Special ballot return process required due to possible mail disruption.

Canada Post and their union (CUPW) have been in contract negotiations that have moved into the conciliation stage. Things aren't going well, and they will be in a legal strike / lock out position on May 25th.

Our problem is that Local 37 is getting ready to start balloting to elect delegates to the IBEW International Convention, which is held every five years. IBEW rules specify that we need to conduct a mail-in ballot for these delegates and the potential strike falls right in the middle of the time period when ballots will be sent out and returned. In order to avoid a potential disruption, we’ve been directed by IBEW International to find an alternative method to conduct balloting that is consistent with the normal mail-in ballot process.

The plan we’re going to implement is that ballots, return envelopes, etc., will be mailed to all Local 37 members at their home address at least a week before the potential strike date.

Our members can then select their choice for convention delegate; seal their ballot in the secret ballot envelope, and then place that in the return envelope. (The double-envelope system allows us to verify that members only vote once, while ensuring the secrecy of their choices.)

In order to return the ballots, we’ve made arrangements so that our members with access to NB Power internal mail can return their ballots using that system. For all other members, we are going to include a pre-addressed Purolator Courier envelope that they can use to return their ballot.

On June 25^th, which is the counting day, the election judge will retrieve the ballots from the mailroom and from Purolator and they will be processed and counted.

By following this process, we can ensure that out delegate election will be completed in a proper manner, despite the possibility of a mail interruption.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Local 37 office tool free at 1-877-437-0037 or e-mail us at info@ibew37.com

Please vote and return your ballot – it’s one of your most important democratic rights, and it only takes a few minutes!

Merry Christmas from IBEW 37!

NB Power's restructuring of Transmission, Distribution and Customer Service.

On June 8, NB Power started telling workers about a restructuring within Transmission and Distribution and Customer Service ("T and D"). Since then, some members have asked if the reorganisation within "T and D" violates or changes our Collective Agreements and whether or not NB Power needs the Union’s permission to make these changes.

The answer is that NB Power has the right to reorganise and restructure their business – they don’t need the Union’s approval. They are also allowed to reassign staff, which is why we have negotiated wage protection provisions in our collective agreements. Many of you probably remember previous reorganisations.

In addition, the reorganisation does not violate or change the existing Collective Agreements. Members who were assigned to Transmission before will continue to operate under the Transmission Agreement, even if they are now reporting to a Customer Service region.

Likewise, the proposed combining of the operating companies and the proposal to take NB Power back to a single company will have no impact on the current Collective Agreements (including seniority rules) that are in place. If the proposal to recombine NB Power goes forward, it will not be much different than pre-2004. At that time NB Power was one company, with four different Collective Agreements, just as it is today.

When changes like this occur, it can create a lot of confusion and uncertainty. There are many questions about the future structure of NB Power. Some of those questions we have answers for and there others that we don’t at this time. As this continues to evolve, we’ll all get a better picture of the impacts of the changes as well as any steps we may need to take to deal with emerging issues.

Although times of change can be frustrating, I do believe that by working together we can successfully deal with any issues that arise.

Thank you for your support!

I want to express my sincere appreciation to all members of Local 37 for your continued support. I am deeply humbled to have a second opportunity to represent you as your Business Manager. You have given me another very strong mandate. Thank you. I know that we can work together to build an even better, stronger union.

I would also like to extend my congratulations to all other candidates who stood for election to Local 37’s Executive Board. People who are willing to step up and take a leadership role are doing it because they truly want to help others – they care about their fellow workers, our workplaces and our communities, and they want to help us move forward. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for making such a commitment to the members of this union.

I also want to thank the staff of Local 37 who work so hard for our members every day - Gary Munn, Claude Richard, Mary Williamson, Annette Perry and Leslie MacNeill. I especially want to recognize the extra effort that Annette and Leslie put into preparing, distributing and the counting of ballots under the supervison of election judge Bob Tucker. As well, I want to say thank you to Election Tellers Lucy Vautour and Delbert Cogswell. Their time and commitment were greatly appreciated.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my wife Krista and my two children, James and John. The job of Business Manager takes me away from them on a frequent basis, and I’m grateful for having such a caring, understanding family.

Once again, thank you for your overwhelming vote of confidence, trust and continued support. Working together, we have accomplished a great deal. In the future, we will accomplish even more.

Fraternally,

Ross Galbraith

Diversity and Inclusion

During the 2006 IBEW International Convention, delegates passed a resolution supporting diversity and full inclusion. This resolution recognizes that the IBEW, and our workplaces, are made up of people from many different groups - people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, different languages, different genders, different age groups, people working in non-traditional roles, etc. This diversity will make our union stronger and more vibrant, but only if we ensure that all member's values, beliefs, thoughts, experience and knowledge are understood and valued.

As a result of that resolution, the IBEW International has developed and implemented measures to support diversity and full inclusion (which means that all members, no matter what their background, are able to participate in the union, without any barriers).

One of the things the International has developed is a two-day training program that helps educate local union leaders about the issues related to diversity and inclusion. I'm currently on that course, along with two other delegates from Local 37, and we're learning a lot of valuable information, and getting some great ideas, about things we can do to ensure that our Local is a welcoming and inclusive organisation.

Changes to the Government's plans for NB Power

I want to follow up with you on the latest developments with the Government’s plans concerning NB Power. I also want to be very clear that our position is unchanged and that my preference, and the preference of Local 37, is to have NB Power remain as it has always been - a single New Brunswick Crown Corporation, operated for the benefit of the people of this province.

I also want you to know that we have done many things to fight the sale and we’re continuing to work hard on that front.

Saying that, it is my responsibility and my job to make sure that no matter what happens, Local 37 members are protected. It would be irresponsible of me if I ignored the possibility that some portion of NB Power may be sold.

That means that if there is even a slim possibility that any form of a sale may occur, I need to make sure I am dealing with NB Power, the Government, and with Hydro Quebec to make certain our issues and concerns are properly looked after. It’s essential that I remain at the table, fighting for all of you. If I’m not, decisions will get made without us and it will be too late.

This approach has already ensured that if a deal does go through, Local 37 member’s jobs, bargaining rights, collective agreements, retirement allowances and pensions are protected.

Yet, I know it’s not over. In fact, the details of the latest proposal mean that there are even more things that need to be dealt with and I remain committed to fighting for our members. This means covering all of the bases, seizing the right opportunities to both listen and be heard and most importantly keeping all of you engaged and informed.

I truly appreciate the feedback that we've been receiving from members and I hope that it continues. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please know that you can call, email, or drop by the Union office anytime.

Getting back on track

As all of you will recognize, the proposed sale of NB Power has meant that Local 37 has had to mobilize a tremendous level of effort and resources in order to ensure our member's interests are protected, no matter what happens. I'd particularly like to recognize the special effort put forth by many of our members and also by my staff at the union office -in difficult times there are always those who rise to the occasion, and I am humbled by the work we are doing together, as a union.

There are a number of things about the proposed sale that I find upsetting, but one thing that may not be apparent, but which is really bothering me, is that it has forced me to slow down on some of the progressive things that I have planned for Local 37, things that will help us continue to progress and move our union forward.

It's time to get moving again.

A Local 37 newsletter was one of things our members told us they wanted, and I'm really proud to let you know it's now at the printers. That means that within the next few weeks, all of our members will receive the very first edition of our new Local 37 newsletter, mailed directly to their homes.

This first quarterly edition has a lot of content focused on the current happenings, but I want you to know that we already have improvements in store for the second edition, including french language content and also some stories about our non-NB Power members and their workplaces. We also want your feedback and I'm looking forward to your suggestions and ideas.

Another item that was delayed, but which I'm now going to get back on track is the Senior Steward's program. I announced the program back in the fall, and we have received a number of applications from some very deserving Stewards.

It is important to me to launch this new program properly, and with the extreme level of extra work that came about because of the proposed sale, I put it on hold so I could make sure it would be done right. Although things remain very hectic, we've got things in hand and it's time to get this going again.

I've got a number of other exciting things planned, but I'll save them for a future blog entry.

Christmas message from the IBEW Local 37 Executive Board

An update on high level meetings with officials and frequently asked questions about the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec

Over the past month and a half, Local 37 members have had many, many questions about the potential impacts of a sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec. Since then, I've been working hard to get as much clarification as possible, in order to provide information to members in these uncertain times. I've met with senior officials at NB Power, high level members of the New Brunswick Government including several Ministers and I've met with the CEO of Hydro Quebec on two occasions to raise our concerns and to seek assurances. Those meetings all went well, and I do believe that we will get the items we need to ensure that IBEW members are properly treated.

Although I will need to see the final wording of legislation and have it reviewed by our lawyers, I am increasingly confident that if this sale occurs, we will be able to ensure that most, and perhaps all, of the potential issues created by a sale process will be dealt with in a way that will minimize many of the potential impacts on IBEW members.

I know there are many strong feelings about this sale, but no matter what happens it is critically important that we deal with these issues, and the assurances I've received are significant and should provide some comfort to members.

Based on the information and commitments I have received so far, I've put together a set of "Frequently Asked Questions" and answers that can be read by clicking here.

Please feel free to submit more questions to nbpsale@ibew37.com and I will do my best to post more Questions and Answers in the coming days and weeks.

New Video Update for Members

Be... in dis-grace

Had to post this! It's a great example of a creative way to express an opinion!

The video can also be viewed on You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1F3si9CXBg

:-)

What are members allowed to do when participating in the public debate on the proposed sale of NB Power?

Many members have been asking if they are allowed to participate in the protest rally or other public debates about the proposed sale of NB Power, and if so, how far can they go? The brief answer is that by all means, you can participate, within limits and by exercising good judgement. IBEW members working for NB Power wear "two hats" - they are members of the public service but they are also ratepayers and private citizens. As private citizens, on your own time and with your own e-mail or computer you can, and should, engage in the public debate about the proposed sale of NB Power. Having said that, there are a few guidelines that I want to pass on to members, because it is not "anything goes".

The following is a summary of a legal opinion from our lawyers:

"The brief answer is that employees are allowed to communicate their feelings as long as they do it in a proper way. Employees can’t do anything that could be considered a strike.

Employees may protest or rally, so long as their actions do not constitute a strike. They may voice their opinions so long as in doing so they do not harass or intimidate anyone, and their actions or speech are not offensive or provocative, nor insulting or embarrassing of the employer in the eyes of the public, not critical or insulting about the employers or managers, or disruptive of the legitimate business of the employer.

In short, employees may express their opinions as long as they exercise good judgement in doing so.

This is true online as well. Employees may voice such opinions in online forums. However, they should keep in mind that off-duty online conduct may be the subject of discipline. This could occur if the postings were offensive or disruptive (as above) or critical of the employer or its employees, or revealed confidential information of the employer."

So in practical terms, what does it mean? It is perfectly OK to say that you don’t think NB Power should be sold, and to tell the facts – that we already deliver the lowest cost, most reliable electricity in the region. It’s Okay to express opinions (like saying our thermal plants should remain in operation) and concerns (what will happen to rates after five years?). Keep it to reasonable debate, don't use personal attacks or give out business secrets (for example, the production cost for power at one of our plants) and you should be Okay. In addition, you shouldn't use NB Power's computers to send e-mails or post things online.

One of the most effective things you can do to express your opinion is to write your local newspaper or your MLA, and let them know your views on this deal.

If you write to your MLA, you should follow up by requesting a face-to-face meeting with the MLA (they are usually in their riding on Mondays). The executive assistant may try to brush you off, or offer to pass your message on for you, but insist they schedule a face-to-face meeting.
When you write to or meet with your MLA, the simplest argument is just to say that the electrical system belongs to the people of New Brunswick, and unless the people of New Brunswick vote that they want to sell it, it should stay in our hands. Regarding the debt, it is not a burden on the people of New Brunswick – NB Power generates revenue and pays its own debt.
In fact, NB Power has paid off more than $1 Billion of debt in the last five years and the various rating services say that the removal of the debt won’t improve the provinces credit rating. In addition, we have the lowest power rates on the East Coast of Canada and the United States and we are one of the most reliable. NB Power has been a key service for New Brunswick, paid for by New Brunswickers and it should remain in our control.

Tips on writing letters, as well as the e-mail addresses for local media outlets, MLA’s and members of Parliament can be found on the IBEW website in the "Take Action" section.

Members have been asking about the protest rally planned for Novemebr 17th at the Provincial Legislature from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. I will be one of the speakers at the rally, and any members who are able to attend are encouraged to do so.

PLEASE NOTE: For IBEW Local 37 members that plan to attend the rally and do not already have the day off, please make sure to either book a vacation day or use banked time.

Business Manager's video address about proposed sale of NB Power

IBEW Local 37 Business Manager, Ross Galbraith addresses members employed at NB Power about the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec. His comments also include the Union's position on the future of Dalhousie Generating Station.

You can also find the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiL7ZS3rlXU

Members, we want to hear from you - if you have any questions or concerns about the issues surrounding this propsoed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec, please send us an email. We've set-up a special address: nbpsale@ibew37.com

Proposed takeover of NB Power by Hydro Quebec.

This past week, the New Brunswick government finally put an end to the speculation that had been raging for a week, and announced that they had reached a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with the Province of Quebec. If completed, the deal would see NB Power purchased by Hydro Quebec (HQ) with NB Power subsequently run as a stand-alone subsidiary of Hydro Quebec. Disturbingly, the deal also announces the intention to phase out Dalhousie Generating Station next year when their current fuel supply contract expires, and it also suggests that the other fossil fueled plants -- Coleson Cove and Belledune, may eventually be phased out as well. This news has had a devastating effect on our NB Power Generation members, particularly those working in Dalhousie, a town that has been hit hard by job losses in recent years.

My plan is to remain calm and focused on the job of representing our members and their interests. It's important to keep in mind that this is a MOU only, and the proposed deal may not go through - there are a lot of things that could scuttle it. Having said that, it's important that we are prepared for all possibilities - we need to cover the bases and make sure we are properly prepared no matter what the outcome.

To that end, our initial action of writing immediately to the Premier as soon as we heard rumours has paid off. If a sale does occur, we have already obtained commitments that 1.) protect the pension plan, 2.) offers employment to all current workers with recognition of their service, 3.) binds the new entity to our existing collective agreements and 4.) also maintains the bargaining rights of the IBEW members.

These initial commitments are huge for the union and its members (there are no protections in those areas for us within the Public Service Labour Relations Act) and they allow us to approach this from a level starting point, instead of having to dig ourselves out of a hole. I don’t think we would have had these commitments if we hadn’t taken immediate action as soon as we heard that a deal might be in the works.

In addition to the above, we have also engaged one of the best labour law firms in Atlantic Canada to work on our behalf as discussions on this move forward. In addition, I am also trying to arrange a high level meeting with Hydro Quebec (I have already spoken briefly with their CEO) in order to seek commitments from them in advance of a potential sale and to look at other options for our fossil fueled generating stations. This is just prudent insurance, in case a deal does go through.

I've also had discussions with senior management of NB Power concerning ways to minimize the impact to the workforce if a station closure does occur. They have committed that they will seek to introduce early retirement, voluntary separation and redeployment programs if it does become necessary to reduce staff.

All of the above actions are just some of the initial steps we've taken. We've got a lot of hard work ahead of us and we'll be keeping members up to date as this situation evolves through updates on this website.

Dealing with the unknown

Rumours that Hydro Quebec may purchase NB Power are startling words for all New Brunswickers, and especially for the 2200 NB Power employees represented by IBEW Local 37. Even more startling is when the rumours and speculation aren’t confirmed or denied.

I want you to know that as Business Manager, I have made it my mission to find out what’s going on and to keep our members informed with the best available information. Although there isn’t a lot of concrete information out there, there’s no denying that things are getting serious and that we can expect a significant change.

Yet, amidst all of the confusion I can confirm this: IBEW Local 37 is dedicated to ensuring the needs of its members are protected.

We haven’t been sitting idle while everything unfolds. From the moment the rumour mills started buzzing, our office started taking steps to find out as much as we can, as quickly as possible. Every effort is being made to influence decision makers, get answers, speak with the media and determine what the possible effects will be if something does happen. We need to be at the table so that as things move forward, we can have the necessary input on the concerns we have, concerns such as the continued employment of our members, their pensions and benefits, their terms and conditions of employment, and the implications that change will have on this province and its people.

But our focus isn’t stopping at our 2200 members employed at NB Power. This is also about their families and the communities in which they live. I’m also concerned about what the level of service we provide to New Brunswickers will be down the road. Most New Brunswickers can identify with what happened over time when NBTel became Aliant. Yes, we have phone service and support today, but are they at the same levels as they were 15 years ago? The simple fact is that whatever decision is made has to be in the best interest of the province not just two years from now, but also 30 years from now.

Next step - I will be meeting with the Premier this week and you can be guaranteed that the voices of 2200 Local 37 members will be heard. Stay tuned.

The Globe and Mail features an indepth look at pensions this week.

As all of you will know, the recent economic and investment market downturn has lead to a negative impact on pension plan investments as well as personal savings. It raises concerns as to whether or not today’s workers will have sufficient resources for a secure retirement. I think it is important that we all stay informed about this subject, and you may want to check out the Globe and Mail's week-long feature "Retirement Lost" which started on Saturday October 17th. As the series unfolds, it will include many detailed stories and articles about various issues related to pensions and retirement.

Grand Lake Generating Station and its impending closure

Earlier this week, NB Power announced that the Grand lake Generating Station (GLGS) will close in June 2010. GLGS burns locally mined Minto coal produced by NB Coal. NB Coal's only customer is Grand Lake, therefore NB Coal will close in December 2009.

Grand Lake Generating Station has been an outstanding power station with a strong performance record. Unfortunately, the local coal mined in Minto has a very high mercury and sulphur content, and changing environmental emissions limit are playing a strong part in the decision to close the plant. (It is very difficult to "scrub" mercury out of a power plant's emissions.)

Many Local 37 members outside of GLGS have been wondering what will happen to our members at Grand Lake. Although it is too early to tell exactly where individual employees will be going, we will work with NB Power to get the best outcome possible for our members.

We have had discussions with NB Power over this impending closure, and in fact have had many meetings with them over the last several years as it became more and more obvious that the station would eventually be closing. We have participated in several information meetings for employees that NB Power held at GLGS over the last two years and Assistant Business Manager Gary Munn was present and spent a good part of the day at the station when the announcement was made.

As we move towards the final closure date, I want all members to know that we will continue to work closely with NB Power on behalf of our members at Grand Lake.

Did you know?

Building a culture of wellness and active living

Most readers know that I’ve been a big champion of the key IBEW value of safety in the workplace. We’ve made tremendous strides in safety and now I think we must start to focus the same kind of energy and attention on wellness and healthy living. Although the damage of an unhealthy lifestyle isn’t as immediately obvious as the aftermath of a workplace accident, the truth is that far too many of our members end up suffering from poor health and a reduced quality of life.

The mission of Local 37 is “to work as a team to improve the lives of our members and their families”, and I believe that encouraging a growing focus on wellness and a healthy, active lifestyle is clearly within that mandate, in a number of ways.

The immediate benefit is direct improvement in health for our members. Study after study shows that an active, healthy, lifestyle boosts resistance to disease, lowers stress and improves or prevents many serious health problems (heart and stroke problems, diabetes, etc.). We want members to have a good quality of life, not only while working but also in retirement and one of the best ways to do that is encourage a culture of health, wellness and active living.

A secondary benefit relates to the savings we will see in the cost of our benefit programs. The prices we pay for our benefits are directly linked to the costs we incur as a group. The costs of drug coverage and health benefits are rising every year, and many of those cost drivers are related to preventable illnesses and risky health conditions that would benefit from an increased focus on an active healthy lifestyle. For example, every year we collectively pay hundreds of thousands in benefits premiums for cholesterol lowering medication like Lipitor. Obviously, there are some people who need this medication, but in a lot of cases, high cholesterol can be successfully treated through proper diet and exercise.

To support the above outcomes, Local 37 has already done a number of things to encourage our members to lead healthier, active lifestyles. As talked about in the last blog entry, we introduced a program to encourage member participation in community fundraising events that support healthcare and involve physical activity. We also have a program that can provide modest grants to groups of employees for workplace wellness activities. Earlier this year we also partnered with NB Power to encourage participation in the provincial walking challenge, and early reports are that it definitely has had a positive impact on the number of people participating in this summer long event.

I know it’s important to lead by example, and if I’m going to “talk the talk” on wellness and active lifestyles, I’d better “walk the walk”. My life is pretty busy and in the past that’s been my excuse for not finding time to be more active. But I’ve decided there will be no more excuses, I’m going to get moving, so I’ve recently started a running program. I’m taking it slow, as I build my fitness, but I’ve got a goal of running in a 5K event next year. That will be the topic of another blog entry though!

Involvement in great causes - Local 37 members who care about their communities

Local 37 members have a growing history of getting involved with community events, often in partnership with some of our employer friends. Yesterday was a great example of this, when Local 37 sponsored teams from Point Lepreau ("Positive Energy") and Coleson Cove ("The Generate-oars") competed in the 5th annual Saint John Dragon Boat Festival. Although the final amounts are yet to come in, it looks like the combined total raised for the St. Joseph's Hospital foundation by these teams was over $30,000!

This was the first year that Coleson Cove employees entered a team, and the third year that Point Lepreau employees had a team, which this year included a number of employees from AECL who are working on the refurbishment project.

The very first Point Lepreau Dragon Boat entry occurred three years ago, when I received a call from Keith Miller, who is a Manager at Point Lepreau. He had recently returned to work after an illness in which he had been treated at St. Joseph's hospital, and he wanted to give something back to the hospital that had treated him so well. He explained to me that he had registered a team and paid the $1000 registration fee, but the boat had to be named after a sponsoring organisation, and he wanted to know if it would be okay to call it an IBEW team, since most of the rowers would be IBEW members. I was honoured that he wanted to do this, and agreed immediately. To make a long story short, through Keith's generosity and the hard work of a team of volunteer employees, the first year's team was a great success.

In fact, it was such a great success, I wanted to find a way to encourage Local 37 members to get involved in similar activities in following years. As a result, I worked with the Local 37 Health, Wellness and Benefits Committee to develop a pilot project that provides financial support to teams of IBEW members wishing to participate in community, charitable fundraising activities related to health and wellness. The type of charitable events supported had to include physical activity by the participants (running, walking, paddling, etc.).

This program has been very successful, and to date we have sponsored "Run for the Cure" and "Relay for Life" teams in addition to the Dragon Boat teams. There is an application process, if you are interested in learning more about this program, the application form and more information can be found here.

Photos: (Top to Bottom): The IBEW Coleson Cove Generate-oars winning their second race, Keith Miller and IBEW Positive Energy Team Captain Steve Brown, the Positive Energy Team site, Positive Energy paddling out to the start line for their second race, and some members of the Generate-oars on stand-by for their next race.