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Post date: Feb 5, 2014 5:48:44 PM

******************************************************November 18, 2013 Update***********************************************************************************

Hello Everyone,

Please join us for our annual HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE on December 12 we will announce the room once confirmed from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. We will have our usual goodies available. Come by for a chat, what a year we have had many challenges and many still lie ahead. What has not changed is our willingness to continue to work or even make it work when everything by design seems to contradict reason. Please make an effort to come by. we will show you some good ole Unifor hospitality.

The shifts are being built this week for the phone section. The will be posted at weeks end. We will bid them the first week of December.

Many of our colleagues have Family, Friends in the Phillipines, Typhoon Haiyan has devastated much of the counrty side there. We should all be aware and do what we can to support the folks of this tiny nation this holiday season. This is a web site dedicated to finding friends or relatives over there it may be helpful

Take care,

Ross

******************************************************November 15, 2013 Message from your Women's Advocate***************************************************

It's that time of year...

I would like to do another donation drive for the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre. The centre provides special holiday celebrations and new gifts they hand out to women and children at the drop in centre and emergency shelter.

They are looking for NEW unwrapped gifts such as:

Pajamas

Blankets

Mitts/gloves/scarves/socks/underwear

Towels

Toys/games

Please bring your new donations to the union office between now and Dec. 12 so we can deliver them on Dec. 13.

Thank you for your generosity,

Erin

YVR Women's Advocate

********************************************************* November 7 2013*******************************************************************************************

Update,

After thorough review, please strike the previous bulletin about holding you to a specific Shift type for this bid. We played out several scenarios and some one could be harmed even if we held you to the type of shift requested on your survey. I apologise if this has caused any confusion. The Intention was to mitigate agents from being harmed if some one else took the shift that was built for you. I will ask though for agents to take the surveys serious and please honour what you asked for at the bid board. The trickle down affect always disadvantages some one.

Thanks,

Ross.

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November 4 22013

With great sadness I have to advise the passing of one of our colleagues, Wendy Soan.

Wendy suffered a brain aneurysm on Friday and passed away suddenly Sunday evening. She will be deeply missed by all who were in contact with her through out our daily workings with Wendy .

Her positive out look on things despite having lived a challenging life, should inspire all of us.

The Company will post funeral service details on the portal once those are made available.

Regards,

Ross.

*****************************************************UPDATE OCTOBER 15 2013***************************************************************************************

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a great thanksgiving week-end and were able to spend some time with love ones or friends.

We were able to come up with a plan or tentative process for the Holiday Stat bank. As you are all aware we simply were running short on time and recognized that we needed to get to where if you wanted to choose this option then at least the deadline for the November Vacation Bid could be met. So today a communication will be in the portal allowing you to sign up for a possible 2 extra weeks of time off and you may elect this with out having any stat time put in the bank (unpaid). If you choose to have it paid then you could transfer time from your existing overtime - stat bank or some kind of payroll deduction. Moving forward beyond 2014 you will need to have at least one stat put into this bank for an additional week off. Not to try to confuse you completely but if you need further clarification please call the union office.

We are pleased to let you know there has been some movement of the many grievances that were filed through-out the year. Many of you are aware that the grievance for the alleged 5 minute walk out and discipline has been rescind. This week agents that were targeted for that will be receiving letters from the company and will be made whole with respect to the discipline.

Many other issues are still under negotiation but it seems for now that there is a common willingness to discuss and resolve these issues. We do still have the article 6.02.08 grievance that will go to arbitration. This article refers to the Company having the ability to move anyone off their core shift, changing your shift at any time during a bid. This was always applied to relief and the union believes that relief is the fare and best process for the company to manage vacancies from gidip`s and Vacation. I will let you know when the hearing is scheduled.

We have been talking about the Unifor d104 holiday open house and the tentative date is December 12. If it changes we will advise.

Hang in there, work smart.

Ross.

***************************************************** UPDATE SEPT 26 2013*******************************************************************************************

Hello Everyone,

We had a very lengthy UMHQ Sept 11 and tabled many items of concern, the company took all away to respond at a later date near the end of the month. I should be able to put out an update once we receive their response. We discussed all the clunky flawed processes that you endure everyday. We discussed reaching an agreement on the Holiday stat option. We talked about a proper process around duty to accommodate and Medisys. We also discussed schedule change assistants and identifying the true requirement for the support department.We also spoke about web work, social media and new work. Most importantly we spoke about relationships, we told the company how dictating and disrespecting our opinion and our past practice was undermining any chance of a collective relationship moving beyond present day.

The last agenda item was all the outstanding grievances, Caroline Hagan did make a promising remark." I would like to see these all cleared up by years end". We shall see.

This last shift bid impacted more people than ever before, a couple of changes this time. We have had a few resignations and the company now schedules to fill vacation vacancy's. In the past relief adjustments would have been the preferred practice. We are being scheduled tighter than we ever have, Part time shifts are used as fillers in most cases. Next bid we are considering holding the agent to their shift preference for type of shift. For example if you put on your survey 5X2 YOU CAN NOT BID A 4X3. There is no room left to absorb someone changing their minds at the bid board and a number of our agents that needed a 4x3 were denied as agents chose to bid the lines that they did not request. You have to understand the trickle down effect is not repairable.

We continue to challenge the company with respect to Team Seating. It has been noticed a number of you work shifts that really seclude you from the rest of the office you work in isolation. More notably on week-ends. The absence of your CSM and colleagues dose not support the Comany's plan to have us all sit in assigned seating. As a matter of fact most CSM'S spend the majority of their day in their offices. We have asked the Company to be sensible on this issue especially nights and week-ends when there is no need for team seating.

That's it for now will post the UMHQ minutes for you once the signed off copy is in our hands.

Take care, work smart.

Ross.

Message from Erin - YVR Women's Advocate Sept.11, 2013:

I would just like to clarify I am the Women's Advocate for the Vancouver office. In the recent Aeroplan Community news there was a blurb about the program which has caused some confusion.

The Women's Advocate Program is a union appointed position that if required liaises with a management counterpart. My role is to act as a resource and provide completely confidential, nonjudgmental support.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at 604 295 4130/1 877 814 5342 to leave a voice message or email me at D104WA@GMAIL.COM

Please note the other email address in the community news had a typo and was listed under the incorrect city. WHO.CAW.D404@GMAIL.COM is the contact for Carmelle, who is the YUL office women's advocate.

In Solidarity,

Erin Draper YVR Women's Advocate

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Please fill out the top B.M.T. section only at this time. The Company and the union still have to iron out the details for the Holiday Stat Option.If you have 15yrs of service you are guaranteed 2 weeks and under 15yrs 1 week for B.M.T. We will be having discussions about the Holiday stat bank next week at the UMHQ. In the meantime we are suggesting not to select this until the process is clear and we can explain the process

The Company just changed the policy on booking from the employees personal account. In a nutshell it comes down to you are not permitted to make your own bookings or change existing bookings while in the call centre. If you need to make a booking you can simply ask one of your colleagues to do this for you. Or if you have a file and need to change it just ask your colleague to process this for you. The Company does not want us making changes from our own accounts.

Thanks Ross.

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Hello Everyone... Union Time August 8 2013

I need to point out a couple of things, The Company has changed their policy on Union Time. Now when you want to come to the Union Office they question you and try to question the severity of your issue. Console staff will ask you Why? and even suggest you should see your Csm. They will not allow you to see us and tell you to come to the Union Office on your rest periods. They will absolutely not pay for the time you need. They are clearly interfering with a labour union by preventing you access to the Union. I need to know when your requests are denied,I need dates managers names and reasons they denied you access. We have a grievance and already starting logging these occurences. It is shameful that they continue to disrespect our rights and dictate everything when they signed off on the rules set forth in the collective agreement, if indeed this was their plan then Bargaining is where this should have been settled.

I will be on Vacation from August 12-16 the office will be staffed with Vice Chairs in my absence,

In sol,

Ross.

The CAW and the SOCIAL COMMITTEE are jointly hosting PUB NIGHT. July 16 2013

Come on down to Hudson Landing Pub for some cheer, on Friday July 26 at 5pm.

There will be a 50/50 draw, door prizes, prize baskets and a Beer and Burger deal.

The fundraising is for the Red Cross supporting the community of LAC-Magantic Quebec.

Aeroplan has agreed to match all proceeds raised.

SEE YOU THERE,

Ross.

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Hello Everyone, ******** OPEN HOUSE 18 JULY ******** July 16 2013

Please come by this Thursday 18 July to the old manpower office meeting room 3 for an open house. We will be there to answer questions, through all the recent changes we thought an open forum event could be good to clarify outstanding issues and let you know where we reside on the greivances.

I look forward to seeing all of you,

Ross.

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Msg From Jamie

July 12, 2013

Working together to rebuild respectful workplaces

Dear Members,

In order to develop a clear picture of how our members were coping with the many changes at Aeroplan, the CAW conducted an EAP Audit through Aroon Shah, our CAW EAP Counselor.

It is best when members and management are given equal opportunity to talk about their perceptions of the workplace environment. Unfortunately, management declined the opportunity to speak with Aroon.

I applaud all of you who took this important opportunity to improve your workplace by expressing your concerns and opinions in a constructive manner.

Aroon compiled all of the information gathered into a detailed report with a recommendation that a senior management joint committee be formed in order to address ongoing issues.

The report was sent to Aeroplan management on June 17, 2013.

They have not responded.

The CAW is committed to ensuring that our members come to work in a respectful and safe environment. We will continue to pursue every avenue possible in this quest and we ask that you participate in the process. Keep the lines of communication open and remember to always request union representation when meeting with management.

CAW leadership will continue to discuss your concerns and work towards real solutions. Although the company declined to take part in the employee audit process, it is hoped that going forward, they will want be involved in problem solving initiatives.

Together, we can work towards restoring the workplace at Aeroplan to the relationship that existed in the past; a relationship of respect and common goals.

In solidarity,

Jamie Ross

President, CAW Local 2002

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June 27 2013

The Union Day has been changed to July 18th. The Company is hosting an event that the day of the 4th.

Please mark your calendars July 18th Union Day.

Many thanks Ross.

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Hello everyone,

The union office will be closed Monday July 1st due to stat. Have a great Canada Day week-end. Anything urgent please email will monitor.

Regards,

Ross.

************************************************* Union Day July 04 *************************************************************** June 25 2013

Hello Everyone,

I feel we have entered a new low in our careers at Aeroplan. This employer promised us the moon and the stars to join them 4 years ago. Management was telling agents how great it would be moving forward at Aeroplan. They respected the Union Management process and we cautiously chose to work for Aeroplan some of us knowing it would mean our airline careers were ending. I remember how stressful and the enormous task it was for some of us to choose Aeroplan.

The last 6 month have shown us exactly the true colors of the organization. They are trying to erase our past, our working conditions, our likes. Every process that we have negotiated and agreed upon is being replaced, dictated to us disregarding the 25-40 years of union negotiations. They spend a lot of time comparing us to companys like Bell where they are non-union and very transaction based . The Union has asked for dialog and repeatedly not been taken seriously. The Company has implemented process's that work against reasons we work for Aeroplan, reasons we chose Aeroplan. Its very clear most of these are to undermine us.

Aroon Shah's findings from his Independent Investigation support everything we have communicated to the Company essentially what you are feeling and have said.

Even a trained experienced EAP professional like Aroon can not understand why an organization like Aeroplan would choose to damage relations with their employees the way this Company has. Trust no longer exists between the Company and the Employee's, the Company used to take great pride in that word often quoting it in meetings with the Employee's. Trust is a two way street.

A couple of areas they are violating, The GIDIP process is very well monitored yet even our sickest colleagues are under attack. The Company continues to send out letters that request substantiation of medical. Anyone who has ever been on GIDIP knows that regular medical reports are required to receive ongoing benefits. The only purpose this would serve is to harass our members while they are at their sickest state, It is shameful.

Another area is accommodation, the company Dr. is denying accommodation based solely on his determination. The language in the collective agreement is very clear and states the decision must be a joint one made with the company Dr. and the employees Dr. Grievances have been filed.

Recently the Company adapted language that has been applied to relief and adapted to an agent on a core line and changed their shift. This has never been done before and the Company was told to reverse this. The response was challenge it through the grievance process. A grievance has been filed.

Repeatedly agents are being told the recent changes that have been made are working. Not to the benefit of not our precious customers and not the employees, perhaps down the road the shareholders will benefit. You need to stay focused on your customers and your health.

July 4 we are planning a Union Day for the membership, will post the location but we will have some treats available. We need to hear all your concerns so wear your T-shirts and come on by. Solidarity has always been our strength lets promote it.

Take care,

Ross.

Results from Aroon Shah's visit a few weeks ago, June 17 2013******************************************************************************************************

We provide counseling and consulting services to CAW employees at Air Canada. We provided similar services to CAW employees at Aeroplan from 2004 till 2010. In 2009, I conducted employee sessions at Aeroplan and provided a summary of their feedback to CAW. In June 2009, I presented a workshop on Leadership and Team Building to Management at Aeroplan. I hope that this introduction indicates my familiarity with Aeroplan and its employees (including management).

In May 2013, Jamie Ross, President CAW Local 2002, asked me if I would meet with employees at Aeroplan to get an overall impression of challenges from their side. I suggested that it would be better for me to meet with employees and management to get perspectives from both sides and determine if there were any common threads. Unfortunately, management declined to meet with me. Thus, this report summarizes my meeting with CAW employees in Montreal and Vancouver. I want to emphasize that the report is based on employees’ perceptions.

Over 175 employees met with me individually and in small groups in Vancouver (May 16 and May 17) and Montreal (May 23 and May 24). They came to see me during their break or lunch times. Additionally, I had given employees the opportunity to email me if they did not have time to meet with me. I received 25 email responses. Thus the report is based on feedback from over 200 employees. I met with junior (5 years and under seniority) as well as senior employees.

Overall, I was overwhelmed with the consistency of concerns across employees and across the two locations.

The employee group is demoralized, and feels disconnected and disrespected. Feelings of uncertainty are rampant and employees come to the workplace waiting for ‘the other shoe to fall’. Employees stated that they have very little contact with the senior management and that the CSMs are not giving the real picture to the upper management.

The employees do understand that Aeroplan’s mission is to become the best in class contact centre. And they do understand the organization’s need to be profitable and to achieve that through flexibility, efficiency and change. In fact, most of the employees have gone through many changes, and understand the dynamics associated with transitions. ALL employees who made the decision to stay with Aeroplan at the time of its separation from Air Canada initially felt that they had made the right decision. At the time, they felt respected and connected.

Presently, they feel that Aeroplan is not practicing its PASSION to focus on its employees, customer service or its members. Most feel that major turnaround in the relationship occurred recently, after the recent collective agreement was signed. Some employees feel that the management wants to ‘punish’ them because the collective agreement favored the union.

They are dealing with overwhelming feelings of uncertainty because they feel that the changes were implemented completely contrary to their experience and understanding of how effective change takes place in an organization. Poor implementation of changes has resulted in a tense relationship between the CSMs and the employees, and created feelings of uncertainty, cynicism, and lack of trust. Rumor mill is rampant with gloom and doom scenarios. Any communication from senior management is perceived as a threat.

Employees are very much aware of the tense relationship between the union and management. They have been given the impression that management does not want to discuss employee issues in an informal way and that management has challenged the union to grieve everything.

Key Triggers:

1. Changes

The following changes have had a cumulative impact on employees’ feelings of disengagement, chronic workplace stress, mistrust, and feelings of uncertainty. The way the changes were introduced and the way they are being evaluated (without employee input or feedback) have intensified the normal stress associated with any change. I will outline the processes of some of the changes mentioned to me by a significant number of employees:

1. Announcement to place 90 people on part-time:

The announcement was made on Friday. The announcement lacked necessary details, caught the employees by surprise and there was no one to answer their questions the whole week-end. Loss of coworkers, stress created by staff changes, and feelings of uncertainty created by lack of details and appropriate debriefing of the employees has created fear, lack of trust and the void in communication has been filled with rumors. Some employees mentioned that some of the responses from the management included: ‘your union did this’; ‘the company is losing money’.

1. Job Redesign:

According to a number of employees, a CSM started telling employees that a significant change was coming. This led to rumors and open questions by employees to other CSMs and management. They were subsequently told that nothing was happening. A few days later the Job Redesign was introduced.

The Job Redesign was presented to the employees as being more efficient and team oriented and the fact that other call centers have a similar concept.

Employees were also told by CSMs that they had gone through a full day of workshop on understanding change and that they were guided on how to help employees cope with change.

Employees have a number of questions on efficiency of the new system that, they feel, are not adequately answered by CSMs.

Employees have told CSMs that the new job design is not working and that it has resulted in major frustration among the Aeroplan members because of call delays or RTs. CSMs respond by telling the employees that the new system is working.

The employees do not accept that the Job Redesign introduces the notion of a team concept when, on week-ends, they sit by themselves without any CSMs.

The new change has forced employees to sit in areas where they are uncomfortable with lighting or temperature.

They just don’t comprehend how the change has any positive impact on revenue or efficiency. They fell that the company has ‘fixed’ something that was not broken.

Employees feel that the Job Redesign was introduced as a power play by management in response to their disappointment at the collective agreement

Even the union leadership is at loss to answer their questions

1. Other minor changes:

• New technological processes but the computers are too slow

• CSMs managers are based in YVR. Often, the CSMs in YUL have to wait for answers from YVR before they can respond to questions by employees in YUL

1. Other incidents that have contributed to feelings of ‘toxic’ environment

The following incidents highlight employee’s frustrations:

1. An employee did not have adequate lighting at their desk. They asked the CSM for better lighting. No response. She approached the union and was informed that a medical note may get some action. The employee bought a $40:00 light out of their own pocket

2. An employee asked for extra lunch time and asked the CSM to put in under family care. The employee was pulled into the office and was told that family care is not for extra lunch time.

3. A CSM discussed an employee’s grief leave in front of other employees

4. Following an ‘alleged walkout’, all employees who were away from their desk, including those who were on coffee, lunch, or washroom breaks, were suspended

5. No formal or informal meetings between the District Chair and Management to discuss local issues

My Observations

I am aware that my observations are based on employees’ perceptions and that there is possibly another side to their feedback. However, when 200 employees indicate similar perceptions and feelings, it behooves the management and the union leadership to pay attention to improve the workplace environment.

Changes

Any literature on change will recommend input from the stakeholders (including employees and union leadership), preparation for change, proper implementation, follow-up, re-evaluation of change, and strategies to sustain change.

From the employees’ perceptions, change was introduced as a surprise and as a power play. They had no input in preparation, implementation, follow-up or re-evaluation. From their observations, even CSMs were not involved in the process of change. This was evident in CSMs not being able to answer some of the questions regarding change. Change and transition often involves preparing the Change Agents (CSMs and Union Leadership) with FAQs from employees and how to respond adequately. Employees questioned why they would not have been offered the Change Management workshop presented to CSMs

I would conclude that, even if the employees’ perceptions were not completely accurate, the change process has created chronic feelings of uncertainty and lack of trust toward the management. Any communication from management is seen as a threat full of innuendos.

Other Issues

The lack of communication between local District Chairs and Management, and absence of regular meetings have resulted in employees’ frustration that their issues are not addressed locally with common sense and in timely fashion. Employees and union leadership have the impression that the company wants them to grieve every issue formally.

It is my conclusion that the lack of formal communication between the union and management at local level has led to a number of common sense issues not handled in timely fashion. This has resulted in employees feeling disrespected, helpless and ignored. One employee stated: ‘Common sense does not prevail here.”

Overall, I am quite concerned with the intensity of emotions presented to me. I was alarmed to see a number of employees break down in tears. I believe it is management and union responsibility to recognize the intensity of employees’ concerns in the workplace and defuse their emotions. I understand that an organization has to change in order to survive and grow. However, I also know that change is ineffective if it creates an environment of uncertainty, power play and mistrust.

Recommendations:

The union leadership needs to make the senior management aware that changes implemented without input or feedback from the employees have created chronic feelings of disrespect, disengagement, and frustration associated with the uncertainty created by. They need to address the employees’ perception that senior management is not told the whole story about the ineffectiveness of the changes.

Perhaps, a joint committee (comprised of senior management and union leaders) could be set up to evaluate the impact of the changes and recommend any necessary changes. The committee could also determine the effective process to introduce, implement, evaluate, adjust and sustain any major change in the organization. The joint committee should be endorsed and supported at the highest level in the organization and the union.

In absence of cooperation between union and management, the union leadership will have to look at the impact of chronic uncertainty created by organizational changes from a health and safety perspective.

June 12 2013

Hello Everyone, a couple of things firstly the company has offered overtime in the portal. One of your colleagues has made a very good point there are a lot of new part time employees that have never worked overtime as a part timer. The rules are different for part timers and they are as follows, L1.08.01 a part time employee may be used for a maximum of 4 hours in excess of their scheduled hours. Overtime credits shall be at straight time.

In my previous bulletin I mentioned that we were asking for a open bid due to the company not being upfront with their plans to move agents shifts that do not reside on relief lines. The Company has responded and is not willing to open up the bid. We will continue to fight on with the grievance, never in our history has the Company ever been able to threaten the stability of our schedules and harm you the way they plan to.

Hang on work smarter and that does not mean faster, service your customers well look after yourselves.

Ross.

Hello Everybody, June 06 2013

I need to address a recent change the Company is proposing and it is already affecting two of our colleagues. In our collective agreement there is a clause that states the Company can adjust your shifts and days off with appropriate notice. This language has only ever been applied to relief agents or if you chose to work a stat holiday. The Company used to respect that we all need stability in our schedules and never crossed that line of understanding, until now. The Union has been very clear that agents that bid core requirement lines shall not have these lines adjusted. The Company controls these requirements and can change them through the bid process. So there really is no need to adjust shifts adhoc. I have filed a grievance based primarily on past office practice. The Company is welcoming the challenge.

The arrogance and lack of respect toward us is blatant. To pretend that this Company has any collective will left is absurd. You need to understand that this line they have crossed could very well affect you at some point in the near future. Even the bid process itself is in jeopardy. AS with the relief language they may choose to ignore the bid process. A war they have started and a battle is ahead of us. Please report any tampering with your schedule to the Union office. We will push forward.

I have requested a full open bid for the summer as this Company knew fully that this was their intention but neglected tell the employees . They also neglected to tell the Union until may 1^st , well after the last shift bid.

In Solidarity,

Ross.

May 29 2013************Message From Erin*******************************************************************************************************************************

I am very proud of all our efforts and tremendous success of the fundraiser for the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (www.dewc.ca). We need to make this an ongoing charitable event. Every time you wear your “DISRESPECTED” t-shirt, we are asking you to make another small donation of $2 to this great cause. We will keep a jar in the union office for collection. We appreciate your generosity and solidarity.

Erin Draper

YVR Women’s Advocate

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May 16 2013

Reminder everyone, Local 2002 designated EAP specialist Aroon Shah will be visiting both work locations:

Vancouver on -May 16 and 17 from 10:00-18:00.

Members are encouraged to meet with Aroon on their breaks to discuss their concerns. A report based on employees' input will be compiled and forwarded to Local 2002 President Jamie Ross. In the case of privacy, you can also email Aroon directly at aroonshah@shaw.ca

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************May 10, 2013 Bake Sale Success

Hi everyone,

The bake sale was a success, with everyone's contribution and hard work we raised $2150.00 for the Downtown Eastside Shelter. We will continue to accept toiletries and continue to sell the t-shirts in the union office. Our union is so much more than a collective agreement. It’s time to put our principles in action and make a difference by working together! Thank You everyone.

Ross and Your Union Team