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THE MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE FOR UFCW LOCAL 832 FEBRUARY 2006
SAFEWAY
SHOP STEWARDS
CONVERGE
IN WINNIPEG
Maple Leaf Miembros de Habla Espana Miren Pejina 7

Presidential Comment
24/7 Shopping Will Erode Our Quality of Life
The idea of 24-hour, seven days a
week shopping isn’t a new concept.
Many parts of Canada have
24 hour shopping in large centres such
as Toronto, Ontario.
During the week before Christmas,
Wal-Mart Canada made the festive
choice to open nine Wal-Mart stores
across Canada for 72 straight hours
prior to the December 24 6 p.m.
closing. One of those stores was located
here in Winnipeg near an industrial
area of town where many residents
are employed in places that have shift
work. According to media reports
and our own survey of the Wal-Mart
parking lot, shoppers were lined up
at all hours and the Wal-Mart store
manager said it was a great success.
The argument that “the customers
want it, so we should give it to them”
seems a bit self-serving. I guess the definition of
success varies from person to person.
24-hour shopping will only increase strain
and health issues on working families. It is
a proven fact that non-standard work hours
disrupt what is called the circadian rhythm.
This is the internal clock that governs the way
our body functions. It affects body temperature,
blood pressure, brainwave patterns and hormone
levels. Simply put, during the day the body wants
to be awake and during the night it wants to
sleep. Reversing this natural order or extending
work hours excessively damages the body.
Some short-term health effects can include
heartburn/indigestion, fatigue, insomnia, and
depression/mood swings while some long-term
effects include heart problems, duodenal ulcers,
arthritis and weight problems. Less noted but
also a contributor to health problems is the
disruption to family and personal life that nonstandard
hours create.
Wal-Mart says they are just doing what their
customers want; their customers want to be able
to shop anytime/anywhere. I would like my mail
delivered twice a day and the ability to speak to
a building inspector at city hall at 3:30 in the
morning. Although these examples are extreme,
what they have in common is the added cost it
would create to obtain these wishes along with
the health and social issues noted above.
With 24-hour shopping comes the added cost
of operating expenses to the company that would
eventually trickle down to the consumer. Once a
Wal-Mart type store opened, it wouldn’t be long
before other businesses followed. Now, an unnecessary
competitive environment is created.
The bottom line is that the only purpose would
be to enhance larger multi-national corporations’
profits, while putting smaller businesses
in hardship and creating an unfair competitive
environment.
Concerned citizens should also think of safety.
Businesses will have the least amount of employees
on staff to maximize its profit margin.
These people, working in large 30-75,000 square
foot stores, will become targets to criminals and
undesirables. According to the Workers Health
and Safety Centre in Ontario, studies show that
serious accidents also happen more frequently
between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m.
Robert D. Ziegler,
President,
UFCW Local 832
When people were surveyed over the
holiday shopping time and responded
that they would welcome 24-hour
shopping, the next question should
have been, “Would you be willing to
work these late hours or allow your
son or daughter to work them with
minimal security and protection in an
environment like this?” Odds are,
people would start to think of the
ramifications 24-hour shopping would
have on citizens.
In union collective agreements, we
have provisions set in place for Sunday
shopping to allow for an hourly
premium and that working on Sundays
is to be voluntary. What would happen
to workers at Wal-Mart who aren’t
presently represented by our union?
Sure Wal-Mart says they wouldn’t make
anyone work midnights but with their
track record of employee relations it doesn’t take
a genius to realize it would only be a matter of
time before employees were given ultimatums to
work the night shift or be fired.
The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce
President was quoted in an article in the
Winnipeg Sun that I should support such
a change because with the added hours in
the shopping schedule it would mean more
members for our union. That is correct. It
would increase our membership if Safeway and
Westfair stores opened 24 hours, but our
union isn’t just driven by dues. It’s driven on
enhancing our members’ quality of life. Giving
our members a chance at 24-hour shopping, in
my eyes, doesn’t enhance anyone’s quality of
life.
2 UNION FEBRUARY 2006

THE MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTED TO THE MEMBERS OF UFCW LOCAL 832
FEBRUARY 2006
DEPARTMENTS
FEATURES
OFFICES
YOUTH OF TODAY
Page 7
WORKERS COMPENSATION
Page 8
GRIEVANCE NEWS
Page 9
PACKINGHOUSE
Page 10
CARE
Page 11
SECURITY
Page 12
SAFEWAY
Page 13
TRAINING CENTRE
Page 14
MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS
Page 15
SAFEWAY STEWARDS MEET
Local 832 meets with Safeway stewards.
Page 4
INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
Money available for college or university.
Page 4
EXECUTIVE BOARD SWORN IN
New four year term for executive.
Page 5
NEW LEGAL COUNSEL
Local welcomes Marcelle Marion.
Page 5
NEW VIDEO ON WAL-MART
Rage against the evil empire.
Page 6
NEW YOUTH CONTEST
Tell us why your union doesn’t suck.
Page 7
WINNIPEG
1412 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB. R3G OV5
786-5055
1-888-UFCW-832
BRANDON
Unit 1, 759 1st Street
Brandon, MB. R7A 2X5
727-7131
1-800-552-1193
THOMPSON
90 Thompson Drive
Thompson, MB. R8N 1Y9
778-7108
1-800-290-2608
TRAINING CENTRE
880 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB. R3G 0P1
775-8329
1-877-775-8329
President
Robert D. Ziegler
Secretary-Treasurer
Jeff Traeger
E-mail: ufcw@ufcw832.com
Web site: www.ufcw832.com
Union Representatives: Ray Berthelette, Brenda Brown, Sandy Forcier, Blair Hudson, Darcel
Lecocq, Cyrus Lister, Michelle Masserey, Marie Meyers, Al Patterson, Guy Sylvestre, Sonia Taylor
Legal Counsel: Marcelle Marion Education and Training: Heather Grant-Jury
Workers Compensation: Marla Garinger Niekamp Organizing: Cliff Beaulieu
Negotiators: Mary Johnson, Susan Hart-Kulbaba, Beatrice Bruske
Communications: Blake Crothers, Dalia Chapa Safety and Health: Harry Mesman
Canadian Mail Publications Sales Agreement #40070082

SAFEWAY SHOP STEWARDS CONVERGE
Meeting with union to strengthen knowledge of contract.
Safeway stewards from across the province
attended a one-day meeting at the UFCW
Training Centre on January 18. Local 832
President Robert Ziegler and Secretary-Treasurer
Jeff Traeger were on hand for the meeting. Also
in attendance from the union was Michelle
Masserey, servicing director, and union representatives—Sandy
Forcier, Harry Mesman, Marie
Meyers, Sonia Taylor, new junior representative
Ron Allard and Brenda Brown from the Brandon
office.
The meeting started off with the stewards
being introduced to their new union reps. As announced
in the January issue of UNION, territory
changes for the servicing representatives will
take place in Winnipeg effective February 6.
President Ziegler quizzed the shop stewards as
to why April 1, 2002 plays such an important role
in the Safeway contract. He explained this date
is referenced many times in the agreement regarding
maximizing hours and the 30-hour cap
language. Regular part-timers hired before April
1, 2002 have the ability to maximize their hours
in their department. This is all relative to their
Pictured above from left to right, Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Traeger; President Robert Ziegler; Michelle
Masserey, servicing director; and union representative Sonia Taylor.
date of hire, seniority and how many hours each
department is allotted.
Some other topics included the steward’s role
in security interviews, restrictions and benefits,
and job postings. There was also a short discussion
about the next round of contract negotations
slated for 2009. The day wrapped up with
a presentation by PBAS, administrators of the
Health & Welfare Plan (Plans 1 and 2) and the
Dental Plan.
President Ziegler announced the importance
of these meetings and plans are in place to
have them every year. “It’s imperative to have
informed stewards to have a strong union, we
have great stewards and bringing them together
to discuss topics at Safeway will only benefit our
members.”
A similar meeting is being held for the Westfair
shop stewards in Winnipeg on Thursday,
March 16.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE MARCH 15
March 15 is the deadline for those wanting
to apply for the UFCW International
scholarship program. Applicants must
be UFCW Canada members in good standing as
of December 31, 2004 or their unmarried dependents,
and must be age 20 or under as of March
15, 2006.
Seven scholarships (one assigned to UFCW
Canada) worth $4,000 each will be awarded to
UFCW members or their dependents that graduate
high school and enter university or college
in 2006. Winners will be notified by May 15 and
their names will be posted on the International
Web site www.ufcw.org.
Applicants are reminded to read the rules and
regulations and instructions on the Web site.
The application contains two sections, Academic
Profile and Required Signatures, that
need to printed and submitted separately by the
school principal or guidance counsellor. The
counsellor must mail it along with a transcript
of the applicant’s grades to the UFCW leadership
development department in Washington,
D.C. Applicants should point out to their school
principal or counsellor that the scholarship
application must be postmarked no later than
March 15, in order for them to be eligible to
compete for the scholarship.
Members can apply on-line at www.ufcw.
org. For more information on this scholarship
program, call Catherine Smallwood at the UFCW
Training Centre at 775-8329 or toll-free 1-877-
775-8329.
UFCW International President
Joe Hansen
4 UNION FEBRUARY 2006

New Local 832 Executive Board Sworn In
Pictured above, UFCW Local 832 Executive Assistant to the President Cyrus Lister swears in the new Local 832 Executive board.
On January 20, the UFCW Local 832 Executive
Board was officially sworn in for
a four-year office term. Executive Assistant
to the President Cyrus Lister performed the
swearing in.
Local 832 President Robert Ziegler said that
an effective executive board is important to the
local. “Without the dedication of the executive
board it makes it very difficult to have a progressive
union. Jeff and I are very fortunate to have
such a dedicated group of trade unionists.”
The executive board meets a minimum of six
times a year and oversees the financial stability
and policies of the organization. They are also
involved in grievance appeal hearings.
THE local Welcomes new shop stewards
Marlene Martin
Natasha Anderson
Deborah Brandt
Karla Budynski
Franklin Criddle
Brian Ramsden
Sheila Smithson
David Matheos
Gregory Rodgers
Rosemarie Kuntz
Michael Bisesi
Ravinder Sodhi
Rick Fear
Granny’s Poultry
Thompson General Hospital
Burntwood Community
Health
McKenzie Seeds - Plant
McKenzie Seeds - Plant
McKenzie Seeds - Plant
ACL Virden
Intelicom Security Mobile
Brewers Distributors
Integrated Messaging
Lucerne Bread Plant
Lucerne Bread Plant
Federated Co-op
Carrie-Lynn Steeves King Transportation
Glenn Jones
General Mills
Paul Cemania Western Glove
Clarita Mariano Western Glove
Daniel Mondor Western Glove
Carlito Ramos Western Glove
Eliseo San Miguel Gourmet Baker
Antonio Azurin Westfair - 1511
Brian Haines Westfair - 1516
Chris Sankovic Safeway - 710
Marilyn Kimball Safeway - 723
Bill Bryan Safeway Gas Bar - 730
Marie Louise Bombay Ikwe-Widdjiitiwn
Todd Funk
The Fairmont
Patsy King
Fort Garry Care Centre
Janice Dilk
MLP-Warman Road
Clarke Cowell MLP-Brandon
Peter deGelder MLP-Brandon
Chris Erickson MLP-Brandon
Claudia Gantenbein MLP-Brandon
Chris Gawaziuk MLP-Brandon
Jean-Philippe Gelinas MLP-Brandon
Joe Harding
MLP-Brandon
Devin Krascicki MLP-Brandon
Chris Marshall MLP-Brandon
Sheila Mercer MLP-Brandon
Timothy Westfall MLP-Brandon
New Legal Counsel at Local 832
On January 19, Local 832 President Robert
Ziegler welcomed Marcelle Marion as the
new legal counsel for Local 832.
Marcelle brings to the union over 15 years of
experience and specializes in labour and employment
litigation. She received her Bachelor of
Arts, Bachelor of Law and attained her Masters of
Law in 2005. Marion also offers extensive knowledge
of the arbitration process and contract negotiations.
“Marcelle has advocacy skills and a strong
labour background, along with a positive union
and equity perspective, that will only serve our
members well,” stated President Ziegler.
Marcelle, who had lived in Winnipeg prior,
moved back to Winnipeg from Ottawa to follow
her enthusiasm of working in labour law. “I’m
looking forward to combining advocacy with
sensitivity in serving the members of Local 832,”
Marcelle stated.
UNION FEBRUARY 2006
New UFCW Local 832 lawyer, Marcelle Marion.
5

Rage Against the evil empire!
New movie sheds more light on why
Wal-Mart should be a better employer.
A
new movie that came out in 2005 shinning a big spotlight
on Wal-Mart has picked up a lot of mainstream
press over the last few months. “Wal-Mart: The High
Cost of Low Price” was made on a shoestring budget and with
an innovative grassroots marketing campaign. It now boasts
over one million copies sold and rising. It’s been showcased
on all the news media channels and even was award two
thumbs up by movie critics, Ebert & Roeper.
Directed by Robert Greenwald of Brave New Films, Wal-
Mart: The High Cost of Low Price demonstrates how Wal-Mart
is unhealthy to the North American economy. In the United
States, many of the employees are on government funded welfare
and health care.
The film has interviews from former employees who give
testimonials on what goes on at Wal-Mart and how they take
advantage of their employees. The film also shows what happens
to local businesses that have been working in the community
for decades only to be wiped out when Wal-Mart comes
to town using their predatory pricing methods to drive out any
competition—only to raise its prices once it has a monopoly.
UFCW Local 832 handed out the movie as a Christmas present
to many people in the media in hopes that they would
watch it and finally understand why UFCW is working hard
on organizing the workers at Wal-Mart.
For members of UFCW Local 832 wanting to watch the
movie, a few copies will be made available at the Winnipeg,
Brandon and Thompson offices. There is no cost to the member
to borrow it. All you have to do is leave your name and
phone number and try to return it in a timely fashion so other
members will have the opportunity to watch it.
CHECK YOUR VACATION PAY IF YOU WORK AT WESTFAIR!
Part-time employees should double-check
their last paycheque for 2005 and their
first paycheque for 2006 to make sure
their vacation pay entitlement is correct.
In the Westfair collective agreement, article 11.14
states, “Part-time employees will receive vacation
pay allowance based on their previous year’s total
wages earned January 1 to December 31.
Entitlement will be based on years of continuous
service with the Company to December
31 of each year as outlined below:
Less than three years—4%
Three years and more—6%
Eight years and more—8%
13 years and more—10%
18 years and more—12%
23 years and more—14%
If you think that your paycheque is wrong,
it’s important to call the union office and speak
to your union representative as quickly as possible
to correct any mistakes.
Winnipeg-786-5055
Brandon-727-7131
Thompson-778-7108
6 UNION FEBRUARY 2006

Young Women Recognized AT
MFL Women’s Conference
By Kay Isokauppila
YOUTH OF TODAY
Recently I was a Local 832 youth delegate
at the MFL Women’s Conference, where
there were quite a few young delegates
who got to attend. The conference was titled,
Maximizing Women’s Potential, which was every
delegate’s goal by the end.
Courses held were Finding Our Voices, From
Cradle to Grave and Bridging Cultures. Finding
Our Voices dealt with learning and practicing
assertion and communication skills. From
Cradle to Grave included topics such as financial
planning, wills, estates, trusts and changes to
legislation that impact women. Bridging Cultures
covered situations that may arise when
union culture meets Aboriginal culture. All the
courses were extremely rich in information and
provided every delegate, regardless of age, a good
understanding of the subject matter.
Women have made great strides, however, the
fight is not over. Young women are at the forefront
for future struggles. As a young woman, I
know that sexism still exists. The ‘boy’s clubs’
we have heard of are not a thing of the past—
women still have to work on being recognized
as equals. Women need to stand up, be independent,
pro-active in life and not fall victims to ignorance.
Not only are youths of today struggling
to be recognized, so are women. There are many
women who would benefit from being pro-active
and defending their rights. Are you one of
them?
NEW YOUTH CONTEST AIMS AT EDUCATING MEMBERS
One of President Ziegler’s goals is to get the youth of Local 832 more involved
in their union. As part of this goal, the union has announced a
new contest. An essay-based contest is open to all Local 832 members
in good standing who are under the age of 30 and presently enrolled in, or
accepted to attend, a post secondary institute in the fall of 2006.
All you have to do is write an essay of 500 words or less on why your union
doesn’t suck. The top three essays will be published in the UNION magazine.
First prize is $500, second prize $250 and third prize $150.
If you are interested in participating, your essay must be received at the
union office by April 28. Please include your name, where you work and a
phone number you can be reached. E-mail your essay to contest@ufcw832.
com .
Bienvenidos Miemros Hispanohablantes
Clases de inglis en la oficina del unión.
Bienvenidos a Maple Leaf Brandon y felicitaciones
en hacerse miembros del sindicato
UFCW Local 832. Yo estoy seguro que
hay varias preguntas que les gustaría hacer. Hacer
preguntas es más difícil cuando el inglés no
es su primer idioma. Varios de nuestros miembros
están disfrutando del aprendisaje del inglés
básico en la oficina del sindicato (unión).
Es importante que todos los miembros del
unión tengan una conexión cercana a su unión.
Una manera de hacerlo es a través de hablar con
otros miembros de la unión, como los “shop
stewards” ( casco gris) y los “health and safety
captains” (casco negro). También hay un representante
del sindicato en la oficina de la unión.
Algunos de ustedes ya me han conocido en las
orientaciones de Maple Leaf Fresh Foods o me
han visto en la oficina del unión. Nosostros tenemos
recursos de intérpretes que nos ayudan en
nuestras discusiones. Si tú estás interesado en
convertirte en uno de éstos intérpretes, por favor
hazlo llamando a la oficina de la unión o dándole
a saber a un shop steward. Este es un tiempo
oportuno para nuestros nuevos miembros que
hablan español para obtener conocimiento de la
unión. Una vez que hayas conocido más miembros,
tú desarrollarás una base de confort intercambiando
información, cultura, e idioma. La
unión está aquí para ayudar a todos los miembros
cuando ellos tienen un problema, preocupación
o necesidad de información. Tú no debes
de tener vergüenza ni temor de pedir asistencia
a la unión. Es por eso que tú das tu pago a la
unión. Por favor llámenme a cualquier hora—
204-727-7131. Gracias.
UNION FEBRUARY 2006
7

WORKERS COMPENSATION
Gourmet Baker member Armando Lacap talks with WCB Advocate Marla Garinger Niekamp.
Marla Garinger
Niekamp
WCB Advocate
PATIENCE PAYS OFF FOR GOURMET BAKER MEMBER
Ideas could cut down on wait times, help those in need.
Filing a claim for workers compensation
benefits can require a lot of patience and
work on the part of the injured or ill worker.
Just ask Armando Lacap. He works as a lead
hand at Gourmet Baker.
When he contracted a blistering rash on his
hands, he attributed his problems to the chemicals
he was in contact with during the performance
of his work. At first he thought he had a
chemical burn but his doctor told him he had
dermatitis. He filed a claim for compensation on
April 5, 2005. His claim was accepted in December
and was paid retroactively for both wage loss
and medical aid benefits totalling $736.60.
While we recognize WCB staff must perform
an investigation to determine the work relatedness
of one’s reported problem, in this case, the
wait was just too long. In their efforts to improve
service to injured workers, we support a number
of measures be adopted by the staff to improve a
timely decision on a claim.
• When a claim for a skin condition arises, the
employer, worker and WCB staff should endeavour
to review any and all product being
used in the workplace. All employers must
provide MSDS sheets to the attending physi-
cian, the injured worker and WCB. The literature
review should guide the decision-making
process by determining whether it could reasonably
cause a reaction.
• It is less important to determine whether
other workers have suffered the same condition,
at least in the adjudicative stage of
the claim. This may very well be the first
worker to develop a skin problem at that workplace.
It doesn’t mean the adjudication of the
claim should be delayed. A review through the
workplace health and safety committee could
establish whether this is a single incident or
one of a series of affected workers.
• When an attending physician delays in providing
needed information, the adjudicative
staff must have a resource on which they can
rely on when making a decision. It is not
appropriate to delay adjudication while waiting
for a medical report. Could they not
approach WCB’s own health care department?
Could they not receive advice from workplace
safety and health division staff?
• Is WCB prepared to take action against those
physicians who delay the decision by not providing
requested and/or required informa-
tion. Again, perhaps WCB’s own health care
department staff could intervene.
• It may be important to provide WCB’s adjudicative
staff with resources in the form of
assistants who can follow up and ensure the
information needed to make a decision is
available to the adjudicators and the case
managers. This way, the decision makers can
concentrate on making those decisions.
It is important for all involved in this process
to know there are many people who rely on their
income their income, in its’ entirety, to meet their
financial obligations each week. To be without a
few days pay negatively impacts our member’s
financial situation. That negative impact could
last for months.
It is also imperative the Workers Compensation
Board engages in meaningful discussions
with labour, with a view to identifying issues
of mutual concern then collaboratively solving
them.
Don’t make more members like Armando
Lacap wait more than eight months for a decision
to be made on their claim. It’s not just and
it’s not fair.
8 UNION FEBRUARY 2006

Flin Flon Co-op Members Grievance News
Feeling Effects of Competition
Grievance results in seniority recognized for weekly available hours.
Local 832 members working at the Flin Flon
Co-op are negatively being affected by the
opening of a new Wal-Mart store and Extra
Foods. Some members have had their hours of
work severely restricted.
Two grievances were filed—a group grievance
for grocery department union members
Kathy Bensen, Margaret Jackson, Darla Flynn,
Denise Woroniuk and Sandy Marvin; and one for
Shyla McLean of the produce department. The
grievances dealt with hours of work for part-time
employees in grocery and produce departments.
Specifically, the grievors wanted to exercise their
seniority by being scheduled weekly available
hours in their department—even if it meant
receiving hours in night stocking or cash.
Members working as cashiers were finding
that they were working fewer hours than junior
employees who work in the same department,
but did a different job. For example, a produce
department employee was now working fewer
hours than other employees working in cash and
as night stockers.
The union met with the Co-op and stated that
the employees wanted to exercise their seniority
and be scheduled weekly available hours in their
department. The Co-op disagreed and said the
employees could only work in their own area.
The employer took the position that even though
a cashier may have been fully trained to work
as a night stocker, a cashier could not pick up
hours as a night stocker, etc.
The grievances were referred to arbitration and
hearing dates set for December 13 and 14. One
week prior to the arbitration, the Co-op agreed
to settle the grievances on a without prejudice
basis for a six-month trial period as follows. The
Co-op will:
1. Determine the number of hours and shifts
required.
2. Prepare a separate schedule for produce clerks,
cashiers and night stockers.
3. Make adjustments to the schedule to ensure
that senior employees receive equal to, or
more hours on a weekly basis than employees
junior to them.
Marcelle Marion
Legal Counsel
4. Freely move shifts from the produce clerk,
cashier and night stocker schedules in order
to achieve this.
In all cases, the employee must have the ability
to do the normal requirements of the job.
At the conclusion of this six-month trial period,
if either party is dissatisfied with the way
this system is working out, they may proceed to
arbitration.
Maple Leaf Pork Worker Awarded Over $12,000
Things are not always as they seem.
On July 20, 2005, Jacquie Anderson, a
six-year employee with Maple Leaf Pork
Warman Road, was wrongfully terminated
from her employment for alleged inappropriate
conduct in the workplace.
The company alleged that Jacquie physically
slapped/patted a co-worker on the buttocks while
the co-worker was operating machinery.
The co-worker, who was operating a jigger
at the time, stated that as result of Jacquie’s actions,
he lost control of his equipment causing
him to crash and another co-worker had to seek
medical attention. A jigger is a forklift type of
equipment used to load product that needs to be
moved from one area to another.
The company issued Jacquie a suspension notice
without pay until an investigation could be conducted.
On August 3 the company officially terminated
Jacquie’s employment. Jacquie contacted
her union representative and subsequently a
grievance was filed on August 9. Jacquie
informed the union that she had touched her
co-worker’s backside, however, it was only in effort
to warn him that she was behind him. There was
absolutely no ill intention on her part.
The union met with the company and argued
that Jacquie had not acted inappropriately. In
fact she had only touched the jigger operator
in effort to alert him that she was there behind
UNION FEBRUARY 2006
him, as she felt he was too close. The area where
the incident took place is small and there is not
much room for the workers along with loaded
jiggers to move around.
Management remained firm on their decision
to terminate Jacquie and consequently the
grievance was referred to arbitration and a hearing
date set.
Prior to the hearing date, the company agreed
to reinstate Jacquie with full benefits and seniority.
The company further agreed to reimburse
Jacquie for all lost time from July 20 to December
2, which totalled approximately $12,000. The
termination notice was also removed from her
personnel file.
9

PACKINGHOUSE
Excessive absenteeism
could cost you your job
“Beyond your control” not always a good enough reason.
It is very clear—employers cannot discipline
workers for innocent absenteeism. Innocent
absenteeism is caused by reasons that are
beyond the control of the employee, such as illness.
It is unfair to punish someone for conduct
that is beyond their control and thus not their
fault.
There are cases, however, where excessive
absenteeism may warrant termination of the
employment relationship. The reason for this is
that an employment relationship is considered
contractual—the employer has the right to demand
what they are paying for and one of the
provisions of an employment contract is attendance
at work.
If an individual can’t report to work for reasons
that are not the worker’s fault, it also imposes
losses on the employer that are not the
employer’s fault. Sometimes there reaches a
stage where termination is justifiable.
In deciding if a situation has reached that
stage, arbitrators determine and measure the extent
to which the worker’s condition has prevented
them from working and whether there is any
prognosis that the absenteeism will improve.
If a worker has missed work because of one injury
and there is medical evidence to show the person
is now healed to the point where they should
be able to attend work on a reasonable basis in
the future, then there is evidence to show that the
cause of the absence has now been corrected. In
those circumstances an employer will not be able
to terminate for non-culpable absence.
If, however, a worker has missed a lot work for
various reasons, it becomes more difficult to provide
evidence to an arbitrator that the employee
will be able to work regularly in the future. Even
if evidence can be provided that some of the injuries
have healed, the accident prone or unhealthy
employee will not be able to provide any assur-
ance to an arbitrator that their work attendance
will be better in the future.
For example, there was a case where an employee,
who had been with a company for nine
years, missed an average of 15 per cent of their
work and was terminated. The employee missed
for a number of reasons and there was no evidence
that the reasons for the absences had been
taken care of. The arbitrator upheld the long series
of legal precedents that says where you have
an accident-prone or unhealthy employee; an
employer can ultimately terminate for non-culpable
reasons when a certain point is reached. In
this example that certain point was reached when
the employee missed 15 per cent of work over a
nine-year period.
Each case must be reviewed on its own merits,
of course; but there have been some guidelines set
in determining whether or not the employer has
acted reasonable in a particular incident.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!
Union members entitled to representation during disciplinary meeting.
As maintained in the Granny’s Poultry
union contract, a shop steward and/or
full-time union representative shall accompany
a union member during a disciplinary
meeting.
It is always a good idea to have a shop steward
or union rep present to act as a witness on
your behalf and to ensure that the meeting is
conducted properly. If for some reason, although
it’s not recommended, a member does not wish
to have a shop steward or union rep present they
can make that choice. However, it must be done
in the presence of a full-time union rep or shop
steward. In other words, the steward or rep has to
be present to witness that the member is declining
or waiving their right to have a shop steward
or rep present.
There have been a few occasions recently at
Granny’s where the supervisor asked members
whether or not they want a shop steward present.
If they declined there was no union representative
or bargaining unit member present to witness
this.
This is against the union agreement, which
states:
“Unless the employee indicates otherwise in
the presence of his/her full-time union representative
or shop steward, that employee shall
be accompanied by his/her full-time union
representative (if available) and/or shop
steward during said meeting. The date, time
and location of this meeting shall be arranged
at a mutually agreeable time between the
employer and the union.”
The union does not recommend that employees
waive the right to have a shop steward present.
Management always has another management
or supervisory employee with them in the
meeting.
Keep in mind you are not required to sign any
documents when you are being given a written
discipline. This includes signing the actual
discipline sheet. One member was even asked to
sign a waiver saying that they had agreed that
they did not wish to have a shop steward present.
This is wrong – know your rights!
Shop stewards are needed for the evening
shifts in cut up or cryovac. Anyone interested
should contact Sandy Forcier or speak to another
shop steward.
10 UNION FEBRUARY 2006

CARE
Feeling Bombarded
At Work?
Heavy Workload Report forms
available through the union.
UFCW Local 832 Servicing Director Michelle Masserey speaks with shop steward Donna Perin.
DSM Implementation A Month Away
Mobility may be a source of concern.
On January 6 there was meeting of the
Diagnostic Services of Manitoba (DSM)
steering committee, composed of human
resources representatives and representatives
from the different unions that will be affected
when DSM takes over as the employer for all lab
employees in the hospitals in Winnipeg. Union
representative Michelle Masserey and shop steward
Donna Perin attended for UFCW Local 832.
The transition time has been moved to the
end of February or early March and will proceed
in staggered fashion - not all facilities at once.
DSM will be using an outside payroll provider,
however, there are still some issues to work out
regarding facility deductions and paydays.
Mobility was also discussed. Mobility agreements
or letters that are currently in place did
not contemplate a change of employer over
several facilities. Local 832 may need to look at a
different agreement.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
(WRHA) made it clear that, in the long run,
amalgamation of the bargaining units would be
desirable for them. The union does not believe
this is necessary and will fight any changes that
could have a negative impact on our members.
Another update meeting will be held in the
near future at the Grace Hospital. The union
will keep members posted on any future developments.
NEGOTIATIONS TO START SOON WITH GRACE HOSPITAL
Proposal meetings will take place for the
Grace Hospital on February 7. UFCW Local
832 negotiator Beatrice Bruske and
servicing director Michelle Masserey will be in
attendance at these meeting. Two meetings are
scheduled for that day with the first meeting
from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and the second
meeting commencing at 12:15 p.m. The meetings
will take place in Classroom B (tiered classroom).
Beatrice and Michelle will be available from
1 to 5 p.m. to meet with members who can’t
make the meeting times and wish to discuss any
proposals that they would like to see in their new
union agreement.
The current contract is set to expire on March
31. It is important to come out to these meetings
and be involved in what you would like to see in
your next agreement.
UNION FEBRUARY 2006
Several Vista Park Lodge Local 832
members have expressed concerns to the
union regarding heavy workloads at their
workplace.
The union has forms available for members
to fill out when they experience unusually high
workloads. The shop stewards have a supply of
the forms or your union representative Michelle
Masserey can mail out forms directly to you.
Heavy workloads typically happen when
someone calls in sick and the shift is not
replaced—forcing members to work shortstaffed.
As well, sometimes meetings are held
during the shift and the workers are not replaced
during that time. The work, of course, is still
there waiting for you for when you come back.
The forms, once received, will be reviewed
and used to discuss workload issues and staffing
levels with management of Vista Park Lodge.
Working with insufficient staff is sometimes a
health and safety issue – workers should never
work at a pace that is not safe or attempt a task
by themselves that normally requires two people.
It is important to document any effects on patient
care (late meals, delayed personal care,
rooms not cleaned, etc.) or the worker (stress
levels, physical injuries).
Never skip your breaks! They are in your
collective agreement for a reason. Your body
and mind need a rest every two hours or so in
order recover from the hectic, stressful and heavy
work.
Copies of the form are also available on the
union Web site at www.ufcw832.com .
11

SECURITY
For quite some time, the worker representatives
on the joint workplace health and
safety committee for Initial Security have
been up against a wall. Monthly meetings were
reading like a broken record - same issues, same
deadlines and noncompliance.
Everyone’s interests should be the same - to
ensure that employees are safe at their workplace
and are able to go home at the end of their shift.
The first step in ensuring this involves the committee
trying to address the issues by themselves.
Then the committee and the union try to work it
out with the company. If the issues/concerns remain
outstanding, the committee and the union
ask the Workplace Safety and Health Division for
assistance. The union did contact the Division
for assistance in dealing with several outstanding
issues.
Now we are getting somewhere. Four major
work orders on issues for the industry have been
the walls start crumbling down
Security health and safety committee now getting results.
provided to the company. The reality is that the
company prefers to remain reactive rather than
proactive.
On January 10 the worker reps met with UFCW
Local 832 President Robert Ziegler. President
Ziegler has committed to ensuring that both
the company and the Division understand the
implications of these work orders being delayed.
Noncompliance to these work order jeopardizes
the safety of union members every day while at
work. President Ziegler held another meeting
with the Division and also meet with the company
in an effort to make sure all of the work
orders are complied with.
At Intelicom, the new committee worker
reps met with the company on January 16.
President Ziegler has ensured that the Intelicom
committee will not fall into the same whirlpool
that Initial fell into and will be working closely
with the worker representatives and the Division.
Remember Five W’s When Writing Reports
Disciplines issued for falsified or fabricated information.
We have seen an increase in the
number of warnings that are being given
out for incomplete and inappropriate
reports on sites. Even worse is for reports that
have been falsified or fabricated or just not done
at all. All reports, whether regular occurrence or
irregularities, should tell any reader exactly what
happened and what the guard did for a shift or
incident.
Remember the 5 Ws—who, what, where,
when and why (although you may not know
why something happened) and of course the
how.
When you went on patrol what did you
specifically check, what did you see and what did
you do (even if everything appeared normal and
OK)? When did you do lock ups or unlocks? Was
there an incident? What did you do during the
incident—who did you call and what happened
in detail? Clients want to know what the guard
did, especially when they are not on site. They
want to ensure that they are getting the service
they are paying for.
All reports need to state the actual events that
occurred and not what looks good on paper for
the guard or what they think someone wants to
see. No one should ever ask you to, nor should
you, falsify a report. If someone does you should
report it to the company or the union as soon as
possible. The truth is always the best policy even
if things did not go exactly as they should have
or you have made a mistake.
Falsifications and fabrications will come
back to haunt you sooner or later and it could
be more than just awkward questions and
embarrassment that you get from the discovery.
The more detail you can put in your report
the better for you, the company and the clients.
You can never write too much but it is very easy
to not write enough. Nothing can back up what
actually happened better than your own words.
Remember, all reports are legal documents
that could be used in court and police investigations.
They should be truthful, detailed, legible
and clean.
If you have any questions please
speak to one of your shop stewards or
your union representative Cyrus Lister
at 786-5055. You can also e-mail him at
cyrus.lister@ufcw832.com .
12 UNION FEBRUARY 2006

Part-Timers To Receive Vacation
Pay by February 24
Check to ensure amount received is accurate.
The union contract states part-time workers
at Safeway must receive their vacation
pay in February of each year. This year it
is due by no later than February 24 (the last pay
day in February) .
Safeway’s payroll is done in Calgary and since
Monday, February 20, is Alberta Family Day, the
Manitoba paycheques should be received no
later than February 24. When the vacation pay
is received, it is a good idea to double-check the
numbers to ensure that the payout is accurate.
The amount of vacation pay a member is
entitled to receive is determined by how much
money they earned last year and how long they
have worked for Safeway. From the amount of
gross pay that is shown for the year (see final pay
stub for 2005), subtract the amount of money
received last year as vacation pay and any overtime.
Take that figure and multiply it by the
percentage of vacation pay that corresponds
with the years of service employed with Safeway.
This will result in the approximate amount of
vacation pay that should be received.
The percentage of income, which a person
receives as vacation pay, is based on years of
service as of December 31. The years of service/
percentages are as follows:
Less than three years – four per cent
Three years or more – six per cent
Eight years or more – eight per cent
13 years or more – 10 per cent
18 years or more – 12 per cent
23 years or more – 14 per cent
Anyone with any questions about vacation
pay, or if they believe an error has been made,
should contact their union representative or talk
to a shop steward.
Have You Applied For A Pharmacare
Deductible?
Register with Pharmacare to receive your deductible letter.
The prescription drug benefit provided
under the Manitoba Safeway/UFCW Local
832 Health & Welfare Plan (Plans 1 and
2) is co-ordinated with Manitoba Pharmacare.
The Plan pays all or a portion of your eligible
drug expenses up to the amount of your personal
Pharmacare deductible. Once that amount has
been reached, Pharmacare will pay 100 per cent
of your eligible drug expenses.
For reimbursement of prescription drug
claims incurred between April 1, 2005 and March
31, 2006, you must register with Pharmacare
immediately – unless you have already done so.
To register:
• Obtain a Pharmacare application form from
your pharmacy
• Complete the form as directed and send it to
Manitoba Health
• Selection Option A on the application, otherwise,
you will be required to file a new
application each year.
When you receive your letter from
Pharmacare stating the amount of your deductible,
submit a copy of that letter along with your
claim to the Plan administrator – 3rd Floor 880
Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3G 0P1. Prescription
drug claims will not be processed until
a copy of the deductible letter has been received.
Note that dependent children age 18 and over
are required to apply for and provide the Plan
administer with a separate Pharmacare deductible
letter.
Reminder—deadline for submitting major
medical expense claims for Plan 2 was January
31 and Plan 1 it is March 31, 2006.
UNION FEBRUARY 2006
SAFEWAY
Gas Bar Wages
To Be pumped Up
Union members could see up to an
additional 35-cent increase.
Members working at the Safeway gas
bars, see the next across-the-board
wage increase on October 15. But some
gas bar workers won’t have to wait eight months
to see their wages rise—they will go up in less
than two months when the provincial minimum
wage increases to $7.60 on April 1.
The union contract has language dealing
with wage increases should the provincial minimum
wage go up during the life of the contract.
The agreement ensures that there is always
a minimum of 50 cents per hour differential
between any gas bar rate and the minimum
wage for the province. See pages 23 and 24 of the
Safeway Gas Bar agreement.
Starting wages and up to 2,000 hours worked
levels will see a wage increase on April 1 of between
nine cents and 35 cents an hour. Check
your pay stubs on April 6 or 13 to ensure you are
getting your right pay.
Interested In
Being A Steward?
Union provides training to all new
shop stewards.
Ever thought of being a shop steward? The
union relies on stewards to spot problems
and take action. This could mean assisting
a member with a situation or providing them
with information about their contract.
Shop stewards are currently needed at Safeway
stores 588, 710, 712,727, 728 and 625. Training
courses are held on a regular basis to assist new
stewards. If you are interested in becoming a
shop steward or want more information about
the position, speak to your union representative.
13

Training Centre A
Whirlwind of Activities
New committee assisting in meeting members’ needs.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Now that the winter training schedule is
in full swing, including some first time
courses as well as additions to the shop
steward workshops, the UFCW Training Centre is
a whirlwind of activities.
If this is not enough to keep the staff busy,
they are also preparing for the shop steward and
health and safety conferences, which are being
held in Winnipeg starting February 9.
I’m also pleased to announce that the training
centre has formed an education advisory
committee. The purpose of this committee is to
assist the training centre in meeting the needs of
its members. Committee members include Dean
Rodwell, Kathy Brnjas, Kathie Kraychuk, Debbie
Jones, Sally Huculak, Jeff Wozny and Cheryl
Loptson.
Thanks to the committee for volunteering
their time. I’m confident that their support and
guidance will help make the centre even stronger
and more relevant to members and their
families.
Good luck to all students on a successful winter
of training.
Heather Grant-Jury
UFCW Education
Director
Mature Student
Diploma Program
Training Courses
Vacancies still available for winter classes
The UFCW Training Centre in partnership
with Winnipeg Technical College offers
members an adult high school credit
program that is recognized by the Province of
Manitoba, universities, community colleges and
employers.
Term two of the Mature Student Diploma Program
runs from February 6 – June 8, 2006. For
more information on taking individual courses
or working towards your entire diploma, please
call Fiorella LaVergne at the Training Centre,
775-8329.
Training Centre
Notes and Nods…
• The training centre does literacy tutoring.
• Shirley Lamboo, career transition coach,
will be in Brandon on February 28.
• New shop steward workshops—Cultural
Comfort and Note Taking.
• Call Wanda Program Coordinator with
new course ideas. She would love to
hear from you.
In Winnipeg, you can still register for English
as a second language (ESL). Register and
learn English now!
Classes are free
Saturday mornings
9 a.m. to noon
Free childcare available to students.
Call Wanda Program Coordinator at the
UFCW Training Centre at 775-8329 or toll-free
1-877-775-8329. Other courses forthcoming
this winter include:
WINNIPEG
Key Boarding Level 1
February 6 - March 13
Mondays 6 – 9 p.m. Cost $15/$30*
Intro to Computers/Windows
February 9 - March 16
Thursdays 6 – 9 p.m. Cost $15/$30*
Emergency First Aid
February 18
Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cost $35/$40*
BRANDON
Intro to Computers/Windows
February 6 - March 13
Mondays 6 – 9 p.m. Cost $15/$30*
English as a Second Language
February 8 - April 29
Wednesdays 6 – 9 p.m. Cost - no fee
English as a Second Language
February 9 - April 20
Thursdays 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Cost - No fee
English as a Second Language
February 9 - April 20
Thursdays 6 – 9 p.m. Cost - No fee
* Members not in Education & Training Trust Fund
14 UNION FEBRUARY 2006

MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS
For Members Only Savings
Your UFCW Local 832 membership card is
the key to receiving substantial discounts and
special offers from numerous merchants and
service providers.
Just show your membership card
to receive these special values.
It’s also important to make sure both you and
the benefit provider understand the terms of
the transaction. It is a good idea to call ahead
to ensure there are no misunderstandings on
what discount/service you will be receiving.
Pembina Dodge
Purchase a new Chrysler or Dodge vehicle for only $300 above dealer
net cost. Also receive up to 15% off on parts and shop time (this does not
include the dealer’s regular service and maintenance offers).
Call Kevin at 284-6650 or drop by the dealership at 300 Pembina Highway to
find out more information.
Polo Park Hearing Centre
Receive a 10% discount (to a maximum of $150) on the purchase of any
hearing aid. Phone 788-1083. Located in Polo Park Mall (near Safeway).
Home Centre Savings
Receive 15% off regular priced furniture, mattresses and accessories.
7% off regular priced appliances and electronics at all Dufresne locations,
La-z-boy and Sleep Source in Winnipeg. You must identify yourself with a
current UFCW member card. Discounts cannot be used with any other offers
or promotions.
Cakes Unlimited
As a Local 832 member, receive a 10% discount on all cakes and products
sold at Cakes Unlimited—55 Plymouth Street. Open Monday - Friday from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SDS Alarm Systems
Purchase a home alarm system and receive:
• 10% off installation of a home security system
• 25% off a 3-year monitoring contract
Call Ron Tayler at 589-7507 or e-mail rtayler@sdssecurity.com.
Active Muffler & Brake Centre
At Active Muffler & Brake Centre receive 25% off stocked parts and a shop
rate of $44.50 an hour, a savings of 20% off the regular shop rate.
601 Rosser Avenue - Brandon. Phone 727-1213 or 727-1305.
Present your union card prior to being invoiced.
Performance GolF
Learning Centers (PGLC)
Receive 20% off all services provided at PGLC as well as special pricing on
golf equipment, accessories and apparel. Choose from a variety of
instructional programs taught by CPGA Class A professionals Blake Russell
and Brad Poleschuk using the V-1 Digital Analysis System and
Accusport Vector Launch Monitor System. Located at Shooters Family
Golf Centre 2731 Main Street. Phone 275-1155 or e-mail pglc@mts.net.
First Affinity
Financial Corporation
First Affinity is a mortgage consulting service that ensures members obtain
the best rates and complete guidance in all aspects of obtaining or renewing a
mortgage—at no cost.
For more information phone toll-free 1-866-599-9799 or visit
www.unionsavings.ca.
Visions Electronics
At Visions purchase TVs, VCRs, camcorders, as well as home, car and portable
audio equipment from 5 to 10 % over cost. To obtain the special UFCW
price, ask for the store manager at the following locations:
• 1680 Pembina Highway
• 1130 St. James Street
• 1510 Regent Avenue
• 1120 Highland Avenue - Brandon
Catch-A-Tan
Receive a 20% discount off any hydro massage therapy
(dry massage). Packages are transferable to family members.
6 - 1502 Rosser Avenue - Brandon. Phone 727-8266.
UFCW LOCAL 832 MEMBERS
20% ofF
1 Year membership
Ages 4 To 94
25% Off Women’s
Self Defence Course
Two Locations:
1851 Portage Avenue
675 Archibald Street 231-3633
UNION FEBRUARY 2006
15

IN Order to win...
In 500 words or less tell us why your union, doesn’t suck.
It’s that simple.
Write about why it’s better to have a union than not.
Maybe you had a grievance and your union helped you.
It’s up to you to tell us.
The deadline is April 21, 2006.
E-mail your essay to us at
contest@ufcw832.com
First Prize $500
Second Prize $250
Third Prize $150
THE FINE PRINT!
In order to be eligible you must be a UFCW Local 832 member in good standing (meaning
your union dues are paid up). You must be enrolled in a post secondary education program,
or have a letter of acceptance from a post secondary education facility for the fall 2006
semester. All submissions become the property of UFCW Local 832 and winners will allow
their photo to be taken and used to announce the winners in the June issue of UNION.
Publications Mail Agreement # 40070082
Please return undeliverable
Canadian Addresses to:
UFCW Local 832
1412 Portage Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3G 0V5