By now many of you have heard that ETS Main is going to be voting on a contract. So, what’s going on?

In the course of our ETS Main negotiations over the past year, the City has made harsh demands. They want to cut maintenance workers’ signups down from 3 a year to 1 per year. They want to undermine security’s already-minimal signups. They want to extend the offensive wage freeze we’ve suffered under for the past 2 years, impose a freeze on tool allowance and on it goes.

The ETS Main Negotiating Committee has said no to these concessions and continued to negotiate for a fair and reasonable collective agreement. By summertime, it was clear that we were at impasse so we agreed to enter mediation.

In mediation, we hammered out a rough agreement on a point system for uniform distribution. No gains – just a point system for what we already have. Oh, and they took out the operator jacket. A couple of other minor things that did not involve any money. To end the mediation, the City presented an “Offer to Settle” and asked the Union to voluntarily take it to a membership vote. The offer was so offensive we’d have been embarrassed to ask you to vote on it so we said no. They adjusted a couple of things and asked again for us to take it to you for a vote. As it was the same thing re-worded, we again declined to bring it.

Now, the City has applied to the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) to conduct a “Board Ordered” vote. The Union objects to that application for a couple of reasons: it’s extremely difficult to communicate with our members in the shackling limitations of the pandemic environment and also, we have an Unfair Labour Practice complaint pending on issues relating to our negotiations proposal.

That said, it’s almost certain that the vote will go forward.

In a couple of weeks, ETS Main members will get postal mail from the ALRB. Please watch for it. It will announce the vote and give instruction on how to cast your ballot.

Your Negotiating team and your Executive Board UNANIMOUSLY recommend that you VOTE NO to this underhanded and divisive attempt to impose an unfair deal on us.

Read our FAQ sheet which should answer some of your questions. Here is the City’s offer for those who want to read all the details.

To be very, very clear, THIS IS NOT A STRIKE VOTE. Voting this terrible deal down only means that this union stands strong together and sends a clear message to the City that they can’t divide us and they can’t ram a dirty deal down our throats. They have to bargain fairly.

Accepting this offer would have us back at the table in a year with an employer that thinks it can take away anything it wants. Rejecting it strongly will send them the message that they can’t play games with us.

In Solidarity,

Steve Bradshaw

President/Business Agent

ATU Local 569