We are a composite local comprised of three units representing Custodial, Maintenance, Information Technologists, Printers, Technicians, Warehouse, Office and Clerical and ECE’s in CNC and FDK programs.
We provide support services for the Thames Valley District School Board which covers over 7,000 square kilometres in the heart of Southwestern Ontario.
Bill “104”
With the passing of the Ontario Government’s Bill 104 “The Fewer School Board Act 1997″, the Boards of Education for Elgin County, Middlesex County, Oxford County, and the City of London were amalgamated to form the Thames Valley District School Board on January 01, 1998.
Before Amalgamation
Prior to amalgamation, nine CUPE Locals functioned independently within the City of London and the three counties. In August 1997 joint meetings commenced, in anticipation of merging the nine individual locals into one large local.
By October of that year CUPE Locals 332 and 1791 in Elgin, Locals 190, 982, and 1150 in London, Locals 1753 and 1170 in Middlesex, along with Locals 3581 and 1495 in Oxford voted in favour of a merger. An Interim Executive and By-law committee were promptly elected. CUPE 4222’s charter was granted officially in December 1997.
In 1998 CUPE 4222 grew to eleven merged locals through representation votes held by CEP and OSSTF.
Merger Agreement
Until the signing of our first Collective Agreements, the nine merging CUPE locals operated under a Merger Agreement. This agreement laid out the process in which we would form a new local and under what terms and conditions we would operate as a composite local.
First Contract
In October 1998 CUPE 4222 elected its first Negotiating Committee. Which of the eleven collective agreements would we use as a foundation for our new contract? The decision was not an easy one as all of the agreements contained excellent language, but in the end it was agreed that the contracts from the former locals of 190, 982 and 1150 would form the basis of our new agreement.
Finally in 2000 all three CUPE Units ratified their new collective agreements. In succession, CUPE 4222 negotiated several other Collective Agreements with our employer over the years, gaining strength based on grievances which had been filed and won by the union.
New Unit
In 2004 our smallest unit was formed, representing Child Minders who provide care and guidance for children whose parents are enrolled in the LINC programs. A small group of just five members has now grown to include the Early Childhood Educators. With the arrival of the Early Learning Program in TVDSB in September 2010, the ECEs who work with these new students also join our Unit D.
Transfer of Jurisdiction
March 2009 saw one of the biggest changes in our local: the successful transfer of jurisdiction of Unit C and all of its members into their own CUPE Local. With the assistance of the executive and National, this transfer was handled fairly smoothly and now CUPE 7575 is operating as its own local.
Today CUPE 4222 represents nearly 2,000 members who maintain a safe, healthy learning environment and provide support services needed to ensure a caring learning community for every student.