Wednesday December 11, 2013
For Immediate Release
Richmond, BC – Professional and consistent servicing of existing members was one of the key ingredients in an IAM organizing victory for workers Belcor/IPAC, a division of Wexxar/Bel Packaging.
“When the members of the Wexxar employee association voted to join the IAM in 2006, the workers at the sister company Belcor/IPAC facility were not included,” explained IAM District Lodge 250 Business Representative and Organizer Andrew Tricker. “Since that time we have kept in touch with the Belcor/Ipac workers and kept them informed of the wage benefits and servicing provided to IAM members at Wexxar in their last two collective agreements.” Amid rumors of an impending merger of Belcor/Ipac and Wexxar and a move to a joint facility, the IAM mounted an aggressive organizing campaign to win over the Belcor/Ipac group.
“Seniority was a key item for the Belcor employees who were predominantly Cantonese speaking as their first language,” explained IAM District Lodge 250 Business Representative and Organizer Paul Pelletreau. “We produced most of our information in both English and Cantonese including a sample Ballot.” Building solidarity between IAM members and those of the sister plant was another key component of this organizing campaign and this was accomplished through open communication. “Many of the Belcor employees were reluctant to sign with the IAM until we created a petition signed by almost every IAM Wexxar employee,” said Pelletreau. “It stated that they would agree to recognize their time employed by Belcor as their seniority date so that all employees would enter the new location according to their start date no matter which plant they worked in. Once the signed solidarity petition hit the floor at Belcor the employees flocked to sign cards to join the IAM.”
Despite an aggressive anti-union campaign by the company, the IAM was victorious by a margin of 70 to 9 in favour of IAM representation. “Like all successful organizing drives, you have to have a solid inside committee and the people here were outstanding,” added Tricker.
The 51 new members join 37 currently represented by IAM Local Lodge 692. Wexxar/Bel Packaging designs and manufactures leading edge case erecting, case sealing and tray forming machinery for corrugated container packaging.
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For further information:
Andrew Tricker – IAM District Lodge 250 Business Representative/Organizer
604-513-3883/604-315-1000
Paul Pelletreau – IAM District Lodge 250 Business Representative/Organizer
604-513-3883/604-839-6309
Bill Trbovich – IAM Director of Communications
416-386-1789 Ext #6331/416-735-9765