Dear Fellow Member of Local 79 Working at Bridgepoint Hospital:
Local 79 is continuing to seek dates to complete bargaining for the Nurses and Paramedical Units.
The arbitration to determine the RPN wage rate at Bridgepoint Hospital is ongoing. After many discussions with the Hospital and several attempts to reach an agreement on the wage rate, Local 79 moved this issue to arbitration. We have had several arbitration dates so far and more dates are scheduled in July. If the July dates are successful in wrapping up the arbitration, we will still have to wait for the Arbitrator’s Award. We will update you at the end of July on the status of the arbitration, and let you know if we are still in arbitration or if we are awaiting the Arbitrator’s Award.
Premier McGuinty added funding for child care in the provincial budget after NDP leader Andrea Horwath made this funding a condition of NDP support. I would like to thank the hundreds of members across Local 79 who emailed and phoned the Premier and MPPs regarding the budget. Your actions helped make a difference!
Although child care funding is now in the budget, we still do not know the exact amount of money earmarked for child care in Toronto, nor do we know what the implications are for child care centres and programs. I have written to the City requesting Local 79’s engagement in the process of allocating provincial funding for child care and I shall provide updates to you on this issue.
The month of May provides several occasions to celebrate the rich diversity of Local 79 and our city. May is Asian Heritage Month, Jewish Heritage Month in Ontario, and May 17th is the International Day Against Homophobia.
Applications are now being accepted for the Rudy Draxl Memorial Scholarship and the Stan Dalton Memorial Scholarship. These two scholarships for $500.00 each, sponsored by the legal firm CaleyWray, will be awarded on the basis of written essays submitted by the applicants.
The theme for the Rudy Draxl Memorial Scholarship is “Why is a Union Necessary in the City of Toronto, TCHC or Bridgepoint Hospital?” The theme for the Stan Dalton Memorial Scholarship is “Why is a Steward a Positive Addition to the Workplace?” Essays must not exceed 2,500 words and the submission deadline is August 3, 2012. Please send your request for an application, in writing, to the Education Committee, c/o the Local 79 office. Please include your name, address, home and work telephone numbers, employer, division, and employee number in your request.
Local 79 invites you to a Spring Dance celebrating Local 79’s 70th anniversary, on Thursday June 14th at the Lithuanian Community House, 1573 Bloor St. West (Dundas and Bloor, Dundas Subway Station), from 6:00 p.m. until midnight. Dinner will be provided, and there will be a reasonably priced cash bar, a band, DJ, spot dances, and prizes. Come and meet other Local 79 members, and have a great time dancing to excellent music. Tickets will cost $5.00 each and you can reserve up to two tickets (no children) by calling 416-977-1629 extension 508 (8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Please call between May 22nd and June 7th as the space is limited.
Attention all Local 79 members aged 30 and under! On Saturday June 23rd, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a Local 79 Young Workers’ Education Day. (Please see the Local 79 website for more details and watch for flyers in your workplace.)
Keep these dates open! Local 79’s annual Summer Picnic will be on July 18th and 19th on Toronto Island. All members are invited to bring their families; it’s one of Local 79’s most popular summer events.
Once again, we encourage you to register through the Members’ Portal on our website, at www.cupelocal79.org. Thousands of you already have, and have told us that it is a great way to stay well informed!
In Solidarity,
Tim Maguire
President, CUPE Local 79
