Dear Local 79 Sisters and Brothers:

Local 79 will be asking you to partake in various campaigns this year. Firstly, we could be just weeks away from a potential Provincial Election and Local 79 members must be prepared to get engaged and fight for the continuation of our rights in the workplace. At the beginning of March, Local 79 was represented at the Toronto and York Region Labour Council and the Ontario Federation of Labour Leadership Meetings about the dangers of Hudak’s anti-worker plans. The Municipal Election is in October, and we must work hard with our allies to elect a Mayor and City Councillors who respect you and support the services you provide.

Local 79 will continue to remind the City of its commitment in the 2014 Budget to fill vacant positions. We sent a letter to the February meeting of the City’s Government Management Committee about a staff report on the impact of delays in filling vacant positions. This report, the Ombudsman’s report, and our survey of Local 79 members, reinforced what Local 79 told the City about the risks created by gapping. The untenable situation for front-line City workers has had a detrimental effect on services and the City must fill these vacancies. (see letter at www.cupelocal79.org)

I made a deputation to the City’s Audit Committee on a staff report highlighting that Divisional training needs have fallen victim to years of cuts. The City should be making employee training a priority and investing the necessary resources. Providing training opportunities will help fill vacancies and greatly improve employee retention. We need to hear from you so we can continue advocating for training resources! Please go to the Local 79 website at www.cupelocal79.org, log on to the Members’ Portal and look for An Important Local 79 Training Survey for Members working for the City of Toronto.

Local 79 understands from a City email that the City has implemented a new way of calculating seniority in the Part-Time Long-Term Care Homes and Services Collective Agreement. The Union is trying to schedule a meeting with the City to ensure that the calculation is done properly in accordance with the Collective Agreement.

Congratulations and welcome to Local 79’s new Recreation Workers Unit Officer, Alexandra Pinosa, who will complete the 2012 – 2014 term of office. Alexandra was elected to the interim position at the February General Membership Meeting.

Local 79 recently wrote to the Ministry of Education, Early Years Division to make a submission expressing our concerns about proposals to amend Regulation 262 under the Day Nurseries Act. Any proposals on modernizing child care in Ontario must be focused on raising the bar on quality indicators such as group size, child-staff ratios, ECE requirements, and play-based learning environments.

I would like to remind you that Local 79 provides a number of services for our membership. Representatives are available to provide expert advice on WSIB (workers’ compensation), health and safety, and benefits. If you need help with WSIB claims, occupational health and safety issues, long-term disability benefits, or health and dental benefits, our dedicated personnel can offer assistance. For WSIB and disability questions, call (416) 977-1629, ext. 227 or 233; for health and safety questions, call (416) 977-1629, ext. 236 or 239; for questions regarding your health and dental benefits, call (416) 977-1629 ext. 226.

The extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela was honoured in an event organized by the Local 79 Human Rights Committee to celebrate the conclusion of Black History Month 2014. In partnership with CUPE Local 4400 and the City of Toronto, a number of guest speakers were invited to reflect on their personal memories of this great man during his several visits to Toronto. (Please visit our website for additional details.)

This year’s International Women’s Day Rally and March was a huge success as thousands of women, and men, marched to celebrate in solidarity with women all around the world. (Please visit the Local 79 website for additional information)

Since 1966, the 21^st of March has been recognized by the United Nations as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. (Please visit the Local 79 website for additional information)

We work hard at Local 79 to get our members special offers and savings from different businesses in Toronto. Please visit the Members’ Portal from the Local 79 website to find out the latest information on companies that want Local 79 members as customers, and are offering us discounts as an incentive.

In Solidarity,

Tim Maguire
President