RICHMOND—CUPE’s B.C. regional bargaining strategies conference continued on Thursday with delegates separating into provincial and locally-funded sectors—and then into individual sectors—to discuss bargaining priorities for 2012.

Presentations throughout the day focused on helping delegates understand the current bargaining climate in B.C., including provincial and federal political factors.

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.

 RICHMOND—For Day One of CUPE’s regional bargaining strategies conference, delegates attended four of a possible nine workshops on various issues CUPE locals are facing at the bargaining table this year:

LIVELY DISCUSSION—From left, CUPE Research rep and panel host Blair Redlin introduces Ronald Boisrond, Bonnie Pearson, Robin Jones, and Don Vipond.

RICHMOND—CUPE’s B.C.

RICHMOND—Thanks to the growing income gap between the richest and poorest citizens, and relentless labour-bashing by the federal Conservative and BC Liberal governments, CUPE members have more cause than ever to unite across sectors and work with other unions to restore free collective bargaining, CUPE National president Paul Moist told delegates in his keynote address on Tuesday night.  

Moist began his remarks by commenting on BC Liberal Finance Minister Kevin Falcon’s response to a BC Statistics

RICHMOND—CUPE has come a long way in its embrace of strategic, coordinated bargaining across sectors and unions, CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill told delegates, in his welcoming remarks on Tuesday night.

CUPE Health Care Workers began bargaining last week, joined by over 13,000 workers employed in the Community Health sector. Talks commenced between the multi-union Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and the Health Employers’ Association of B.C. (HEABC) on January 23 with the exchange of opening remarks and the initial tabling of proposals.  

BURNABY—Following the horrific explosion January 20 in Burns Lake, the BC division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees has donated $10,000 to the Steelworkers union’s relief fund and an additional $1,000 to CUPE Local 2062 (Burns Lake Civic workers). The funds are to assist the community as it tries to cope with the deaths of two residents, serious injuries to 19 workers and the long-term loss of hundreds of jobs in the small town.

RICHMOND—CUPE Regional’s first provincial bargaining strategies conference in three years kicks off this week (January 31-February 3), with about 260 delegates prepared to tackle the key issues facing all sectors at the bargaining table in 2012.

The conference, themed “Bridging our Sectors to Strengthen Free Collective Bargaining in B.C.,” takes place at the Vancouver Airport Sheraton Hotel in Richmond beginning on Tuesday night with an opening plenary.