Meet Your 2021-2022 RSMC Bargaining Committee

The National Executive Board has appointed its Rural and Suburban Mail Carrier (RSMC) Negotiation Committee members for 2021–2022. Four members will be joining Sister Nancy Beauchamp, Chief Negotiator.

GAYLE KLASSEN

The extensive experience Gayle has acquired, mostly outside CUPW, will come in handy for her first role as an RSMC negotiator. She has worked closely with a bargaining team for the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), doing research, taking notes and ensuring that all necessary material was available to them.

Gayle started out as a contractor at Canada Post, before becoming OCRE and route holder in 2014. She is actively involved in union matters with her local, works closely with the Executive Committee, and attends consultations. Her previous experience, combined with her knowledge of the workplace and her participation in union matters, will be a great asset to members at the bargaining table.

SOPHIE GRENIER

Sophie joins a negotiation committee for the first time. Sophie has been an RSMC since 2004 but would accompany her mother while she delivered the mail in rural areas long before she was old enough to work in the trade. Following her mother’s example, she became shop steward at the Brossard office. Working in an office with more Urban than RSMC members gave her a greater understanding of the differences between the bargaining units and helped her to navigate both collective agreements. She is currently head of the Women’s Committee of the Montreal Local.

Although her job at the Montreal Local is not full time, Sophie has held several replacement executive positions and has been part of grievance hearings for both collective agreements.

BARB MCMILLAN

Barb began her career at Canada Post in 1999.

This will be Barb’s fourth time on the RSMC negotiation committee. She knows the Route Management System (RMS) inside and out, has been working on the compensation model since its implementation, and has been involved in the sortation and delivery study (Letter 3). Barb is currently on the Workload Committee and was also part of the pay equity process, which resulted in a historical win for RSMCs.

She was elected National Union Representative for the Grievance Department at the last convention in 2019. In this capacity, she attends national consultations, which provides important information about RSMC issues at the national level. 

She was president of the Arnprior-Renfrew Local, Central Region. She has facilitated many courses, including the RSMC collective agreement, the Basic Shop Steward course and the Basic Health & Safety course. Barb has also argued many grievances and has experience in negotiating collective agreements for urban and rural units.

ANGEL HOARE

Although this will be her first time on the RSMC negotiation committee, Angel has previously assisted in negotiations in the private sector. She has been a union representative for the Pacific Region since 2015. She has in-depth knowledge of the collective agreement and is responsible for preparing all the grievance files for her region’s rural unit, up until arbitration when necessary.

Angel has been with Canada Post since 1997. She participated in the sign-up campaign for RSMCs to join CUPW in the 2000s. Her active involvement, her efforts on the work floor to mobilize and defend members, and her role in the Pacific Region make her an asset on the Negotiation Committee.

Congratulations to Angel, Barb, Gayle and Sophie!

The RSMC Negotiation Committee welcomes your diverse experience and your commitment. We know you will be outstanding representatives for CUPW members and that the entire national office will support you in carrying out your primary duties as negotiators.

Keep an eye out for the Demands Program to be released in the fall. More news on negotiations will be coming soon.

In Solidarity!