EDMONTON PUBLIC SCHOOL CUSTODIAL WORKERS
This is a Temporary Home page I have created for the local until we get our own website.
Also see
EDUCATION NEWS STORIES
THE CRISIS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION PRIVATIZATION OR DEMOCRATIZATION
EDUCATION CRISIS ACROSS CANADA
1998
-
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION OCTOBER 19, 1998
- Public Opposed to Business Parnterships with Edmonton Public Schools Survey Says
- CUPE Local 474 Organizes Campaign Opposing Corporate Partnerships In Edmonton Public Schools
- Year Round Schooling Begins in Edmonton
- Edmonton Schools rebuilding for 21st century
- Edmontonians Reject Corporations in Public Schools Poll Finds June 10
CUPE Local 474 mobilized its members and the community to pack school board forums on this issue
- Edmonton Public Schools Withdraw from ASBA June 10
ASBA has promoted contracting out of custodial and support staff work and provided the negotiator for the 9 week Custodial Strike in Calgary, See CUPE Local 520 Strike Support Page
CUPE 474 GETS BOARD TO RECOGNIZE DAY OF MOURNING
On April 28,1998 at the request of CUPE Local 474 the Edmonton Public School Board Trustees voted to recognize April 28 as the Day of Mourning for Workers Injured or Killed on the job. Here is the 'official' memo from the Superintendent of Schools:
From: Emery Dosdall
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 1998 9:19 AM
To: Central Services; School Principals
Cc: School Secretary
Subject: Day of Mourning
Last evening, on the request of CUPE Local 474, the board approved a motion to proclaim April 28th as an annual Day of Mourning in recognition of workers killed, injured or disabled on the job.Background you may wish to communicate to staff, students and community:
The Canadian Labour Congress has set this day aside to recognize the sacrifices that working Canadians have made to earn a living for themselves and their families: every year, more than 1,000 Canadians are killed on the job; thousands more permanently injured; thousands of others die from cancer, lung disease and other ailments caused by exposure to toxic substances at their work place.
This special day is also a time for people to rededicate themselves to the goal of making their workplace safer and healthier.The board of trustees for Edmonton Public Schools has proclaimed April 28 an annual Day of Mourning in recognition of workers killed, injured or disabled on the job.
CUPE 474 SUPPORTS CALGARY LOCAL 520
AGAINST CONTRACTING OUT
Doug Luellman, President CUPE Local 474,
on Local 520 Picket Line with Union Picket Line TapeCUPE Local 520 representing custodial and maintenance workers in Calgary Catholic Schools went on strike in January 1998 against the boards attempt to contract out their jobs. Local 474 supported them for the nine weeks of the strike which finally ended in late March.
Doug Luellman, President CUPE Local 474, with Dennis Nazelli
Striking Detroit Newspaper worker
CUPE Alberta Division Convention 1998
October 1997 
Three CUPE Local's Vote For Strike
Against Edmonton Public School Board
CUPE Local's Solidarity and Militancy
Forces Board To SettleEdmonton public school custodial maintanence and support staff have achieved contract gains from the Edmonton public school board. The board offered the custodial and maintenance workers last minute contract concessions after the locals held a strike vote. Over 96% ofcustodial workers, members of Local 474, turned out to vote. 91% of maintenance workers, members of 784, voted as well. The strike vote for Local 474 was 85% in favour despite the boards offer of a last minute deal which the local's negotiating commitee accepted.
On Saturday October 18, members of local 474 ratified a new two year contract which ends August 1998. It included a unique no contracting out clause, which bridges three contracts and lasts five years, from October 1997 to August 2002!
Edmonton Public Schools maintenance workers, members of CUPE Local 784, rejected the school board's last contract offer Monday, September 29,1997. The 200 maintenance and skilled trades workers voted to mandate their union to call for a government supervised strike vote.
The school district 1500 support staff, members of CUPE Local 3550, voted tonight to support the other two CUPE Locals by tabling a Memorandum of Agreement reached last week until such time as the administration reaches a memorandum of agreement with the two other CUPE Locals.
The maintenance workers are the second school board CUPE local to call a strike vote. Yesterday the 600 custodial workers, members of CUPE Local 474 voted overwhelmingly to call a strike vote.
The three CUPE locals have been engaged in coordinated bargaining with the school board for the past 24 months. While the locals have separate contracts, each local has agreed to a minimal set of demands which include no contracting out, and wage increases to offset the rollbacks made in 1994.
The school board failed to divide the three locals by offering maintenance workers a 1.75% wage increase while offering support staff a 4.5% wage increase, and failing to make any wage offer to custodial workers.
The locals are fighting for no-contracting-out language and job security for permanent and part-time workers in their collective agreements. The board has only offered a letter of intent to custodial workers.
"A letter of intent isn't worth the paper it's written on," says Doug Luellman, president of CUPE Local 474. "We had a letter of intent in 1994. One month later the board carried a motion to contract out support and custodial staff in 1/3 of district schools. We want no contracting-out articles in our collective agreement, not letters of dubious intent."
The maintenance workers have been without a contract for 22 months. The support staff and custodial workers have been without a collective agreement for 13 months.
The last time maintenance and custodial workers were on strike was in 1970. Support staff went on strike in 1990 for union recognition.
Also see the articles;
Support staff at city schools set to strike
School board workers set to take strike voteEdmonton Journal, October 1, 1997
Privatization of Custodial Services
Gets Failing Grade in Edmonton Public Schools
CUPE 474 and Edmonton Public Schools issue report on two year pilot project on contracting out. CUPE 474 Press Release May 28, 1997.Board Minutes May 27,1997
Edmonton Public School Board receives report on Contracting Out Pilot Project
New Democrats Challenge Government on Privatizing School Custodians
Pam Barrett Alberta New Democrat Leader, introduces CUPE 474 President, Doug Luellman, to members of the Alberta Legislative assembly.
Questions Minister of Education on secret government report recommending school boards contract out custodial workers see: Custodial Services for Schools.
Alberta Legislature Hansard Wednsday June 4, 1997.
Alberta New Democrats Press Release June 4, 1997
ND press release on Contracting out Custodial Services in Alberta Schools
CUPE 474 calls for NIKE BOYCOTT
Edmonton NIKE Campaign Home Page
Feature article on CUPE 474 NIKE Campaign
Organizing the Organized
Edmonton Public School Custodial Workers Fight Contracting Out.
Article from BriarPatch Magazine October 1996
CUPE 474 White Ribbon Campaign 1996
Ending Violence Against Women & Violence in the Work Place.
Article from Labour News, December 1996
Custodial Workers Wow Klondike Days Parade
Labour News article July/August 1996
CUPE Saves KidsFringe
Labour News article July/August 1996
AUGUST 14-23
Adventure Park
104 St. & 85 Ave.
Hours of Operation: Noon-7pm
Free Fun for Children and their Parents
For the third year in a row the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is pleased to be the official sponsor of the Kids Fringe, a free family play and theatre area in the heart of the Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival.
This years Kids Fringe promises to be even better with a donation of $16,000 from CUPE. The funding has allowed the Fringe to hire not only a coordinator but several actors to work with children. There will be puppet theatre, improvisation, a reading tent, the Imagination market, presentations by the Space Sciences Center, as well as play and acting adventures for children and their parents. And its all free!
The Kids Fringe is sponsored by the Edmonton District Council of CUPE, Edmonton Area CUPE Locals and CUPE Alberta. CUPE represents thousands of Education, Municipal and Health Care workers in Edmonton and across Alberta.
For further information on daily events at the Kids Fringe contact: Sandy Paddick phone: 448-9000
-
Edmonton Journal Fringe Site
- Sun Fringe Site
go here to see more about the largest Theatre Festival in North America
Edmonton Public School Board Minutes
With references to CUPE Local 474
February 11, 1997
Board responds to 474 Budget Brief with corrections.January 28, 1997
CUPE 474 Presents Budget Brief on its expectations to the EPSB
January 14, 1997
Board overturns decision to hold public hearings on NIKE
December 10,1996 Board Board Meeting
Motion to hold public hearing on NIKE
Which passed by a 5 to 4 vote.It was rescinded at the January 14, 1997 Board Meeting, the day they were supposed to have the public hearing.
November 26, 1996 Board Meeting
White Ribbon Campaign
Board congratulates CUPE 474 on its efforts
to end Violence Against Women and Violence in the workplace.
January 23, 1996 Board Meeting
CUPE Local 474 opposed to introduction of private religious school [Logos Christian School] into public district
Enrollment much less than expected at controversial schoolMay 5, 1995 Board Meeting
Pilot Project on Contracting Out custodial Services
Alberta Legislature, Hansard, References To CUPE Local 474
MLA Karen Liebovici presents Minister of Labour with CUPE 474 T-Shirt
An Injury to One is an Injury to All, May 5,1995
Two days after the solidarity action against Rentokil Initial on the International Justice for Janitors Day of June 15, 1998, FIET headquarters were contacted by the company. The result is that a meeting will take place at company headquarters in the UK in the near future between top management and a FIET delegation comprising the General Secretary, Philip Jennings, Bob Ramsay and representatives of unions in Belgium, Netherlands and UK.
This event marks an important breakthrough in relations with the company. We therefore request you to suspend any action undertaken against Rentokil Initial. We will keep you informed of further developments.
To all those who displayed great solidarity during the Justice for Janitors campaign, FIET offers its sincere thanks and appreciation.
CUPE HOME PAGE
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LAST UPDATED: September, 1998
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LOCAL 474 ENDORSES LABOUR AND LABOUR FRIENDLY CANDIDATES
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You have to hand it to proactive labour union CUPE Local 474,
representing public school custodians.
The union's using its muscle to get "labour and labour-friendly"
candidates elected to the Edmonton Public School Board. In a
memo to all school custodians and phone calls to all its members,
CUPE is urging its members to vote for incumbents Bill Bonko,
Janice Melnychuk, and, surprise, surprise, current chairman
George Nicolson, plus lefty newcomers like well-known Carol
Anne Dean and Donna Fong. (How come former New
Democrat MLA and current trustee Gerry Gibeault is not on the
list?)
That's democracy. Too bad the right isn't half as well organized.
The bad part, of course, is the union could be too successful.
Imagine a school board controlled by its unions. Scary.
Graham Hicks, edmonton Sun Columnist, Sunday Sun, October 18, 1998
HOT ISSUES
However, the school board shouldn't go looking for more money
from private businesses, an idea floated by board administrators
early this year. According to the survey, 55 per cent of
respondents said they are against "schools accepting funding
from businesses in exchange for endorsements/advertising."
That's up from 53 per cent in 1997 and 47 per cent in 1996.
"I think it's an idea whose time has not yet come," school trustee
Bill Bonko says of private funding.
An experiment bound to fail, Local 474 opposes year round schooling