By TOM BRODBECK, WINNIPEG SUNI’d like to know why CUPE Local 500 has called for a strike mandate when its own members haven’t even seen the details of the city’s latest contract offer.
Local 500, which represents about 5,000 city workers in Winnipeg, is holding a ratification vote Friday on its latest contract offer from the city. But before even hearing from their own members, union brass have already called for strike action. What’s up with that?
Aren’t union leaders supposed to represent their members and take direction from the people who pay their salaries?
You’d think these union leaders would at least give their members a chance to see the details of the offer before running out and yelling “strike!”
The offer is a four-year contract that includes some improvements to salary and pension benefits. But that’s all we know because both sides have agreed not to divulge publicly the details of the proposed deal.
Unfortunately for city workers, they only get one day to decide whether to vote for or against this collective agreement, which is grossly unfair.
There are two information sessions scheduled for workers Thursday — the first day they get to see the details — and they have to vote Friday by 5:30 p.m. Under the union’s bylaws, that’s the way it’s supposed to work. They should change their bylaws so workers can have at least a few days to review an offer in order to make intelligent and informed decisions.
But that’s not what union brass want. They prefer to set a combative tone by calling prematurely for strike action, even without the consent of their membership.
This has everything to do with union militancy and nothing to do with good representation.
The real reason union leaders don’t want to give workers a few days to look over the contract proposal is because they don’t want members to think for themselves.
Union leaders prefer to control the message and only give workers minimal information in the shortest timeframe possible. That way union leaders have a better chance of controlling the agenda and proceeding the way they want to, rather than to first listen to what the members want.
Why not release details to city workers early this week at several information sessions so staff can have a few days to go through the contents? This is pretty important stuff. Deciding whether or not to accept a contract can have a profound affect on a lot of families, many of whom live paycheque-to-paycheque. I’m pretty sure most people don’t want to go on strike and would prefer some kind of resolution instead. Striking should be a last resort.
So when I see union leaders talking strike action before their own members have seen the details of an offer, I find it pretty tough to take them seriously.
And union leaders then wonder why they’re so often the subject of public criticism.
If city workers vote down the offer Friday and union leaders then ask for a strike mandate, fine. At least then CUPE members will have had their say.
City workers could then decide whether they truly want to forgo several weeks or more of pay in an effort to secure a better deal.
City staff in Winnipeg haven’t gone on strike for 90 years. Let’s hope they keep that streak alive.
For more, visit Brodbeck’s blog Raise a Little Hell at winnipegsun.com. Reach Tom by e-mail at tom.brodbeck@sunmedia.ca 
