The parties met on December 11, 2009 to discuss the global offer made by the Union on December 2, 2009. As the employer had had over a week to review the global offer the Union was expecting some comprehensive and reasoned response from the employer. Unfortunately that did not occur. The main thrust of the employer response was to indicate that the proposals made in the global offer had either caught the employer by surprise or required more explanation from the Union. For example, the employer indicated that the providing of the global offer was the first occasion on which it became aware that the Union was proposing that the employer’s premium for the drug plan be ninety-five percent (95%), with the members’ contribution being five percent (5%). In response to this employer statement the Union indicated that it had made it clear through the many meetings held between the parties that the Union was seeking to coordinate the benefits applicable to its Urban Operation and RSMC members.

In response to the employer indication that it required additional information from the Union concerning its many demands the Union indicated that the employer should be fully conversant with the Union demands as a large majority of them had been made by the Union in the initial negotiations between the parties in 2003 and in each re-opener since then. It also pointed out that many of the Union demands had been previously discussed between the parties at either consultation or through meetings of the Transition Committee.

CHILD CARE PROPOSAL FULL EXPLAINED

Although the December 11, 2009 was largely unfruitful the Union did use the meeting to more fully explain its child care proposal through a presentation by Sister Jaime Kass, who works for the Union as the National Child Care Coordinator. In 2005 the Union negotiated a one-time payment of $200,000 from the financial cap, which allowed RSMC members to access the benefits established by Appendix “L” of the Urban Operations collective agreement. The Child Care Fund established through that Appendix is used to provide good quality affordable child care services for members and support for members in their child care responsibilities. The projects established through the fund include Special Needs, Moving On and the establishment of community based child care facilities. The Special Needs project is designed to provide financial and emotional support to members who have children under nineteen years old with special needs, while the Moving On project provides similar support for members with adult sons and daughters with disabilities.

Currently, twenty-two (22) RSMC members (twenty-nine (29) children) access the Special Needs project on an annual basis while seven (7) members (seven (7) children) access the Moving On projects. As well, four (4) members (with seven (7) children) access the community child care facility established in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. There are also RSMC members using some of the Union’s six other child care projects.

In this round of negotiations the Union is proposing that the amount of $500,000 be provided to the Child Care Fund in each of 2010 & 2011. These amounts will allow for the continuation of

current projects and the establishment of new projects. Additional information about the Special Needs and Moving On projects may be found at www.specialneedsproject.ca or the CUPW national website (www.cupw-sttp.org).

EMPLOYER NOT SERIOUS ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS

Since negotiations have begun the parties have held approximately twenty meetings. During these meetings it has become evident that the employer’s negotiating committee has no mandate to propose reasonable solutions to the workplace issues faced by RSMC members on a daily basis nor accept the proposals being made by the Union. Examples of the employer’s unpreparedness include its failure to provide any costing of its proposals, its failure to provide any information to the Union about the impact of its “Modern Post” initiative on RSMC members and its failure to make any reasonable counter-proposals to the demands being made by the Union.

MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT CRUCIAL

Although the employer does not seem willing to negotiate a collective agreement the Union will continue to present the membership demands. Membership support for those demands, and its Negotiating Committee, is crucial. Members should continue to actively participate in any activities organized in support of their demands.