REFINERY STACHE FOR CASH CAPTAIN

Hello Mo Bro’s and Mo Sista’s,



What an honour and a privilege to be a part of Movember and have a winning team behind me with outstanding support. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.

I am enthusiastic about this year’s campaign and what we can bring to this team. With the support from CRC and Unifor 594, we have the winning combination to have one of the most successful years yet! This will be my 14th year as a part of Movember. Last year, with your help, we raised over $ 25,000... that’s a lot of “Mo”. Our team was small in numbers, but mighty in heart as we had just under 20 Mo Bro’s and Mo Sista’s. I’m optimistic we can grow our team well over 30 plus and crush our team goal of $ 30,000! I will be making my way around talking and engaging “EVERYONE”; and also doing a few football pools. You can provide support in many different ways including the “fun way” of signing up and ‘Grow a Mo’, ‘Host a Mo-ment’, ‘Move for Movember’ or ‘Mo your own way’; all of which can be found on the Movember website, https://ca.movember.com. Of course, you can also donate to our team by searching “Refinery Stache for Cash” on the Movember website.

In the coming weeks, the conversations and funds we raise will help Movember Canada lead medical research, cancer test innovations and game-changing mental health interventions. Moustache season is finally upon us and our work has never been more relevant or important.

Did you know? 29% of Mo Bros spoke to a healthcare professional about something that didn’t look right (compared to 18% of the general population). Mo Bros are 14% more likely to talk about prostate cancer and 10% more likely to talk about testicular cancer. 44% of Mo Bros said they confided in a friend about mental health when struggling (compared to 17% of the general population). 75% of Movember men stayed in touch with friends and family (compared to 50% of the general population). 37% of Mo Bro’s were active more than 20 times a month (compared to 24% of the general population).

Our team fundraising goal this year is to hit $ 30,000. We have been so close over the last few years to achieving the goal, raising a significant amount; but just shy of the attempted goal. Our team is too small in numbers and we need to grow mo moustaches. I am willing to lend a hand wherever I am needed to help you raise money and support you in your fundraising activities. If growing a moustache isn’t your style, or you’re a Mo Sista looking to support the cause, there are other options available. Ask me, check out the website or download the easy-to-use app and also have fun doing it! Search and join our team, “Refinery Stache for Cash” at https://ca.movember.com.

Our team is participating in the annual “The Oil Rig Rumble”; competing against the likes of “StacheMasters of Suncor”, the CNRL Movember team and the Enbridge Movember team, to name a few. You can follow the action on the Movember app or website. Our team raised the top funds in Saskatchewan last year and I am so proud to be a part of this. I look forward to seeing the progress of the new and returning growers/supporters and seeing where we can end up this year! I am hoping to kick start the month with some fun events so stay tuned for details.

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I am so grateful to be a part of this amazing cause and part of a wonderful team. I will not disappoint you in my efforts.

If you have any further questions about Movember or just want to chat; call or email anytime.

Mo love, Mo on. Let’s do this!

Mike Neigum

306-550-4416

[email protected]

YOUR RIGHTS TO UNION REPRESENTATION

There are a lot of new faces around CRC and it’s great to see. It is an exciting new chapter in your career. You want to put your best foot forward and make a good first impression on your new co-workers and bosses, but sometimes things happen, and for whatever reason you might find yourself in your supervisor’s office being questioned about why this or that thing might have happened.

It’s no doubt an uncomfortable situation, and it’s natural to want to get yourself out of that situation as soon and as quietly as possible. If I could offer one bit of advice in this situation, it would be to get a hold of your Shop Steward before continuing with any meeting that feels like it could lead to discipline, or even if you are uncomfortable with the interaction. Managers understand the dynamics of the situation very well and will sometimes try to take advantage of your feelings and inexperience to make life easier for themselves, and it can never make your situation better. Declining union representation leaves you in a situation with no witness and that can open the door to anything from improper questioning to heavy-handed or excessive discipline, possibly without a proper investigation or review of the matter. 

Your right to having a union rep in your corner is enshrined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and can’t ever be held against you.

Article 14, Paragraph 8, that states,



“…The Co-operative agrees that an employee shall have the right to have his or her Shop Steward present at any discussion with a supervisor or manager, which might be the basis of disciplinary action. Where a supervisor or manager intends to interview an employee for disciplinary purposes, the supervisor or manager shall make every effort to notify the employee in advance of the purpose of the interview in order that the employee may contact his or her Shop Steward. The right to a Shop Steward shall also apply to letters of Concern…”

You have a right to consult with a Shop Steward before your meeting to discuss the matter and bring each other up to speed, as well as have them present in the meeting. I urge you to never waive your right to union representation, no matter what the issue is. Remember that we are on your side, respect the confidentiality of your situation, and will do our best to ensure you are treated fairly.

In Solidarity,

Cameron Parisien, Section 4 Shop Steward

CSS CORNER

Reaching a grievance settlement, and avoiding arbitration, is not an easy task. It requires hours of legwork, case law, collective agreement interpretation, historical research, caucus discussion, and most importantly a willingness to compromise. A key element to compromise is embracing the old adage, "Listen to understand instead of listening just to respond". This builds trust and pushes the parties in the same direction.

This productive problem-solving technique was on display during the Grievance Backlog project as we discussed #37-2021 Stores Service Desk duties. In the grievance filing, the Union alleged that upon returning from the lockout several key duties customarily performed by in-scope Stores employees were reassigned to Out of Scope employees. These various tasks were bundled into what we describe as the Service Desk.

The duties in question include:

• coordinating water cooler rentals and required supplies.
• coordinating the delivery and placement of porta-potties
• coordinating all rental equipment on-site.
• facilitate all rental equipment repairs; including staging, permitting and returns.
• coordinate onsite tire repairs
• coordinating environmental and garbage bin staging and facilitate loading.
• coordinating the fueling of rental equipment

After some positive back and forth, we are pleased to have reached a settlement agreement with the Company that returns all of the above-listed duties back to our Inscope Stores employees. This is a big 'win' for Stores and it builds on the narrative that our members just want to work. This is our workplace and as everyone knows about our local, "we put the care in career". 

In Solidarity,

Richard Exner, Chief Shop Steward