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Food bank CUPE fears

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managers at the daily bread food Bank are bracing themselves for some major changes as a drive by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to organize workers comes to a head Wednesday (May 19). That’s when management will find out how its 30-odd employees cast their ballots in a vote that took place April 27 to join the union.

Employee ballots have been sealed ever since, after Daily Bread challenged a list presented to management of workers CUPE considers eligible to join the union. Daily Bread contends that the list is outdated, that some who signed union cards were not actually employees and that others should be excluded due to the managerial nature of their work.

In the event the two sides cannot come to an agreement on the question, the issue will end up at the Labour Board, says CUPE representative Shannon McManus.

McManus says mistreatment, disrespect, chaotic hours and lack of job descriptions top the list of worker complaints.

Daily Bread’s board is reportedly divided on the issue. Some believe a union is inevitable, while others fear unionization may increase the organization’s reliance on corporations, since the food bank currently depends heavily on CUPE and other unions for money, volunteers and food.

Daily Bread executive director Sue Cox says she doesn’t think the food bank needs a union, “but if that’s what people want, we’ll do it.”

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