In remarks for the 2006 Don Wood Lecture at the Industrial Relations Centre of Queen's University this afternoon, Hargrove will highlight the need for unions to do better in four key areas of union activity: organizing, collective bargaining, education & training and politics.

Hargrove will also direct his remarks at the declining moral credibility of business. Business has enjoyed record profits, yet the real purchasing power of working families is no higher today than 25 years ago.

Hargrove's remarks can be found on the CAW web site at:
www.caw.ca/visual&printlibrary/speeches&briefs/speeches/index.asp

This bulletin is intended to update the U of G community on the talks between the University and CUPE 3913, the union that represents teaching assistants and sessional lecturers.

The University is currently negotiating a new collective agreement with the union. Negotiations began in the fall and since that time, the parties have made progress on many outstanding issues.

The parties met Tuesday, March 14, with a conciliator. The parties were unable to reach an agreement and as a result, employees represented by CUPE 3913 could be in a legal strike position as of April 3.

However, the parties have agreed to continue negotiations with the assistance of a mediator on March 30 and 31. The University is encouraged by the union’s commitment to continue discussions and we remain dedicated to successfully negotiating a settlement.

In the event of a work stoppage, the University will work hard to minimize the effect on students, staff, faculty and other members of the U of G community. The University would remain open and continue to provide services. All classes and exams would continue.

We will communicate with the community on a regular basis to ensure that you remain informed.
Again, the University is committed to negotiating a fair settlement.

We appreciate your patience and understanding.

In a letter to the Premier, Hargrove said that encouragement from McGuinty's government can make a positive contribution to resolving the difficult issues.

Hargrove's letter follows:

"Dear Premier,

I am disappointed that as I write this letter, those involved in the current community college dispute are not at the bargaining table.

If there's no talking, there's no progress - that's certain. And that simply isn't acceptable.

There is no contradiction in respecting the collective bargaining process, on one hand, and using government influence to keep the sides moving towards an agreement, on the other hand. Your government's encouragement can contribute positively to a faster and more satisfactory resolution of difficult issues, for both sides.

I urge you to get personally involved in bringing the parties together to resume these negotiations. Too many young students' lives are being seriously disrupted for the parties to this dispute to remain disengaged. Our students deserve to know that despite the challenges, both sides and their government are doing everything in their power to reach a settlement, while respecting the collective bargaining process.

I urge you to call the parties to a meeting in an effort to find a solution.

Buzz Hargrove
President
CAW Canada"

The production members of CAW Local 222 voted 74 per cent to support the proposal, while Skilled Trades voted 70 per cent in favour. With the union's acceptance of GM's demands, the GM Canada management should now be in a position to make its pitch for future product allocation from Detroit.

Chris Buckley, president of CAW Local 222, said, "Some very difficult decisions have been made, not only by the union leadership, but by our members as well. Without a doubt, this has been a very emotional event." He commended the membership's decision under these difficult circumstances. The agreement was reached after two weeks of tense negotiations between GM Oshawa management, the National union and CAW Local 222 union leadership.

While not affecting the wages, benefits, pensions or time off the job for CAW members, the changes in the agreement are designed to make the Oshawa facility more competitive in the global market. Canada has seen a flood of imports since the dissolution of the Auto Pact in 2001 while restrictions remain on the exporting of Oshawa's award-winning vehicles to Asian markets.

"We were fortunate in Oshawa to have had the opportunity to work on securing our futures," Buckley said. "There are a number of GM facilities in North America which will not, and will unfortunately close, putting thousands of working people on the unemployment line. Our members in the vehicle assembly plants and in the parts suppliers deserve a secure future. CAW members at GM have done their part; it's now time for General Motors to step up to the plate."

HALIFAX - Canada's largest union, the 540,000-member Canadian Union of Public Employees, is using International Women's Day - March 8, 2006 - to launch a national task force on making the union more inclusive of women.

Nova Scotia's Barb Moore, the Task Force Co-Chair, says, "On March 8, women and men across Canada and around the world celebrate International Women's Day. This year, March 8 is especially important for CUPE members and staff. Almost two-thirds of CUPE members are women. To gain ground as a union, we must increase the participation and representation of women." CUPE National Rep. and Task Force member Jacquie Bramwell, who works out of Sydney, says, "Our union is taking on this challenge of exploring ways to make CUPE more inclusive of the full diversity of women at all levels of our union. It will look at how we do our union work, from the bottom up, to better achieve gains for women while breaking down barriers.

There is one CUPE member and one staff person from each province on the Task Force.

CUPE National Rep. and Task Force member Lynn McDougall, who works out of Corner Brook, says, "Some of the workplace issues the CUPE task force will explore include:

- Economic insecurity caused by public sector restructuring
- Inadequate social supports and income supports (access to child care, pensions, and benefits)
- The shift from good-paying jobs to casual, part-time and temporary employment
- Unsafe, unhealthy workplaces that keep women from being full participants in our union

CUPE National Executive Board member Donna Ryan, who is from Corner Brook, is also on the Task Force. Says Moore, "CUPE has a long tradition of fighting for equality. We are proud of our union's work on the front lines breaking down barriers for women. These barriers need to be addressed so women, who still bear a heavier burden at home, can become full participants in their workplace, community and our union."

ST. JOHN'S, March 6 - Canada's largest union is vowing to work more closely together in the four Atlantic provinces on issues such as privatization of health care, a national child care system, labour law and more.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees brought together close to 200 activists and leaders in St. John's over the weekend (March 2-5) for the region's first-ever, joint political action conference.

CUPE NL. President Wayne Lucas says, "This is the first time our province along with New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI have joined forces for something like this. With close to 50,000 of our members providing public services across the region, we have a number of pressing issues that are facing us in the political arena.

"CUPE is putting provincial governments and other employers on notice that we are prepared to fight to preserve the public services that communities in all four provinces rely on," said Lucas.

Issues that dominated the conference included a plan to fight the Harper government on his plans to abandon child care, moves by various provinces to introduce a 'two-tier' health care system, minimum wage laws and electing worker-friendly governments.

"Fraud is a serious problem that undermines consumer confidence and drains billions from legitimate markets around the world. It cannot be solved by law enforcement alone," said Sheridan Scott, Commissioner of Competition. "As Chair of the Fraud Prevention Forum, we work closely with partners in law enforcement, consumer and volunteer groups, government and the private sector to fight fraud aimed at consumers and businesses."

During the month of March, Fraud Prevention Forum (FPF) members will raise awareness of the dangers of fraud, while educating the public on how to "Recognize it, Report it and Stop it." Millions of printed fraud prevention material will be distributed and public service announcements will air across the country, in English and French.

"The concept of crime prevention is to prevent victimization. By educating and involving the community in crime prevention initiatives, it is anticipated that we will see a reduction in crime," said Detective Superintendent Bob Goodall, OPP Anti-Rackets Section. "It is essential that law enforcement, the private sector and consumers work together to identify, apprehend and prosecute those responsible and to prevent future occurrences."

The FPF's reach is international. This month, over 24 countries who form the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network have committed to raising public awareness worldwide, with their own Fraud Prevention Month campaigns.

"Law enforcement agencies are very concerned about financial crime and we are working diligently with our domestic and international partners to combat this transnational problem," said Wayne Watson, Chief Superintendent, RCMP.

"People operating frauds are increasingly using international borders to try to escape the consequences of their actions," said C. Steven Baker, Director of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Midwest Region. "The U.S. and Canada are leading the world in showing that we can work together and protect consumers on both sides of the border."

To report incidence of fraud or to learn more about how to protect themselves from fraud, Canadians can call PhoneBusters, the national anti-fraud call centre, at 1-888-495-8501.

Canadians can also report fraud on-line through Reporting Economic Crime Online (RECOL) at www.recol.ca. RECOL is an RCMP initiative that involves an integrated partnership between international, federal and provincial law enforcement agencies and the private sector. In addition, citizens are encouraged to contact their local police.

TORONTO, ONTARIO - OMERS announced that its total fund return was 16.0 per cent in 2005, a top quartile performance that exceeded its benchmark return of 13.2 per cent. The Fund earned net investment income of $5.5 billion, compared with $3.7 billion in 2004. Fair market value of net assets increased 15.2 per cent, to total $41.1 billion as at December 31, 2005, up from $35.7 billion the previous year. The actuarial value of net assets grew to $38.3 billion from $36.8 billion as at December 31, 2004.

"The exceptional returns from our private market investments in real estate, infrastructure and private equity, combined with the continued strength of global equity markets contributed to another strong year," said OMERS President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Haggis. "Our asset mix strategy is working and we remain committed to increasing our asset allocation in private market investments."

OMERS long-term strategy is to increase its holdings in private equities, real estate and infrastructure from the current 19.8 per cent to 37.5 per cent of net investment assets. OMERS expects these asset classes will outperform traditional stocks and bonds over the long term and provide more stable returns.

OMERS received $1.5 billion in contributions in 2005, compared to$1.4 billion 2004. The pension payroll and other benefit payments totaled $1.6 billion, an increase from $1.5 billion in the previous year.

2005 Accomplishments

For the third straight year OMERS success at controlling costs resulted in lower pension administrative expenses. In 2005, they were down a substantial 16 per cent from 2004.

OMERS has five lines of business that focus on specific areas. Each of these areas is directly accountable for its results.

OMERS pension services continues to lead the public sector pension industry. In 2005, the division met or exceeded the performance measures monitored to ensure OMERS is meeting the needs of members, employers and retirees. For example, OMERS continued to turn around benefits and pension estimates within a 3-day target, to resolve more than 90% of client inquiries at the first call, and to ensure pensions are paid reliably and promptly on the first banking day of the month. Customer service is supported by an industry-leading e-access application, providing a secure and speedy business-to-business platform for OMERS employers.

OMERS has four investment operating groups that focus on specific areas with specialized expertise - public markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate.

Public markets posted a return of 12.6 per cent in 2005, comparing favourably with a 10.3 per cent return in 2004. Public markets generated net investment income of $4.0 billion, compared with $2.9 billion in 2004. The higher return and increased income is attributable to significantly higher returns in the Canadian public equity markets and the strength of the global equity markets.

The 2005 return on total investment income from private equity investments was 23.2 per cent compared with a 12.5 per cent return in 2004. The increased return is due to strong market value appreciation on several investments that realized improved financial performance as the businesses matured. Net investments in private equity rose by approximately $1 billion this year and, at $2.5 billion, currently make up approximately 6 per cent of the Fund. The long-term target in this asset class is in the range of 10 per cent.

Infrastructure investments provided a return of 23.2 per cent, compared to 31.0 per cent a year earlier, due to a second straight year of strong returns in the energy sector. Net investments in infrastructure nearly doubled to $2.4 billion in 2005, up from $1.3 billion a year ago. Currently, this asset class accounts for approximately 5.7 per cent of the Fund and the long-term target in this asset class is in the range of 15 per cent.

OMERS real estate investments recorded a return of 26.0 per cent in 2005, compared to 11.0 per cent a year earlier. The increase in returns compared with the prior year is a result of strong rental operating income plus favorable market value appreciation in the year. Part of the market value appreciation was realized in 2005 with the sale of several real estate properties as the business repositioned the portfolio for increased growth. This included the sale of a 50 per cent interest in 11 properties to CPP Investment Board for an amount in excess of $1.0 billion in June 2005. Real estate holdings currently comprise 8.1 per cent of the Fund and the long-term target in this asset class is in the range of 12.5 per cent.

The Plan's Funding Status

Each year, an independent actuary determines the plan's funding status by comparing the actuarial value of invested assets to the current value of the pension benefits that members have earned to date. The value of assets is affected by investment returns, while inflation, wage increases and trends in demographics affect the projected value of future benefits.

Like other pension plans, OMERS has been impacted by a number of factors that have resulted in a deficit. These include the downturn in public markets in 2001 and 2002, pension benefit improvements such as 100 per cent inflation protection, and a federally mandated contribution holiday from 1998 to 2003.

Although investment returns have exceeded the funding requirement again this year, the actuarial deficit in the Basic Plan, as projected, has increased, to total $2.8 billion by year end based on actuarial assets of $38.3 billion less an actuarial liability of $41.1 billion.

This increase is due to the actuarial smoothing of investment returns, which means that a portion of the losses incurred in 2001 and 2002 are recognized in the 2005 actuarial assets and a significant portion of the gains of the past three years are deferred to the future. In addition, wage adjustments, demographic factors and the annual inflation increase for pensioners all contributed to a higher than anticipated liability. However, excluding the actuarial smoothing of investment returns the market value of the assets approximates the liabilities for the first time since 2001.

GUELPH, Feb. 27 - Guelph library, inside and outside municipal workers, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), voted in favour of a new three-year collective agreement, Saturday, February 25th, ending a strike that began on February 15th.

"This is a victory for public services in Guelph," said Mark Charboneau, CUPE national representative. "Our members went on strike to fight the city's contracting out agenda and this new deal will help protect public services in our community."

The 560 workers will be back on the job tomorrow, February 27th, with some workers from water, wastewater and by-law officers returning today. "The fight to protect public services was very important to our members," said Charboneau. "Now they can go back to work knowing that they will continue to provide reliable public services."

OTTAWA, Feb. 22 - The McGuinty Government's announcement of further aid for the ailing forest industry is a "welcome first step" in implementing the year old recommendations of the Council on Forest Sector Competitiveness says Ontario's largest union of forestry workers.

"Now, Mr. McGuinty needs to focus on energy costs which are absolutely crippling this sector and which have led to the loss of more than 3,500 of our members' jobs in the last year or so. Every single company which has closed a mill or cut back operations in Ontario in the past year has cited energy costs as the primary reason," said Cec Makowski Ontario Region Vice-President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada.

"The allocated relief for road construction and maintenance and the reduction in stumpage fees is a more than welcome first step. But it cannot be isolated from the bigger issue of hydro costs which was also stressed in the final report of the Council on Forest Sector Competitiveness," Mr. Makowski added.

He reiterated his union's earlier proposal for creation of special economic zones in Northern and Eastern Ontario which would then allow for targeted reductions in hydro rates in order to keep workers employed and dozens of communities economically vibrant.

"This sector is the lifeblood of vast parts of this province and, in fact, is second only to the automotive sector in providing good paying jobs for Ontario workers. We need long term stability so that people can plan their lives. Designating special economic zones, in our view, is the best way to achieve that goal."

TORONTO, Feb. 22 - Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario President Sid Ryan has stepped down province-wide political action scheduled to begin at midnight tonight.

"We have had good, productive, constructive discussions with the government during the course of the last 24 hours," Ryan said. "As I and the Premier both said this morning, we have been working hard at a solution that is mutually satisfactory."

While talks are continuing, Ryan said he hopes and expects that they will be concluded shortly.

"We are determined to continue working at this with a view to complete our work today," he said. "We are working hard to resolve the last few details; however, I am confident enough at this stage to say that we can step down our political protest planned for tomorrow."

"This proposed mega-merger is still very much up in the air," said Rick Grylls, president of Mine Mill/CAW Local 598, representing Falconbridge members at mining, milling and smelting operations in the Sudbury area.

"The repeated extensions of the closing date indicate this merger faces significant hurdles, from both regulators and investors."

The long extension raises major questions as to whether the merger will in fact proceed. Swiss-based Xstrata will now have an opportunity to submit a competing offer for Falconbridge, with the expiry in May of its agreement with Brookfield Asset Management (formerly Brascan) to match the price of any subsequent Xstrata purchases of Falconbridge shares. Bids from other potential suitors (including Teck Cominco) are also possible - for either Falconbridge, or for the combination of INCO and Falconbridge. The fact that Falconbridge shares are trading for significantly more than the $34 INCO offer, suggests that investors are expecting further bids.

The CAW has called for a comprehensive review of the public interest impacts of any merger involving INCO or Falconbridge, before it is allowed to proceed. "A merger will have both costs and benefits for Canadians," Grylls continued. "It is essential for all stakeholders, including government, labour, and municipalities, to participate in developing a clear plan that sets binding targets to make sure that any merger respects the interests of Canadians."

"We can't simply trust any of these huge companies to do the right thing for Sudbury, or for Canada. We have to hold them accountable."

Grylls called on Canadian regulatory authorities to play a more active role in reviewing the impact of any proposed merger. "It is embarrassing that this mega-merger between two purportedly Canadian companies is receiving a more thorough review from foreign regulators, than from our own regulators."

In particular, Grylls called on the Investment Review branch of Industry Canada to look seriously at the implications of an INCO-Falconbridge merger for foreign ownership levels. INCO is majority owned by foreign investors, mostly U.S.-based. The CAW has also asked provincial and federal governments to review the merger more carefully, and make approval for the merger (or for subsequent development projects) contingent on commitments by the merged company to specific targets for Canadian investment, employment, and purchases.

"Instead of jumping on the bandwagon of any particular takeover bid, the Sudbury community should all work together to win as much protection for jobs and investments in Sudbury as we possibly can," added Grylls.

There has been some speculation about the impact of an INCO-Falconbridge merger on labour relations. "This whole takeover process is completely uncertain," said Grylls. "The financial wheeling and dealings are just getting started."

In the event that a merger results in representation elections for workers at INCO and/or Falconbridge (a situation that will not likely occur until later in 2007, at the earliest), Grylls said he was confident that Canadian workers in the mines, mills and smelters would choose a Canadian union to represent them. "But it's premature and counterproductive to start that battle now, with such an important decision regarding our economic future completely up in the air."

TORONTO - Four unions representing 200,000 health care and community social service workers have taken their campaign to fight the Ontario government's Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) plan to the province's airwaves and TV screens.

Less than a week after holding well-attended workplace protests in cities throughout the province, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) will bring their collective defence of public health care to programs such as Desperate Housewives, ER, the Barbara Walters pre-Oscar interviews and the Olympics in ads starting today. The ads urge citizens to take a critical look at LHINs, and turn up the heat on MPPs, Health Minister George Smitherman and Premier Dalton McGuinty. The television ad and two radio ads depict the impact on patient care of a health delivery scheme designed to encourage service at the lowest cost.

The unions are campaigning to stop the government from passing Bill 36 as it is currently written - a scheme that opens the door to the privatization of health services, threatens Ontarians with more travel to access treatment, and reduces local control. The union leaders will meet with the Health Minister to discuss their concerns about the legislation on March 16.

The unions - along with numerous community organizations and public health care advocates - have serious concerns with Bill 36, the legislation that enables the LHINs. They are asking the McGuinty government to block contracting-out and rationalization of both clinical and non-clinical services. Among other changes, the coalition seeks to make LHINs accountable to their communities through the popular election of their Boards.