TRAM History

TRAM HISTORY

 

            Following the privatization of MTS on January 1, 1997, it became apparent that the Provincial Auditor-General, Jon Singleton, had interfered with the appointed independent actuary, Clifford Fox, in his determination of Pension Plan Equivalency. Mr. Singleton met with MTS and subsequently had Mr. Fox change his evaluation.

 

            A lawsuit was launched against MTS, Singleton and Fox with Harry Restall (elected pension representative) and Larry Trach (Representing TEAM, IBEW and CEP) as the plaintiffs. The costs for the D'Arcy Deacon legal team were to be borne equally by the three Unions. This situation allowed for Larry Trach to provide feedback to the Unions, but Harry Restall had no funding method for feed back to the retirees.

 

            Ken Beatty, who had been involved as a concerned retiree during the privatization process in 1996 and thereafter, contacted other like-minded retirees to examine establishing an organization to provide support for the elected Retiree Pension Representative and also all retirees.

 

            Organizational meetings were held, beginning in 1998 - 99, where an interim executive was selected as follows: President Ken Beatty, 1st Vice-President Fred Maher, 2nd Vice-President Ernie Holland, Secretary Evan MacKenzie and Treasurer Bob McClintock. The name initially selected for the organization was Manitoba Telephone Retirees Association, acronym MTSRA, but MTS prevented the use of MTS in the name.

Telephone Retirees of Manitoba, acronym TRAM, was subsequently chosen.

 

            The Interim Executive and the drafted TRAM Constitution and By-Laws were approved at the 1st AGM in April 2000. The annual membership dues were set at $10.00 and a Trust Fund for voluntary member donations toward the Legal Costs was established.

TRAM, as one of the major groups affected by the results of the lawsuit, agreed to fund some of the Legal Costs. To date we have contributed approximately $175,000.00 which is near 12% of costs to date. Harry Restall has received support and funding for mailers and reports to retirees.