ABOUT US

CUPE 1063 represents union members of the Workers Compensation Board and SAFE Work Manitoba in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson.

Formed in 1967, CUPE 1063 has worked to improve the social and economic welfare of our members, without regard to ancestry, race, ethnic or national origin, nationality, political belief/association or activity, religion or creed, family status, sex (including pregnancy), age, marital or parental status, source of income, sexual orientation, place of residence, or physical or mental disability (as defined in the Manitoba Human Rights Act). Our work is to promote efficiency in public employment and to consistently demonstrate our belief in the value of organized labour in everything we do.

Staying in touch with members is important to keeping everyone united and informed. If you have a union-related question or concern, please contact a shop steward or member of CUPE 1063 Executive.

Grievances

Do you have a problem with the employer? Please reach out to one of our shop stewards

Workplace harassment

The Union is able to assist you if you are experiencing harassment in the workplace.

Collective Bargaining

The Bargaining Committee represents all the members and will advocate for improved wages and benefits.

How Does The Union Help?

Some of us may have worked in private or public sector companies before starting at the WCB so there could be a range of opinions out there on unions; what can they do for me, how can they support their membership, where do those dues go and so on.

Employers have their own agenda on how they want to run their ship, how they want us to follow, do they also share that with us, or collaborate with us on that?

It seems that our employer doesn’t really want to hear our concerns, ask for feedback, or really improve the culture which over the years seems to have taken quite the negative turn. This is where unions can be that voice, can use their platform to advocate and inform the Employer on the issues and concerns the membership has. Will the Employer listen? Well you can decide by their actions.

The range of concerns that your local can get involved include;

Health & Safety concerns

Harassment, Bullying

Your entitlement to benefits

Professional Development

Various Committees

Some of you may have experienced these issues already. Maybe you feel that you were not heard, denied an entitlement, or maybe you felt you were qualified for a position but were denied.

Your local has a fleet of shop stewards and executive members who are there for you. We also have access to resources like Education through CUPE Manitoba and we have the expertise and resources from CUPE National to consult with for support.

We will listen to your concerns, advocate and speak on your behalf. Not everyone is comfortable in bringing concerns forward, or how they may be treated if they do come forward… we can be your voice, we can support you through this process.

Health & Safety is a huge issue in my view and we all want to go home safe every day. Is our Employer doing enough to keep us safe, do we have all the training and knowledge to be safe in what we do? What should I report to my Employer, and who do I report to?

We know cost of living continues to rise so this is where CUPE 1063 advocates and negotiates for you to keep what you have and enhance your benefits through bargaining.

Together we maintain and improve wages and benefits, improve health and safety conditions, and advocate to make your workplace better.

We are your voice, a conduit for your issues or concerns that need to be brought forward and to represent you if you are brought into meetings concerning progressing discipline, attendance management etc.

Written by Shawn Trudell

How many times during your working career have you felt harassed or bullied? This may not be an easy
question to answer as some may think.

All workplaces are required to have a harassment prevention policy. All workers should be trained on
this policy. Do you know where to find the harassment prevention policy? Do you know what it
contains or what to do if you feel you are being harassed/bullied? Harassment applies to the people you
work with, your co-workers, your clients and your employer. It’s not “part of my job” to be a victim of
harassment or bullying in the workplace. If we don’t report these events the employer cannot act on
them to prevent these from occurring in the future. If we don’t report these, your Safety Program at
work will not have any indication there is a problem.

According to the Workplace Safety and Health Regulations, harassment is defined as:

Objectionable conduct that creates a risk to the health of a worker or
Severe conduct that adversely affects a workers psychological or physical well-being.

Reasonable conduct is not harassment.

“Reasonable actions by managers or supervisors to help manage, guide or direct workers or the
workplace are not harassment. Appropriate employee performance reviews, counselling or discipline by
a supervisor or manager are not harassment”.

The operative word here is reasonable. Yelling, screaming, demeaning, insulting, cussing are not
reasonable.

Example:
Bob is due for his annual performance and development meeting with his supervisor, George. Bob was
unaware that a letter he sent out had an incorrect email address listed in the letter for the recipient to
send important information to by a certain date. The recipient tried multiple times to reach out but
could not get their information in on-time and complained to the company. During Bob’s review, George
became irate and yelled “how stupid do you have to be to get this wrong?” George said this so loud, that
others in the area could hear everything George said to Bob. When Bob left George’s office, everyone
was staring at him and whispering to each other as he walked back to his desk. Co-workers have started
to exclude Bob from projects and now make comments that he can’t be trusted to ‘get the job done.’

Is this harassment or reasonable conduct? What should Bob do?

All employees have the right to make a complaint or enforce their rights under the WCB’s Respectful
Workplace Policy without fear of retaliation. The policy states that the WCB management will ensure
that there is no coercion, retaliation byor intimidation directed against any employee who:

Asserts his/her rights to be free from disrespectful behavior under this policy or the law
Files a complaint, or
Serves as a witness on behalf of another employee who exercises his/her rights under the policy or the relevant legislation.

A person who retaliates will be subject to discipline. All disciplinary actions involve a member of CUPE
Local 1063 will be in accordance with the Collective Agreement.

Any member who witnesses or is a victim of harassment also can seek support from your CUPE 1063
Shop Steward or Executive, or speak with a member of your Workplace Health & Safety Committee. Not
everyone is comfortable in reporting these events, so a Shop Steward can advocate for you on your
behalf. If the harassment is occurring from your supervisor/manager, you can also contact a different supervisor/manager to help.

If you or someone you know needs mental health support, help is out there. There are several resources
available to Manitobans, including the following:

Crisis lines: If you are experiencing a crisis, seek help immediately. Call the province-wide 24/7 Klinic Crisis line at 204-786-8686 or 1-888-322-3019, or see the full list of Klinic crisis lines here. Click here for a list of regional crisis lines.
Non-crisis support: Click here for a list of contacts, broken down by region, to connect you with care in your community. For those in Winnipeg, the Canadian Mental Health Association offers a Mental Health Resources Guide.
Employee Assistance Programs: Contact the EAP through Manitoba Blue Cross at 204-786-8880

Other supports: Other organizations that can connect you with information and support include:

Written by Bonnie Marchant