NEWSLETTER DEEMED OFFENSIVE AND PULLED

Ewald Schwarz may turn in his pen.

The steward for CUPE Local 70 has been censored after some employees
took offense to the latest CUPE newsletter that shows a drawing of a
scantily clad golfer and depicts union members as potheads.

"This document shows what kind of people are put in control of the
municipal government's local union, and what is of the utmost
importance to them," states an e-mail to the Lethbridge Herald.

"There appears to be absolutely no professionalism shown in this
document put out by the union president and steward, Duane Thomas and
Ewald Schwarz. However, it is an almost unarguably accurate depiction
of the typical city employee."

Schwarz admits the angry response surprised him, and he only intended
to remind union members about a golf tournament later this month and
share some other information.

"It evoked such a response it absolutely floored me," Schwarz says.
"I'm not trying to push anybody's buttons."

But push them he did with his picture of a person -- drawn from the
back -- wearing only a bikini brief and inviting employees to a party.
Another cartoon character states CUPE stands for cannibis-using pizza
eaters.

Schwarz says he's been drawing cartoons on the union's newsletter for
years, and while some in the past have attracted some criticism,
they've never hit a nerve like last month's newsletter.

"I've put out racier stuff."

Schwarz was on vacation when the newsletter was posted in City of
Lethbridge buildings. It was ordered down following the complaints and
the executive later passed a resolution that subsequent submissions to
the newsletter had to be approved by a committee.

A missive to the union's executive from upset employees demands a
retraction of the newsletter and a written apology to union members.
The letter also accuses union president Duane Thomas of not taking the
issue seriously.

"When contacted by one of your members, the president's reply was, 'If
you don't like it, don't look at it. It was meant to be a joke.' "

The letter points out the offending newsletter contravenes the union's
own collective agreement with the city, which states personal
harassment is "any discriminatory behaviour at or related to the
workplace which denies an individual their dignity and respect or
affects their job security by creating an intimidating, offensive,
embarrassing or humiliating work environment."

Schwarz didn't think he was creating any of those conditions when, on
the executive's request, he wrote the newsletter.

"This was a perfectly innocent thing," he says. "I was very careful
not to show a hint of breast or genitalia or butt crack or anything.
You see worse in a catalogue or newspaper."

Although union executive already met and discussed the issue, Schwarz
expected it to be discussed at a general membership meeting Tuesday
night, when the executive would announce that further newsletters
would be approved by a committee. He didn't think he would be ordered
to apologize.

The ordeal likely won't keep him from producing further newsletters,
but any cartoon characters may not be his creations.

"I'm going to use clip art from now on. I'm too old for this."