October 17, 2000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CUPE WORKERS SIGN 3-YEAR, 7 1/2 PER CENT WAGE DEAL AT ST. JAMES-ASSINIBOIA SCHOOL DIVISION
Winnipeg -- Eighty-five CUPE members who work as custodians and bus drivers for the St. James-Assiniboia School Division voted yesterday to accept a new three-year contract that gives them a 7 per cent wage increase. "Our members are satisfied with the new contract," said Mike Skaftfeld, President of CUPE Local 744. "The wage increases and adjustments are in line with other city groups." The agreement, which is retroactive to March 1 of this year, also includes shift differential adjustments for 4th and 5th certificate class Power Engineers. The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canadas largest union representing more than 485,000 women and men across the country. In Manitoba, CUPE represents 23,000 members in health care, education, municipalities, social services, utilities, libraries and emergency services. For more information, please contact:
Mike Skaftfeld, President, CUPE Local 744
Stephen Edwards, CUPE representative
Phone: (204) 771-2534


In honor and in memory of Frank Barnett and
the 8 retirees for 2000 here is 8 Irish
drinking toasts
Frank Barnett B.E.Glavin
Hugo Bartz Maintenance
Ray Cameron Dr.Hamilton
Doris Tyslau Miles Mac
Joan MacDonald River East
Ken MacDonald River East
Rudy Derksen Emerson
Robert Hodgson Valley Garden
Ana Froese John De Graff
May you glass be ever full,
May the roof over your head be always strong
And may you be in heaven half an hour before
the devil knows you're dead
Here's to me, and here's to you.
And here's to love and laughter,
I'll be true as long as you,
And not one moment after.
Here's a toast to your enemies' enemies!
Here's to our wives and girlfriends:
May they never meet!
Health and life to you;
The mate of your choice to you:
Land without rent to you
And death in Ireland.
When we drink, we get drunk,
When we get drunk, we fall asleep,
When we fall asleep, we commit no sin,
When we commit no sin, we go to heaven,
So, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven.
Here's to a long life and a mery one,
A quick death and an easy one,
A pretty girl and an honest one,
A cold beer--and another one!

Here's to you and yours
And to mine and ours,
And if mine and ours
Ever come across to you and yours,
I hope you and yours will do
As much for mine and ours
As mine and ours have done
For you and yours!


Deal ends 6-week strike for Winnipeg education local
1/10/01 CUPE Local 796 members in Winnipeg voted to accept a new deal with the River East School Division just before Christmas ending their six-week long strike. *Our job security is there. Our spares (casual employees) are protected. And we still have a closed shop during the school year. They can*t just bring in a driver (for our buses),* president Ann Rubiletz said. The new agreement guarantees that no employee will lose their job or suffer a reduction in hours as a result of any future contracting out. All eight casual employees are also protected. The 52 members who work as bus drivers, mechanics and a stores keeper also got three days of statutory holiday pay over Christmas even though they didn*t return to work until January. The deal was struck after a day of conciliation talks and members voted on it during a Christmas party organized for members* children. Rubiletz said members were thankful for all the support from CUPE locals as well as other unions.

RIVER EAST SCHOOL DIVISION STRIKE-BREAKING USING MAINTENANCE ISSUE TO AVOID NEGOTIATING
11/20/2000 Winnipeg -- CUPE members who have been on strike for eleven days say the River East School Division is using a scheduled maintenance check to bring in strike-breakers rather than get back to serious negotiations that would put the bus drivers back on the road. "This is simply a diversion tactic, an attempt to get around the fact that the School Division is prolonging this unnecessary strike," CUPE staff representative Mark Kernaghan said. "If River East is really serious about *a safe and timely return to work* as their letter states, then why aren*t they doing everything possible to negotiate a settlement and get the bus drivers back on the road."Kernaghan said River East*s decision to engage an outside maintenance group is counter productive and will only make matters worse."Our members do the regular maintenance," he said. "They are familiar with these buses and what needs to be done so they are the best mechanics qualified to do the work. The School Division should be doing everything it can to get them back on the job and end the unnecessary problems their stalling is causing students and parents."The 52 bus drivers, mechanics and a storeskeeper of CUPE Local 796 have been off the job since November 10th. At issue is a "no contracting out" clause in the current agreement between CUPE and the River East SchoolDivision. The CUPE members say they are fighting to keep their work and that contracting out their jobs will only lead to higher costs, a loss of accountability and flexibility, and questionable service down the road.The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada*s largest union repres enting more than 485,000 women and men across the country. In Manitoba, CUPE represents 23,000 members in health care, education, municipalities, social services, utilities, day cares, libraries and emergency services. For more info, please contact: Mark Kernaghan, CUPE Temporary Staff Rep Phone: (204) 942-0343 ex. 290


SCHOOL SUPPORT WORKERS EXPECT EQUAL TREATMENT
09/18/200 REGINA * The union that represents 3,500 school support workers in the province is serving notice to Education Minister Jim Melenchuk that its members expect to receive at least the same percentage wage increase as teachers. Union spokesperson Frank Mentes says support staff won*t tolerate second-class treatment. CUPE was responding to the Education Minister*s comments in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix on Saturday that the government is prepared to cover the costs for the teachers* contract 100%, but won*t be providing *any direct funds to cover other collective agreements with regard to other staffs.*Mentes, a support worker in the Regina School Board and member of CUPE Education Workers Executive, says the union expects the provincial government to recognize the needs of school support staff in the same way it has recognized the needs of teachers. *The cost-of-living has gone up for everyone working in the K-12 education system, not just teachers,* he states. CUPE education workers, which include teacher and library assistants, school secretaries, maintenance staff, school bus drivers, social workers, computer technicians, and home and school liaison staff also want Minister Melenchuk to increase school operating grants to reduce the financial strain on the K-12 system. *School buildings are deteriorating, staff workloads are increasing and students are sharing textbooks due to a drop in financial support from the government,* Mentes says. The provincial government used to cover 60% of the costs of K-12 education. Now it provides only 40%, with local property owners shouldering the balance. Mentes says before the Saskatchewan government spends any more money on tax cuts, it should provide adequate funding for the staff and students in the K-12 system. For further information, contact CUPE Education Workers Executive Members:Frank Mentes in Regina 791-8696 (w) or 797-1189 (pager) Brigitte Scott in Saskatoon 668-7480

TEH NEW KRYER