[BC_Labour_E-NEWS] Issue 28 - June 6, 2002

Thu Jun 6 18:22:53 PDT 2002

BC LABOUR E-NEWS

Issue #28 - June 6, 2002

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NURSES VOTE TO JOIN FEDERATION

Delegates to the BC Nurses Union Annual Convention 
voted June 4 to join the B.C. Federation of Labour.  
The BCNU represents 25,000 members province-wide.

"This decision sends a powerful message to the 
public and to the Campbell government that nurses 
will not stand idly by and watch the Liberals 
destroy our public health care system and other 
vital public services," says BCNU president Debra 
McPherson. "Nurses are deepening our involvement 
with other unions and other groups in the community 
- seniors, disabled advocates, students, anti-
poverty organizations, and environmentalists who 
are opposed to the Campbell agenda.

"Obviously, we're very happy with the outcome," 
said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim 
Sinclair.  "Despite this government's attempts to 
divide people, it is clear that a growing number of 
people reject the direction of this government and 
are uniting against them.  The BCNU will make an 
invaluable contribution to the Federation."

For more information:

< http://www.bcnu.org/nr059_2002.htm >

+++

LIBERAL SUPPORT PLUMMETING IN LABOUR HOUSEHOLDS

A year after the Liberals took power, public 
opinion polling by Ipsos Reid shows a steady 
decline in Liberal support among private and public 
sector union voters.

Support for the Liberal party in union households 
dropped by twenty percentage points between 
December 2001 and May 2002.  Both the NDP and the 
Green Party have gained in popularity.

Among decided voters, more than half of the men 
polled would support the Liberal party in an 
election today, compared with just 38 percent of 
women.

Support for the Liberal party is weakest on 
Vancouver Island, and highest in the Interior 
region.  Voters are overwhelmingly disappointed 
with Gordon Campbell's performance across all 
genders and among both public and private sector 
union voters.

+++

TAX CUT PIE UNFAIR: CCPA STUDY

A new study released by the BC office of the 
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA-BC) 
on the anniversary of the Liberal tax cuts shows 
that the 1.1 percent of BC taxpayers earning over 
$150,000 per year got over 20 percent of the tax 
cut.

The statistics also show those earning less than 
$30,000 a year -- a group representing nearly half 
of BC taxpayers -- got just 13.4 percent of the tax 
cuts and will bear more of the burden for service 
cuts.

"None of the BC government's reckless spending cuts 
needs to happen," writes BC director of the 
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Seth Klein.  
"The remaking of our province is being justified by 
the twin false claims that BC's spending was out of 
control, and that our taxes were among the highest 
in the country.  Neither assertion is supported by 
the facts."

CCPA-BC has produced an analysis and charts showing 
how the tax cuts were divided.

For more information:

< 
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/bc/bccsummer01.htm
l >

< http://www.policyalternatives.ca/bc/btn-let-them-eat-cake.pdf >

+++

HEU MEMBERS SUPPORT ACTION TO PROTECT JOBS AND 
HEALTH CARE SERVICES

The largest health care union in BC is carrying out 
a province-wide strike vote among its 46,000 
members to protect jobs and health care services in 
the province.

The vote is two thirds complete, and the results so 
far indicate a 90 percent approval rating for a 
decisive and comprehensive action plan.

"These members -- who are overwhelmingly women -- 
have an added sense of urgency," says HEU 
spokesperson Chris Allnutt.  "They know that the 
widespread privatization of health care being 
pushed by Victoria and large multinational 
corporations will have a devastating impact by 
lowering wages when their families can least afford 
it."

The special strike vote began in late March and is 
expected to be complete before the end of June.

For more information:

< http://www.heu.org >

+++

FORMER SOUTHAM EXECUTIVES LAUNCH WEBSITE 
CRITICIZING MEDIA CONCENTRATION

Prominent Southam executives today signed a 
declaration and called on Canadians and lawmakers 
to reject increasing media concentration.

The signatories claim that CanWest, which currently 
has access to an incredible 97 percent of English 
speaking newspapers and television stations in 
Canada, has imposed what amounts to a gag order on 
editorial and news writers across the country.  
They also say CanWest editorial policy has skewed 
editorial, commentary and news coverage.

CanWest declined to run the message in their 
newspapers.

For more information:

< http://www.diversityofvoices.ca > 

+++

EVENTS

SEND YOUR REQUESTS FOR EVENT POSTING TO:

< mailto:publish at bcfed.com >

We are especially interested in hearing about 
events in areas outside the Lower Mainland.

HEALTH CARE RALLY IN MISSION
June 6, 2002 at 7:00 pm
Organized by the concerned citizens of Mission

+++

DANCE, FUNDRAISER, RETIREMENT PARTY
Saturday, June 8, 2002 | 8:00 pm to 1:00 am 
BAND: The Ginger Group with Heidi Archibald 
(blues/rock)
BENEFIT: BC Coalition of Women's Centres
RETIREMENT: Jean-Claude Parrot
Maritime Labour Centre, Vancouver

Tickets available at the door.

Organized by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers

+++

INVESTING IN HEALTH
CFRO Co-op radio 102.7 FM
First Thursday of every month
12:00 noon to 1:00 pm
Call in and voice your opinion at 604-684-7561

+++

THINK ECO-CITY
A two day festival and conference on urban 
sustainability

SUMMERFEST - June 15
Creek side park (south of Science World)
1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver
11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Free admission

ECO-CITY CONFERENCE - June 16
515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Admission: $10 to $15
Register in advance for conference:
604-253-4607
e-mail:

< mailto:thinkeco-city at telus.net >
< http://www.vancouver.indymedia.org/thinkcity >

+++

GREG PALAST - THE BEST DEMOCRACY MONEY CAN BUY
Award-winning BBC investigative journalist
exposes truth about globalization
Thursday, June 20 - 7:30 pm
IWA Hall - 2859 Commercial Drive
Contact:
< mailto:khudson at vcn.bc.ca >
604-274-1191

For more information:

< http://www.gregpalast.com >

+++

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

Write your MLA and local newspapers through the 
Professional Employees' Association's Access to 
Justice Website:

< http://www.accesstojustice.ca/newspaper_list.cfm 
>

Read the government discussion paper on the 
Results-based forest practices code:

< http://www.resultsbasedcode.ca/ > 

+++

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