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LOCAL 4266
The birth of this country’s largest private-sector union got another step closer,
after the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada voted
overwhelmingly in favour of a merger with the Canadian Auto Workers.

“It sends a message to the Conservatives and any other political group that
thinks that they can attack workers: an attack against one will be a response
from all of us.”

The CAW gave its go-ahead for the merger in August.

CAW secretary-treasurer Peter Kennedy said he was “thrilled with the results
of the vote.”

But he also said there is a lot of work ahead before it’s possible “to
consummate this marriage of two hell-raisers.”

Kennedy said CEP and CAW leaders will next form working groups that will
draft a constitution and founding documents for the new union, among other
tasks. A convention in 2013 will officially bring the two unions together “with a
new name, a new identity and a new purpose.”

The new union will start with more than 300,000 members. Coles said the plan
is to devote 10 per cent of revenues to adding new members, and predicts the
union could double in size “in a very short period of time.”

The new union would be open to students, retirees and the unemployed,
Coles said.

"We want to have everyone in society have the right for a collective voice."
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