7.27.2016

we have a new contract


Our ratification vote meeting was an experience we will never forget. The line to sign in snaked all around the building; it took more than an hour for everyone to sign in. I believe it was the largest turnout we’ve ever had, for anything.

At the top of the meeting, the bargaining team stood in the front of the auditorium. Before we could say anything, our members burst out into applause, standing and clapping and cheering — for a long time. I was overwhelmed: the member who took this photo caught my tears. We applauded our members back, and we all stood clapping and cheering and shouting. I have no words to describe how I proud I was — of all of us.

While we walked our members through a presentation about the new contract, there was spontaneous cheering and applause throughout.

And then the vote: 99% voted to ratify. 99%!

Our goals

We went into bargaining with four principal goals:
- no concessions,
- living wage for our Pages,
- some improvement for part-time workers, and
- the largest increase possible for all.

We achieved every one of these goals.

Our strategy

We had one central strategy: we would not accept gains for one group at the expense of another. Pages, part-time, and full-time must all gain. We all know that employers try to divide us, to play groups against each other. Our union has fallen into that trap before. This time, we vowed that would not happen.

Employers are fond of talking about “the pie” — the size of the budget alloted to the bargaining unit, which is then divided throughout your contract.

So if, for example, you give Pages a fair piece of this pie, then you can’t also get a fair wage increase for full-time. If you want to keep your premium for Sunday work, then you can’t also get something else. And so on.

The bargaining team vowed to reject this way of thinking. Our shorthand for this was: Reject the Pie. Here’s a meme that I used as my profile pic for a long time.


A few details about our goals and our contract

No concessions

Naturally the Employer was after whatever it could get out of our contract. The list of potential concessions is so long, it’s practically our entire contract.

So many locals had been burned on recent contracts, that CUPE has adopted a national strategy: no-concession bargaining. I find it strange that such a thing even needs to be said. But from our earliest days of bargaining training, we agreed: no concessions.

We did give the Employer two things that they wanted that some of our members may see as a loss. However, in both instances, we were able to win additional language that made these points a benefit for both sides.

Living wage for library pages

Our Pages are our largest classification — 28% of our membership — and they were earning only pennies over minimum wage. We went into bargaining insisting that they earn $15/hour, at once. And we were determined to do it without compromising anyone else’s deal.

The Employer did recognize the need to give the Pages a significant raise. With a new mayor crowing about poverty reduction, they knew they had no choice. But the Employer’s proposals for the Pages were all too little, took too long, and came at the expense of other members. Time after time we rejected their proposals for step increases, including their supposed best offer which brought the Pages to $14/hour in 2018.

Our Pages now earn $15.00/hour. New hires will start at $14, and move to $15 after their probationary period (390 hours). This is the achievement I am most proud of.

I’m told 1989 is the first CUPE local to bring members from minimum wage to $15/hour in one leap.

Improvements for part-timers

We did not go nearly as far as we wanted on the part-time improvements. Their work life is still precarious and their contract still grossly inadequate. But had we accepted the Employer’s offer in late June, it would have degraded even further.

As a result of our strike, the Employer dropped its demands for the punitive language — language that we promised our part-timers we would never agree to.

And we did win two significant improvements that will have a very positive impact on the lives of our part-timers. I believe we will be able to go further for part-timers in our next round of bargaining.

Wage increases

The Employer moved off its (supposed) best offer, and agreed to our (reduced) wage increase proposal. We did not win as much as we deserve — nor as much as library managers and city executives get. But we did get more than the Employer’s best offer — and more than they said they could afford.

What we gave up

We told our members that we wouldn’t win everything, that no strike wins absolutely everything. The bargaining team struggled for a long time over where to give.

We looked at the possibilities from every angle, factoring in every variable. What would benefit the most members? What would hurt members the least? And now, of course, there was another factor. Did we want to ask our members to stay out even longer? Would another week or more of striking produce a better deal, or would there be diminishing returns? We had an opportunity to end our strike while members’ morale was still high. Would more sacrifice bring more gains, or only more hardship?

We discussed and debated for a long time. Eventually, we found consensus. We made what we feel is a relatively small sacrifice in other to achieve all these other goals.

And so much more

These are very practical, tangible gains that we made as a direct result of our strike. Yet it’s only part of the story. I will write more about the intangible gains — how the strike changed us, both collectively and individually. Stay tuned.

7.24.2016

between the lines: how we got here

We've stopped picketing and demonstrating, and are waiting for our ratification meeting and vote tomorrow night, Monday, July 25.

As local president, my life has been consumed by bargaining and the strike for so long, it feels a bit surreal. Is it really over? That may take a while to sink in! I'm sure others feel this way, too.

Thank yous to the bargaining team from our members continue to pour in, along with congratulations from other union sisters and brothers. Donations continue to arrive from other locals, retired members, and even customers. Those are very welcome, as we begin to pay our bills and rebuild our funds.

The details of our new contract can't be made public until we ratify. But I can say this: we regard it as a very significant win.

For our leadership teams, this is gratifying beyond measure. We have spent the last two years rebuilding our union from the ground up, and this was the outcome.

The roots of our strike: rebuilding our union

Labour-Management

The first step in rebuilding our union was strengthening our position at our monthly labour-management meetings -- coming in more prepared, hitting harder, not being reluctant to file grievances. For more on this, see this article on RankandFile.ca, and its source, CharleyRichardson.org: "Kicking Ass for the Working Class". It's an honour and a privilege to try to walk in Charley Richardson's huge footprints. Shoulders of giants, and all that.

The most important element of our labour-management strategy was preparation. This required a willingness to meet regularly, on our own time, to plan and strategize in advance of meetings with management.

Separation

The next step in rebuilding was our separation from a large, composite local structure that didn't serve our needs, and returning to an independent local, as existed before the merger. This was an enormous undertaking, and required the time and commitment of many members. We held a series of informational meetings so members could make an informed decision -- and 98% of our membership voted to separate. This process itself was an incredibly powerful tool for building member engagement.

Becoming an independent local again gave us decision-making power over grievances, including when to go to arbitration, and we adopted a new willingness to use these tools.

Member engagement

Union activists -- including our rank-and-file executive, but certainly not only those -- made building member engagement our number one priority. We did this in ways large and small: 10 ways you can increase member engagement in your union.

Our new or renewed strength at labour-management, and our new willingness to grieve, worked hand-in-hand with member engagement. We reported the highlights of labour-management meetings to our membership, so they knew we were fighting for them.

Communication

The next factor was clear communication and lots of it. One of the problems with the composite local structure had been a lack of transparency. We vowed to keep members constantly informed, and to strive for total transparency. That is probably the single most important piece of this picture. How can members feel engaged if they don't know what's going on?

Our attitude towards member communications extended to bargaining. Past negotiating committees had been very quiet about negotiations until the very end. That is very common, and many union members believe it is actually required, and that keeping members informed constitutes bad-faith bargaining. Not so.

We adopted a different approach. While we didn't share every roller-coaster twist and turn of the bargaining process -- which would be completely counter-productive -- we kept our membership in the loop throughout. I regularly emailed "Bargaining Bulletins" (thanks to Maureen O'Reilly for the name!) summarizing how the process was going, what we were fighting for, how the employer was reacting. We also gave updates about bargaining at our monthly general membership meetings.

And finally, the strike vote

This process went on for a long time, all of it working synergistically, building something larger than the sum of its parts.

When it was time to ask for a strike vote, our members were primed and ready. The bargaining team wasn't swooping in out of nowhere, asking people to gamble, to make this sacrifice. By the time we received the employer's (supposedly) best offer, and declared that we would not recommend ratification, our members came pouring into the auditorium ready to vote yes.

The night before the strike vote, I experienced a dark night of doubt and fear. So many of our members said they were willing to strike... but what if that was just talk? When push came to shove, would they vote yes? I've just faced our employer across the table and said, "We are rejecting this offer. We are not recommending ratification." What if our members didn't back us up?? If that happened, we were done. Finished. Our power at the table would be completely negated. We had said as much to members many times -- and members were saying it to each other, which was a great sign -- but still. There was no way to be sure.

All that night and into the morning, my stomach was in knots. We were holding three vote meetings, to give our members (as we are shift workers) maximum opportunity to participate. As soon as the first meeting began, I saw our members' faces -- a huge turnout, the room crackling with energy, everyone smiling and excited -- and I knew we had it.

And we did. We had the highest turnout of the last two years, and 96% of our membership voted to strike.

What did we gain?

I will write more about the gains we've made from striking -- both very real, practical gains in our collective agreement, and myriad intangible gains as a union and as individuals -- after we ratify. Stay tuned.

7.21.2016

from the front lines, day 18 (we have a deal!)

The Strike Is Over - We Have A Deal!

The Bargaining Team is very pleased to announce that we have reached a settlement!

This is a "tentative settlement," pending ratification by our members, then the Library Board, and Council. The Bargaining Team is very happy. We are proud of the contract we are bringing home, and we know it never could have been achieved without a strike.

Our members had the courage to use labour's most powerful tool and I believe they will feel it was worth it, both for the gains we've made on this contract, and for our future.

The ratification vote is scheduled for Monday, July 25.

7.20.2016

from the front lines, day 17

I am very pleased to announce that we had an encouraging afternoon at the table -- enough that we are meeting again tomorrow. So finally, something hopeful to report.

Maureen O'Reilly, President of 4948, TPL Workers Union, and Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario, were instrumental in breaking the impasse and getting us back to the table. I am so grateful for their help! And even more so for how much I've learned from them.

Change of Plans

Tomorrow and Friday, we are only picketing at Central, and only from 8-12. It's supposed to be scorching, and none of us should be out for extended periods.

Members who need the afternoon or evening shift can make their way to our new union hall, where everyone can call councilors, Library Board members, and/or 311. You might want to come up with a script together, to make sure you're all on the same page.

A contingent of socialists from TO were supposed to come to the line tomorrow. (They have all visited our line and donated things over the course of the past three weeks, but this time were all coming together.) Because of the weather, I've asked them to hold off. If we're striking next week, they'll visit then.

More support from CUPE Ontario

Starting tomorrow, three CUPE members from different library locals will be booked off for a few days, drawing out support for 1989 and 2974, the Essex Library Workers. One person will be calling CUPE members asking them to: (1) call the City, (2) reach out to their own networks and get commitments from others to call, and (3) have their local make donations to both locals' strike fund.

Two other people will be organizing special events for both picket lines, to generate media and help boost morale. From our great day with the Dufferin-Bloor kids, which brought the CBC to Celebration Square, you can see how that works.

The organizers of this effort have included me in their plans, so I've been able to read over what they are saying, and give feedback about what works or doesn't work for us.

All this, and every time I thank them, they say, "No, thank YOU, ALL YOUR MEMBERS, for having the courage to fight."

Reports!

Erin Meadows

A Gentleman said that he used the library to prepare for his exams. Another guy said that he was a teenager using the library lab. A young lady said her mom had been picketing with us yesterday -- and her mom emailed the the Councilors. She took a flyer and said she'll also email, because she remembers going to the library for Summer Reading Club.

Another man wanted more details from us, about wages, and what we're asking for. It began as a negative conversation, but in the end, we encouraged him to email the politicians who can answer his questions about the City budget.

Overall, many people took flyers and promised to email or call.

Two of our Meadowvale customers came to Erin Meadows to see if it was open. They said this was "disgusting" and that they are disappointed with the Mayor and the City, because kids are stuck at home watching TV all day, instead of going to library, which they love and miss so much. They support us.

Another construction worker came with his 6-year-old son for swimming lessons. He told us he is disappointed because the library is closed. He said he would call Sue McFadden, Ward 10 Councilor.

What a wonderful afternoon we had! As a picket captain. I would like to thank the eight members of my team for their cooperation.

Port Credit

We had another very productive day at Port Credit. Managers left us alone, there was no sign of security, and even Shadow the puppy dozed off. We covered the park, the playground, and many businesses along Lakeshore Road, leaving pamphlets at businesses for their customers. There was a lot of support, with the exception of only a few. I think everyone was glad to see familiar faces. Port Credit Arena staff wished us good luck.

7.19.2016

from the front lines, day 16

Picketing Today

I received great reports from our members who said Good Morning at the executive garage. Picketing at Central in general is going very well. Don't forget to make leafletting and speaking to the public your top priority.

In addition, we hit two locations today: Meadowvale and Courtneypark.

Meadowvale

"Fun Times at Meadowvale today!

"The managers were playing Pokemon Go, as they tried to chase us around and find us. We could not stop laughing.

"We had so much fun as we split up and they couldn't keep track of us. They had to chase us around the mall sidewalks, the transit terminal and even the new branch. I wonder how they liked being out today. They even asked us where the other people went when they couldn't see us all ... but we wouldn't tell them.

"All in all we had a productive few hours, talking to many members of the public who showed support for us.

"Negative news: we did learn that we cannot distribute flyers at the transit terminals. I double checked the bylaws."
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(Thanks to Azmat for the photo.)

Also from Meadowvale:

"I was coming out of Shoppers when my manager hailed me and started chatting. She must have thought I was with the picket team today. I told her I had been at Central all morning. She said she was trying to round up the seven members of the team and appeared to be frustrated that she could not find any of you. I do not think Amy had fun today in the sun.

"I also spoke to a lot of people in Shoppers and Metro. So many people miss us. Truly heartwarming. So many said keep on fighting."

Courtneypark

"Thank you for giving us the opportunity to hand out flyers to customers and the public picking up their kids from summer school.

"We had a very successful morning and met quite a few of our regular customers who were very happy to see us. They were supportive and said that they missed us and would email the mayor.

"We were able to talk to the kids attending summer school at break time and explain why the library was not open. Many said that they could not get the books or resources they needed for summer school and took the flyers be able to email the mayor and councillors.

"Parents commented on how their children could not borrow books during the summer break and missed coming to the library."

A second report from Courtneypark:

"We were very successful at reaching out to our customers today at Courtneypark. Everyone did an amazing job interacting with the public.

"Students were extremely supportive and immediately posted our flyer on social media and some emailed the Mayor right away. They also told us that they missed us and needed our resources to help them with their assignments.

"Faithful customers coming for our programs were very upset to learn that all libraries were closed. They had to make other arrangements and find programs for their children to attend at last minute. One customer mentioned that he has been using our library for the last three years in order to complete his work license and he was horrified to learn how we are being treated by our employer.

"We received lots of support from our customers and hopefully they will pass along their thoughts and concerns to our Mayor and Councilors."

Mail from the Mayor

Many of you have received the generic form letter that Mayor Crombie's office sent out. 1989 members are expressing all the disgust, anger, and head-shaking I would expect. If you haven't gotten this letter yet, you soon will. Tone deaf is an understatement.

Calls to 311

I have heard from several people that calls to 311 are not being put through to the Mayor's office. This may be so, but I promise you that every call to 311 is logged, and every opinion is tallied. Every pro-strike message is being counted. We can -- we must -- continue to urge the public to call in support.

Support

From a former member:

"I just discovered the CUPE 1989 website last night & was so impressed with the reports, the outdoor storytimes (!) & it pulled at my heartstrings seeing those familiar faces amidst all the pink, looking confident & cheery for the cause. I feel I should be there picketing with you (which I would if I was anywhere near Miss. even for a day, which I'm not) but I would like to make a donation to the strike fund asap if you could tell me how please."

Teen Volunteer Hours

A Mississauga resident and CUPE member (different local) emailed asking if his teenage daughter can volunteer to work on the strike and earn volunteer hours. The answer is yes! If you know someone who might be interested, let me know.

Random Notes

Did you know CUPE 1989 has a YouTube channel? It's a fledgling effort so far. If you have videos of our strike, can you please upload them to Dropbox or elsewhere, and give me access? I will post them.

More than 80 "Dear Valued Employee" letters were returned to Library Director Rose Vespa today. Sorry, but our landlords don't accept form letters in lieu of rent.

To everyone who is working so hard on our strike, to everyone who is on the line, to everyone who has visited us, written letters on our behalf, called the City, brought us water, sent supportive emails, or honked their horns: thanks for being out there!

7.18.2016

from the front lines, day 15

Libraries Rock!

What can you say when 50 schoolkids march to your picket line holding signs they made to support us, chanting "Kids Say: "LIBRARIES ROCK!"??? What a day!

The Dufferin-Bloor Hub camp does one social justice lesson each summer, and this summer, that lesson was US! The kids learned about labour rights, a little about the labour movement, what a strike is, and so on. They made signs -- and were each given a free book -- and came out to Mississauga to support the striking library workers.

Also on hand were the executive of CUPE Locals 4948 (TPL Workers Union!), 416, 79, and 5180. They all brought us donations of money and water, along with their support on the line.

Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario, and Yolanda McClean, CUPE National Diversity VP, arranged the whole day. When their storyteller fell through at the last minute, I told her, "Don't worry. We got this." And we sure did.

After a rousing rally, our programmers swung into action. We all took a break for the 75 pizzas CUPE Ontario had delivered, then back to more programs. With a special visitor: the CBC!

Many many thanks to: Hayley, Olivia, Jason, Fiona M, Emily, Maria C, Ylana, Fiorella, Natalie, Sumera, Abbey, Joan C, Helen, and Alene for their awesome programs - to Shane, Stella, Jayanti, and Chelsea for assisting - and especially to Kunwal to pulling the whole thing together. 1989 is one amazing team.

If you missed it, there will be lots of pics on Facebook and our website.

Media!

We had some great coverage today from CBC, both online ("Striking Mississauga Library Workers Say Some Wages Are Below Poverty Line") and on TV. (You should be able to find the video on our Facebook page.)

Almost all media coverage of our strike has been very favourable. And why not? Our demands are very modest and reasonable, and our working conditions are outrageous.

CUPE Ontario

CUPE Ontario, the political wing of our union, has already made a $5,000 donation to our strike fund, plus thrown us a big barbecue, plus today bought us pizza. But that's not all...

- We are receiving a gift of a cooling tent! It will be ours for four hours a day, so we can walk in and get misted to cool off!

- Fred Hahn and Candace Rennick are holding a telephone town hall this Wednesday night, to tell all CUPE locals in Canada to support the strikes. Two strikes have settled, two are still out (1989 and 2974 Essex Public Library), and several more are on the verge of striking. CUPE Ontario is making supporting us a high priority.

- Fred is heading up a working group to help us plan for the near future. We have been scrambling to bring special events to the line. This would map something out more long term. If we get a fair contract and no longer need the plan, all the better.

- Fred is also making a special pitch for us... not for public eyes yet. More soon, I hope!

We rock!

Today was an awesome day! I was so proud of all of us. Thank you all for standing up for yourselves and each other! And thanks to everyone who is reading this for all your support.

Celebration Square

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On The Line

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7.16.2016

from the front lines, day 13

We spent more time in the community this week, speaking to Mississauga residents about our cause, and giving the gift of free storytimes. Here are some reports.

Malton

"I had a customer tell me yesterday that he calls 3-1-1 everyday to find out when the library will be open. He asked what else he could do and I told him to continue to call everyday and also contact the emails and phone numbers on the flyer I gave him.

"Many people I spoke to are outraged by the strike and the way the City is treating us. I also talked to a mom and her daughter dropping other small children off at the pool and she was so surprised at how we are being treated and said that I really "shed a light on the true side of the city as an employer". She's always suggested to her daughter to try and get a job with the City, but is now second-guessing this choice. She said she's going to write to everyone and asked for a few extra flyers to spread the word for us.

"I think being at the branches has really made an impact. Of the two days we were at Malton, we had over 400 conversations with customers, many of which sent emails right away from their phones or took flyers/pictures of the email addresses on the flyers. These conversations can sometimes be difficult because you're not sure how someone will react but most are willing to listen and can feel the passion we have for our cause."

Meadowvale

"Just came back from Meadowvale Town Centre Metro. I asked a few people and the cashiers whether they are aware of our strike. They said NO. A few of them told me the Meadowvale branch is closed because they are moving to the community centre soon. They were not happy after hearing about the situation. They told me it's unbelievable. One cashier told me it's a great loss for the kids. She also told me she thought we were well-paid happy staff with smiles all the time. Another lady told me 'keep fighting'."

Port Credit

Storytime!

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7.15.2016

from the front lines, day 12

While Ribfest took over Celebration Square, CUPE 1989 members had another satisfying day in our communities. The managers that the City has assigned to "monitor" us (their word) and the special outside security detail came along for the ride. Because, you know, library workers are a big threat to public safety.

In our members' words and pictures, here is a bit of our day.

Erin Meadows

"I was at Erin Meadows Thursday afternoon. A customer came to return a book. He said he just came back from his vacation and he wasn't aware of the strike. When I explained our situation and gave him a flyer, he was really mad and told us he would send emails to the Mayor and Sue McFadden. He said: 'It's ridiculous, I can't believe City is treating part-time staff like this.' He also told us he will be supporting us throughout our fight. He is a customer at Erin Meadows and Meadowvale."

Frank McKechnie

"The Thursday picket at McKechnie went well. One customer was so upset with the city she called the Mayor right then and there. Of course once we heard that the City was refusing to budge in the talks, we got fired up even more and the flyers were passed out to customers fast and furious. I can't begin to tell you how angry that piece of news made me, but that is another story. I think it was great getting out to the branch and talking to our customers. It certainly seemed a lot quieter without the library open. ... This is a tough fight but we will be there for however long it takes."

Central

Most of Friday morning my striking buddies and I were on the mall side of the Ribfest and were handing out flyers. We heard some varied stories. We talked to a man who is part of the rotary and is a pastor. He mentioned he was the one that brought water bottles for the strikers. He is totally supportive. We also came across someone who said would call the city and say 'I would have emailed you, but my access to the internet at the library isn't currently available'. I thought that was a great line.

Mississauga Valley

"It was a very productive and enjoyable day. We met a family with two kids. One little girl rushed up to hug three of us. We were so touched by this, and obviously their parents were upset about the closure, but they supported us. We are like the usual front people, meeting with our customers. I agree with Rose that we are wonderful staff, and it is the staff who make library successful. However only she has a 7.3% increase."

Port Credit

"I absolutely loved talking to the public today at Port Credit. We spoke to small business owners. They are completely committed to helping the Library. We also approached people walking the streets. One lady from Australia, who always visits the library with her grandchildren at Port Credit when she visits, was disappointed this year. We also approached a group of young men (18ish); one pipes up and says "I called 311 yesterday". A page who was with us yesterday and felt uncomfortable approaching people was passing put leaflets and talking to customers - fantastic!!!"

Malton

"Our customers at Malton took our striking to heart. Here's some of the response from our regulars:

"One customer who is an author (our libraries carry copies of her books) said: 'This is stupid. Management is making so much money and you guys are doing all the work. I will email Bonnie!'

"Another customer, who is partially blind and comes to Malton every day to borrow the guitar books, said: 'It is very boring without the library. I really miss it and being in there.' He said he would email the Mayor.

"A female minister, who we help with printing, said: 'I can't believe this is happening. You people are always there for me when I need help, especially with printing my flyers and sermons. I miss it very much and some of your high school students were asking me why was the library not open, we wanted books to study for our summer school. I will definitely write to the Mayor.'

"One college student took a pile of flyers from me and said she would pass them around to all her friends. She said: 'We support you fully and love the library.'

"Another regular customer said: 'Management should be flexible and treat staff in a more humane way. This is really sad!' He comes to the library every day with his children to use the computers. He said: 'Poor people, the homeless and students needs the library!' He said in his former country he has nothing like the library. He said he will write to the Mayor!"

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Burnhamthorpe

About 20 of us covered the front doors and a highly visible intersection at the corner of Burnhamthorpe and Dixie. We had pink CUPE flags and three picket signs that indicated we work at the library. We handed out dozens of pink flyers and continuously urged people to contact the mayor. Several buses stop at that location, and everyone who got off was made aware of our cause, if he or she wasn't already. The overwhelming majority of those we encountered were highly supportive. Even three police cars honked! The best part, again, was how our group came together across all job classifications: full-timers, part-timers and pages. Twenty-year veterans and relative rookies.

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And in case you missed it, from Friday's Mississauga News:
Mississauga Library Workers' Union President Alleges City Pulling 'Nasty Tricks' During Strike

7.14.2016

from the front lines, day 11

On Thursday, striking Mississauga library workers visited various branches in the system to talk with members of the community. Here are some reports and pictures.

Clarkson

"Our group was quite small, but had a big impact. We saw many patrons that attend our programs regularly. Many were picking up children from camp and were happy and surprised to see us. All were very supportive. One lady took the letter and walked away, then came back to tell us how much she supported us and how wrong it was that our Library Director got a 7.3% raise along with what City Manager Janice Baker makes ($280,000/year).

"We even had two patrons that are both former employees show up to support us, and bring us a snack. One even went to Staples to photocopy more handouts for us!! This was amazing and we were so grateful since we had almost ran out of flyers by then. We are looking forward to seeing more patrons tomorrow!"

Mississauga Valley

"People in general were happy to see us. Most of customers took our flyers and stop to talk. We took turns walking around to the back of the building and also approached families around the splash pad. Our storytime - in both English and Spanish - went very well. It was a lot of fun."

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Port Credit

"A good day at Port Credit. We had a lady pull in with Timbits. She is so angry with the way we have been treated. I think she was also at Central on Wednesday with treats. She is a Lorne Park patron. She has emailed and called. It's nice to know we have someone on our side. We walked Lakeshore and engaged people; no one refused our flyer. One business owner taped it on his front window facing out for all to see.

"Customers were very supportive. Every person we talked to promised to email the mayor (they didn't even want to call 311). One man said he is a fellow union member and would email the Mayor as soon as he got home. Three mothers, each with three kids, were disgusted by how the library staff has been treated. They've been attending various programs at Port Credit and Lakeview and also promised to email the Mayor. One 7-year-old girl wanted to hear a story so we sat down on the grass, reading. I told her we'd be back tomorrow if she wants to hear more stories. (She asked her mother if they can come back.)

"I talked with around two dozen people today in Port Credit, and after I briefly explained some of the issues, every single one of them was on board with our cause and very supportive - even the ones who were initially hesitant. We also paid a visit to MPP and Ontario Finance Minister Charles Souza's office. He wasn't in, but we said our piece to his desk staff and left our flyer. They seemed supportive, too."

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Malton

"We had people stationed at both entrances and then rotated shifts of people walking the perimeter, going close to the transit hub, and splash pad. One of us tallied the number of meaningful conversations we had as we 'roved' - approximately 200 conversations in total!

"EVERY customer we spoke to was supportive and some sent emails while waiting for their kids to come out of programs. Malton Neighbourhood Services took flyers to give to LINC students who apparently are waiting every morning for the library to open. Malton Neighbourhood Services are supportive and are sending emails. They are also bringing flyers to the Malton United for Youth meeting this Tuesday."

Sheridan

"I went to Service Ontario in the Sheridan mall and got stopped by customers there. They all want to see is back at work, but are totally supportive of our fight. One daily customer told me her story of her precarious work at the shoe store. Not one customer yet has offered anything but support. Every conversation reminds me why I go to work every day and love my job - the public we serve!"

Erin Meadows

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Frank McKechnie

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Streetsville

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Support Library Workers!

Please sign our petition, and tell the City of Mississauga: Give your library workers a fair deal!

Bonnie Crombie, Mayor
905-896-5555
mayor@mississauga.ca

John Kovac, Library Board / Council
905-896-5400
john.kovac@mississauga.ca

Matt Mahoney, Library Board / Council
905-896-5800
matt.mahoney@mississauga.ca

For more information, contact Laura Kaminker, President, CUPE Local 1989, at 647-200-1481.

7.13.2016

from the front lines, day 10

Five of our members reported on the early-morning disruption of traffic coming into the parking garages!

Report #1:

As we were picketing the entrance to the Civic Center parking garage this morning, word came down that Library Director Rose Vespa was spotted in the line of cars — we created a back-up as far as Rathburn! — so anticipation was running high: flags were waving, whistles were blowing, and chants were chanted ("Rose Vespa, be a leader! Be a leader, now!"). As she approached the City Centre garage entrance, Rose gave us a timid wave and proceeded to the entrance to the library garage — where another group of members awaited. Rather than enter the library garage, Rose continued to Burnhamthorpe and went around the block, apparently parking in the Living Arts Centre.

Realizing that there was no underground connection between the Living Arts Centre and the Civic Centre, a bunch of us hustled to the north side of the Civic Centre to await her arrival. Sure enough, after a few minutes she emerged and made her way across to the Civic Centre entrance. I was a little late arriving to the scene, but our members stationed there greeted her with signs, flags, whistles, and chants. All members were civil and respectful during the entire process. I feel that this "blockade" of the Civic Center parking garage was our most effective demonstration yet.

Report #2:

It was an exciting morning! Many of us were at the north exec doors when the street was closing down, so a small contingent waited there and the rest of us went to the east side entrance. They were not blocking the entrance at that time, so we decided it was high time to start. Many of the city staff were supportive and waited patiently, but others were furious! The line extended as far as the eye could see. Someone said that Rose was waiting in the line.

When the car in front of Rose was held back, it became obvious that she was going to go straight rather than in that entrance. The car was let through and the chants/whistles were super loud. A few members actually stepped into the road to block her and security asked them to get back on the sidewalk. The group started towards the Central entrance chanting and whistling, etc. when Rose decided rather than being held up by her "valued staff" (!) she was going to drive around - even though she spent all that time waiting in line! It was about 10 AM by that time. Several people went back to the north side by Civic Centre rightly guessing that she was going to park at Living Arts and walk across.

Apparently, Rose crossed the street with an escort. Several people, mostly pages, were chanting and yelling at her to do something. The staff she encountered in the Civic Centre said she was polite and said, Good morning. We believe that she notified security that she was in line because two or three city security came out before she made it to the front of the line.

Report #3:

It was a very exciting day at the Parking Garages. The level of excitement in the Rose cat & mouse was riveting.

The Exec garage was off limits - that road was closed due to Ribfest. Picketers blocked CC and Library parking entrances. When they found that drivers were going in the Civic Centre exit they blocked that as well. This tactic was so successful that traffic was backed up right to the 403. RibFest trucks were also in the mix so it was noisy.

Soon after I got there Rose was identified in the jam sometime after 9 AM. We chanted: "Rose Vespa be a leader - Be a leader now!" She ignored us. We were prepared to block her at whatever entrance she used. When she got to the CC lot entrance, members spontaneously fanned out on the street in front of her and chanted. A rental security guard herded them back and Rose drove past this entrance. She also drove by the library lot and turned right at Burhamthorpe.

We assumed she would either park at the Living Arts Centre or try to come back thinking we'd given up. A small group walked up to LAC. Rose walked out of LAC (no underground walkway) and crossed to CC. Our group met her there and chanted. Rose kept her head down and rushed into CC.

Report #4:

Princess Royal Drive was being closed to set up carnival rides for Ribfest. A majority of members moved from the Executive Parking Garage and started to block all the entrances to the Civic Center and Central Library. At some point, a member realized that Rose was in the line of traffic attempting to enter the building. She ended up bypassing both entrances and parked in the Living Arts Center parking. We chanted "Rose Vespa, be a leader! Be a leader NOW!" We also did a very vocal: "What do we want? JUSTICE! When do we want it? NOW!"

Report #5:

As we turned the corner onto Duke of York, we noticed Rose's car almost parallel to us. We continued on to the main entrance to inform the other members that she was in the line of cars. It appeared as if Rose had a bit of a nervous smile on her face. As soon as Rose was in front of the exit driveway, we started us with our chants.

Once she passed us, I continued to the main entrance garage and participated in a couple of more Rose chants. We realized that she had no intention of entering there, so I hurried over to the library entrance to give them a heads up. Seeing that blocked by us, Rose sped up and turned right.

I decided to head back towards the executive entrance on the chance she would end up in that vicinity once more. We stopped at the back doors of City Hall. There was a large gathering of people at the far corner. We saw Rose and another woman halfway across the road. We started the Rose chant. She had a nervous smile as she made her way into City Hall. She avoided all eye contact with us. Each time we said the chant, we got louder, until the door closed.

Bargaining Ream Re-Grouping

The bargaining team met today to regroup and strategize. Our rep led us through an interesting reflection exercise about the strike -- what's going well, what we're gaining through the process, what are the challenges. The positive column was WAY longer than the negative! And the few negatives were just down to lack of experience and a steep learning curve.

In the positive column were words like:
Unity
Solidarity
Cohesion
Strength
Empowerment
Communication
Friendship

Tomorrow a few representatives of the bargaining team will meet with a few reps of the Employer. We don't know what to expect, but at least we'll be communicating.

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Support Library Workers!

Please sign our petition, and tell the City of Mississauga: Give your library workers a fair deal!

Bonnie Crombie, Mayor
905-896-5555
mayor@mississauga.ca

John Kovac, Library Board / Council
905-896-5400
john.kovac@mississauga.ca

Matt Mahoney, Library Board / Council
905-896-5800
matt.mahoney@mississauga.ca

For more information, contact Laura Kaminker, President, CUPE Local 1989, at 647-200-1481.

7.12.2016

from the front lines, day nine

Yesterday, we did this!

The cacerolazo was awesome! We had so much fun banging and honking and marching. We were loud and proud -- and you know our Employer was listening! Thanks to everyone who helped make this special afternoon/evening happen. Look for videos on Facebook and Twitter.

Once again, we had great support from CUPE Ontario and the Peel District CUPE Council, along with several people from my own activist network.

Back to the table

Tomorrow the 1989 bargaining team is meeting to regroup and talk about the road ahead. The following day, Thursday, we are meeting with the Employer. I will update you on any developments as soon as I can.

Numbers!

Based on all the cheques that our strike payroll team wrote, almost three hundred members picketed last week. That is the highest turnout we've ever had -- for anything -- that I'm aware of. And that was before many members returned from their vacations! Well done!!

CUPE Summer of the Strike

Currently 1989 is one of four CUPE locals on strike, and several more on the verge of walking out. This level of fightback has not been seen for a long time. Striking is contagious -- other locals look on and say, hey, that's an option, maybe we need to take that route. If you're curious about the issues, try these links: CUPE Ontario News and CUPE Ontario Strike Support.

P.S. Photos!

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