Happy Pride Month!
As always, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight how entwined LGBTQIA2S+ rights are with the labour movement. Unions fight for equal rights in the workplace for all Members and this, without a doubt, extends to our LGBTQIA2S+ Brothers, Sisters and Members.
The history of LGBTQIA2S+ rights in Canada is an interesting one. For instance, we are considered a progressive country, yet conversion therapy was only outlawed in 2022.
For those that may not know, conversion therapy is a barbaric practice that includes using emotionally and/or physically violent means to “cure” an LGBTQIA2S+ person of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The “cure” intended is for the person’s life to align with heteronormative CIS gender norms. We are using quotation marks around the word “cure” because LGBTQIA2S+ persons are neither sick nor do they need to be changed.
On September 23rd, 2020. Bill C-6 was introduced by the government in the House of Commons, it would have prohibited performing conversion therapy on a child, forcing someone to undergo conversion therapy against their will, advertising or materially benefiting from conversion therapy, and removing a child from Canada to perform conversion therapy. On June 22nd, 2021, it passed the lower house (263 to 63), and was sent to the Senate. However, the Senate failed to pass the bill after some senators objected to the government’s request to recall the chamber from its summer recess, so that the bill may have been considered before Parliament was dissolved for an expected snap election. The election was called on August 15th and the Bill died on the order paper.
On November 29th, the re-elected government introduced a new version of the Bill (C-4) for the 44th Parliament, which broadened the ban’s coverage to include adults, and identified it as one of its priority bills it hoped to pass before the end of the year. The bill passed the House of Commons on December 1st without a recorded vote after all parties unanimously agreed to expedite it, and likewise passed the Senate on December 7th. The Bill received royal assent on December 8th, 2021, and came into effect on January 7th, 2022.
Of course, Calgary has our annual Pride Parade in September and this year conversion therapy will have been outlawed for almost 3 full years.
We are deeply proud of our LGBTQIA2S+ Members and will continue to fight for equal rights of ALL our Members.
July and August Regular Membership Meetings
While the Executive Board has, in recent years, often recommended we cancel the summer Regular Membership Meetings due to low attendance (mainly due to vacation time many Members take at this time), the Executive Board determined that given the heavy schedule with negotiations and other important Union business, it was important to leave the meetings scheduled in case we need to update the membership on matters of importance quickly.
Therefore, we will be having the July and August meetings as per the following schedule: The second Tuesday of each month and the Saturday following the second Tuesday. .
July’s meeting takes place: July 9thand 13, 2024
August’s meeting takes place: August 13th and 17, 2024
As always, we will have our Monthly Update via Facebook Live for those that are not able to attend. Those dates are forthcoming so please keep an eye out in all the usual places.
A reminder that Regular Membership meetings are for ATU 583 Members in Good Standing only (Retirees are welcome).
They take place at our Union Hall which is located at 5325 1A Street SW. Please use the side door to access the meeting hall.
ATU 583 2nd Annual PANCAKE BREAKFAST – July 10th
That’s right breakfast fans! Our Pancake Breakfast was so successful last year that we decided it should be an annual tradition.
So come on down on Wednesday, July 10th, 2024 between the hours of 9 AM and 2 PM and enjoy breakfast with us! There will be refreshments, beef sausages, bacon, pancakes and more!
This breakfast is open to all Members in Good Standing and friends of ATU Local 583 (including of course our Retirees!). We will even have door prizes so be sure to join us if you can.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible and sharing a delicious meal with you!
Family Picnic 2024 – July 21st
Our annual Family Picnic is also coming up quickly! This year we will be returning to our roots and having the picnic at Bowness Park (west end, sites 6, 7 and 8).
Some of you may remember the days we would always use Bowness Park. A little history you may find interesting: We changed up our usual location after the unfortunate flooding that Calgary experienced in 2013. Bowness was unavailable and we ended up not having a picnic at all that year. When annual picnics resumed and we needed a new space we started using Sandy Beach Park and have had nothing but wonderful feedback on that area. Unfortunately, they are closed for renovations this year. That brings us back to our original setting – Bowness! We’re very excited for a return to our old stomping grounds this year.
The Family Picnic is open to all Members in Good Standing with the Local (including Retirees!) and their immediate family.
Some highlights of this event are: Delicious barbecued food (which will include halal options), refreshments and ice cream, children of Members who are 14 and under qualify to enter our bicycles draws and we will have prizes for youngest Member’s child and oldest Member in attendance! Of course, we are also bringing back the airbrush tattoo artist and the bounce castle as well.
Speaking of the airbrush tattoo artist, we heard your feedback on this and have rented this service for the duration of the picnic this year. This will ensure as many kids as possible will get the airbrush tattoo of their dreams!
There is no need to register for this event as we will be checking Members and their families in at the entrance of our sites. Please do not forgo checking in as this is where you will receive the following items: Your picnic bracelet, lunch tickets, ice cream tickets, airbrush tattoo tickets AND bike draw tickets. You will not be able to enjoy any activity without these items. Stop by and see our friendly volunteers and check yourself in to take full advantage of all we have to offer.
We cannot wait to see you all and to spend a HOPEFULLY nice, sunny day together. If you have any questions about the Picnic or any other event, please give us a call at 403 258 1258 Ext 0.
Just So Ya Know – Community Shuttle
1. Shuttle Operators wanting a leave of absence are entitled to the provisions set out in clause 115 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Separate clauses for compassionate care, family, union, maternity, paternity, adoption, parental, military, bereavement, funeral, educational, and personal emergencies are listed.
2. Statutory holidays are listed in clause 117 of the 700 section of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Eligibility for Shuttle Operators is dependent upon the recent Employment Standards Code. At the moment, to qualify for regular stat pay, there are two main factors; 1. Must work the last scheduled day before the stat and the first scheduled day after the stat, and 2. Establish the day of the week that the stat falls on as a regular working day. In order to establish a regular working day, an employee must work at least 5 of the previous 9 days on that day of the week.
Contributed by:
Executive Board Community Shuttle – Ian Clark
COPE 397/jw
