Please find below the Zoom meeting link for the upcoming membership meeting for all members
Hi there,
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Oct 16, 2024 06:30 PM Vancouver
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcocOCpqD4iGd0fGWGfWkJ5eZl9tgpnZlYd
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
CUPE BC 2024 Disability Activist Award | TODAY; We are calling for nominations for the 2024 Disability Activist Award, aimed at recognizing a CUPE member or a CUPE Local that:
CUPE Education | NADC Weeklong Fall School | Nov 19-22: The NADC Fall Weeklong School is being opened to members from across the province. The school takes place from November 19-22, 2024 in Fort St. John. This is a great opportunity for locals who were not able to register members in the CUPE Fall Weeklong School in Whistler. For questions and information relating to registration, please contact Cody Dillabough: nadctreasurer@gmail.com
Please note that the Registration Deadline is October 18, 2024.
BC NDP & VDLC | Provincial Election Canvass Dates | Oct 9-12: Help get out the vote for the BC NDP in advance of the October 19th provincial election with Vancouver & District Labour Council President Stephen von Sychowski for the following labour canvasses:
North Vancouver Labour Canvass
October 9th – 5:30pm-8:00pm
845 15th Street West, North Vancouver
Richmond Labour Canvass
October 12th – 10:00am-12:30pm
5911 No. 3 Rd, Richmond
Vancouver Labour Canvass
October 12th – 1:30pm-4:00pm
1537 West 8th Ave., Vancouver
Sign up here for any of the above dates.
NDEAM 2024 | Oct 17: October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an opportunity to celebrate and discuss employment inclusion and to collaborate to increase inclusive hiring. You can get involved by calling on your provincial or territorial government to proclaim DEAM (toolkit in English and French from CASE), view events in your community, and light up your workplace in purple and blue on October 17th.
United Way Labour Appreciation Night | Nov 21: The 30th annual Labour Appreciation Night by Pacific Blue Cross is happening next month to celebrate the contributions of our labour community, who strengthen their unions and improve the lives of others.
Date & Time: Nov 21, 2024 | 5:30pm – 9:00pm
Location: Hilton Metrotown at 6083 McKay Avenue, Burnaby
Tickets: Purchase here ($50 per person, $450 per table of 10
More Information: Contact labourinfo@uwbc.ca or call 604-969-8606
Safe Work Spaces Virtual Training | Oct 24: Safe Work Spaces is a professionally developed training program committed to improving the lives of Canadians, covering topics such as the unique needs of adult learners; the Universal Design for Learning (UDL); Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and how to facilitate a session when participants are disruptive or disengaged. Your employees will learn how to recognize various forms of harassment and violence, the impact on individuals and organizations, and appropriate responses and reporting mechanisms. The webinar is free to all Canadian registrants.
Date & Time: Oct 24, 2024 | 9:00am – 3:00pm (ADT Halifax Time)
Registration: Click here (free account registration required)
WTC | Engaging with Local Government Webinar | Oct 10: This upcoming digital workshop from Women Transforming Cities explores opportunities to engage with local government, including tips to speak to city councillors and advocate for change.
Date & Time: Oct 10, 2024 | 5:00pm – 6:00pm (Pacific)
Fee: $11.98
Registration: Click here
Recently, the Community Social Services Bargaining Association negotiated a Memorandum of Agreement that increases wages and introduces shift premiums for Grid 11 Supportive Housing workers under the Provincial Sectoral Collective Agreement.
We have received several questions and would like to provide this bulletin to clarify the implementation of pay parity for supportive housing workers, which will take effect in the first full pay period of October.
In solidarity,
Carmen Sullivan (she/her) (Community Social Services coordinator)
bulletin Clarity for supportive housing worker pay parity implementation 2024-09-27
The committee is currently accepting applications from those seeking funding support for training or education. Please take a look at the attached bulletin and eligibility guidelines for more information.
In solidarity,
Carmen Sullivan (she/her) (Community Social Services coordinator)
CUPE National Servicing Representative
Dear members,
Please read on for general CUPE BC announcements and to learn more about upcoming events, learning resources, and community engagement opportunities. If this email was forwarded to you and you wish to be added to our mailing list, please send an email request to info@cupe.bc.ca.
Date & Time: January 14, 2025 | 9:00am – 4:00pm (Pacific)
Format: Virtual webinar with breakout rooms
· The 10-Year Strategy on the Social Determinants of Health: Reclaiming our Wellness. Remembering our Future.
· Culturally supportive housing – Wrap around Supports – Harm reduction = Pathways to Healing & Recovery
· Pathways for Accessing Treatment
· Withdrawal Management – Supporting medical, social and home detox
· OAT Access Programming: Walking Alongside Communities
· Snxastwilxtn Recovery House: A Place to Heal
· Rebuilding the Circle and Healing from Trauma
§ Slide deck 1
§ Slide deck 2
· Traditional Healing Mentorship Visioning Workshop
Date & Time: Nov 21, 2024 | 5:30pm – 9:00pm Location: Hilton Metrotown at 6083 McKay Avenue, Burnaby
Fees: $50 per person, $450 per table of 10 More Information: Contact labourinfo@uwbc.ca or call 604-969-8606
Date & Time: Oct 10, 2024 | 10:00am – 11:30am (Pacific). Registration: Click here
More Information: Contact engagement@bchumanrights.ca
English session: Oct 2, 2024 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm (Eastern) Register here
French session: Oct 3, 2024 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm (Eastern) Register here
Date & Time: Sep 25, 2024 | 1:30pm (Eastern) Registration: Click here
August 21, 2024
With the B.C. Public Health Officer’s lifting of COVID-19 vaccination orders, CUPE is providing the following guidance to locals on how to address members that were terminated or put on unpaid leave for non-compliance. This guidance is based on the rights of these affected members in the community social services sectoral collective agreements.
This is a unique situation that continues to evolve, so it is important for locals to be in close contact with their national representatives for the most up-to-date information and assistance in ensuring the rights of affected members are protected effectively.
CUPE’s position is that terminated members with outstanding grievances should have been maintained on unpaid leave and thus also treated as an employee returning to work from a general leave without pay, per Article 20.6(b). This requires the employer to place the member “in their former or equivalent position”.
For members terminated with no outstanding grievances, CUPE’s position is that should these members gain re-employment, their service should be bridged in a manner similar to employees who resign for family care reasons, under Article 12.5.
CUPE’s general approach for affected members returning to work from an unpaid leave of absence (unpaid LOA) is that they should be treated as any other employee returning to work from a general leave without pay.
Per Article 20.6(b), the employer must place the member “in their former or equivalent position” regardless of whether the position was backfilled on a temporary or permanent basis. If the former position no longer exists, the member must be placed in an equivalent position. If the former position was permanently posted and the
incumbent is higher in seniority compared to the affected member, the member must be placed in an equivalent position.
CSSEA is recommending employers to issue two-week deadlines for affected members to respond to notices to return to work. CSSEA’s recommendations is non-response to these return-to-work notices will result in termination. This is not based on any terms of the collective agreements. Similarly, CSSEA’s two-month deadline for a member to remain on unpaid leave is arbitrary and has no basis in our collective agreements.
Further, CSSEA is advising employers to inform members to cover the costs of training and other expenses (e.g. criminal record checks) needed to return to work. CUPE’s position is that employers must bear these costs that are typically covered for an employee with ongoing employment.
Locals should be filing individual grievances in a timely manner in consultation with the local’s assigned national representative.
CUPE is ready to provide any assistance locals need in this manner. Please contact your national representative with any questions or concerns.
CUPE BC | Labour Day Volunteers: CUPE BC is looking for volunteers to support our presence at Labour Day event, co-hosted by the Vancouver and District Labour Council and the New Westminster and District Labour Council, in Burnaby at Edmonds Park on Monday, September 2, 2024 If you’re able to help out, please complete the online form. If you have any questions, please email Carissa Taylor at caritaylor@cupe.ca.
Lancaster House | National Health & Safety Conference ; Lancaster House is hosting a virtual National Health & Safety Conference on September 12, 2024. The cost is $575. For more information on this event, please visit the Lancaster House conference registration webpage.
Pacific Blue Cross | Directors Election | Annual General Meeting ; Eligible members can vote on the election of Pacific Blue Cross (PBC) directors. Voting will take place from August 23, 2024, to September 3, 2024. Further instructions will be distributed to PBC members on August 21, 2024. The PBC Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on September 6, 2024. Additional information on voting and the PBC AGM can be found here.
August 31 | International Day for People of African Descent ; The International Day for People of African Descent was celebrated for the first time on August 31, 2021, with 2015 – 2024, being the International Decade for People of African Descent. The United Nations urges individuals to take tangible steps, along with full participation of people of African descent and their communities, to tackle old and new forms of racial discrimination in aims to dismantle entrenched structural and institutional racism. Read more about this special day on the United Nations website.
Aubrey Burton / Reg Ford Memorial Scholarship ; The deadline for the Aubrey Burton/ Reg Ford Memorial Scholarship is August 19, 2024, and online applications are still being accepted with the following criteria
There are four scholarships in total, each being $500 (five hundred dollars). The categories for each are:
1. One attending a public University (applicant with the highest GPA)
2. One attending a public Community College (applicant with the highest GPA).
3 One attending a public trades or technical institution (applicant with the highest GPA).
4. One based on a “lottery draw” of all applications.
Vancouver Pride Parade
Reserve your spot to march on Sunday, Aug. 4th as a member of the CUPE BC Pride contingent. There will be the CUPE BC Community Events Van, lots of swag giveaways, and special guests.
The scheduled parade time is 12-3 pm, but an earlier meet-up time will be communicated once the contingent is assigned a spot in the parade. Meet up time, location and other details will be shared closer to the march.
If you have any questions, please email Carissa Taylor caritaylor@cupe.ca. Vancouver Pride Website
Punjabi Market Pride
Don’t miss the fifth annual Punjabi Market Pride on July 31st at 6:00pm behind Himalaya Restaurant (50th and Main St), sponsored by CUPE Metro.
There will be poetry, storytelling and performances. All families, friends and community are invited.
CUPE BC at Vancouver Pride | SIGN-UP: Vancouver Pride is taking place on Sunday, August 4th, and CUPE BC will have a joint entry with our friends at the HEU. Sign up to secure your spot here: bit.ly/cupebc2024pride
2024 Pride Events Around the Province: Pride season kicked off last month with several municipalities celebrating the 2SLGBTIA+ community in Quesnel, Nanaimo, Surrey and more, with tons of events around the province still to come, including the Fraser Valley Pride event happening tomorrow, White Rock Pride, Coquitlam Pride, Chilliwack Pride and Pride in Poco next weekend. Saltspring Pride is the weekend after, Vancouver Pride week after that from July 24 to August 4, andNew West Pride August 17.
National School Food Policy Released: Last month marked the release of the National School Food Policy including $1 billion committed over 5 years to the National School Food Program. The policy is in close alignment with the Coalition for Healthy School Food’sguiding principles, developed through research across Canada and around the world. See foundational research text The case for a Canadian national school food program.
BC Gov | Benefits Connector: Browse the variety of savings and benefits online here through the BC Benefits Connector, including support for seniors, health care savings, transportation and more.
Living Wage for Families BC | Open Letter on Disability Benefits: Share this open letter (document version; see website version here) from Living Wage for Families BC urging Minister Malcolmson to remove the annualized earnings exemption (AEE) limit for people receiving Disability Assistance, as it discourages employers from paying their disabled staff a living wage.
CUPE 401 at Campbell River Salmon Festival | Aug 9: Local 401 will be representing this year at the 58th annual Campbell River Salmon Festival, so if you’re in the region, visit and show your solidarity. The festival will feature kids activities, competitions, music, booths and more.
Date & Time: Aug 9, 2024 | 4:00pm – 10:00pm Location: Nunns Creek Park at 1465 16 Ave, Campbell River
FVLC | Labour Day Gathering | Sep 2: Abbotsford residents and neighbours are invited to the Fraser Valley Labour Council Labour Day event for all ages, featuring kids activities, food, prizes and giveaways. For tabling inquiries contact fvlcinfo@gmail.com.
Date & Time: Sep 2, 2024 | 11:00am – 2:00pm Location: Mill Lake Park at 32960 Mill Lake Rd, Abbotsford
BCLHC | Labour History: Strike at IOCO: Read about the 1918 Ioco oil refinery all-worker walkout, the action influential in forming the One Big Union the year after. By 1927, the OBU was absorbed into the All-Canadian Congress of Labour, culminating in the Canadian Labour Congress mid-century.
The BC Labour Heritage Centre also features teaching resources in English and French.
In solidarity, CUPE British Columbia
