Members for Democracy Archive

Isn't Paul a UFCW Staff Representative. Is the local in trustee ship, if not the vice president should be holding the helm.

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Member:

It has been nearly one month since I was elected president and I hope every one of you is having a great summer. The summer is proving to be a busy one as I have had the opportunity to meet with your reps and executive board for mainly one reason - to catch up on everything pertaining to the local's past, present, and future.

We are currently putting a schedule in place for me to visit each Local 1400 location in the province. In the very near future, I hope to meet with as many UFCW members and stewards as possible. The schedule of these meetings will be posted soon on this web site.

In the meantime, Local 1400 has not slowed it's pace for the summer months. Our recent annual golf tournament raised over $3000 for Leukemia research, thanks to all our participants, volunteers, and organizers. We welcomed 32 new shop stewards in schools held in Regina and Saskatoon. In the past week, Ashly Cabinets and Windows and the Moose Jaw Heritage Inn successfully concluded bargaining for their first collective agreements.

We will be resuming our education courses in the fall months, so stay tuned for new course dates.

I look forward to meeting with many of you in the future and have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,


PAUL MEINEMA

President, Local 1400

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Is this the letter?

How did a UFCW Staff Rep become a President?

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Local 1400 Saskatchewan has a new temporary president.

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Doesn't look like there's anything temporary about it. Check out the national webste. And the good news is the Sask. business leaders really really like the new guy.

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New president for Local 1400

Paul Meinema has been elected by the executive board of UFCW Canada Local 1400 in Saskatchewan to succeed Brian Stewart as president of the local. Brother Stewart resigned the presidency recently for health and personal reasons, although he remains on the staff of the local and will return to assigned duties on return from sick leave.

Brother Meinema, who was featured as one of the 'top 10' labour leaders in the province in a recent issue of SaskBusiness magazine, began his union activism as a member of UFCW Canada Local 1118 at the Fletcher's packinghouse in Red Deer, Alta. through the hard-fought disputes of the latter 1980s. He was part of the team that helped Cargill workers in High River, Alta. organize in 1990, and joined the national staff of UFCW Canada in 1991, where he worked in the Atlantic provinces before being assigned to Saskatchewan.

More: Paul Meinema, UFCW Canada Local 1400, ufcw.ca

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Yup we members are just like the proverbial saying about mushrooms..kept in the dark ..yada yada yada. Guess I should go to these union meetings..um where? when? Oh, I guess I'll have to call and ask when these meetings take place because we certainly NEVER get any postings on our union board at work. Or maybe they get put up on my days off and get taken down when I get back to work. Diligent, must be more diligent. Oh who the heck am I kidding? I have so given up on these corrupt pricks that they can do just about anything and none of us know or care anymore. I guess we need our asses kicked into getting on the ball. It's not like we can do anything anymore, they just do what they want when they want. But I always get the letter in the mail after the fact. And about the national website..I should check them out too, because I think they are being more truthful then the letter that was sent to us about the temporary leave. Not that It matters, Brian was a corrupt lazy good for nothing....I digress. If anyone has anymore background on Meinema, I'd like to know..rumour has it that he has family ties with the new president of Westfair. Wouldnt that be a kicker!!

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Paul Meinema has been elected by the executive board of UFCW Canada Local 1400 in Saskatchewan to succeed Brian Stewart as president of the local.

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Democracy UFCW style

Have faith, these guys will always be ready with shovel in hand to dig their own graves and so far they're doing a hell of a job. Every dirty trick, every backroom deal and every member they ignor weakens them and makes them more and more vunerable. Workers are the union, they are the power source and one day it'll get bad enough that people will wake up and see these phony's for what they truely are. And justice will be swift.

I never said it would happen in time for you...it didn't for me. But it will happen. Believe it or not there is a bottom to this barrel, there always is. When they get to it [and they will] either another union like the CAW or a new upstart union formed by members just like yourself is going to crush these guys, or the employers will launch a massive decertification drive. Either way members will leave in droves and nothing these guys can do will keep them.

We've seen hints of this in the SEIU/CAW fight in Ontario. All the misinformation, all the legal battles and the full wieght of the CLC affiliates as well as the employers couldn't stop more than half of those members from joing the CAW. Only a deal between the CAW and the CLC stopped the migration of workers.

People have had it! better no union than a corrupt one is what people keep telling me and the numbers don't lie. The unorganized are getting harder and harder to organize. That means more and more retail opporations that are non union are moving in and our current employers want to keep the pressure up on driving down wages. The UFCW keeps cutting deals to maintain the status quo. It's like a cartoon where they stick a finger, then another until all their fingers and toes are plugging up holes in the damn that's about to burst. We all know what happens.

The only salvation for the UFCW was reform but in order to embrace that corrupt leaders have to willing to go to jail. I don't see any volunteer's do you? It means despotic leaders will have to give back the complete control they currently enjoy. Again no volunteers. It means reducing their pathetic and disgraceful saleries [need I go on?]

I don't see reforming the UFCW as a viable or realistic option but I do see a UFCW ultimately destroyed by it's own greed and stupidity. The longer the machine heads hold on and the harder they fight workers the more devistating the long term damage to the entire union movement. It won't be long before even they're so called friends and "partners" sence weakness and turn on them. They'll be fighting a war on several fronts and the reality is they can't win.

It's not much consolation for you is it? me neither. but I am comforted by the knowledge that when history reflects on this moment in time I'll have nothing to be assamed about, nor will my children or grandchildren. I've done what I could to try and save this dying union from itself. The Machine heads can't say the same can they?

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How can there be justice? We have put up with the yoyo's for many many moons and still the same crap goes on.

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Well you've nailed it. You see, you being here, and us being here, means we ain't putting up with the yoyos or the yoyo's crap for any more moons.

They do the crime they're gonna do the time even if, for now, it's time on the front page of the MFD.

Reason for Brian leaving? I think it states in Meinema's letter to us that Brian is only away for sick reasons....drying out? Stress? HIS CONSCIENCE FINALLY GOT TO HIM AND HE CANT STAND HIMSELF AND HIS GUTS ARE EATING HIM FROM THE INSIDE OUT? Who the heck knows and I'm sure as shiit that no-one will EVER know why. We had all said at the last strike votes and such, that Brian was just wobbling in the background while everyone else spoke for him. Anything heated he just sat back and diddled his thumbs. We had bet that this (saskatchewan's great strike) was Brian's last hurrah before he left, and I dont think It quite turned out the way he planned, or imagined. Brian..ya went out in a poopie cushion!!

I belong to local 1400 as well and from asking around, no one knows what happened to Brian. One thing though, as bad as things have been mismanaged over the years, don't attack the man on a personal level for health problems he may have.

My own conjecture on this topic is that Paul was rolled in by the national office because Brian let things get out of hand at the retail level. Their strike was mismanaged and was never meant to have lasted as long as it did (even though it was short). The strike itself was settled by the two head offices and not at the local level. I think hands got slapped because both sides lost money and neither were very happy about it. Brian didn't do a very good job of keeping the members in line.

As for Greg Eyre becoming President, he's very knowledgeable about what he does but is not well respected by the members. At the warehouse, 80% signed a petition to have him removed as their rep and he was finally replaced. Little did they realize the problem is the UFCW and not Greg specifically. Paul Meneima attended a meeting last year for the warehouse as the UFCW "heavy" when questions were raised about the UFCW leadership and allegations by Hugh Finnamore.

Currently, the warehouse operation (Western Grocers) is without a contract as it expired on July 27th. Negotiations have been postponed conveniently until the fall when the busiest time of the year is over (whew! they can't get enough employees to do the work currently let alone enough scabs). The two sides only had 6 years to set dates for meetings but I guess this was a little rushed for them.

As it stands, no one is expecting much and many are hoping for a buyout offer. Does anyone from other Westfair warehouses have any information on the likelihood of this taking place? If you recently settled at your workplace (ie warehouses in Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg), was this offer made? Greatly appreciated. Some are really hoping for it but it seems unlikely since the company can't get enough people to work right now.

It really is a sad state of affairs. By the way, for everyone who believes in fair competition, remember to spread your buying dollars around. Hudson Bay Company is really suffering right now and I would hate to see them disappear under the Wal-Mart steam roller. A healthy market has lots of competitors.

Now that is a little more along the lines that even I can understand what is being said.

Now that is one militant political statement that I'm sure a lot of reformers can identify with.

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I have read with great disgust, the letters members of UFCW Local 1400 have put on this Web Page called "members for democracy".

How can you bash Brian Stewart the way you did. He is the one that got you "your wage increases, extended benefits", and many other things. Yes, Brian has resigned from the position of "President", and has anyone of you asked yourselves "did I have anything to do with it". I am a former member of Local 1400, and have nothing but admiration as to what the President and reps have done for me in the years I was a member of Local 1400.

I could go on with many other positive issues, but I think I have said enough re New President.

I hope you negative members think for a minute as to what you have written about Brian, and maybe you can say something positive, and retract you negative statements!

As for myself all I can say is "How did Brain survive the years he put up with some of the members of UFCW Local 1400" I know I would not have lasted that long!!

For one the next election is not until 2003, and if the President resigns before his term is up, and interim President is put in, and does not have to be elected. When 2003 comes up, the members will have a chance to elect whom they wish to be President.

Have I ever seen Brian in action? I have seen Brian various times on the picket lines of UFCW and other Unions shaking the hands of the picketers and when Westfair Retail were out, he was out to every store in the province, with his BAR-B-Q for the striking members. I have seen Brian in bargaining and witnessed him leave the room when the Employer would not come close to what he wanted for the members.

Why did he leave so suddenly? I suppose that you know Brian, and have conversations with him, and has never mentioned resigning. Well it came to the point that it was either the Union or his health, and what would you choose?

As far as a member being President, I think that is explained in the first paragraph. Anyways from what I have witnessed by the members that have written on this web page, I would be ashamed if one of them became President in the interim. They seem to be more interested in fabricating a story than what the real story is.

Good to see some other posters who did like Brian and what the UFCW has done for them. Makes for a better discussion over all.

I am a member of Local 1400 but do not share in the enthusiasm for the UFCW as do Corrupted Members or Disgusted Member. I have very little faith in the UFCW to do what's best for its members and think they have compromised their position as bargaining agent by entering into partnering agreements with Westfair Foods and Loblaws. It's like having two masters to serve and they will always end up compromising.

As for Brian Stewart, I have seen him in action as well and have very little good to say about what I saw. Maybe I caught the tail end of his term when he wasn't at his best (I'm trying to be fair here). When Brian was informed by a member from the Western Grocers warehouse that the employees in the Produce Department were on the DCAM system, his reply was that he wasn't aware of that. 5 years after the fact and he didn't know this? Brian promised the Western Grocers a SPUR in October of 2001 (Special Union Representative) and they still do not have one, a year later. Why is that Westfair foods admires Brian so much? Is it because he drives such a hard bargain? Showing up on the picket line with your barbecue doesn't seem so bad if you're drawing $100,000 salary with perks.

As for being re-elected, no one at my workplace even knew the position was up for election the last time it came around. How many people knew? How many voted? Why weren't ballot boxes put up outside each place of employment for several days to ensure maximum participation? These elections are not hard for the incumbent to win when no one knows about it.

As for my colleagues who posted above, tell me if you're full time or part time under the old contract. What do you think of two tier wage contracts. Personally I think they stink. I'm sick of assholes who squeaked in under a good contract and feel it is their God given right to earn a higher wage for equal work. Someone put their job and ass on the line for you to get the good contract but you won't do the same for anyone else. So if you are one of these assholes, go get stuffed.

Oh yeah, I hope this company gives it to you old contract guys the same you gave it to the new hires. Writing is on the wall my friend. Do you think someone highschool kid will care when the company comes after you. Good luck finding a decent job at 50 when all you've ever been is a shelf stocker. Oh yes, and I'm sure the UFCW will be there for you.

I see that in the past that there was problems with UFCW and it's leaders but this page and the negitive people that wrote to it are pin pointing Brain Stewart and his staff for their problems and the problems in their union. The union is the members, their problems are the members,and they start at the members. Such memebers as the ones who wrote to this web page. The 3 links set on the last email are about UFCW,not local 1400 or Brain Stewart or his staff so do not cofuss the two! Those links are about other locals and other members. We will see what happens in 2003 election and if the out come is negitive then the two become one, but do not pertend that you can foreshadow the future!

Oh, no problem answering that one. Paul M. will get elected--hands down. He's the incumbent and he has access to all the members and he has access to business agents who will build him up and he has personal access to every damned workplace, so he can just walk in and shake hands.

The election is so stacked in favour of the incumbent, few bother to run against him.

Oh yes, let's not forget that 98% of all Local 1400 members love the local and the fantastic things it does for them, so why would they switch leaders?

And where might Brian be, and why did he depart so abruptly? Why didn't one of the staffers get Brian's job if they were so damned competent? Do any of those you so revere have the nuts to run against Paul?

The answer to that one is, "Not on your life!"

PS. One person with one opinion and many names isn't going to do much to change fact or sway opinions, so stick to one handle. Yer like a dork writing love notes about himself on bathroom walls and signing each note with a diff'rent name.

welcome w_k.

It always p-os me to see what these concessions and partnering deals done by the machine has done to our solidarity. The two tier agreements have sidetracked us and set us against one another and it plays right into the biz-union scheme. They don't want us talking.

In B.C. when the ufcw 1518 '96 concession contract was jammed down the members throats, it was done in a calculating way. They knew the membership had been intimidated into a state of what they call apathy (but was really frustration), so they banked on the low voting turnout. The machine kept the Power Source uninformed during negotiations, so they banked on no-one understanding. They knew the power source had become comfortable with their standard of living so they used the companys' very own *closure_threat* to intimidate and to insure the ratification of the very thing you are talking about.

The same scenerio has played itself out right across the country in every retail contract. So while the machines are stealing dues they want members to be sidetracked with other issues.

Talk to the other workers, solidify against the real ogre.