CUPE disappointed by parties' lack of commitment

Daily Gleaner News - As published on page A5 on September 2, 2006

By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN
mailto:LLEWELLYNdgleg@nb.aibn.com

The Canadian Union of Public Employees-New Brunswick will be running radio ads over Labour Day weekend calling on it members to challenge local candidates in the provincial election to stand up for workers.

Daniel Legere, president of CUP-NB, said leaders of the political parties should make labour issues a major part of their electoral platform.

"This electoral race is neck and neck and labour is going to decide the outcome," he said, at a press conference in Fredericton on Friday.

"More than 90,000 persons are covered under a collective agreement in this province.
"The labour vote is an important vote that should not be ignored by the political parties," he said.

Legere said CUPE-NB contacted all three parties last week and asked them to state their position on eight labour issues.

Those issues are casual rights; first-contract arbitration; pay equity; child care; improvement to the Public Service Superannuation Act; an independent review of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission; an expedited grievance and arbitration process; and the length of negotiation process.

"We are very disappointed by the lack of commitment from the leaders of the Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties," said Legere.

"Their answers are vague and non-committal."

Legere said on most issues the two main parties said they will look into it.

"These are not satisfying answers for the working families of this province," said Legere.
Pay equity should be mandatory for the public and private sector and families should have access to affordable day care, he said.

Arbitration rules should be in place so that workers who join a union can negotiate a first collective agreement without fear of losing their job and the abuse of casual workers in government jobs in still happening, said Legere.

Earlier this year, CUPE-NB filed a charter challenge with the Court of Queens Bench over the government practice of laying off casual workers every six months to avoid paying them full-time benefits.

Legere said it is still waiting to hear the court's ruling on that case.

He said only the NDP has stated some real engagement towards the labour organization.
Labour has never voted as a block in New Brunswick and the NDP have never elected more than one MLA in this province.

"We are not telling our members how to vote," said Legere.

But he wants them to be aware of where their candidates stand on labour issues. CUPE-NB has prepared a report card on each of the eight labour issues and the three political parties' responses to those issues.

"On this Labour Day weekend, the political leaders should be workers' issues at the forefront of this election campaign," he said.