CEP Local 30-O -
Strike of '99
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Pictures
and
Stories from the Line
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| February 28, 1999, operator services and craft and services technicians
were in a legal strike position. At a meeting in Montreal of the
executive boards of locals from Ontario and Quebec, the recommendation
from that meeting was for the Bargaining Committee to return to the table
and inform the Company (Bell Canada) that the offer was unacceptable and
we would use our 94% strike mandate. The company appeared before
the CIRB and within eight hours, we, the union was instructed to hold ratification
meetings across the provinces. The ratification meeting for Local
30-O was held Wednesday, March 17. The count and the results of the
vote were released April 6, 1999, rejection 73.6%. On Wednesday
morning, April 7, the operators of Local 30-O began the strike. After
months of frustration, the operators used these two days of strike action
to carry their message. Their message of betrayal, hurt, it was their
way to show Bell Canada that they deserved respect, they deserved to be
treated with dignity. Bell Canada had to hear and see that the operators
were saying, "enough is enough." |
A time for strength and solidarity.
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Walking the line, a time for reflection.
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A fight for our families, our future.
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MORE FUN IN THE SUN
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Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
join our line at 380 College St.
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A late evening outing at the workcentre
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| On Friday, April 9, CEP craft and services technicians joined the picket
lines in Belleville. An all out strike by operators and technicians
across Ontario and Quebec had begun. Mass pickets were held at both
the Central Office at 75 Bridge St. (the operator services location) and
at 380 College St. (the workcentre where technicians report) in Belleville.
Regular pickets are now scheduled at both work sites.
Public support has been great, as passers by stop to chat with the pickets,
as people in vehicles pass by honking their horns, yelling "don't back
down from the bastards." Labour support in the community has also
been solid. We have been joined on the line, or received contributions,
donuts / coffee / pop by members of; I.W.A. Local 1000, seniors in the
community, OPSEU 442, ETFO, B. of L. E. Division 189, Sheetmetal Workers,
C.A.W., U.S.W.A., C.U.P.E., L.I.U.N.A.. We appreciate the solidarity
shown by these members and also wish to thank members of Teamsters Canada
and C.U.P.W. for respecting our lines. |
A time to share a few laughs and
talk about the issues.
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April 14
On Wednesday morning, Bell management scabs, decided to take their
co-ordinating meeting to the Hollyrood Restaurant. What was to be
a two hour meeting, turned into a full morning event. Pickets showed
up at the Hwy. 37 restaurant, as did the Belleville Police Services Staff
Sgt. in charge of labour disputes, after negotiating a exiting agreement
with picket captains. (that is after management reshuffled the exiting
order) It was agreed that the 15 vehicles, 28 managers could begin
exiting the parking lot in ten minute intervals. That is of course,
after picket captains spoke to the occupants of the vehicles, checking
their I.D., asking where they were from, what area of the province and
what department within Bell. The management scabs performing the
technician jobs are mainly from Ottawa and Toronto. The departments
range from; Finance, Economics, Regulatory Affairs and Call Centre Strategies,
when we heard this one, our picket captains mentioned that call centres
are the sweatshops of the '90's, the scab's comment was, "Bell is cleaning
them up," our comment, "not at $10 an hour." By 11:30 all vehicles
had exited the parking lot. Interestingly enough, two of these managers,
left the restaurant to go back to the workcentre, where they were once
again delayed by pickets. |
Wednesday April 14, 1999
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Pickets at 380 College St.
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ON THE LINE IN '99
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| On May 15, 1999, CEP members ratified the collective agreement.
Return to work began on Monday May 17. |
CEP Local 30-O MEMBERS NEED TO BE PROUD OF THEIR PICKET LINE SOLIDARITY.
A barbeque was held for the striking members. |