In the coming weeks, members are being asked to make some big decisions about the future of our Union. Not only are we voting on our program of demands for our next round of bargaining, but we are also holding a referendum on a topic we’ve debated for a long time: the merger of our two biggest bargaining units into one.
Understandably, members have lots of questions and concerns about this referendum, what a merger would mean for them, and what it would mean for the work of our union.
In this bulletin, we want to lay out some basic facts about the referendum and the process involved in merging bargaining units. Our goal is to help members make an informed decision.
A merger would involve multiple steps. It would involve negotiation with the employer, membership approval of any tentative agreement, and ultimately, a decision by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board.
Safeguarding members’ seniority rights would be critical to any successful merger.