Community social service workers return strong strike mandate

Unions call on province and employers to protect community jobs and services BURNABY—Frontline community social service workers across British Columbia have given their bargaining committee a strike mandate of 85 per cent in Community Living and 77 per cent in General Services.  The vote follows more than 18 months of protracted contract talks that broke […]

Deal in a day for Grand Forks library workers

GRAND FORKS—CUPE library workers and the Grand Forks Public Library have ratified a new three-year collective agreement after only one day of negotiations . The seven members of CUPE Local 2254 at the library signed a new agreement with wage increases of 2.5 per cent in each of the three years ending June 30, 2014. […]

Tentative deal at Pacific Blue Cross

VANCOUVER —CUPE 1816 has reached a tentative four-year agreement with health benefits provider Pacific Blue Cross after seven months to the day of hard bargaining. The agreement-in-principle still needs to be ratified by the 610 members of the local. CUPE 1816 president Beth Miller says the bargaining team will be recommending acceptance of the package. […]

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly:

BURNABY — CUPE members in the Metro Vancouver area are encouraged to attend an important conference on taxation policy this Friday and Saturday at the Maritime Labour Centre. Details of the event program can be found here. The event, co-sponsored by CUPE BC, is presented by the Vancouver and District Labour Council. There’s never been […]

Four-year deal for Courtenay city workers

COURTENAY – CUPE municipal workers and the City of Courtenay have ratified a new collective agreement. The 80 members of CUPE Local 556 have approved a four-year package that includes wage increases of 2 per cent, 2 per cent, 2.75 per cent and 2.25 per cent respectively and improvements to the fair distribution of work. […]

Coast Mountain schools proposes major concessions

TERRACE- Bargainers for CUPE 2052 (Coast Mountain Schools) left the table this week with close to 60 pages of management proposals for concessions. Among the most offensive of the employer proposals are those to: eliminate the ability of members to move through the  workforce erode sick time create a seven day work week to eliminate […]

Next generation of CUPE BC activists set for Young Workers Conference

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. Featuring a wide selection of workshops, interaction and fun, the conference is open to any CUPE BC member […]

CUPE BC puts politics into action for activists

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 […]

CUPE education bargainers meet – build solidarity

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. With locals in the three sectors at bargaining tables throughout the province, all agreed to closer coordination heading into September and what could be a busy fall on the bargaining front. The […]

Tentative agreement in Comox Valley

COMOX—CUPE Local 556 and the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) have reached a tentative collective agreement. The parties have been in negotiations since December of 2010. The agreement must still be ratified by 70 members of CUPE 556 and the Comox Valley Regional District board. Details will not be released until both sides have ratified […]