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
Final signed copies of the three CSS sectoral CAs are attached.
CSS Community Living Services 2022-2025 CA FINAL SIGNED
Due to a memo from CUPE National President Mark Hancock regarding clarification of the rules around virtual meetings when doing elections, CUPE 1936 Table Officers have decided that the May Membership meeting must be held in person only due to election requirements.
The in-person location will be at the CUPE Regional Office, #410–6222 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby,
For those that carpool with a full car of members, the local will reimburse your mileage.
There will be pizza, refreshments, and door prizes.
If you have any questions please reach out to Bernice Way at 604 781-6864 or bway1936@gmail.com
CUPE BC is excited to be partnering with the BC Federation of Labour in the delivery of several sessions of Electing a Future Worth Fighting For. This one-day course will focus on building our members’ capacity to talk about politics with other members, and will help get us ready for the upcoming provincial election on October 19, 2024.
CUPE BC and CUPE have developed a budget that will allow for them to pay for dozens of members to attend training in their region, or virtually.
If you would like to send members to this training but would like to have CUPE BC pay for it, please complete this form. This will allow us to go through the necessary approvals processes for the Division. Available seats for these sessions are limited by budget and space constraints. Participants will be brought into our rapidly growing Political Action Network.
If your local would like to send members directly, registration for sessions are open through the BC Fed.
The following training is available in your region:
| City | Date | Location |
| Richmond | May 9 | Richmond Teachers’ Association Office |
| Virtual | June 5 | Zoom |
| Surrey | June 6 | Surrey Central Public Library |
| Langley | June 10 | USW 2009 Hall |
| Burnaby | June 11 | IUOE 115 Hall |
| Chilliwack | June 17 | Coast Hotel Chilliwack |
If you have members who are looking for more advanced forms of training, or who are keen to become involved in CUPE BC’s member-focused political action plans for this fall, please connect directly with Neal Adolph, Political Action Coordinator, at nadolph@cupe.ca.
Additional virtual training is planned to provide local presidents with an outline of activities that are permitted during an election. This training will take place in the evenings. The dates are being finalized, but you can anticipate an update soon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please connect directly with me.
Note: This message was BCC’ed to all presidents and national reps in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley Regions.
Neal Adolph | National Representative (he/him)
Political Action Coordinator
Strong Communities Working Group
Canadian Union of Public Employees
nadolph@cupe.ca | 306.526.7786 | British Columbia Regional Office
Since time immemorial the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nations have stewarded and cared for the unceded territory where I live and work. They continue to offer us leadership on how to live on this land that they know best.
