What we believe:

MembersUnite believes that the power of our Union is rooted in the connectedness that we as members have with each other, and that the Local’s leadership needs to always be building this connectedness. When we communicate, advocate, educate and socialize together we come to understand our shared identity as proud working people. That we are united and will connect together as one.  

With connection, we build a community of members, and in that tight community, there is Power. Building connection involves breaking down barriers within our Union, so no matter where you work or what you do, you become a vital part of our unified co-worker community and can witness that we have common struggles and common goals.

How will we put these beliefs in action for you:

1. Ensure that every new member has the opportunity to take Union Time Off for a Union Orientation session shortly after their hiring. This session will educate them about their Union membership and guide them on how to connect with the Union. Awareness of the Union and its benefits is crucial for garnering member support and involvement.

2. Promote a Single Point of Contact, allowing members to easily reach out to the Union in case they are unaware of their steward or Local Union Representative's contact information. This ensures that no member feels distanced from the Union.

3. Transform in-person quarterly Unit Meetings into engaging social gatherings. These meetings will address necessary Union business while incorporating enjoyable elements, providing members with opportunities to socialize and strengthen bonds.

4. Ensure that the Executive Board composition reflects the diversity of our membership. We're proud that our candidates embody this diversity in terms of East and West, Plant and Clerical, gender, and ethnicity. When it comes to inclusion, we lead by example.

5. Sustain a minimum of two full-time Engagement Officers to ensure continuous growth and activity in our Unit PUMA chats. These officers will also conduct ongoing outreach to members.

6. Launch consistent campaigns involving mass membership actions such as petitions and letter writing to address challenges in an increasingly toxic and high-pressure work environment.

7. Introduce a series of regularly occurring web-conference Member Forums and Steward Forums, inviting members and stewards from across the country and various work types and regions. Member Forums will cover themes like 'Rights You Don’t Know You Have,' 'Planning for Retirement,' and 'Introduction to Your Union.' Steward Forums will focus on themes such as 'Current Trends in Our Workplaces,' 'Sharing Best Practices,' and 'Suggestion Box Session.'

8. Capitalize on the 80th Anniversary of Local 1944 in 2024 by organizing commemorative social gatherings. These events will boost morale, solidarity, and pride in the Union and its history.

9. Encourage the Local's membership to actively engage in acts of service, showcasing the organization's principles of equity, justice, to one another as members and to our communities.

What we believe:

MembersUnite firmly believes in advancing ever-improving Collective Agreements that reflect the dedication of our hardworking members. Bargaining success is directly linked to the degree of engagement and solidarity of the membership. It is the Local leadership’s responsibility to create the conditions and opportunities for that natural solidarity to grow, and to translate the power of membership unity into real and meaningful gains at the bargaining table.

Effectively translating membership support into bargaining gains demands strategic focus, seasoned experience, and expertise honed over years of preparation. MembersUnite is not just planning for the future; we're igniting the process now. 

How we will put these beliefs into action for you:

1. Communicating with members now about the journey ahead, emphasizing the strides we need to take for improved agreements. Highlighting the significance of member savings and communicating the direct link between participation in Union activities and gains at the table and using the latest Unit 60 win after a two-week lockout as an example of how members win when we are united.

2. Launching a widespread enrollment drive for USW's Building Power course well in advance of any bargaining rounds. This initiative aims to equip members with best practices in mobilizing mass support actions during negotiations. We will collaborate with the International to explore the development of an advanced course tailored for Local 1944, leveraging our substantial experience in mass bargaining support actions and significant Work-From-Home operations.

3. Improve transparency during bargaining by providing regular, scheduled updates every week. Members can anticipate receiving updates consistently, even in weeks where there may be no changes at the bargaining table. Our commitment is to keep members informed, ensuring transparency and fostering trust in the negotiation process.

What we believe:

Members rightfully deserve the respect of having their Collective Agreement and rights under the Canada Labour Code honored by their employers. However, it often necessitates the Union filing grievances, even escalating them to arbitration, to ensure compliance.

At the grassroots level, the ability to file grievances hinges on our shop stewards, the unsung heroes of our Local. Members file grievances when they have trust and confidence in their stewards, making it crucial for the Local to thoroughly educate and support stewards, fortifying the steward-member connection.

We must improve our connectivity among stewards to maximize their collective knowledge and capacity to support one another. A robust grievance and arbitration capability not only secures rights for members but also enhances the Local's ability to mobilize our solidarity. This daily demonstration of the Union's impact fosters trust and engagement among members, showcasing tangible results that arise from active involvement with our Union.

How we will put these beliefs into action for you:

1. Establish a genuine Community of Stewards, fostering a supportive network among shop stewards. This network ensures that every steward, whether new or experienced, feels supported and knows they have others to turn to for questions, challenges, or when they need a break. Regular Steward Forums via Zoom will facilitate advice and information sharing, while dedicated WhatsApp groups for specific Steward Classes will maintain contact across Unit and provincial boundaries.

2. Elevate stewards as the backbone of the Local through recognition programs, such as a Steward Shout-Out section in the 1944@Work magazine, highlighting grievance wins and other good works. Special Steward clothing and supplies will further underscore their vital role.

3. Formalize a 'National Steward Pool,' comprising stewards capable of handling grievances nationwide. This ensures that even members in smaller Units without experienced stewards can confidently receive proper assistance.

4. Harness the Grievance and Arbitration process as a mechanism for group actions to make change in the workplace on commonly experienced issues, as seen with Telus payroll issues. There are many commonly-experienced issues like over-pressurization, arbitrary variable pay metrics, inadequate time-off allotted for ethics training, and other issues where the filing of mass grievances can be a force for workplace change.

5. Fully leverage the Canada Labour Code's Internal Complaint Resolution process as a member-driven method to achieve workplace improvements in Health and Safety. Despite recent enhancements in Federal Health and Safety legislation, consistent application in our workplaces is lacking. Widespread use of the ICR process can expedite progress when faced with management resistance or delays.

6. Ensure that the Local operates on the principle that mental health injuries caused by your work are considered workplace injuries and should be treated with the same seriousness as any physical injury. Health and Safety legislation, along with the provisions outlined in the Collective Agreement, must be fully mobilized to address the deteriorating mental health environment at work. This encompasses challenges such as escalating metrics and sales pressure, as well as the strains associated with dealing with abusive customers.

What we believe:

The surge in union organizing, particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflects the heightened demands of workers for improved safety measures on the job and increased wages amidst economic uncertainty caused by inflation.

In 2022, ADT by Telus successfully organized and became a part of Local 1944. This achievement marked a significant milestone, and now, we are committed to further expanding our Union to ensure the continuous success of Local 1944. This growth is essential for our ability to adapt to the evolving economic landscape, particularly within the dynamic Telecom sector.

For the upcoming Vice-President position, Jenn Turner stands out as Local 1944's most experienced Organizer. With a deep commitment to the cause, Jenn is enthusiastic about leading the organizing drive, with a specific focus on the Telecommunications sector. Currently serving on the District 3 Organizing Committee, she brings invaluable experience, having successfully organized ADT by Telus members in Calgary and Starbucks workers in Alberta. Jenn Turner is poised to bring her expertise and dedication to drive the continued growth and strength of Local 1944.