101 Syndicate Avenue North, Suite 512, Thunder Bay, Ontario,  CANADA   P7C 3V4  (807) 474-4229

Executive Board

President Barb Maki

Vice President Suzanne Pulice

Financial Secretary Jason Cummings

Recording Secretary Jody Powers

Director of Women's Issues Kathleen Swerhun

Director of Outlying area's Connie Thompson

Sergeant at Arms Kari Jefford

Trustees Peter Sabourin

             Lilly Aiello

              Jeremy Hayden

Note: President of Local Retiree's Chapter is Marg Arnone

Local 229 holds Information Picket at Versa Care

An information picket held outside one of the city's long-term care homes on Wednesday hoped to attract the attention of local politicians.

With signs held high, members of The Canadian Autoworkers union local 229 walked the sidewalk outside Versa Care to highlight the need for staffing level increases.

Local 229 Financial Secretary  Jason Cummings says there is a need to increase hours of direct care for residents at long term care facilities throughout the region. He says the CAW has been advocating for a minimum staffing level of 3.5 hours per resident per day.

Cummings says right now the average one-on-one time with a resident is two hours a day. He believes there is also not enough staff at the facilities and most of the workers are burnt out and overworked. Cummings says the previous standard of 2.25 hours was removed by the Tory Government in 1995.
 

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Ontario Announces $56.6 Million for Long-Term Care Facility In Thunder Bay

The City of Thunder Bay, long-term care workers and aging residents had a reason to celebrate going into the Labour Day weekend with an announcement by provincial Health and Long-term Care Minister George Smitherman of $56.6 million for new long-term care facilities.

The new investment by the province will help create 336 new long term care beds and 132 new supportive housing units, with additional 100 new jobs. The responsibility for the two facilities will be shifted from the city’s jurisdiction to the province and St. Joseph’s Care Group in 2009.

The August 31 announcement comes after nearly a year of lobbying the provincial government to adopt the homes from the city. For years prior, CAW Local 229 and the national union had also lobbied the Thunder Bay city council to keep possession of the two city homes.

CAW Local 229 President Andy Savela and CAW national representative Tom Murphy were both on site for the announcement and both indicated that the province’s funding announcement and “We are very pleased with this commitment by the provincial government that will not only maintain the quality of the homes, but create new jobs,” said Savela. “This was a five year campaign that resulted in a major victory for our workers and our union.” Savela is also a Thunder Bay city councilor.

The fate of the homes and more than 400 CAW Local 229 workers employed there had been uncertain since Thunder Bay city council voted in 2005 and then again in November 2006 to turn over the facilities to the province.

“This announcement is thanks to the hard work of the national and local unions that have had a major campaign over the last five years to ensure that workers at the city homes will have a job for the future,” said Murphy.

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Andy Savela Appointed National Staff Rep in Thunder Bay

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Marg Arnone Elected to Retirees National Executive Board

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After a spirited debate, an overwhelming majority of delegates to the April 2006 meeting of CAW Council voted in favour of encouraging CAW members, locals and staff to withdraw all support and affiliations to the New Democratic Party.

After hearing from speaker after speaker, more than 800 workplace leaders from across Canada voted in favour of a resolution that outlines a new political direction for the 265,000 member CAW.

The leadership of CAW local 229 voted overwhelming  to support this resolution at our Executive council April 28,29.

Click here to read the press release

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CAW & CLERGY UNITED

CAW organizers have been working with United Church Clergy across Canada to assist them in their attempt to join our union.

 Click here to read the full story

 

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