A warm Okanagan welcome to CUPE

KELOWNA—Almost one-third of CUPE’s newest members were on hand Monday to attend their first Local 338 meeting. After the roll call of officers and the reading of the equality statement, CUPE 338 president Brent Soroka introduced the Local’s executive board, CUPE BC secretary-treasurer Mark Hancock and staff. Soroka noted that the members from the Regional […]

O’Neill to speak at Nanaimo faculty solidarity rally

NANAIMO—Barry O’Neill will join Cindy Oliver, President, FPSE, Jim Sinclair, President, BC Federation of Labour and Barbara Byers, Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress at a rally to support workers on the line at Vancouver Island University. When: Wednesday, March 30 from 12:00 – 1:00 pm Where: Navy League of Canada parking lot (750 Fifth Street, […]

CUPE welcomes new StrongStart members on the Island

PORT ALBERNI—CUPE 727 representing workers in Alberni schools on Vancouver Island has welcomed StrongStart workers as new members. The new members work in elementary schools in Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet and Bamfield. They are certified Early Childhood Educators and have considerable experience in the early child development field. Local president Laura Johnston says that the […]

100 years of public service recognized at City Hall

CUPE 1004, City of Vancouver outside workers unveil commemorative plaque VANCOUVER— CUPE 1004 members will be joined by Mayor Gregor Robertson at 2:00 pm Tuesday, April 5 at a ceremony in the main council chamber at City Hall to mark the 100th anniversary of services provided by Vancouver’s outside workers. CUPE 1004 president Mike Jackson […]

Rallying for fairness in Nanaimo

NANAIMO—Several hundred people came out to support striking faculty at Vancouver Island University today. The crowd included workers and families and friends from the community. Many sister unions brought messages of solidarity and support. Cindy Oliver, president of the Federation of Post-secondary Educators (FPSE), of which the VIU Faculty Association is a member, thanked CUPE […]

CSSBA walks away from table: “We won’t bargain concessions”

BURNABY—The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) has notified the Community Social Services Employers Association (CSSEA) today that its members are walking away from the negotiating table. On two key priority language articles, the employer continues to table concessions, and no real employment security has been tabled. Due to the fact that the CSSBA was […]

Something smelly about sewage privatization in Scotland

Rob Edwards, environment editor for the Sunday Herald has just published a major expose on Scottish sewage privatization. An investigation by the Sunday Herald has revealed that a massive £4.8 billion of public money is being paid to multinational corporations to run sewage works that are plagued with breakdowns, pollution and pongs. Internal reports from […]

Solidarity in action – on the line with VIU faculty

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 […]

Public must act to ensure water stays public

VANCOUVER—The best strategy to ensure that water stays in public hands and isn’t turned over to for-profit business interests is for government to protect natural resources as a public trust. That’s one of the main messages Vancouver and Victoria audiences heard from well-known environmental lawyer and activist Jim Olson on March 23rd and 24th. As […]

Honour the dead, fight for the living

BURNABY—April 28 is the National Day of Mourning for workers killed, injured or who become ill as a result of unsafe working conditions. In 1984 CUPE’s National Health and Safety Committee proposed the idea for a day to honour workers injured or killed at work. This year will mark the 27th National Day of Mourning […]