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From the Officers of Local 1 Quebec

Front row, from left, Local 1 Secretary-Treasurer/Director General Mario Basilico, and President Georges Clermont. Back row, from left, 1st Vice President Dorato Lizza, 2nd Vice President Roberto Panichella, and Busines Agent/Recording Secretary Aldo Malorni.

BAC Local 1 Quebec is preparing for yet another raiding period. The campaigning is already underway. We would like to point out that Local 1’s successes in the past few raiding campaigns are due to your loyalty as well as the help provided by the International. Without your loyalty and dedication, we would not be the top Local for our trade in Quebec and Canada.

Local 1’s leadership is once again asking for your help to keep us at the top, and to help recruit from the other trade unions as many people as we possibly can. Don’t forget to call the Local when you recruit a new member for compensation. Most important, our success in recruiting allows us to negotiate our collective bargaining from a position of strength and on our own (without any other trade unions because we represent the majority) to advance our members’ interests.

Our goal for this raiding period has not changed from past campaigns:

• First, to keep all of you satisfied and proud to be a member by continuing to serve in any way possible. With our 24-hour guarantee, we will be there for you within 24 hours of your call, on any jobsite, if you need to see your Local’s Director or business agent for any reason. Our promise has never been broken.
• Our second objective is to increase our membership by working with you to recruit from the other four trade unions. We need your help to make them understand that if they are in our trade and not part of Local 1, they are not being properly represented. They are also not given an adequate say because other unions represent all trades not just our trade. With so few tile setters in the other unions’ ranks, their voice is not being heard. If they want better representation and service, encourage them to join Local 1, where we represent only our trade and understand what your needs are.

Our affiliation with BAC and QFL (FTQ) make our Local unique in Quebec. We are part of two Great Leading Unions, a claim no one else can make. As a result, we are able to provide so many other services that no other trade union can offer. You know there’s strength in numbers, so let’s go out there and recruit, recruit, and then recruit just a little more.

I would like to quote Leon Davis, founder of a small union in 1932, and later one of America’s largest health care workers’ groups. “Alone we’re nothing...together we’re everything” – it’s the whole philosophy of labour. Again, don’t forget to get compensation for your recruiting efforts by calling your Local at 1-514-727-2950 or 1-866-318-2950. Thank you once again for your loyalty – our Local is nothing without your help and support.