A union is a group of workers who have joined together to ensure fair treatment from their employers. A union’s strength comes from solidarity. Employers can treat an individual worker poorly, because if that individual stops working the employer’s organization is not affected greatly. But they cannot do the same with all of their workers at the same time. So if every worker stands together, we can ensure we receive the respect we deserve.

Unions have a long history in Canada. In 1872, 10,000 workers protested for a shorter work week – and won. In all the years since, some of the victories other unions have won include the creation of employment insurance, the right to paid maternity leave, limits on daily hours of work, introduction of overtime, established paid vacations, and Occupational Health Acts that guarantee safety on the job. It’s a fact: unions have made life better for all Canadians.

Unions do many things for their members, including:

Collective Bargaining: Speaking on behalf of members to employers to negotiate things like salary adjustments, health benefits, and working conditions. Sometimes, this can result in a strike – when every union member refuses to work until their requests are met.

Workers’ Rights Advocacy: Speaking on behalf of members to local government to ensure employer compliance and the advancement of worker-friendly policies.

Grievance Representation: Advising and representing individual members when their rights under the collective agreement have been violated.

Improving Safety: Monitoring and assessing workplace conditions to identify hazards, and ensuring employers take action to prevent injury, illness, or worse.

Preventing Discrimination: Ensuring employers treat members based solely on their performance, and not their gender, race, sexuality, religious belief, or any other personal characteristic.

CUPE Local 38 represents over 6,500 workers employed by the City of Calgary and ENMAX. We are the administrative, professional, and technical staff that help our city to function through vital day to day services. Historically, we’ve been called the ‘Inside Workers’, but this name no longer accurately reflects the full scope of our duties. We have plenty of members who work out in the field such as peace officers, development inspectors, safety codes officers, and more.

We are part of CUPE – the nationwide Canadian Union of Public Employees. CUPE is the largest union in Canada, representing more than 750,000 workers. CUPE is proud to unite education support workers, healthcare workers, emergency services, utilities, transportation, civil servants, and more. There are many other CUPE Locals throughout Calgary representing workers in education, health care, social services, transportation, and many other sectors.

United together, we are a nationwide force ensuring fairness and justice for all.

Yes. There are two types of CUPE Local 38 members: those who have signed a union card, and those who haven’t. Rest assured, we advocate for the rights of ALL CUPE Local 38 members, regardless of whether they have signed a card or not. But card-carrying CUPE Local 38 members are also entitled to:

• Participate in Collective Agreement ratification votes
• Attend and participate in monthly General Meetings
• Occupy an elected position within the union
• Attend membership engagement events

We strongly encourage all members to sign their union cards.

The most convenient way is to follow the link below to download a .pdf version of a union card. Fill in your information in the spaces provided and then email the .pdf file to office@cupe38.org. If you prefer, you can also sign a union card in-person at one of our monthly General Meetings, by visiting our office, or speaking to your shop steward to obtain a paper application.

Yes. Every CUPE Local 38 member pays dues, automatically subtracted from your regular paycheque. Currently, the rate for dues for CUPE Local 38 members is 1.45%. This does not apply to any premium wage situations such as overtime or shift differentials.

Your dues are a regular and reliable financial contribution to our union that make our union strong. Your dues empower our union to do things like:

• Ensure full-time union representation
• Pay costs associated with collective bargaining
• Oversee grievance handling and arbitration hearings
• Secure quality legal representation, as it relates to collective agreement rights
• Maintain education of union members
• Secure specialty representation, such as job evaluation and occupational health and safety
• Fund defence funds for campaigns, strike aversion, and strike actions
• Fund communications and member engagement

No. There is no way to opt out of paying union dues and remain a CUPE Local 38 member, nor to opt out of paying union dues and remain in your current union-protected position of employment. Dues are vital to ensure our union remains an effective, engaged ally for thousands of workers.

You might not need our union’s support today, but if you need us in the future, we’ll be there by your side ready to fight for you… all thanks to regular dues.

Stewards are representatives of our union. They are the head of individual units, which together make up the whole of CUPE Local 38. Each unit represents a different workplace – peace officers, traffic supervisors, safety inspectors and so on.

Your steward is your first point of contact for issues arising in your workplace. Because they work alongside you in your unit, they have specific knowledge related to your position, conditions, and union relations with your employer. Stewards can help you with things like:

• Pay disputes Unsafe working conditions
• Employer harassment
• Education on your rights Speaking to the wider union

Simply put: if you have a problem, speak to your steward first. They will advise you on the best course of action, and whether you need to contact the union office.

Your right to engage in the union is guaranteed by law. That means you can take part in union-approved actions, and your employer cannot fire you for it – even if you go on strike. That’s the power of unions. But strength in numbers only works if we have the numbers! So we encourage you to get involved any way you can in union business. Where should you start? First, talk to your steward, learn more about your workplace, and what needs to be done there. Then attend monthly General Meetings to learn about other units, and how you can support them. When you’ve got a little experience under your belt, you can volunteer as a steward, or put yourself up for election to serve on a committee. Small actions, day by day, add up to a stronger union. And a stronger union benefits everyone.