CUPE BC Convention: News from the floor

Politics was the order of the day on the convention floor. Federal NDP leader Jack Layton slammed Harper and the BC Liberal government for betraying working people and BC NDP leader Carole James called out the BC Liberals for their arrogance and deception. Delegates passed a resolution vowing to fight the HST and began reviewing […]

Fewer ambulances, paramedics

RICHMOND—The provincial government’s latest move to “fix” ambulance services in the Lower Mainland is to cut the number of ambulances and paramedics. According to the BC Ambulance Service, the plan is to eliminate 14 ambulances while slashing the equivalent of 36 fulltime jobs. The details were revealed during a meeting with CUPE 873, Ambulance Paramedics […]

April 28 ‘Day of Disrespect’ in Penticton

PENTICTON—CUPE 608 members, Penticton municipal workers, were shocked by the layoff of five workers on April 28, the Day of Mourning. After a Core Services Review, the City ended up giving pink slips to five workers on a day honouring workers who have been killed on the job. “I wish the City would have considered […]

CUPE Local 1936 members support merger

BURNABY—Today’s announcement that CUPE-signatory employer Gateway Society Services for Persons with Autism and Health Sciences Association-signatory employer Peace Arch Society are merging to form a new entity is good news for patients and employees alike, CUPE Local 1936 President Michael Lanier said today. Gateway and Peace Arch announced today that the two societies are merging. […]

CUPE members renew pledge to fight for safer workplaces

O’Neill calls for an end to ‘near misses’ as Day of Mourning events held throughout B.C. SURREY—CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill summed up this year’s National Day of Mourning events yesterday by calling on union members and employers alike to work together to reduce preventable workplace accidents and eliminate “near misses” altogether. Speaking in the […]

Forum draws community interest

VANCOUVER—More than 75 people attended a forum Saturday afternoon about Haiti after the earthquake. The forum was organized by CUPE BC and co-sponsored by CUPE Metro, Haiti Solidarity BC, Co-Dev Canada, CUPE 391, and Help Hear Haiti (a UBC coalition). Doug Sprenger, of CUPE BC’s International Solidarity Committee chaired the forum. Dukens Raphael, secretary-general of […]

Haitian labour leader calls for more solidarity, less charity, in relief efforts

CUPE pledges $20,000, continued commitment to reconstruction VANCOUVER—Haitian labour leader Dukens Raphael stirred delegates on the final day of CUPE BC’s 47th annual Convention with a moving speech that called for greater solidarity—not charity—between international civil society organizations and the people they’re trying to help in his earthquake-ravaged country. Raphael, secretary-general of Haiti’s Confederation of […]

Convention sets priorities for the coming year

VANCOUVER—At CUPE BC’s 47th annual Convention, delegates debated and passed more than 50 resolutions to guide activities in the coming year and adopted policy positions on the pressing issues of the day. Resolutions come from locals, district councils, CUPE BC committees and task forces, and the CUPE BC executive board. They reflect the diversity and breadth […]

2010 Communications Awards

VANCOUVER — CUPE BC’s Technology and Communications Committee had some tough choices to make choosing this year’s Communication Award winners. CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill lauded the initiative taken by this year’s contenders to keep the lines of communications open with their members and their communities. In the Best Newsletter category for Locals with 500 […]

‘The fight’s on’—Sinclair

Fed boss vows with coordination, cooperation, labour movement and NDP can defeat BC Liberals VANCOUVER—The 2013 provincial election campaign has already begun, and the labour movement must work with the NDP now to ensure the BC Liberals are defeated and voters elect a government that puts working people first, BC Federation of Labour president Jim […]