Now that ratification locations and dates have been set, your Bargaining Committee would like to provide information on the ratification process.

 Your Bargaining Committee will be traveling across the country where dates and venues have been set up to assemble as many members as possible.  These meetings will provide an opportunity for your Bargaining Committee to explain why we feel this is the best possible agreement under the circumstances. 

Members will receive an information handout at the meetings.  The meetings will begin with your Bargaining Committee going through highlights of proposed changes to the Collective Agreement and explaining how we arrived at the language in the tentative agreement.  Once that has taken place, members will have an opportunity to clarify the information provided by asking questions.

After the question and answer session, the members in attendance will have an opportunity to vote.  The question on the ballot will be “Are you in favour of accepting the proposed agreement?” 

Picture ID will be required when you vote.  Only members in good standing will be given a ballot to vote.  For any bargaining unit employees who have not yet signed membership forms, you need to sign up prior to your ratification meeting. If you have any questions, please see a shop steward or visit the TWU website.  Scrutineers from the Local will ensure the voting process is conducted in a fair and impartial manner.  A communication regarding absentee ballots will be sent at a later date.

Once all the meeting attendees have voted, the ballots will then be returned to the TWU office in Burnaby, B.C., where all ballots from across the country will be counted at the same time in early June under the oversight of a lawyer.  The results of the vote will be communicated to the membership via a Hotline as soon as they are known.

If the majority of members vote in favour of the proposed agreement, the
parties will sign the Collective Agreement.  If more than 50 per cent of the voting members vote to reject the tentative agreement, your Bargaining Committee will schedule further meetings to obtain a strike vote.

RATIFICATION MEETINGS

QUEBEC

MONTREAL
Monday, May 9, 2011, at 7PM
Tuesday, May 10, 2011, at 9AM
Hilton Montreal Bonaventure
900, de La Gauchetiere Street
Montreal, QC   H5A 1E4

RIMOUSKI
Tuesday, May 10, 2011, at 7PM
Hôtel Rimouski
225, Rene-Lepage Boulevard East
Rimouski, QC   G5L 1P2

QUEBEC CITY
Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at 7PM
Delta Quebec
690, Rene-Levesque Boulevard East
Québec, QC   G1R 5A8

ONTARIO

OTTAWA
Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at 7PM
Les Suites Hotel
130 Besserer Street
Ottawa, ON   K1N 9M9

TORONTO Location Change
Thursday, May 12, 2011, at 7PM
Friday, May 13, 2011, at 9AM
Hilton Suites Toronto Conference Centre & Spa
8500 Warden Avenue
Markham, On   L6G 1A5

BARRIE
Friday, May 13, 2011, at 7PM
Holiday Inn Barrie Hotel & Conference Centre
20 Fairview Road
Barrie, ON   L4N 4P3

CAMBRIDGE
Friday, May 13, 2011, at 7PM
Cambridge Hotel & Conference Centre
700 Hespeler Road
Cambridge, ON   N3H 5L8