CUPE deal at Vancouver Island U

NANAIMO—CUPE support workers at Vancouver Island University have a new tentative agreement. The deal was reached this week after a final bargaining session between VIU and CUPE Local 1858.  The tentative agreement is for a four-year, no-concessions agreement with no wage increases in the first two years and four 1percent wage hikes spread over the […]

New dates scheduled for Community Health bargaining

VANCOUVER—Community Health bargaining will pause for the holiday season, but is scheduled to resume January 7, 2013. “When we return to the table in the new year, we are looking for the employer to bring a solid offer to the table that meets the needs of the Community Bargaining Association,” says Jill Stromnes, CUPE bargaining […]

Striking workers give SFU president ‘final offer’

BURNABY—Support workers at Simon Fraser University have delivered a ‘final offer to settle’ to SFU president Andrew Petter. The 1,000 CUPE support workers have been without a contract for 2 ½ years and SFU is the only university in the province that has not negotiated in good faith to a new collective agreement. Despite the […]

O’Neill announces retirement

Longest-serving CUPE BC president to step down in April VANCOUVER—After sixteen years in office, CUPE BC President Barry O’Neill announced today that he won’t be seeking re-election at the union’s 50th Anniversary convention in April. “It seems like just yesterday that CUPE BC members first put their trust in me as president,” said O’Neill. “And […]

Health Science Professionals set to continue job action Thursday

VANCOUVER—After nine months of bargaining health science professionals are frustrated with the lack of progress in bargaining and lack of willingness from the employer to negotiate a fair and reasonable agreement. Job action will continue this week starting tomorrow at 9 a.m. when hospital pharmacists will reduce work to essential services only. Thursday at midnight, […]

Vancouver Island job action next week, none over holidays

Entire B.C. Labour movement rallies in support of a better deal for CSS BURNABY—There will be no community social services job action between December 17, 2012 and January 6, 2013. Details will be announced shortly regarding next week’s strike action on Vancouver Island. As always, workers will be contacted directly if their agency or workplace […]

CoDevelopment Canada recognized for outstanding contribution to human rights

VANCOUVER—CoDevelopment Canada has been named the 2012 recipient of the Renate Shearer Award from the United Nations Association in Canada, Vancouver Branch and the BC Human Rights Coalition. In selecting CoDev for the award, the presenters cited the organization’s work with its Latin American partners as impressive and in need of recognition. “It is our […]

CUPE workers get contract at North Island College

COURTENAY—CUPE workers at North Island College have a new tentative collective agreement.  The agreement, signed yesterday, is a four-year, no-concessions agreement with four 1 per cent wage hikes spread over the final two years.  The tentative contract is retroactive to 2010 and has no wage increase in the first two years in keeping with the […]

CUPE launches new disability rights awareness campaign

BURNABY—Canada’s largest union is launching a new disability rights awareness campaign today. The Canadian Union of Public Employees’ national campaign is “A Solidarity of Abilities,” championed by the union’s Persons with Disabilities National Working Group. December 3 is the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, established by the United Nations to create awareness, understanding and […]

Armstrong library workers vote to join CUPE

ARMSTRONG—Library workers at the Armstrong branch of the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) voted overwhelmingly in favour of becoming the newest members of CUPE 1123 last Friday, November 30.  Rose Jurkic, CUPE 1123 president, welcomes the newest members to the growing local. In the past several months library workers in Princeton, Oliver, Keremeos, Kaleden and Hedley […]