Public Employee Summer 2021
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CUPE 1004 rallies draw public support to save the PNE
VANCOUVER—Hundreds of people, including union members, families and the public rallied on Wednesday in a day of action to draw attention to the dire financial position of the Pacific National Exhibition following 16 months of the pandemic. At morning and afternoon rallies held at the PNE’s main entrance, passing drivers honked their horns in support […]
Donald Grant: Municipalities need to answer the emergency call for more 9-1-1 funding
Op-ed published in the Vancouver Sun on July 7, 2021. Over the last week, 9-1-1 operators have been pushed past the breaking point. We saw a nexus of a record heatwave, the province-wide restart from COVID-19, and a serious 9-1-1 operator shortage. The record-breaking number of calls far exceeded our existing staffing capacity to handle […]
CUPE 1004 campaigns to save the PNE
VANCOUVER—The re-opening of the Pacific National Exhibition on August 21 is a big step toward recovery, but with limited attendance capacity and fewer attractions this year, short-term financial assistance of $8 million is still needed to help cover the residual pandemic debt. CUPE 1004 is running radio and digital ads starting this week, to raise […]
CUPE 1004 rallying for the PNE
VANCOUVER–The union representing workers at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) is inviting other unions and the public to join them on Wednesday, July 7 at a rally to raise awareness about the PNE’s financial crisis. The PNE, which pumps $200 million into the local economy and is a major local employer, is close to financial […]
9-1-1 operators “stretched to the limit” during heat wave
VANCOUVER—Record high temperatures during the historic heat wave in B.C. have taken their toll on Lower Mainland 9-1-1 operators, who this past weekend were swamped by a record-breaking number of calls and stretched to the limit in their ability to answer them all, says the union representing workers at E-Comm Emergency Communications for BC. “Between […]
Bulletin – Wrapping up the school year
Employer questions on vaccination While the provincial immunization plan moves forward throughout the summer, we are asking all K-12 members to contact your CUPE local if your employer asks about your immunization status. If you are asked by your employer about whether you’ve been vaccinated, or if they ask for any other information regarding immunization, […]
Bulletin – Good News – Now easier for School Districts to open Before- and After-School Care spaces (Seamless Day Pilot Projects and Licensing changes)
Twenty new Seamless Day pilot projects were announced in the BC government’s April budget. This is a big step forward to an integrated system of early care and learning within BC’s public education system and is in large part thanks to the hard work of so many of you in the education sector. By engaging […]
Bulletin – Support Staff Initiative For Recruitment and Retention Enhancement (SSIRRE)
As part of the 2019-2022 Provincial Framework Agreement between the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) and the K-12 Presidents Council and Support Staff Unions, the parties committed to the Support Staff Initiative for Recruitment and Retention Enhancement (SSIRRE), a labour market study of support staff positions in the public K-12 sector. The SSIRRE project […]
BC school support workers welcome education recovery plan
BURNABY – British Columbia school support workers are welcoming the $43.6 million in funding announced yesterday to support the safe reopening of BC schools for the 2021/2022 school year. CUPE’s K-12 Presidents Council, representing over 30,000 support workers in B.C.’s education system, says the announcement by Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside represents a big step […]