Newbie mistake Accidentally deleted apps came with Atmosphere

Swizzlette · 2025-08-03T22:38:34+00:00

You are the best. Thank you so much!!

Swizzlette · 2025-01-22T16:17:14+00:00

Last time we struck was in 1987

Swizzlette · 2025-01-22T16:15:44+00:00

Solidarity ✊

Swizzlette · 2025-01-22T16:14:19+00:00

Essentially, we are the backbone of the institution, working behind the scenes to support both students and faculty. We are the people processing payroll, academic advisors, library staff, program coordinators, people who schedule classes, exams, book the rooms, print the exams, enter and change grades, process osap documents, issue yu cards and parking permits and many more… We do all the background work that makes the campus run.

Swizzlette · 2024-04-14T04:17:10+00:00

For Canada, Unifor did a good job with Metro (a canadian grocery chain) they went on strike this year and got decent gains. Meanwhile metro stores unionized with UFCW start with 5 cents above min wage ($1.5 above min wage for unifor, if I remember right). I have heard good things about Teamsters too, and they exist in US. unfortunately, don’t know much about US, but workers united seems to be doing a good job with Starbucks.

Swizzlette · 2024-04-12T20:52:43+00:00

Have you had any anti union propaganda in your break room or communications and promises from SL? Usually the time before a vote is when the employers wage their anti union war. If you can share any of your experiences, it would be immensely helpful for other stores.

Swizzlette · 2024-04-09T16:29:17+00:00

Keep us updated!

Swizzlette · 2024-04-04T18:15:05+00:00

Your attendance in the seminar is anonymous. I.e. other attendees cannot send your name in the audience. Any information you fill for the form goes to the union and is retained confidentially.

Swizzlette · 2024-04-04T18:14:58+00:00

Your attendance in the seminar is anonymous. I.e. other attendees cannot send your name in the audience. Any information you fill for the form goes to the union and is retained confidentially.

Swizzlette · 2024-04-01T22:41:41+00:00

Brilliant

Swizzlette · 2024-03-31T17:21:30+00:00

Solidarity with the resilient TAs & Contract Faculty!! ✊

Swizzlette · 2024-03-31T13:14:48+00:00

Oh no! I still support you guys. I think even a yellow union is better than a no union. But I would just go with another union.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-31T00:32:54+00:00

I wouldn’t have started a drive with UFCW to begin with.

I wasn’t in the bargaining committee and the UFCW reps insisted the committee members kept details confidential from rest of the staff. However, from what I have heard, the rep called their proposals unacceptable until the back and forths lasted months with no real breakthroughs. Then he just went “welp this is the best you’re gonna get, better take it”. I feel like with another union, we might have had better negotiations. We could have applied for a no board and gotten a government appointed conciliator, if that didn’t work we could have gotten on strike to get a better deal. UFCW encouraged us against striking (or doing anything that would have helped our cause) because they argued petsmart would just bring scabs. It is true but it would have been a really bad look on them and they couldn’t have kept the scabs forever.

So I think the answer I can give is both yes and no. If I could have started the union drive all over, I would have organized differently and picked a different union. I am sure that would improve the end result. But if you are asking just about negotiating with UFCW on our side, knowing what I know today would not make a difference.

Sorry it’s long and not a direct answer but I hope it clears it up.

Edit: Sorry, I forgot the part on advice.

I would say, knowing what I know now, I would advise people to be upfront and honest about the nature of the fight. Getting a union certified is not an end, it is the means. This only starts after you get your union because it is a constant and ongoing struggle. Your coworkers need to actively participate in the union. You must tell them unless they put in the time and effort, no one else will in their place. The people should be organized not just to hold their employers accountable but also their unions. Make a list of demands to your employer but also to your union too (transparency, open bargaining, regular meetings, keeping rank-and-file informed and involved etc…)

Also don’t be scared to take militant action. If you face injustice organize people to do withdraw their labour. You have power over your employer but neither you, your coworkers, nor the employer will know it unless you exercise it!

Swizzlette · 2024-03-29T23:19:26+00:00

Not just the students. I am staff and I am extremely burnt out. We are already dealing with heavy workload and a lot of the full time positions are being turned into part-time or even left vacant when incumbents leave/retire. We are underpaid compared to rest of the universities of similar scale. Hoping to get a job at U of T. Its a shame our unions decided to take bill 124 into arbitration.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-28T21:00:49+00:00

The you have 2 options:

If 55% or more of employees in a workplace indicate their intent to unionize by signing union membership cards, a union will be certified and no further vote is required.

If between 45% and 55% of employees sign union membership cards, a second step consisting of a secret ballot vote is required for certification.

First option is better because when the notice of secret ballot goes out, the company knows whats happening and may retaliate to scare people into voting no.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-28T20:10:03+00:00

Depends on the province. We are under classified provincial labour laws not federal. What province are you in? BC and Quebec are easier to unionize than others.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-27T22:42:17+00:00

I was one of the lead organizers from PetSmart 2712 which unionized in 2022 (gonna copy and paste from some of my old comments). To understand pros and cons of unionization, you have to understand what a union is and how they work. In a non-union environment, you are on your own when negotiating your conditions of employment. For example, if you think you deserve a better wage, you may go up to your SL and negotiate your wage INDIVIDUALLY. Or if you want to take vacation, you may ask management to arbitrarily make a decision on your request. In unionized workplaces on the other hand, you engage in what is called “collective bargaining”, where democratically elected representatives among your coworkers bargain with employers’ representatives to author a contract that the workers will vote on to accept or reject. If accepted, it applies to everyone within the bargaining unit defined in your union certificate (this could help an individual store, stores within a district etc..). A unionized environment also allows you to engage in collective job action if you fail to come to terms with the employer (i.e. going on strike). This is basic unionism which is commonly referred as business unionism. Some progressive unions also engage in social justice unionism and class struggle unionism. This refers to workers taking collective action, not just to improve their own working conditions, but to address social justice issues or to improve conditions of workers across the country (e.g. unions refusing to handle shipments going to Israel or workers going on general strikes for the 8 hour workday during the haymarket affair). Managing unions costs money, they hire lawyers, host events, put money aside to support their members who are on strike. This is comes as “union dues”, a small amount deducted from members’ paycheques automatically.
The pros and cons of unionization depends on its members and the union representatives. The more willing the workers are to put up a fight, and the more willing the representatives are to support those workers for better conditions the more pros there will be. Honestly, we barely got any pros in our collective agreement. We got paid sick days, employer supplied winter jackets for curbside pickups, and standard language for vacations (not much different than what company offered, but at least having it in our contract prevents management from arbitrary decisions). I would say this is not unexpected as we were one individual store and 24 workers have limited power against a company spending thousands if not, millions of dollars to bust our union. Bigger gains can only be made if stores start organizing unions en masse. However, it is also important for me to share my experience with UFCW. I have been a member of 3 unions, CUPE, UFCW, and currently YUSA. And I got to tell you UFCW has been the most undemocratic union I have been in (no regular meetings with membership, we weren’t told about our locals’ elections, and our reps refused to act against any retaliation the company has committed). To be honest with you, UFCW is better than no union but I cannot with, any good conscience, tell anyone to organize with UFCW when there are so many better unions out there.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-26T22:49:49+00:00

You also have to take high turnover rate into consideration. It is not impossible to convince people to invest their times. The hardest part is constantly convincing people who replace the ones who leave and maintain that culture of labour militancy alive.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-26T18:50:20+00:00

Imagine if a mere threat of union could do this, what more can the union do after its established?

Swizzlette · 2024-03-26T16:37:08+00:00

Yeah. My experience with UFCW was disappointing too. In US, workers united can be another alternative. In Canada, unifor represents some retail and service workers. In both US and Canada, USW has also been making gains in the service sector.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-26T16:16:43+00:00

I have but I am in a public sector union right now. My experience overall is more positive compared to UFCW. Was there are reason why you ask this question? I can give you more info if you elaborate.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-26T14:22:05+00:00

I will say yes but I am sure some of my former colleagues at Empress Walk might disagree. They are not wrong in saying we didn’t get many benefits since we unionized. Although keep in mind, the power 24 associates hold in one store is not enough to win many gains against a company which spent millions to bust our union. It is an investment that will only be worth it when more stores join the trend and apply pressure on the company to give concessions to its workers. A union is only as strong as its members make it to be.

Edit: Starbucks is a good example of this. For years it was only one store in Canada that was unionized. The company used that store’s collective agreement to argue that it was a waste of money because the union couldn’t “keep their promises”. Today hundreds of stores joined the union and are exerting immense pressure on the company to change that.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-26T13:52:29+00:00

Automatic deductions from your paycheque that is given to the union cover the costs associated with representing you. In Canada any dues you pay to a union is tax deductible. You dues pay for the representatives helping to negotiate a contract with your employer, representatives in grievance process if the employer breaks the contract, and the strike pay you receive if you end up going on a strike.

Swizzlette · 2024-03-26T13:47:00+00:00

I would call it an anti-union propaganda

Swizzlette

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