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DON’T LET THE GRINCH STEAL CHRISTMAS!

DON’T LET THE GRINCH STEAL CHRISTMAS!

Tell Canadian Niagara Hotels (CNH):

“STOP THE WAR ON WORKING FAMILIES”

“STOP THE WAR ON WORKING FAMILIES”

“STOP THE WAR ON WORKING FAMILIES”

♦ Give us 8-hour workdays without split shifts!

♦ Pay out the $100 signing bonus now!

♦ Stop the private prosecution of:

- UNITE HERE Director Alex Dagg,

- Organizer Cat Gonzalez,

- Ontario Federation of Labour President Wayne Samuelson, and

- actor Danny Glover!

Wednesday, December 13th

at 5 PM in Niagara Falls

Rally Point:

Corner of Lorne St. and Centre St.

(outside the Kraft plant)

then we march to CNH!

Tentative deal between Parks, employees

Tentative deal between Parks, employees

The Review
Local News - Friday, December 08, 2006 Updated @ 7:58:47 AM

The Niagara Parks Commission and its employees, members of the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union Local 217, through conciliation efforts undertaken by the province, have reached a tentative contract settlement. The new deal, which still must be ratified by both sides, includes wage increases and improved working conditions for park employees, and provides operational efficiencies for the commission. "I applaud the negotiating teams from both sides for working to ensure a mutually beneficial agreement was reached," said NPC general manager John Kernahan.

Once ratified, the new agreement will be in effect from Nov. 1, 2006 to Oct. 31, 2009.

Tentative deal between Parks, employees

Tentative deal between Parks, employees

The Review
Local News - Friday, December 08, 2006 Updated @ 7:58:47 AM

The Niagara Parks Commission and its employees, members of the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union Local 217, through conciliation efforts undertaken by the province, have reached a tentative contract settlement. The new deal, which still must be ratified by both sides, includes wage increases and improved working conditions for park employees, and provides operational efficiencies for the commission. "I applaud the negotiating teams from both sides for working to ensure a mutually beneficial agreement was reached," said NPC general manager John Kernahan.

Once ratified, the new agreement will be in effect from Nov. 1, 2006 to Oct. 31, 2009.

INFORMATION PICKET

INFORMATION PICKET

Niagara Parks Commission employees to protest loss of local jobs

Niagara Parks Commission employees to protest loss of local jobs

NIAGARA FALLS – Employees of the Niagara Parks Commission will hold an information picket on Monday to protest an employer position that would replace local employees with out-of-area contractors.

DATE: Monday, December 4, 2006
TIME: 12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
PLACE: 5881 Dunn Street (Corner of Dorchester and Dunn), Niagara Falls

Employees at the Commission want to inform the public of a situation that could severely reduce or eliminate the chances of local residents being able to get jobs with one of Niagara Falls’ biggest employers.

“The Commission wants to use outside help to run Niagara’s parks and tourist attractions,” says Colin MacKenzie, chair of the bargaining team negotiating with the Commission. “They want to hire contractors from outside Niagara Falls to do this work as cheap as possible.”

MacKenzie said that all other items at the bargaining table have been settled with the exception of the contracting out issue. On this issue alone, employees have given the bargaining team a 93 per cent strike mandate.

“We’re talking about our future, and the future of the young people living in this area,” MacKenzie said. “We want good, decent-paying jobs available to the people in Niagara Falls. That shouldn’t be too much to ask for, and it’s what the people of this area deserve.”

-30-

For further information:

Colin MacKenzie (905) 374-8756

Mark Kotanen, OPSEU Staff Representative (647) 229-0376

NIAGARA THIS WEEK DEC.1/06

Shortage of work?

Dec 1, 2006

Annually the Niagara Parks Commission lays off its seasonal employees due to what the Commission calls a "shortage of work."

Unfortunately the length of the work season for a large portion of the seasonals has declined over the past few years much to the disapproval of those affected.

In October of this year the southern Niagara peninsula was hit with a major snow storm that caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to property and utilities. A large section of the damage was along the Niagara Parkway.

The storm hit just as the first group of employees from the Horticulture Department were being laid off.

The clean up has been under way since the storm ended and looks as though it could take at least three to five more weeks. Although a few seasonals were given extensions to work longer, the clean-up of the aftermath would have been quicker and possibly more thorough if the Niagara Parks Commission would have included all of the seasonals who were going to be laid off.

Not only would the clean up have been completed quicker but it would have given the seasonal staff a few extra weeks of much needed work to help get them through the winter.

Ian Mather

Vice-President, OPSEU LOCAL 217

INFORMATION PICKET

INFORMATION PICKET

WE WANT TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO TAKE OUR CONCERNS TO THE PICKET LINE!

DATE: MONDAY DECEMBER 4^TH

LOCATION: 5881 DUNN STREET (NIAGARA COLLEGE)

TIME: 12 NOON TO 1:30PM

We are meeting in the Avondale parking lot on the corner of Dorchester and Dunn

_____________________________________________________________________

PICKET PREPERATION PARTY

We need your help to prepare and get ready for our INFORMATION PICKET.

DATE: SATURDAY DECEMBER 2^ND

LOCATION: OPSEU REGIONAL OFFICE 2285 HIGHWAY 20 FONTHILL

TIME: 10AM