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1. Two way communications with members: The Committee will improve and expand the Trades web site by posting the Action Plan, the list of Trades Committee members, information useful to trades members and reports on the work of the Committee. Create a web page function allowing members to send questions to the Trades Committee. The Committee will organize a final outreach to locals to complete the Trades Survey deadline April 30.2015. Provide Sector Chairs the list of which locals by Sector have completed the survey and work with the Chairs to improve survey completion in each sector. Prepare a final Survey Report including a summary and analysis of survey results and recommendations arising, including recommendations for future outreach campaigns to locals on trades issues. Continue to organize an annual CUPE Ontario Trades Conference and also host a Trades Caucus at the 2015 CUPE Ontario Division Convention.
2. Liaison with Trades related organizations: The Committee Chairs will be our liaison to the College of Trades (COT) and work to get CUPE members appointed to COT Trade Advisory Committees, address concerns about COT discipline, push for the proclamation of Section 07 of the COT Act (mandatory employer membership) , seek CUPE appointments to vacancies on Trade Boards, and seek an opportunity for CUPE input into Tony Dean’s review of the College of Trades. The Committee will report back on this work and, where appropriate, make recommendations to the CUPE Ontario President and Executive Board. Appoint one of the Committee Co-Chairs to act as liaison to the OFL’s and CLC’s trades and apprenticeship Committees.
3. Model contract language on trades issues. The trades Committee will assign a member to take the lead on this task. The lead will work with the assigned national staff on a plan to collect and share the best model contract language available within CUPE that addresses trades issues, including contracting out, apprenticeships, and other issues. And it will share with the Sectors, OCHU, the O.D. Executive, CUPE National etc.,
4. Assess and explore the resources potentially available within CUPE to support the trades. This could include investigating options to finance future campaigns, telephone town halls, conference calls, educational materials on the trades including Trades Kits for Locals, staff support, coordinated bargaining, research and communications. The Committee will report back to the 2015 Trades Conference on these matters.
5. Prepare Convention Resolutions, as appropriate, in time for the 2015 CUPE Ontario Convention, including but not limited to proposing that CUPE Ontario sponsor a comparative trades wages study across sectors and regions, proposing that trades issues be brought to a higher priority level in CUPE provincial central bargaining in Ontario for school boards and other sectors and proposing to the CUPE National 2015 Convention the establishment of a national CUPE Trades Committee.
6. Report to the CUPE Ontario Executive Board meetings on the work of the Committee and its progress on priority tasks and where appropriate make recommendations for political action and additional funding by CUPE ON re trades. (e.g. Lobbying for proclamation of Section 07 of COT Act.).
7. Report back to the 2015 Trades Conference on the work done on the items in this plan. Ensure that delegate’s conference kits include a copy of this 2014/2015 Action Plan. Organize a new workshop at Conference 2015: Trades – A 10 Year Vision for CUPE Trades in Ontario.
This Action Plan was adopted at the November 2014 CUPE Ontario Trades Conference.
