This week, we celebrate National Spiritual Care Week a time to honor and celebrate all practitioners of spiritual care. Taking place from October 25-31, this year’s theme, Collaborative Healthcare: Chaplains Complete the Picture, highlights the invaluable role chaplains / spiritual care practitioners play in supporting patients, families and staff.
Revd. Pamela Lucas
V.P. Spiritual Care / Chaplains
CUPE 5441
Good morning everyone
As you know, the government has agreed to increase our members’ right to access N-95 masks in return for OCHU-CUPE, SEIU and Unifor withdrawing our legal action.
We asked Goldblatt Partners to produce a simpler Guide to Directive #5, which we have produced, together with SEIU and Unifor.
We are working on a membership card which outlines their rights in simple terms.
Thanks very much,
Michael, Louis, and, Sharon
Hi,
Please see attached letter from Brother Mark Hancock regarding Local 5441 bylaws.
In solidarity,
Michel Saucier
Executive Secretary | Secrétaire exécutif
National President’s Office | Bureau du président national
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique
Dear sisters and brothers and friends,
Please find attached a media release put out this afternoon by CUPE Ontario and OCHU about the PSW wage enhancement announcement.
We will convene a call for local leaders to review this once we have more detail.
In solidarity,
Michael, Louis, and Sharon
Hi everyone,
Please see attached announcement regarding Danielle Irwin’s resignation. We appreciate all her hard work and what she brought to our executive. Danielle is moving to St. Michael’s Hospital to work as an RPN beginning October 10, 2020. We wish her of course all the best in her future endeavors!
Executive
CUPE Local 5441
Unity Health Toronto
St Joe’s St Mike’s Providence
OCHU/CUPE Membership Bargaining Survey – 2020
Dear CUPE Hospital Members,
Central bargaining begins in the spring of 2021. It will set the pattern for over 50,000 hospital and long-term care staff represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees in Ontario.
It is important that your central bargaining committee know exactly what improvements you want from the next round of bargaining. We will judge the success of negotiations by our members’ reaction to the end result.
Your local union leaders will attend a provincial bargaining conference in November 2020 where the priorities for bargaining will be decided based upon this survey.
Bargaining in 2021 will be challenging given the provincial government’s compensation restraint policy. We will need your full participation in the campaign to push for a contract that respects our members dedication and skill.
Throughout this process we will be issuing bulletins to update you.
Thank you,
Michael Hurley, President
Sharon Richer, Secretary-Treasurer
Louis Rodriguez, First V.P.
Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE
Dear members of CUPE 5441,
Many of you have brought to our attention that there were telephone calls that went out last week appearing to represent SEIU. This incident was very concerning.
We understand that this type of telephone call can be troubling and cause anxiety. You may be wondering, why has it taken so long for CUPE to explain or address this incident? Thank you for your patience as we looked into it.
The reason it has been a few days, is that we needed to be sure that when we responded, we had all the facts. We did our research by reaching out to CUPE and OCHU for assistance. Also, we got in contact with our partners at SEIU to look into the telephone calls.
We are very pleased to hear that this call did not come from SEIU and that Sharleen Stewart was more than willing to explain the misrepresentation by someone outside of SEIU. Please see the attached letter from Sharleen Stewart with more details around the telephone call.
The main concern on the telephone call is the fear of CUPE raising the union dues for everyone.
The best way to prove this is not true, is to explain CUPE’s process for raising dues. CUPE 5441’s process for increasing the dues is clearly set out in the bylaws:
“Section 11 – Fees, Dues and Assessments(c) Monthly DuesThe monthly dues shall be 1.7% of regular wages(d) Amending Monthly DuesThe regular monthly dues may be amended at a regular or special membership meeting. The vote must be by secret ballot. Notice of at least seven days at a previous meeting or 60 days in writing must be given.”
In addition, we want you to know that during this Pandemic your 5441 Local Executive has been working tirelessly to protect your rights and make preparations to increase those rights through bargaining. As many of you know, the 5441 Local Executive are members just like you, we work along with you side by side in the hospital. Each of us has a position in one of the hospitals within Unity Health Toronto and we do not work for CUPE head office. Instead, we work with you and we work for you.
We encourage everyone to please reach out to us if you need any assistance – our contact information is on our website www.5441.cupe.ca
Please let us know how we can help by answering any questions or concerns related to these telephone calls or anything else – remember your issues/questions/concerns are ours too!
Please click on the link below to read Sharleen Stewart’s (SEIU Healthcare President) letter to CUPE 5441 members.
In unity and truth,
President, CUPE Local 5441
Email: president@cupe5441.ca
SCHEDULE CHANGE 9AM TO 4:30PM