Not a myth, but let’s get started with the question we are asked the most.
Unions represent their members. However, that is only to the extent of protecting your rights should they be violated by management. While we are always there to listen to you vent and hear you out, please know that we cannot investigate or fix the problem. We can offer you resources and represent you if and when you choose to pursue any action. But most of the time, we express your concerns to management as it is their responsibility to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
As per Sunil’s article on TL Troubles and BEA Brouhaha:
I want to make it clear that the union does not possess powers of investigation into individual actions or behaviors within the workplace. It is management’s responsibility to ensure a safe workplace. However, we your CEIU Local 541 team are here to support and defend our members if their rights are violated or if they face any form of unfair treatment as a result of management action or inaction.
BUT don’t let that deter you from coming to us for any issues! If members don’t discuss workplace issues with us, those issues will never be heard or brought forth to management. That means they will never be addressed. You always have the option of just bringing something to our attention and even staying anonymous! We all want a workplace that is safe and we should all do our part in ensuring that.
That’s why Local 541 is specifically focused on member engagement. We wanna get to know you all and understand the issues most important to you. Most importantly, we want you to know we got your back. So come out to our union events! These are your union dues anyway, you know. You deserve a right to know how we use them. We will always do our best to make sure we use them for your benefit (we signed an Oath – we take it seriously). So take the free food and gift cards and the gas credits! You rightfully deserve it.
There are actually many examples of Directors, Service Managers, Team Leaders, and BEAs who used to be union executives in PDOC alone. And that number actually increases if you want to include different departments and branches in the federal public service. Your Local 541 Executives meet many union representatives from other locals, as well as those involved with CEIU and PSAC. We can tell you right away how often it is that those who have advanced in their careers are or were involved in the union in some capacity.
There are also plenty of opportunities for personal growth as a union representative! For example, I made this website for the union as well as all the event posters. I now have a decent communications portfolio to present should I ever need it. There’s also so many soft skills you naturally learn as a union representative, as well as a multitude of training courses you can take on mental health, diversity, health & safety, disability accommodation, racial inclusion, etc.
That depends on your level of involvement. And that’s entirely something in your control.
Events: If you want to come to an event but it’s too far or you don’t want to spend time with coworkers on the weekend, let us know! Give us feedback on whether you prefer in-office events, virtual events, after work events, or weekend events and we will take that feedback seriously.
Volunteering: If you want to volunteer just for an event to help us out, you determine the extent to which you offer your free time. We’re not going to try to convince you to join the Local either. We’re just going to take the offer for help. That’s very sweet of you :).
Becoming a Steward: If you want to volunteer as a steward or you want to join as a union executive, that’s amazing! You determine which union training you would like to sign up for, and your level of involvement in terms of issues at work and events. We understand that people are busy and we respect that.
See “What does the union do?”
The union communicates any concerns or any issues members have to management. That means we work with management to ensure they are made aware of any issues and are held accountable in keeping our workplace safe. It is a unique partnership, and both parties often act in the spirit of collaboration.
This myth of animosity between parties might stem from the fact that unions represent employees who file grievances against their employer. But how would that make us enemies? Technically, the employer is being held accountable by their employee (you folks!) and your union representatives are merely there to guide you and represent you so that your rights are protected.
See MYTH 1.
Many of those who have advanced their careers in the public service have been involved in the union. It would be the opposite.
Just because you have rights, doesn’t mean they are always protected. That’s not to say employers are inherently evil either. They’re just human – they slip up, or they don’t know what’s on the Collective Agreement exactly to the letter.
Unions are there to ensure the ongoing protection of your rights. We have regular meetings with management and stay apprised on the goings-on at work so that we can bring it to their attention. This now involves so many different facets than what the unions of old dealt with. Instead of securing vacation days; parental leave; medical leave; weekends and rest periods, unions now focus on health & safety (especially in the aftermath of COVID); workplace safety; workplace harassment; disability; Duty to Accommodate; racial diversity; mental health; women’s rights; 2SLGBTQIA+ rights; Indigenous rights… We also ensure you get regular wage increases and that the Collective Agreement is updated to include changes in keeping with a constantly evolving social landscape (i.e., anti-racism, trans rights, COVID health & safety). There’s a lot to cover and track, and unions are more important now than ever.
See MYTH 5.
A modern union’s effectiveness isn’t just reduced to grievances. Grievances themselves seem to be pretty misunderstood (read: Grieve It!).
Grievances are filed against employers when there has been a clear violation of the Collective Agreement, labour and human rights legislation, and employer’s past established practices. It is really only for when your rights are violated.
But again, that’s really not all we do. In MYTH 5, we talked about the many different protections your union focuses on. To be aware of all of that, we listen to member’s concerns and pay attention to members’ day-to-day experiences at work so we can bring up any issues to management. This way, things hopefully get resolved quickly and we all move on with our lives. Essentially, that is the bulk of what your union does: making sure your rights are protected. It is very important to remember that employers themselves are committed and required to maintain a safe workplace. So as mentioned, you are very free to just tell us what’s going on, and we’ll happily hear you out so we can deal with the issue together with the management team.
Unions mean more protections in the workplace. Unions only ever bring forward concerns to management, and pursuing formal action or grievances against employers is done if and only if a union member wishes to do so. Unions actually bring more harmony, communication, and collaboration in the workplace.
