CUPE 1936

Sisters, brothers and friends,

For over four months, two of our members have been held in the Dominican Republic without charge, in fear for their lives, simply for doing their duty and following the law.

On April 5, flight attendants Christina Carello and Alexander Rozov – members of CUPE Local 4059 – were detained along with the rest of their crew after discovering and reporting suspected contraband on their plane in the Dominican Republic.

They followed their duty to the letter, and aviation experts say the crew’s actions likely averted an air disaster due to the weight and location of the contraband. Instead of receiving thanks for their actions, Christina and Alexander and the rest of their crew have been denied their freedom, and their rights to justice and safety. Dominican prosecutors want them held in prison for up to 12 months as an investigation drags on.

For four long months, CUPE’s Airline Division has been part of an ongoing effort to help bring Christina and Alexander home. Today, we are calling on our broader CUPE membership to join this effort. Together, we must step up the pressure on Dominican authorities and on the Canadian government.

Christina and Alexander are part of our union family, and we must do what we can to bring them home to their lives and their loved ones in Canada.

Each of us can do our part and make a difference. We are urging all members and locals to visit the website to support Christina and Alexander today.

In solidarity,

MARK HANCOCK National President

CANDACE RENNICK National Secretary-Treasurer

BCGEU Job Action | Aug 2022

As of Monday, Aug 15, public sector worker members of the BC General Employees Union began targeted job action in response to the impasse in contract negotiations with the provincial government. Picket lines have gone up at the following BC Liquor Distribution Branch wholesale locations:

Delta Distribution Centre (DDC) – 7003 72nd Street, Delta

Kamloops Distribution Centre (KDC) – 9881 Dallas Drive, Kamloops

Richmond Distribution Centre (RDC) – 3389 No 6 Rd, Richmond

Victoria Wholesale Customer Centre – 2291 Government Street, Victoria

 

CLC | Labour Day Events 2022

The Canadian Labour Congress has compiled a list of Labour Day union celebrations and marches across the country. Show your support at a local event near you.

 

Vancouver & District Labour Council Labour Day Picnic
Date & Time: Monday, September 5, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: John Hendry (Trout Lake) Park, 3300 Victoria Drive, Vancouver

 

BC Lions | Ticket Giveaway | Aug 26 & Sep 24

A select number of tickets are available on giveaway to two upcoming BC Lions matches at BC Place Stadium:

Friday, Aug 26, 2022 at 7:30pm BC Lions vs Saskatchewan Roughriders

Saturday, Sep 24, 2022 at 7:00pm BC Lions vs Calgary Stampeders

Please submit expressions of interest to info@cupe.bc.ca no later than 12:00pm Monday, Aug 22.

 

VALU CO-OP & Lim Association | House of 9 Dragons | Sep 10-11

Years in the making, an oral history exhibit of Vancouver Chinatown heritage building The House of 9 Dragons is happening next month in Vancouver’s Chinatown, a collaboration between artist union VALU CO-OP and the Lim Sai Hor Kow Mock Benevolent Association. Free to all; light snacks provided.

 Date & Time: Sep 10-11, 2022 | 12:00pm – 6:00pm

Location: Lim Association Building 3^rd floor gallery space at 531 Carrall Street, Vancouver

Register here

Please see the most recent bargaining memo from the Provincial Bargaining table by clicking here.

BC Medal of Good Citizenship | Open Nomination.         Nominations for the BC Medal of Good Citizenship are accepted on an ongoing basis year-round for community members going above and beyond, demonstrating kindness, selflessness, generosity and service to community life in BC. You can nominate someone you know or read about prior recipients.

Lower Mainland Tri-Cities | New Foundry Centre.       In July 2022 the opening of a new service centre for Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody youth with mental health challenges and substance abuse issues was announced, slated for the coming months. Foundry Tri-Cities will be operated by Share Family and Community Services Society, while seven new Foundry centres are in development in Burns Lake, East Kootenay, Port Hardy, Squamish, Surrey, Cariboo-Chilcotin, and Fort St. John. Browse a list of foundry centres currently in operation.

CCPA BC | Policy Note News          The BC Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is publishing progressive takes on provincial issues via Policy Note online. Browse the archive here.

CWF | Northern Strategy           The Canadian Women’s Foundation is partnering with Vancouver’s MakeWay Foundation on an Indigenous gender justice initiative, guided by the Northern Women and Girls Advisory Committee with representatives from Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut. Check our their podcast and funding resources for Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people.

 The Function | Downtown Victoria BIPOC Festival | Aug 20.             The Function, Victoria’s first BIPOC music & arts festival, celebrates emerging local BIPOC talent and seeks to build solidarity while celebrating diverse communities on the Island.     Sponsored by the City of Vancouver, the BC Black History Awareness Society and others, it will be held at Ship Point Market in downtown Victoria next week.

Date & Time: Aug 20, 2022 | 2:00pm onwards        Location: Ship Point, 812 Wharf St, Victoria.                                         Tickets: $35 (General Admission); free for 12 and under              Volunteering: Get involved here

Should you have any questions regarding this update, please email info@cupe.bc.ca for additional information.

In solidarity,

CUPE BC Executive Board

CUPE British Columbia

#410-6222 Willingdon Avenue

Burnaby, British Columbia

V5H 0G3

P: 604.291.9119

www.cupe.bc.ca

Mark’s Discount for CUPE BC members | Aug 1-7     Members can use the enclosed voucher code to get 25% off on in-person purchases at any Mark’s in Canada from August 1^st to 7^th

Whistler Summer Concert Series | Aug 4, 18, 25
Whistler Olympic Plaza at 4365 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, has been holding free concerts all summer, with three Thursday dates coming up spanning various genres. Opening acts start at 6:30 and the headliners at 7:30pm.

Dates & Artists:
Aug 4 – DJ PRAiZ, Ron Artis II & The Truth;    Aug 18 – Native Thunder Productions & DJ Shub; Aug 25 – Vinyl Ritchie & The J.B.’s

 LegBC | Community Gaming Grants Info Session | Aug 26      MLA Fin Donnelly is hosting a free 1.5h in-person information session on the BC Government’s Community Gaming Grant Program and other initiatives, an opportunity to learn about how your organization can successfully apply for funding. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Email fin.donnelly.mla@leg.bc.ca or call 604-942-5020 with further questions.

Date & Time: Friday, Aug 26, 2022 | 2:00pm – 3:30pm (Pacific)
Location: 510 – 2950 Glen Dr., Coquitlam, BC (Coquitlam-Burke Mountain Community Office)

Registration: Click here

VDLC | Labour Day Picnic | Sep 5        Enjoy food, bouncy castles, live music, games, booths and more at the Vancouver & District Labour Council free Labour Day Picnic.

Date & Time: Monday, Sep 5, 2022 | 12:00 noon

Location: Trout Lake Park (John Hendry Park), Vancouver

CCDI Consulting | Two-Spirit people Within the LGBTQ2+ Communities | Sep 21       This free webinar from the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion will discuss what the “2” in LGBTQ2+ stands for, in conversation with a panel of Indigenous Two-Spirit people who will share their experiences with indigeneity in the LGBTQ2+ communities.

Date & Time: Sep 21, 2022 | 1:00pm (Eastern)
Registration: Click here

Charlford House | 6^th Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser | Sep 23.   Those wishing to support women in the Lower Mainland who struggle with addictions can sponsor the Charlford House Society for Women golf tournament fundraiser, including dinner and prizes. Proceeds will go towards expanding Charlford House community outreach and upgrading the facility to accommodate more women at a time. The attached brochure features further details.

Date & Time: ongoing until Friday, Sep 23, 2022

Location: Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club, 3251 Plateau Blvd., Coquitlam, BC

Should you have any questions regarding this update, please email info@cupe.bc.ca for additional information.

In solidarity,

CUPE BC Executive Board

CUPE British Columbia

#410-6222 Willingdon Avenue

Burnaby, British Columbia

V5H 0G3

P: 604.291.9119

www.cupe.bc.ca Up

We are pleased to announce that our members at VAST have ratified their first collective agreement.  More details will be published in the near future.

CUPE Local 1936 is welcoming 16 new members at the Fraser River Indigenous Society where they will become the newest unit of Local 1936. These new members provide family development, early years learning and housing support for Indigenous Peoples, primarily in the communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

To read more, please visit the web article here.

Online Applications Open | Aubrey Burton/Reg Ford Scholarship | Aug 19

CUPE BC is now accepting applications online for the Aubrey Burton/Reg Ford Scholarship.   Scholarships are awarded on both a competitive and lottery basis based on the following criteria:

1. Parent, Guardian or Spouse of Applicant, or the Applicant her/himself must be a member in good standing of a CUPE Local affiliated to CUPE BC at the time of application.
2. Applicant must have completed Grade 12 in the current or previous calendar year.
3. Applicant must be entering first year of a recognized public postsecondary institution in BC. A copy of the acceptance letter from the admitting institution must be supplied.
4. Applicant must complete an online application form supported by copies of the Senior Secondary Statement Transcript and letter(s) of reference from school principal or counsellor.

Online Application Form: Click here Application Deadline: August 19, 2022 (end of day)

CUPE BC Ticket Giveaway | BC Lions | Jun 25

CUPE BC will be giving away a limited number of tickets for the BC Lions/Toronto Argonauts match this weekend via info@cupe.bc.ca. Please submit expressions of interest byFriday, Jun 24, 3:30pm.

Date & Time: Saturday, Jun 25, 2022 | 7:00pm

Location: BC Place, Vancouver, BC

 

Asian-Canadian Labour Alliance | What Rights Do I Have? Workshop | Jun 25

In collaboration with SFU’s David Lam Centre and Labour Studies Program, the ACLA  is hosting a workshop for Asian newcomers to Canada and Asian Canadians who are new to working in either unionized or non-unionized workplaces, with speakers including Eric Seto of UFCW 247 and Julie Diesta of the Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers’ and Caregivers’ Rights.

Date & Time: Saturday, Jun 25, 2022 | 10:00am (Pacific)

Location: SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings St., Vancouver, BC

Registration: E-mail aclainbc@gmail.com or call 778-388-8025

IAMAW | YVR Screeners Solidarity Rally | Jun 28

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 16 is holding a coordinated rally at the Vancouver Airport to protest the undervaluing of screening officers by third-party contractors. Please view the attached letter by Lodge 16 President.

Date & Time: Jun 28, 2022 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm (Pacific)

Location: YVR (Vancouver Airport) across from International Arrivals

CALM | State of Union Communications Survey | Jul 15

The Canadian Association of Labour Media is collecting data related to union communications, which will be used as a basis for union communication benchmarks. The survey is open until July 15^th, 2022.

Burnaby Pride Celebrations | Jul 23

The 5^th annual Burnaby’s Pride celebrates the diversity of Burnaby’s local 2SLGBTQIA+ community and all those who support them!

Date & Time: Saturday, Jul 23 | 12:00pm – 5:00pm (Pacific)
Location: Civic Square, 6100 Willingdon Ave., Burnaby, BC

 

Solidarity Notes | Weekly Practice at Britannia | Jul 2022

Union choir Solidarity Notes holds practice Sundays 10:30am – 12:00pm at the Britannia Community Centre in Vancouver every week until their August-long break, and new members are welcome. For more information, fill out the contact form on their site.

SFU Labour Studies | African Ancestry Project Report
The attached report showcases data from the African Ancestry Project, a research initiative by SFU Labour Studies and Sociology Assistant Professor Maureen Kihika and Health and Sciences Research Fellow Alice Mũrage, on British Columbians’ diverse identities and experiences.

CCDI Webinar | Workplace Response to Tragic Events | Jul 26

How workplaces can respond to tragic news and events is a free webinar that explores difficult social events and how to address them compassionately as a team or organization. CCIP-certified attendees will receive a continued professional development credit.

Date & Time: Jul 26, 2022 | 1:00pm (Eastern)

Registration: Click here

EVA BC | Public Education Toolkit

Ending Violence Association of BC has a collection of public education resources to assist anti-violence organizations in raising awareness and providing anti-violence training. Materials may be adapted as needed with EVA BC cited as the source.