 PAC (Political Action Committee) or get involved in any other political actions may contact me at any time.
Claude Reid, gauche/left, et/and Claire IsaBelle, droite/right.
Le mercredi 27 avril 2022, la SL2468 a envoyé un membre à Québec dans le cadre d’un groupe de lobbying organisé par la FTQ. Les principaux enjeux étaient les suivants :
1. Créer un régime public et universel d’assurance-médicaments pour tous les Québécois;
2. Améliorer le système de santé public et limiter les soins de santé privés ;
3. Augmenter le salaire minimum à 18$/heure;
4. Assurer une transition juste et équitable vers une économie verte.
Le but de cet effort était de communiquer aux députés (membres de l’Assemblée nationale) du Québec l’importance des enjeux et comment ils affectent tous les Québécois.
Les enjeux clés sont de travailler en collaboration avec les gouvernements pour augmenter les dépenses en R&D, développer des programmes de formation et s’assurer que le Québec et le Canada continuent d’être des acteurs incontournables du secteur aérospatial mondial.
Je faisais partie d’un groupe de quatre représentants syndicaux de quatre syndicats/secteurs : Aéronautique/AIMTA, Métallos (United Steel Workers, qui représentent SEC à Trois-Rivières et Drummondville), SEPB-Québec (Syndicat des employés professionnels et de bureau) et UEIS (Union des employés et employées de service). Nous avons rencontré Claude Reid, député de Beauharnois, et Claire IsaBelle, députée de Huntingdon.
Les sujets ont été accueillis avec ouverture et questions. Dans le secteur de l’aérospatiale, un programme universel d’assurance-médicaments pourrait atténuer le besoin de prestations médicales financées par l’employeur, ce qui pourrait à son tour entraîner une incitation à investir/rester au Québec. Cela pourrait également signifier plus de poids lors de la négociation d’une convention collective, et potentiellement l’embauche de plus de membres.
J’invite tous les membres à visiter les liens ci-dessus pour des informations plus détaillées. Tous les membres qui souhaitent rejoindre le CAP (Comité d’action politique) de la SL2468 ou s’impliquer dans toute autre action politique peuvent me contacter à tout moment.
Germaine Petrilli was one of the founding members of Local Lodge 2468 back in 1972. She retired from RRC after 32 years of service. Please take a moment to think of her during your day; she is one of the reasons that we have all enjoyed such privilege for almost 50 years.
After 30 years of dedicated and loyal service to RRC and as a member of LL2468, Juliette aka “Cookie” has taken her much-deserved retirement. I met Cookie when I first started at RRC in 1993, and I’ll always remember how she was always smiling and always willing to help in any way she could, be that in her RRC position as Technical Librarian or as the LL2468 Recording Secretary. Cookie started as a Secretary in 1990 and transferred to Document Controller shortly thereafter; she then became a Technical Librarian in 1992, and in that position she completed her career at RRC.
Cookie was never one to seek attention, but she was the person who made so much happen behind the scenes at the Union office, during her 10 years as Recording Secretary. Whether she was getting all the documents ready for our various union meetings or ensuring that the bills got paid, she was an invaluable member of the 2468 Executive.
We wish Juliette a very happy and well-deserved retirement, and we hope that she will drop in from time to time for a visit!
Blast from the past! 1994!
Good times!
First 2468 outdoor CA vote
2015-2018 2468 Officers
Modelling the IAMAW mask…
Hard at work!
Flowers for the lucky lady!
Après 30 ans de service loyaux auprès de RRC et en tant que membre de la SL2468, Juliette alias “Cookie” a pris sa retraite bien méritée. J’ai rencontré Cookie quand j’ai commencé chez RRC en 1993, et je me souviendrai toujours à quel point elle était toujours souriante et toujours prête à aider de toutes les manières possibles, que ce soit dans son poste de bibliothécaire technique chez RRC ou en tant que secrétaire archiviste pour la SL2468. Cookie a commencé comme secrétaire en 1990 et a été transféré au contrôleur de documents peu de temps après; elle est ensuite devenue bibliothécaire technique en 1992 et à ce poste, elle a terminé sa carrière chez RRC.
Cookie n’a jamais été du genre à chercher l’attention, mais c’est elle qui a fait tant de choses en arrière-plan au bureau de la section locale pendant ces 10 ans en tant que secrétaire-archiviste. Que ce soit pour s’assurer que tous les documents étaient prêts pour nos diverses réunions syndicales ou pour que les factures soient payées, elle était une membre inestimable de l’exécutif 2468.
Nous souhaitons à Juliette une retraite très joyeuse et bien méritée, et nous espérons qu’elle passera de temps en temps pour une visite!
After 7 years working for Rolls-Royce in the UK as a fitter, followed by 7 years working as a fitter at RRC (LL869), then 40 years working as a Planner/Repair Technician for RRC and Siemens (LL2468), Rachpal has decided that it was time to retire. I worked with Rachpal for several years on 2nd shift when I first started at RRC back in the mid-90s, and he helped me learn about the IAMAW!
Due to the COVID situation, the retirement celebration held on October 30 2020 was limited to a few employees but was broadcast via MS Teams to all of Siemens Energy Canada AGT. Rachpal was presented with a commemorative symbol of engine parts (created using additive manufacturing or 3D printing) by Martin Rousseau, his manager. He was also presented with a retirement card, gift certificate and retiree pin by George Zoni.
We wish Rachpal all the best in his future endeavors! After 54 years of service, you deserve it!!!
Rachpal narrates slideshow
George presents Rachpal with LL2468 gift card and retiree pin
Rachpal and Martin
Commemorations
Additive manufacturing
Rachpal narrates
Photo op
George, Rachpal and Colin
Rachpal and 869 Fitters
Après 7 ans de service chez Rolls-Royce au Royaume-Uni en tant que monteur, suivis de 7 ans en tant que monteur chez RRC (LL869), puis 40 ans en tant que planificateur / technicien de réparation pour RRC et Siemens (LL2468), Rachpal a décidé qu’il était temps de prendre sa retraite. J’ai travaillé avec Rachpal pendant plusieurs années en 2e quart de travail lorsque j’ai commencé chez RRC au milieu des années 90, et il m’a aidé à en savoir plus sur l’AIMTA!
En raison de la situation COVID, la célébration de retraite qui a eu lieu le 30 octobre 2020 était limitée à quelques employés mais a été diffusée via MS Teams à l’ensemble de Siemens Energy Canada AGT. Rachpal s’est vu remettre un symbole commémoratif de pièces de moteur (créé par fabrication additive ou impression 3D) par Martin Rousseau, son gestionnaire. Il a également reçu une carte de retraite, un chèque-cadeau et une épinglette de retraité de George Zoni.
Nous souhaitons à Rachpal tout le meilleur dans ses projets futurs! Après 54 ans de service, vous le méritez !!!
