REMINDER | CALL FOR NOMINATIONS. CUPE BC COMMITTEES | 2021-2023 TERM

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Dear members,

Per the announcement sent on June 7th, this message is a reminder that CUPE BC is currently accepting nominations online for all 21 committees for the 2021-2023 term.

PROCESS CHANGE:

Please note that the 2021-2023 committee nomination process is slightly different than previous years. The nomination process has been revised to bring it into closer alignment with CUPE National processes. In addition, we are asking nominees (applicants) to submit their own nominations, which will allow us to capture information to help build more inclusive committees.

APPLICATION:

At this time, we are asking nominees to complete the form themselves (not nominators: Locals or District Councils) and to self-identify as members of any equity-seeking groups. If you are a nominator completing the form online on behalf of the nominee, please consult and obtain permission from the nominee prior to submitting the form.

Online Nomination Form: Click here

Submission Deadline:  Monday, July 5, 2021 (end of day)

COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE | COMMITTEE STRUCTURE CRITERIA

Please click here to view the Terms of Reference for all 21 CUPE BC Committees.  Kindly note that certain CUPE BC Committees have specific appointment criteria, as outlined below:

Pensions Committee

Members are appointed by the Executive Board and should whenever possible include a retiree, a young worker and a non-municipal pension plan member.

Political Action Committee

All Committee members must maintain membership in the New Democratic Party throughout the term of the committee, failure to do so may result in the removal from the committee by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

Young Workers Committee

With the exception of the Chairperson appointed by the Executive Board, Members of the committee should be 30 years of age or younger.

Transportation Committee

A member shall be appointed by the Executive Board whenever possible from the airline sector.

Universities & Colleges Committees

Members of both the Colleges and/or Universities Committees must be Presidents of their CUPE Locals.  If you are a President of a CUPE Local at a BC Post-Secondary Institution, we still ask that you complete the online nomination form to ensure we have your current contact information.

Should you have any questions with regards to the CUPE BC Committee Call for Nominations, please contact the CUPE BC Office (info@cupe.bc.ca) for further assistance.

In solidarity,

CUPE BC Division

#410-6222 Willingdon Avenue

Burnaby, British Columbia

V5H 0G3

P: 604.291.9119 F: 604.291.9043

www.cupe.bc.ca

 Headquartered on the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), Tsleil-Waututh and Qayqayt First Nations.

 This e-mail is intended only for the person or persons to whom it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. Any other distribution, copying or disclosure is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please notify the sender immediately and return this e-mail to the sender.

CUPE BC is committed to reducing the use of paper. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. 

Take a minute to Save the PNE

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The COVID-19 Pandemic has touched every workplace in British Columbia and had a huge impact on the community services and venues that shape our lives. One of these services is the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), which has effectively been shut down for the past 16 months.

The PNE means so much to the region and the province, and needs our help now.

Not only has this century-old tradition brought countless memories and enjoyment for generations, the PNE pumps $200 million into B.C.’s economy, supports countless local businesses, and creates thousands of jobs and youth employment.

The PNE is also a major local employer, and is B.C.’s largest employer of young workers. However, with more than 95% of the PNE’s events and services cancelled and no revenue coming in, the over 4,000 CUPE 1004 PNE workers have been out of work since March 2020.

Even though some limited events are beginning to return, a year and half of lost revenues has left the PNE close to financial ruin. Without immediate, short-term assistance of $8 million, it may not recover.

We need action now – or we will lose the PNE we all know and love. 

Please take a minute to save this beloved B.C. tradition. Your message will help ensure that the PNE receives the financial assistance it needs to retain staff; maintain facilities and equipment; and upkeep basic operations until public health measures allow a full reopening.

Your support will ensure the PNE is there for us and future generations, to enjoy and experience the diversity of B.C. and all that the PNE has to offer. Your voice will also help ensure that fellow CUPE members at the PNE have a job to go back to when full operations can again return.

Thank you for your support on this important campaign.

In solidarity,

Karen Ranalletta
President

PS: If you have already taken this action, thanks you! Please consider sharing this email with your contacts to help build support for this vital cultural institution.

Click here to share your support with decision-makers.

Karen Ranalletta
http://www.cupe.bc.ca/

Endless Savings & More App | CUPE BC Member Discounts

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Download a CUPE BC version of the ESM App to save on every purchases from hundreds of businesses, including national chain retailers, service and travel providers.  To get the ESM App, go to your app store (Google or Apple).  When you first download the ESM App, enter “cupebc” when prompted to provide the CUPE BC organization code.  For complete details, click here to download the ESM Welcome Letter.

Canadian Heritage | National Indigenous Peoples Day | June 21

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This June 21, 2021 is the national 25th anniversary of celebrating the heritage, cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. For more information on First Nations, Inuit and Métis-led virtual activities, please visit the Department of Canadian Heritage website (click here) and join the conversation via social media:

Twitter: @GCIndigenous and @GovCanNorth use the hashtag #NIHM2021

Facebook: GCIndigenous, GovCanNorth and @GCIndigenousHealth

Instagram: @gcindigenous use the hashtag #NIHM2021

YouTube

source: CUPE BC

 

 

Aubrey Burton/Reg Ford Scholarship | Application Form | Aug 31, 2021

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CUPE BC is now accepting applications for the Aubrey Burton/Reg Ford Scholarship.  Please find attached a copy of the application form, which is also available online on the CUPE BC website (click here).

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 application form supported by copies of the Senior Secondary Statement and letter(s) of reference from school principal or counsellor.

All applications must be received by the CUPE BC Office (info@cupe.bc.ca) by end of day on August 31, 2021.

CUPE BC Web Conference | Build Your Resilience | June 15

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Please join CUPE BC’s Summer 2021 Web Conference led by Diana Vissers, Occupational Health Consultant and CEO of Work to Wellness.  In this webinar, Diana will introduce a framework for understanding mental health and wellness and share tools for managing the stress of the pandemic.

 

Build Your Resilience: Tools for Managing the Stress of COVID-19

Date:  June 15, 2021

Time:  9:30-11:00 am PST (90 minutes)

Presenter: Diana Vissers

Free Registration: Click here

Registration Deadline:  Monday, June 14, 2021 at 12:00 pm PST

 

Live captioning and translation in French will be provided.  Members of all affiliated and non-affiliated locals are welcome to attend.

June 5 – World Environment Day 2021 will see the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: A global rallying cry for everyone – from governments to corporations and citizens – to do their part in healing our ailing planet. 

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World Environment Day occurs on the 5th of June every year and is the United Nation’s principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of our environment. First held in 1974, it has been a flagship campaign for raising awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime. WED has grown to become a global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually. Each year, WED has a new theme that major corporations, NGOs, communities, governments and celebrities worldwide adopt to advocate environmental causes.

Read more at: https://www.fillgap.news/world-environment-day-june-5th-theme-history-quotes-activities-slogans-and-why-its-celebrated/

Injured workers left waiting, eighteen months after government report calling for change

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  June 1, 2021 | News Release

(Unceded Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam territories — Vancouver, BC)  The BC Federation of Labour released a report today highlighting glaring government inaction to fix BC’s broken compensation system for workers injured at work. Released on National Injured Workers Day, the Workers Deserve Better report lays out concrete legislative and policy changes needed to create a fair, accountable, and worker-centred compensation system.

“The workers’ compensation system in BC is stacked against workers. It’s structured like a private insurance company with inadequate compensation and arbitrary benefit cut-offs,” said BCFED President Laird Cronk. “We must do better than a cookie cutter approach, where impersonal computer models determine injury recovery timelines. If you get injured at work tomorrow, you enter a system designed to limit costs rather than focussing on your successful return to work and ensuring you are fairly compensated for your injury.”

If you are an injured worker, or know someone who has been treated unfairly by the system and is willing and able to speak out, please let us know.  

In 2002, the BC Liberal government made big changes to the system. These changes reduced benefits considerably, ended life-long pensions with a 65-age cut-off, and made the system much harder to navigate.

Below are a sample of key recommendations made in the Workers Deserve Better report:

  • Create a Fair Practices Commission independent of the WCB to deal with worker and employer complaints and an independent medical services office to address medical disputes;
  • Include more worker representatives on the WCB Board of Directors;
  • Eliminate the discriminatory barriers to compensation for psychological injury;
  • Amend the Workers Compensation Act (WCA) to properly resource and personalize vocational rehabilitation while involving the worker;
  • Place the needs and recovery of injured workers above the speed at which a worker returns to work as a key measure of success; stop relying on a computer system to determine when an injury will heal;
  • Amend the WCA to stop deducting CPP disability from workers’ benefits;
  • Provide resources to ensure appropriate engagement with Indigenous communities, farmworkers and other groups of workers that face systemic barriers;
  • Improve communication with workers and employers, with more resources to help workers navigate the complicated compensation system;
  • Allow the WCB to consider exceptional circumstances impacting workers’ pre-injury earnings; pay interest to workers when the WCB wrongly denies a worker benefits and must endure a lengthy delay.

The full report can be downloaded here. 

 

Letter of Solidarity – Remains of Indigenous Children Found at the KRS

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CUPE Local 1936 stands in solidarity with Indigenous Communities across Canada and with Local 1936 Indigenous members as they mourn the loss of the 215 children whose remains were discovered at the Kamloops Residential School. We honour and acknowledge your collective and individual grief.

While the Kamloops Residential School operated from 1890 to 1978, this was one of many Residential Schools used by provincial and the Canadian government as part of the colonization of Indigenous children.  Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes and families, and endured significant emotional, physical, sexual abuse and even death during their residence at Residential Schools located throughout Canada.

Our hearts go out to all Indigenous children, who suffered while residing in residential schools against their will.  Many of the children forcibly taken from their families were as young as three years old, and many never saw their families and loved ones again.  CUPE Local 1936 stands in solidarity with the families of children who were taken from them and honours the collective grief of Indigenous Communities nation-wide.

CUPE Local 1936 believes as settlers to stolen and unceded Indigenous territories, it is critical that we educate ourselves to better understand and acknowledge Canada’s blemished history.  This is one small part towards reconciliation as we attempt to help right the wrongs inflicted during colonization and the mass genocide of Indigenous peoples.  We encourage our non-Indigenous members to be active participants in reconciliation in an effort to repair the ongoing harm of colonization on Indigenous people throughout Canada.

Some examples of things that you can do to support Indigenous peoples at this time of grief and in the future are:

  • Wear orange on May 31st, 2021 in solidarity with the “Every Child Matters” movement in support of residential School Survivors. Many Indigenous people may be wearing Orange throughout May 31st-June 9th,2021 to honour the children who have been found.
  • Respect and support the Indigenous people in your life by educating yourself about the traumatic impact of residential schools on Indigenous people. Research the history of the Kamloops Residential School and other residential schools near your territories.
  • Try to avoid asking Indigenous people questions about residential schools as many are grieving the loss of the 215 children found at the Kamloops Residential School, along with many other unfound, however missing children.
  • Get familiar with the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada reports.
  • Write a letter to your MLA requesting that they honour the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action particularly articles 71-76 which are calls to action regarding Missing Children and Burial Information.
  • Donate to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

CUPE Local 1936 recognizes that the recent discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Residential School may have a profound impact on Indigenous communities, individuals and Indigenous Local 1936 members.

Should you need to talk about how you’re feeling feel free to reach out to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society: Provides Counselling, Health Support and Cultural Support to Survivors of Indian Residential Schools.  The website is also listed here for your convenience.
https://www.irsss.ca/home

As well, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.

We are so sorry for your collective losses as a result of colonization and stand with you as you grieve.

In solidarity,

Sheryl Burns, President

Lee-Ann Lalli, Vice-President

Bernice Way, Secretary-Treasurer