Community college layoffs reflect lack of commitment to northern economy

BURNABY—With an unemployment rate in northern B.C. sitting at 11.5 per cent and layoffs looming at northern colleges, the B.C. government’s vaunted BC Jobs Plan is failing northern communities, unions representing post secondary workers said today.

The B.C.

The CUPE 2081 newsletter, The Pressure Point, is published four times a year: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. The Pressure Point serves to keep members up to date about important issues, opportunities and events.

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VICTORIA—With a brand new video from CUPE 2081 members at Camosun College, CUPE has launched a new website to help connect workers in the college sector to each other and their communities.

CUPE members in the B.C. colleges sector help students in British Columbia receive quality post-secondary education from application to graduation.

Terry Allen, Michelle Waite, Colleen Garbe and Lois Rugg.VANCOUVER—CUPE college and university bargaining committees met this week with the chair of the CUPE K-12 Presidents’ Council to talk issues and strategy.

BURNABY—CUPE locals in the CUPE Colleges Bargaining Council (CCBC) have returned to local bargaining tables to resume bargaining discussions.

The College and Institute Support Staff Bargaining Association (CISSBA) met with the Post-Secondary Employers’ Council (PSEA) last week and after joint discussions the parties agreed to resume provincial talks at a later time.  CISSBA includes CUPE (CCBC) members as well as BCGEU and FPSE support staff.

CCBC Chair Michelle Waite says that CUPE locals hope to have some good discussion and find solutions to in-house issues.

CUPE colleges coordinator Ian McLean, CCBC chair Michelle Waite, UCBC co-chair Lois Rugg, CUPE universities coordinator Tracey MathiesonVANCOUVER—CUPE locals in post-secondary institutions across B.C. will be working more closely together in the coming year. Following a well-attended forum at the 2011 CUPE BC convention, college and university locals have agreed to hold a series of meetings to discuss common interests and possible joint actions.

NANAIMO—As the Vancouver Island University Faculty Association (VIUFA) enters the third week of job action, CUPE members continued to show support for a fair and negotiated settlement.

Job action began on March 10, and picket lines have been up at VIU’s Nanaimo, Cowichan, Parksville and Powell River campuses. Close to 300 members of CUPE 1858 work at VIU.

CUPE 1858 president Tara Mitchell says that CUPE members understand how frustrating the bargaining process is in B.C.

VICTORIA-Hundreds of students from all over British Columbia gathered at the B.C.

Victoria – A steady stream of students, staff and faculty came by the CUPE 2081 booth to take the tap water pledge and get a free water bottle on March 10.

NANAIMO—CUPE members at Vancouver Island University are honouring picket lines for Vancouver Island University Faculty Association (VIUFA) today. Faculty turned their collective bargaining frustrations into action this morning and erected picket lines at VIU’s Nanaimo, Cowichan, Parksville and Powell River campuses.

CUPE members at Vancouver Island University were asked to honour picket lines today, following an end to mediated bargaining discussions between the VIUFA and their employer on Tuesday morning.

Close to 300 members of CUPE 1858 work at VIU.