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Greetings Ipsco Steelworkers,
My name is Bob Desjarlais. I have been assigned the USW Staff position for the Regina area in the absence of Brother Mike Park. I am currently on leave from my position as President of L.U.6166 USW in Thompson Manitoba. I've held the position of President of our Local for 12 years. My background with the Steelworkers includes OH&S, Steward, WCB rep, Trades Chair, Rehab Chair, Steward Council Chair, and Grievance Committee, just to name a few. Our membership in Thompson is 1100 in the Inco Unit and another 200 members made up of 3 smaller units. I was elected to two Negotiating Committees in 1988 and 1991 respectively prior to my assuming the Presidency of our Local in 1994. All tolled I’ve been a part of six bargaining processes for our Local, four as President and lead Negotiator. Suffice it to say I've got quite a bit of experience at the bargaining table.
Ipsco is known throughout our great Union for its arrogance, especially at the bargaining table. I was expecting this set of negotiations to be tempered with that renowned arrogance. Aside from a couple of slips of unprofessional conduct from two of the local Ipsco management reps I must commend Ray Rarey, Ipsco’s lead Negotiator, for conducting a very professional set of negotiations.
Mr. Rarey said the same of your Bargaining Committee and our lead Negotiator Brother Keith Turcotte. Both the Regina and Calgary Locals were very focused on the task at hand and that was getting a deal if there was one to be had. Although we had a relatively new group of negotiators they represented your collective interests extremely well. Every decision we made was with the best interests of our membership in mind. I commend each and every one of your bargaining committee for a job well done. Two in particular, Dave Grant your President, and Alan Noble Local 6673’s President, lead their respective committees with distinction.
Unfortunately Ipsco was not able to close the deal. I am a little concerned in regards to a comment made to us by Ray Rarey in our last meeting. He said "Ipsco is not willing to sacrifice the Regina Operations future for a few piddly pipe orders". I would like to take this opportunity to remind Mr. Rarey that those few "piddly pipe orders" were the reason they asked us to bargain 10 months early. Perhaps Ipsco was testing this group to see what they were made of. If that is the case there should be no doubt that your bargaining committee passed the test with flying colours. We remain ready and willing to bargain, all Ipsco has to do is give us a call. We can't bargain by ourselves, the ball is squarely in Ipsco's court.
In Solidarity Bob Desjarlais Staff Representative USW |