NEGOTIATION UPDATE

O ffi ci a l P u b l i ca ti o n o f th e C a n a d i an U n i o n o f Pu b l i c E m p l o y ee s , L o ca l 3 8
1 4 3 9 —9 th A v . SE , C a l g a ry , T 2 G 0 T 4 , P h o n e (4 03 )2 3 3 -2 70 0 F a x (4 0 3 )29 0 -1 75 7
E m a i l —o ffi ce @ cu p e 3 8 . o rg W e b s i te -w w w . cu p e 3 8 . o rg

ISSU E 1 MAY 31, 2011

Local 38’s bargaining committee met with the City of Calgary and the Government Appoint-
ed Mediator on May 30th and explored options. Unfortunately at the end of the day the City was
either unable or unwilling to move off of their monetary package from January of 2% for 2011,
2.25% for 2012 and 2.5% for 2013. These figures are well below what Council accepted for them-
selves (4.54% for 2011) and the 4.5% that the employees at the City of Lethbridge received this
year. The City’s offer is also well below the 3% - 3.6% that the Calgary Herald reported, last fall, as
the average wage increase for the Calgary area.
Your negotiating committee does not know why the City is refusing to table a reasonable
offer when the Trustees at both MEBAC (the benefits society) and Local Authorities Pension Plan
have received indications that the anticipated wage increase for the city is 3%. It is incumbent up-
on the City to provide both of these organizations accurate information in order that they can make
proper financial decisions with respect to the benefits they provide their members.
It is for the above reasons that Local 38 requested that the mediator write out in order that
the fourteen (14) day cooling off period can commence prior to conducting a government super-
vised strike vote. This legislated requirement will see Local 38 applying for a strike vote to be con-
ducted on June 16th, 2011. It is important that the members support the negotiating committee
and vote in favour of strike action as to do otherwise would see all city employees receive a sub-
standard wage increase, not only this year but for the next 2 years as well. We need you to tell
City Council that it is unfair to offer us less money over 2 years than they took for themselves this
year. It is also unreasonable for them to offer us less money in 2013 than they took for themselves
in 2011 when we are expected to be in an expanding economy and a labour shortage.
In the event that a strike becomes necessary Local 38 would initiate a rotating strike and
work to rule campaign where employees would be compensated for their involvement. Only if this
action was unsuccessful in achieving a fair offer would Local 38 consider impacting the entire
membership and the broad public. We do not desire to see members lose money nor the citizens
lose service.
We will be communicating more in the coming days and weeks about pending events, to
that end we have the following Open Houses to answer members questions:
1) Municipal Building—Cafeteria Small Banquet Room—June 3/11—10:30 am—12: 30 pm
2) Roads—Spiller Road Shawnessy Boardroom—June 8/11—10:30 am—12:30 pm