Bulletin
David Suzuki Foundation – We’ve Got Your Back – Every Step of the Way
May 12, 2025
To: All MoveUP members at David Suzuki Foundation
You stood up for your rights by joining MoveUP — and we’ve been in your corner ever since.
As we are fighting for your first collective agreement, we want you to know that your participation is critical to ensure your rights and working conditions are fully protected.
We know this process hasn’t always been smooth or easy. Most recently, the employer took the position of an agreement for each operation – British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. Your union is against this position and sees this as a tactic to foster a divisive culture within your workplace.
Under the Labour Relations Code, the employer cannot pressure, intimidate, or bypass your union. They also cannot make unilateral changes to your pay, hours, or working conditions while your first agreement is still being negotiated. This is called the statutory freeze, and it exists to protect workers like you. You have the right to union representation at meetings that could affect your working conditions or your rights.
Your regional union representatives are eager to commence negotiation. As you know, the Quebec bargaining committee has been working on proposals based on the results of our preliminary bargaining survey. Your union wants to make sure that feedback from all regions is incorporated. If we are not able to create the bargaining committee for B.C., we will procced with the Quebec bargaining committee to get a collective agreement for all regions.
If you are interested in becoming a job steward and are committed to participating in this process, please contact your Vice President, Christy Slusarenko, at cslusarenko@moveuptogether.ca and copy me at achen@moveuptogether.ca in your email.
Here’s what you can count on:
- Your rights as MoveUP members matters, and we’re committed to making sure they are respected.
- You have a right to union representation. Employers are required to work with your union in good faith, and that includes respecting your right to be represented when any issues arise at work.
- You deserve equality and job security. Your union put the employer on notice that their practice of rolling contracts is not appropriate.
You joined the union to have a voice — and you have one. Thank you, again, for putting your trust in us. We are excited to be your union, and we will continue standing strong as we fight for your first collective agreement.
In solidarity,
Anny Chen, Union Representative
Christy Slusarenko, Vice-President, Combined Units
