Presidents’ Council members accomplished a great deal over two day meetings that included K-12 Local Presidents and CUPE staff.

VANCOUVER – The CUPE K-12 Presidents’ Council met in Vancouver on April 14 and 15 with a full agenda. Over the course of two days members elected a new executive, ratified bargaining proposals, approved proposed bylaw amendments, and elected representatives to SSEAC.

BURNABY – The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation has issued 72-hour strike notice in response to disappointing progress in their negotiations, and job action can begin tomorrow Wednesday, April 23.

“CUPE members fully support teachers in their attempts to reach a fair and reasonable settlement,” said CUPE BC President Mark Hancock. “Our members will continue to perform their regular work and will not take on any duties normally performed by teachers.”

This first stage of job action will impact the administration, not students.

CUPE K–12 Provincial Bargaining Committee met to develop proposals for 2014 bargaining.

RICHMOND—CUPE’s K–12 Provincial Bargaining Committee (PBC) met for two days on March 13 and 14 in Richmond. There was a full agenda with the primary goal to develop provincial proposals for recommendation to the K-12 Presidents’ Council for ratification.

VICTORIA - Members of CUPE Local 947 voted to ratify a collective agreement with School District 61 (Victoria) last night.

CUPE Local 947 served strike notice on Wednesday, January 15th and met until late in the day on Friday, January 17th achieving a settlement and averting job action.

VICTORIA - CUPE Local 947 representing education workers in School District 61(Victoria) has issued 72 hour notice of potential job action.

The union is hoping the situation can be resolved without a strike. As a courtesy to Victoria area parents, notice has been issued in order to advise that job action may be a possibility.

Local 947 met with School District 61 and the BC Public Schools Employers Association today. The remaining issue involves changes to prescription drug benefits for members. 

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KOOTENAYS - Members of CUPE Local 4165 in the School District 5 (Southeast Kootenay) and CUPE Local 748 School District 8 (Kootenay Lake) both achieved settlements with their respective employers and will be voting on ratification of collective agreements early this week.

“It was thanks to the dedication and solidarity of our members that we were able to achieve a settlement,” said Michelle Bennett, President of CUPE Local 748. “It is up to the members now. We are holding ratification meetings this week and will know the vote by 7PM, Wednesday, December 18th.”

OKANAGAN SKAHA - Considered changes by the board of School District 67 (Okanagan Skaha) to the school calendar would negatively impact education workers and students, says CUPE.

CUPE Local 523 barely averted a strike by reaching a settlement at the eleventh hour on December 2nd. Members however remain frustrated, and the Local is voicing opposition to moving five professional development days from August to be dispersed throughout the school year.

BURNABY- CUPE’s 57 BC K-12 Local bargaining committees have worked hard, and continue to make sure members receive fair deals through the implementation the Provincial Framework Agreement (PFA) negotiated by the CUPE BC K-12 Presidents’ Council Provincial Bargaining Subcommittee and the BC Government on September 18th.

KOOTENAY LAKE-The Board of Education for School District 8 (Kootenay Lake) held an extraordinary meeting Monday night to reconsider a savings plan to pay for the 3.5 percent wage adjustment for CUPE Local 748 education workers. The lack of a savings plan for the district was a major roadblock to the bargaining process.

“The Board adopted a plan that will allow bargaining to move forward,” said CUPE Local 748 President Michelle Bennett. “Our main objective is to make sure services students depend on are protected.”