BURNABY — CUPE BC's Young Workers Conference, scheduled for July 6-8 in Naramata, is a great place for the next generation of union activists to learn the skills they'll need at the workplace and in the community.

BURNABY — CUPE BC's Political Action Committee is holding a three-day conference for CUPE members in Burnaby as BC gears up for local elections across the province in November, as well as a possible provincial election as early as this summer.

The theme of the conference—Putting Politics Into Action—will feature workshops on a wide variety of topics, including the increasing use of social media like Twitter and Facebook in elections, post-election relationships with elected officials and developing campaign skills at the local level.

The conference will take place Jun 14-16

The BC NDP Leadership debate tour kicks off in Surrey at the SFU Campus on March 20. The debate tour will stop in a total of nine communities across British Columbia, ending April 6 in Terrace.

BURNABY-CUPE BC is encouraging all members who support the BC New Democratic Party to join the political party before January 17 so they can participate in the election of the next leader.

CUPE members all across BC have an opportunity to influence the future direction of the BC NDP by becoming members of the party, getting involved in the leadership race, and casting a ballot in the leadership election on April 17, 2011. In order to vote, you must be a member in good standing of the party by January 17, 2011.

Becoming a member is quick and easy.

BURNABY—CUPE members and activists in Victoria, Vancouver and Penticton should mark their calendars and plan to attend community forums on privatization featuring noted author John Loxley next weekend.

RICHMOND—It is with great sadness that CUPE BC has learned of the death on Sunday night of CUPE 716 (Richmond Schools) member Reynold Sokolik.

Sokolik, a respected activist and long-time member of CUPE BC’s Occupational Health and Safety committee, was suffering from cancer and died after a brief hospitalization.

“Reynold was a great trade unionist, health and safety activist, and a friend who will be missed by all who knew him,” said CUPE BC secretary-treasurer Mark Hancock, whose Facebook page was

Shirley Carr was world’s first woman elected head of a national labour organization

Shirley Carr, a long-time activist and labour leader whose work has created a legacy of strength and pride in the Canadian labour movement, died on Thursday, June 24, at the age of 81, in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

CUPE National president Paul Moist this morning released the following statement on Sister Shirley’s passing:

Workers have lost a true friend with the passing of Sister Shirley Carr.

Workplace, union equality a long—but rewarding—road, says CUPE disability rights activist

BURNABY—Achieving equality rights and promoting diversity—both in the workplace and in one’s union—can be a long, tough road.

PENTICTON - Zane Gold is a school custodian with big dreams. A CUPE 523 member in Penticton schools since 1999, he has left and returned a few times, but it is likely his future is in the music industry. And he has lots of support from friends and family, including his dad who worked for the Okanagan-Skaha school district for 25 years.

Now in his early 30s, Zane has had a lot of experiences and some pretty big musical wins already.

BURNABY—Activists across the province are gearing up to protect public services and working with communities to stop privatization of health care, water and wastewater and other areas. The good news is that there are many reasons to say NO to privatization and there is a growing body of solid research demonstrating that public-private partnerships (P3s) don’t work.

For a quick read – take a look at Ten reasons to say no to privatization.