What is U.C.C.E.

U.C.C.E. is the second largest, all-inclusive, independent bargaining unit in Alberta and the largest independent unit of retail grocery co-operative Support staff in Canada. There is no other bargaining unit/union like us!

Our membership entails every single possible occupational group contained within one bargaining unit, except for those groups listed in Article 3 of the Collective Agreement. We represent members employed in occupations ranging from trades to janitorial to clerical to clerks to cashier to meat cutter and technical work.

Collectively, you own this Union.  It’s a Union with a long tradition, services second to none and an important role to play in the future of the Calgary Cooperative Association Ltd., retail grocery industry in Alberta and in the future of job security and workplace interests of our membership.

Background

UCCE has continued to operate under restrictive labour legislation since the Alberta Labour Relations Code (ALRC) was introduced in 1988. From the beginning, U.C.C.E. has been aggressive in defending our collective agreement rights.

The struggle continues today, as our Union continues to meet new challenges, at the same time as it provides members with day-to-day servicing, grievance representation, workers’ compensation, disability and pension information, training, counseling and advocacy.

Your elected executive is skilled and experienced in all matters regarding your employment, your collective agreement and U.C.C.E. services.

Role

The mission of U.C.C.E. is to allow its members to communicate as a single voice with the Cooperative on all matters relating to terms and conditions of employment.  Where an effective bargaining relationship is established with the employer, everyone benefits. Members can negotiate with the strength of numbers behind them and the employer can also benefit from a stable labour relations environment.

U.C.C.E. ensures that fair and reasonable terms and conditions of employment remain in force for you as an entitlement. Provisions
such as salary, schedules, and hours of work, seniority, paid vacation and illness benefits are results of decades of U.C.C.E. negotiating history. These provisions remain part of your everyday working conditions because U.C.C.E. monitors and enforces the compliance of them.

Your Union not only protects the status quo, it is dedicated to improving your working conditions through ongoing negotiations.

Your Collective Agreement

Your collective agreement is a legally binding contract between U.C.C.E. and the Calgary Cooperative Association Ltd., covering such areas as wages, hours of work, overtime, job security, working conditions and benefits. While similar language can be found in most collective agreements, specific rights and wording are negotiated to address the unique needs of our bargaining unit.

Collective agreements are negotiated for a specific period of time, most often three to five years. As a member, you have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process of establishing the Union agenda for each new round of bargaining.

Negotiations usually carry on for months before a tentative agreement is reached. Your agreement must be ratified through secret ballot by a majority of voting members before it is signed and put into effect.  

The Executive and authorized representatives (stewards) are your advocates at the work site, in the Centres, in the Departments and at Head Office, to ensure that the terms in your agreement are applied fairly to all members.  They will assist members who feel their rights have been violated.

If you have any questions about your collective agreement, your U.C.C.E. Executive and representatives are your first line of information.

Protection

Your Union stands ready to represent you in every way by being visible at the work site through the Executive and stewards. 
By enforcing negotiated protections, we provide a valuable service when, and where you need it.

Your Union is not a substitute for a healthy, working relationship between you and your employer.  If you believe you are
being treated unfairly in the workplace or that the collective agreement has been violated, contact your U.C.C.E. Centre Steward or Executive who will know how to handle your concern.

If a problem brought to the attention of management is not resolved, your collective agreement provides specific steps for filing a grievance with the Cooperative.  Your Executive are your
advocates and are experienced and trained to handle your concern in compliance with the grievance procedure.

Contract Negotiations

First and foremost, your Union has been negotiating for many years with the Cooperative and will continue to work for the best possible working conditions for our members.  As a member, you decide the goals for negotiations. Wage increase, hours of work, overtime compensation, vacations, statutory holidays, sick leave, pensions, benefits, layoff/recall – these protections are only gained and enhanced through contract negotiations between your Union and the Cooperative.

Although we complete a round of negotiations every three to five years, we are always preparing for the future. The future of our industry, our survival and our jobs will involve issues like:

– protecting bargaining unit work

– protecting our job classifications

Labour Relations

All members of U.C.C.E. have access to any one of 5 (five) full-time Union Executive members and designated representative(s)/steward(s) in each Centre. This allows a concern affecting members in a number of different and distinct departments to have their issues addressed by the same person.

All labour relations staff are trained and experienced in problem solving, contract interpretation, health and safety, workers’ compensation, benefits, job title administration (job classification), posting and transfer process, security interview investigations, sexual harassment investigation and many other employment issues, as they arise.

We can provide assistance and advice about issues like long term disability, pensions and other items referenced in the collective agreement.

The scope of the involvement of U.C.C.E. elected executive and representatives in the administration of your collective agreement is extensive:

– Joint Labour Management (JLM)

– Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS)

U.C.C.E. staff and members represent your collective interests by being involved in external matters like the:

– Calgary Cooperative Association Ltd. Board of Directors;

– Workers’ Compensation Board

Communications

Keeping members informed and up-to-date on Cooperative and employment-related matters is a top priority for U.C.C.E.  Bi-monthly we send out a newsletter called UCCE “News and Views” with topical information items in the “Did You Know” section. This information is distributed at the work site by members like you.  Gaining the support of the Co-operative community and the general public are important ways of making inroads in the negotiations process.

The future of technology in our everyday lives is essential and important to the survival of our Union.

Involvement

U.C.C.E. is your Union in more ways than one. It works for you and it works because of you; from the top and all through the organization, your Union is directed by members like you.  You can become involved in U.C.C.E. in a number of ways, depending on your work site and level of interest.  Take an active role in U.C.C.E. activities, Union meetings allow you to have a direct voice in the direction that U.C.C.E. takes.  Take a leading role in your area. In order for U.C.C.E. to function effectively, our Union needs leaders in every work site, representing all occupational groups and serving as representatives.  The executive and the membership utilize the resources available to the organization, pursues the collective interests based upon the mandate, and achieves our agenda and goals in accordance with the authority provided to the organization.

U.C.C.E.
is only as strong as the collective will of our members!!