Organizing

Cupe PEI Organizing Report 2011

CUPE PEI Organizing Report 2010

You have the legal right to join a union and to join in complete confidence.

The Prince Edward Island Labour Act puts the full power of Prince Edward Island's legal system behind you when you decide to join a union. Section 9 of the Act gives each person the right to join a union and participate in organizing a union.

You Are Protected

Whether you decide to join a union or not is your decision and yours alone. Whether you sign a union card or not is not divulged to anyone but the Labour Board and is kept completely confidential. And management is not allowed to fire, demote or harass you if you decide to join or even threaten to do so (Section 10).

Your Rights

The Prince Edward Island Labour Relations Board enforces your rights under the Act. If the Board decides that your right to belong to a union has been interfered with, it has the power to order changes in your workplace, reinstate employees or award promotions and back pay. Employers can be forced to obey the Board's orders which may include paying fines for breach of the Act.

Protection After You Join

The best protection you can ever have on the job is a union contract. It gives you job security so you can't be fired without just cause and a full hearing of your case. A grievance system gives you the right to be heard on any problems covered in your contract. What's more, promotions under most union contracts are based on years of experience, not favouritism.

CUPE is your best Protection

When you join CUPE, you and your co-workers are in charge. You form a local within CUPE B the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Members in each local elect their own officers and control their own affairs. Bargaining priorities and tactics are decided democratically by the members in each local and CUPE members can't be ordered out on strike by head office.

Resources and Expertise

As CUPE members, you and your co-workers will draw upon the resources and expertise of Canada's largest union. A representative with training and experience will work with your local to negotiate the best possible collective agreement. As well, your local is supported by experts in research, health and safety, equality, anti-racism, education, law, job evaluation and communications.

CUPE has the resources and commitment to help you deal with problems in the workplace, cutbacks and unfair treatment; stress and unsafe working conditions; harassment and discrimination -- building strength and solidarity among workers.

Joining CUPE

You don't pay union dues until your first CUPE contract is in force. Then you and other members of your local meet to set your dues payment. A portion of your dues based on a union local's average monthly wage goes to CUPE National (0.85% or 85 cents per $100). All other dues go to local needs and whatever joint action your union local chooses to support.

Strength in Numbers

If you stand alone, you have no protection. That's why working people like you belong to CUPE. By joining CUPE and working together, we can protect our jobs, improve working conditions and raise our wages. So give yourself the backing of an all-Canadian union, committed to fighting cutbacks to public services and the public sector. We have local unions ranging in size from one member to thousands.

Democracy. Service. Strength.

With over half a million members, we're Canada's largest union and we have room for you. Come join us!