As of March 31, 2004, one year will have passed since the company first presented its “Restructure for Success” to the Bargaining Committee.

The Union has never supported this new Organizational Design that we considered a “Restructure for Disaster”. The restructure would not support superior Member Service and there was no evidence that Management was performing a proper due diligence necessary for a successful Credit Union.

For the past 12 months our fight back has been relentless. Through the grievance and arbitration procedures, labour/management meetings and the voice of a strong Membership we’ve demanded that Management address the concerns of this Bargaining Unit.

Although we have been successful in the creation of 6 full-time positions, they have only replaced the 6 staff members who chose negotiated buy out packages in July 2003.

The Bargaining Committee met with Management again in March of 2004 and demonstrated what is necessary to restore an effective workplace. The issues of workload, workflow and processing issues due to technological change are having detrimental impacts on member service. We are strongly recommending a justified and necessary increase in bargaining unit staff.

To rub salt into the wound, the Company is once again advertising for yet another Management position to supplement their already top heavy structure. We are presently awaiting Managements’ response.

Looking through the CHAOS one would hope that management has learned enough over the past 12 months to take the concerns of this Bargaining Unit and members of this Credit Union with a more serious perspective.

We recognize that Management has the right to run this Company. We as a Union can only advise them how to run it properly, to utilize the skill and ability of staff, and with the best interests of our Rank and File as Priority ONE.

FEBRUARY 2004 199 ISSUE

Welcome to the New Year. Three months after the conversion to a new Banking System we continue to be a Bargaining Unit mired in frustration.

Although most technology issues have been resolved, Bill Payments continue to be a major concern. The Company has continued to assure us that testing is being diligently completed to resolve this issue.

It is important to realize that the Company also implemented a new organizational structure simultaneously with the banking system. This resulted in a change of job duties and the movement of most staff to different departments or branches at a most crucial time. It is blatantly obvious not only to employees but to loyal Credit Union members that this structure does not support quality member service. Management’s vision of “Process Optimization” and an “excess of human capital” have been shattered. The present staffing levels of Union employees do not support the functionality processes or excessive workload created by the new banking system.

After an initial loss of 8 full-time positions in the new Organizational Structure the Company has considered Union demands and posted 3 permanent full-time positions. Hiring has also begun for part-time employees. These job postings however cannot even begin to compensate for the amount of Bargaining Unit work being performed by Management and the overtime being worked in some departments. Grievances have been filed and future meetings planned. (Throughout these cuts to staff, management remains untouched and still top-heavy.)

Enough is enough. One could suggest that management stop feeding off our Strong Work Ethics and start creating some employment opportunities for the community that this Credit Union was created to serve.