Member Update: Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2004

CALGARY — AUPE wants more than 1,600 members who work for ATB Financial branches throughout the province to become familiar with the faces behind their union.

A campaign is now underway to assemble a worksite contact list of members employed at southern Alberta ATB Financial branches.

Visiting members at their respective banks also serves another important purpose, says Calgary-based AUPE Membership Services Officer, Dewey Funk.

“We want to get out there and meet our members, and help put a human face on their union,” said Funk.

Funk and Local 020/008 Chair Linda Kneeshaw met members at 19 ATB Financial branches on Aug. 5-6 in Banff, Canmore, Cochrane, Airdrie and throughout Calgary. Plans are now in the works to visit members who work at ATBs in Strathmore and Black Diamond.

Visiting ATB Financial branches in Northern Alberta, said Kneeshaw, is also a priority.

“We have a lot of new people who know they belong to a union, but don’t really know who they contact for a variety of issues,” she explained. “It’s especially important for us to reach out to our membership up north, and to let them know that our Local’s membership is becoming stronger and much more active with each passing day.”

Kneeshaw and Funk also used the opportunity to inform AUPE members employed by ATB Financial about the $1,000 post-secondary education bursaries available to members and their families.

“The response we received was terrific,” said Funk. “People thanked us for making the rounds.”

AUPE members can learn more about activities and issues that impact ATB employees by logging on to the Local 020 website at http://www.local20.net/index.htm
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