Fundraising is an essential part of preparing for the 40th IAM Grand Lodge Convention September 7-11, 2020 in San Diego. You can help by entering our gold raffle, with all proceeds going to support the convention.
IAMAW members need to be very active in this upcoming Federal
Election.
The Canada Elections Act, amended in 2018, sets out the rules on
union activities and communications during Federal elections. Below are the
main points to remember.
Third Party Advertising: During
Pre-election and the Election.
Any IAMAW District or Local that spends any money on advertising or partisan activities after June 30, 2019 must keep a record of such expenditures.
Spending limits apply to partisan activities, advertising and election surveys.
The IAMAW does not consider member-to-member communications, which are not directed at the general public to be advertising or partisan activities.
Member-to-member activity.
While there are limits on communicating with the general public, or helping candidates and political parties, the Canadian Office, Districts, and Locals are free to engage in any political communications, or engagement with our IAMAW members.
Newsletters, leaflets, emails, social
media and text messaging.
There are no restrictions on the use of email, newsletters, leaflets, social media, and text messages as long as we are communicating directly with our IAMAW members and not the public.
Working on Campaigns.
IAMAW members can work on campaigns as volunteers after work hours by using unpaid leave, or vacation.
Unions cannot release staff to work on campaigns.
Individual IAMAW members can donate.
Unions are not permitted to make any financial contributions to candidates, or federal parties.
Websites, Facebook and social Media
Union websites, Facebook and social media channels used to promote political action is permitted as long as the content posted is organic; in other words, no payments are made to sponsor or boost the content.
Food
insecurity is a real issue in Nova Scotia. According to Feed Nova Scotia, more
than 41,000 Nova Scotians were supported by food banks in 2017, and 1/3 of
these recipients are children.
Kim Clarke, Sarah Covey, Janet Baker & Zita Hildebrandt helped out at Feed Nova Scotia.
Women’s Committee Chair Sarah Covey and Executive Liason Janet Baker.
Janet & Sarah sort and pack milk cartons for distribution.
A pallet of donations is moved at the warehouse.
Kim packs a container with milk cartons.
It’s a sad
reality that 15.4 per cent of Nova Scotian households are considered “food
insecure,” which means they lack reliable access to enough affordable,
nutritious food.
This is why IAMAW Local Lodge 2797’s Women’s Committee
decided to support Feed Nova Scotia.
“It’s important that we look at all issues that have to do with family dynamics within the home,” explained Sarah Covey, Chair of our Women’s Committee.
“And we try and focus on local organizations that benefit all of our communities.”
1,970,623
kilograms of food was distributed through Feed Nova Scotia in the 2017/2018
year: this includes non-perishable goods, perishables, pet food, and even
menstrual supplies, which are provided through a partnership with Dignity
Period. All of the items that are donated or purchased by the organization need
to be checked to ensure they are fresh/undamaged, then sorted and packaged to
be distributed throughout the province.
It’s a task
that requires a lot of helping hands.
Enter the volunteers: more than 30,000 volunteer hours were donated last year to the organization to help make sure food gets to people who need it. Our local lodge is just one of 123 volunteer groups that are trying to help with the task. So far, our Women’s Committee has visited Feed Nova Scotia on three separate occasions to sort and package donations.
On Tuesday,
June 11th, they repackaged 250 ml milk containers, checking their
expiry dates, making sure the cartons weren’t damaged, sorting them into 15
kilogram groups and moving them onto pallets to be distributed throughout the
province. On past visits, our group has helped sort imperfect produce that has
been donated by farmers (approximately 15 per cent of Feed Nova Scotia’s
donations come directly from farmers).
Our Women’s
Committee plans to meet again in September and will probably hold another
volunteer date with Feed Nova Scotia after that meeting. Anyone interested in
joining the committee or volunteering with any of their events should contact
Sarah Covey at scovey@nsgeu.ca.
We recently learned that NSGEU Unit member Deedee Slye won second place for the design she entered in the IAMAW Women’s Conference design contest! Her award-winning design earned her a $300.00 US prize! Well done, Deedee! Here’s her entry:
Paul Gaudet and Susan Sutherland are representing LL 2797 at the Canadian Political Action Symposium this week at the Winpisinger Education Centre. Here’s what’s happening:
The 2019 Women’s Conference, titled Women Rising Unite the Fight, featured t-shirts bearing the winning design of IAM Local Lodge 2797 President, Roswita Hildebrandt. The design, featuring words of empowerment within a solidarity fist, was selected by a panel of independent judges.
Roswita has been a union activist for 20 years. She began her union career as a member of the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU), Local 77 while working for Dalhousie University as an administrative secretary in the Centre for Learning and Teaching. Roswita held positions on various committees and spent three two-year terms as president of the local. Currently, Roswita works for NSGEU and holds the position of communications secretary. The staff at the NSGEU joined the IAM in 2016. That same year Roswita was appointed Communicator of Local Lodge 2797. Roswita was elected Vice President of her local in 2017 and after the resignation of the President in January 2018, Roswita assumed the role. Her first action as president was to establish a women’s committee. The committee has been outstanding in their service to the local and the community.
“Roswita is a strong leader for Sisters in the IAM as well as her membership at large,” said IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall. “As a Union advocate in her workplace at the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU), as well as the President of her IAM Local Lodge, Roswita brings a great deal of experience and background in representing Canadian workers.”
Tania Cannif, IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 General Chairperson, is the recipient of the 2019 Excellence in Leadership Award. Tania is a 30-year member of IAM Local Lodge 764 in Vancouver, and has been active within our Union for 29 of those years. Tania began her career with Canadian Airlines in 1988. She was elected shop steward the following year, and rose to the challenge of many leadership positions in the ensuing years.
She has served as chief shop steward, bargaining committee representative, Local 764 president, and District 140 vice-president. In her current role as a general chairperson of District 140, Tania is a strong and well-respected leader who is dedicated to the work of the IAM and to improving the lives of our members within her jurisdiction and across Canada. Tania serves as the IAM’s elected delegate to the Canadian Labour Congress, a position she has held for the past eight years. Tania is a highly skilled negotiator and proudly dedicated trade unionist and advocate for human rights, equity, and equality. She is an inspiration for many of the Sisters who are now rising to follow her leadership.
“Tania is a true Journeyperson… I am proud to call her my Sister!,” said Pickthall. “On behalf of all Canadian IAM members, we can think of no-one better to be presented with this honour!”
You still have time to make your voice heard in IAM CREST’s second annual workplace violence survey. The survey is available in English, French, and Spanish.
The survey will close on March 31, 2019. Results will be published in April 2019.
The survey will help IAM CREST work toward solutions to improve workplace safety. The survey is completely anonymous and data will be shared with other partners to develop broad strategies.
You can also text IAMSAFETY to 55-000 to complete the survey on your mobile device. Workplace violence can take the form of a physical or emotional attack.
Nearly 17,000 workers experienced trauma from nonfatal workplace violence in 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Five-hundred Americans were victims of workplace homicide victims in 2016.
Questions or concerns about the survey can be directed to IAM CREST Project Coordinator/Instructor Michael Oathout at 301-967-4707 or moathout@iamaw.org.
Before the holidays, members of IAMAW Local 2797 got together on their lunch break to put together 18 shoeboxes full of goodies for The Halifax Shoebox Project. Such a great initiative, and one we were proud to take part in during the holiday season!
