From bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net Tue May 21 17:26:10 2002 From: bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net) Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 17:26:10 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] BC Labour E-news - Issue #24, May 21, 2002 E-NEWS ALERT Message-ID: <3D6D51D9DD03D611BBA700508B97628C12D645@BCFEDNT> BC LABOUR E-NEWS Issue #24 - May 21, 2002 - E-NEWS ALERT To read this newsletter on our site, please go to: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/Enews/Enews.htm > To subscribe or unsubscribe, follow the instructions at the end of this message. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Messages to this mailbox are processed automatically, and are not read by a person. If you would like to contact us, send messages to: < mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com > Help spread the word - forward this e-mail to your friends. +++ MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD - MAY 25 ON THE STREETS OF VANCOUVER Vancouver's downtown core will be dominated by the largest demonstration the city has seen for many years on Saturday, May 25 as Campaign BC calls on British Columbians to demonstrate their rejection of the Campbell government's program of job losses, hospital closures, education cuts, privatization and deregulation. "We need to show the Liberals we remain committed to a society with a prosperous economy, a universally-accessible health care system, quality public education and strong communities," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair. He warned the downtown core will be shut down to regular traffic: it will be easy to get to the march, but hard to do much else. "There is a crisis of democracy in this province as the Liberals use their massive majority to end debate in the Legislature and impose closure on bills that will eliminate the eight-hour day and cut disability benefits," Sinclair said. "We have a voice -- we must make it heard. Silence implies consent and British Columbians in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland need to demonstrate their rejection of the Campbell government's direction." Sinclair said preparations are well-advanced for the march, which will see First Nations, seniors, people with disabilities, unionists and many others marshalling at four locations, walk through the downtown core, and rally at Sunset Beach near the Burrard Street bridge. Vancouver City Police will be advising motorists of the timing of street closures on Georgia and Burrard during the morning to facilitate the demonstration. At least 300 volunteer marshalls will provide security and direct the marchers. The march will include the largest banner in BC history and street theatre. The rally at Sunset beach will feature a three- hour program of BC musicians and performers to be confirmed this week. A map of the march route and rally location is available at: < http://www.campaignbc.ca/mayroutemap.html > +++ MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD -- ON TELEVISION'S VOICE OF BC Vaughn Palmer will be interviewing Labour Minister Graham Bruce on Wednesday, May 22 at 8:00 pm on the issue of whether more flexibility in the workplace means a stronger BC economy. The Liberal government introduced legislation on the Labour Code, Workers' Compensation and the Employment Standards Act on May 13. B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair criticized the controversial changes as an 'employer bill of rights' and challenged the Liberals to allow full public discussion of the legislation rather than ram through the bills in the few remaining days of the session. Call Voice of BC at 1-888-891-9097 and ask your questions live after 8:40 PM. Voice of BC airs to a combined Shaw TV audience of 1,050,000 subscribers located throughout the Greater Vancouver, Sunshine Coast, Okanagan, Kamloops, Prince George and Vancouver Island areas in cooperation with Delta Cable TV, and Campbell River TV affiliates. To download a summary of changes to the Employment Standards Act: < http://www.bcfed.com\news\media\Extra\ESAchanges.pdf > To download a summary of changes to the Workers' Compensation Act: < http://www.bcfed.com\news\media\Extra\WCBchanges.pdf > To download a summary of changes to the Labour Relations Code: < http://www.bcfed.com\news\media\Extra\labourcodechange.pdf > +++ SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Subscribe or unsubscribe: To subscribe to BC Labour E-News, visit www.bcfed.com/sub.htm If you ever want to unsubscribe or change your options (eg., change your password, suspend E-news while you are on vacation, etc.), visit your personal subscription page at: < http://bcfed.net/cgi-bin/mailman/options/bc_labour_enews/(add_your_email_add ress_here) > To get helpful information, send a message to < BC_Labour_Enews- request at bcfed.net > with "help" in the subject line, but without quotation marks. opeiu 15 BC Federation of Labour http://www.bcfed.com Campaign BC http://www.campaignbc.ca Six Bucks Sucks http://www.6buckssucks.com From bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net Wed May 22 17:23:56 2002 From: bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net) Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 17:23:56 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] Issue 25 - May 22, 2002 Message-ID: <3D6D51D9DD03D611BBA700508B97628C12D661@BCFEDNT> BC LABOUR E-NEWS Issue #25 - May 22, 2002 - E-NEWS ALERT To read this newsletter on our site, please go to: To subscribe or unsubscribe, follow the instructions at the end of this message. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Messages to this mailbox are processed automatically, and are not read by a person. If you would like to contact us, send messages to: Help spread the word - forward this e-mail to your friends. +++ NOTE: The links provided in yesterday's BC LABOUR E- NEWS did not work if accessed directly from the e- mail version of the newsletter. Please use the links below to access the legislation documents: To download a summary of changes to the Employment Standards Act: To download a summary of changes to the Workers' Compensation Act: To download a summary of changes to the Labour Relations Code: +++ SKYTRAIN SERVICE CHANGES SHOULD ENSURE NO DIFFICULTIES FOR CAMPAIGN BC MARCHERS HEADING TO SATURDAY'S MARCH AND RALLY IN VANCOUVER Despite track maintenance work that will alter Skytrain schedules on Saturday, May 25, there will be special efforts made to ensure adequate capacity for travellers who want to take part in Campaign BC's major march through the downtown core, TransLink officials confirmed today. "Everyone interested in the march should be assured they will get to Stadium Skytrain station with no difficulty," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair, who warned yesterday that most of Burrard and Georgia would be closed for the demonstration on Saturday morning. "There will be service to Burrard, but it will be somewhat reduced, so unions marshalling at those points should take this into account." Capacity will be increased to a train every 3 minutes, 40 seconds West of Columbia, which will increase the normal weekend capacity by 20 percent. Extra trains will be added between Stadium and the King George and Braid Street Skytrain stations. Unions taking part in the march from Victory Square and Library Square should disembark at Stadium station, as planned. Those meeting at Burrard Station should know that, although the frequency of the trains will be reduced, Skytrain officials will be running six car trains between Stadium and Burrard stations. For further information, please visit: +++ SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Subscribe or unsubscribe: To subscribe to BC Labour E-News, visit If you ever want to unsubscribe or change your options (eg., change your password, suspend E-news while you are on vacation, etc.), visit your personal subscription page at: To get helpful information, send a message to with "help" in the subject line, but without quotation marks. opeiu 15 From bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net Wed May 22 17:33:16 2002 From: bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net) Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 17:33:16 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] Issue 25 - May 22, 2002 Message-ID: <3D6D51D9DD03D611BBA700508B97628C12D664@BCFEDNT> BC LABOUR E-NEWS Issue #25 - May 22, 2002 - E-NEWS ALERT To read this newsletter on our site, please go to: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/Enews/Enews.htm > To subscribe or unsubscribe, follow the instructions at the end of this message. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Messages to this mailbox are processed automatically, and are not read by a person. If you would like to contact us, send messages to: < mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com > Help spread the word - forward this e-mail to your friends. +++ NOTE: The links provided in yesterday's BC LABOUR E- NEWS did not work if accessed directly from the e- mail version of the newsletter. Please use the links below to access the legislation documents: To download a summary of changes to the Employment Standards Act: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/media/Extra/ESAchanges.pdf > To download a summary of changes to the Workers' Compensation Act: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/media/Extra/WCBchanges.pdf > To download a summary of changes to the Labour Relations Code: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/media/Extra/labourcodechange.pdf > +++ SKYTRAIN SERVICE CHANGES SHOULD ENSURE NO DIFFICULTIES FOR CAMPAIGN BC MARCHERS HEADING TO SATURDAY'S MARCH AND RALLY IN VANCOUVER Despite track maintenance work that will alter Skytrain schedules on Saturday, May 25, there will be special efforts made to ensure adequate capacity for travellers who want to take part in Campaign BC's major march through the downtown core, TransLink officials confirmed today. "Everyone interested in the march should be assured they will get to Stadium Skytrain station with no difficulty," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair, who warned yesterday that most of Burrard and Georgia would be closed for the demonstration on Saturday morning. "There will be service to Burrard, but it will be somewhat reduced, so unions marshalling at those points should take this into account." Capacity will be increased to a train every 3 minutes, 40 seconds West of Columbia, which will increase the normal weekend capacity by 20 percent. Extra trains will be added between Stadium and the King George and Braid Street Skytrain stations. Unions taking part in the march from Victory Square and Library Square should disembark at Stadium station, as planned. Those meeting at Burrard Station should know that, although the frequency of the trains will be reduced, Skytrain officials will be running six car trains between Stadium and Burrard stations. For further information, please visit: < http://www.campaignbc.ca/index.cfm/fuseaction/calendar.event/eventID/2950/in dex.cfm > +++ SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Subscribe or unsubscribe: To subscribe to BC Labour E-News, visit: < http://www.bcfed.com/sub.htm > If you ever want to unsubscribe or change your options (eg., change your password, suspend E-news while you are on vacation, etc.), visit your personal subscription page at: < http://bcfed.net/cgi-bin/mailman/options/bc_labour_enews/(add_your_email_add ress_here) > To get helpful information, send a message to with "help" in the subject line, but without quotation marks. opeiu 15 Bev Pausche Communications Assistant BC Federation of Labour Tired of mainstream news? Subscribe to the BC Labour E-news mailing list to find out what's happening in the BC labour movement. To join, click: BC Federation of Labour http://www.bcfed.com Campaign BC http://www.campaignbc.ca Six Bucks Sucks http://www.6buckssucks.com From bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net Mon May 27 17:16:58 2002 From: bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net) Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 17:16:58 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] Issue 26, May 27, 2002 Message-ID: <3D6D51D9DD03D611BBA700508B97628C12D693@BCFEDNT> BC LABOUR E-NEWS Issue #26 - May 27, 2002 To read this newsletter on our site, please go to: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/Enews/Enews.htm > To subscribe or unsubscribe, follow the instructions at the end of this message. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Messages to this mailbox are processed automatically, and are not read by a person. If you would like to contact us, send messages to: < mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com > Help spread the word - forward this e-mail to your friends. TENS OF THOUSANDS CLOG DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER IN MAY 25 MARCH Tens of thousands of demonstrators from every walk of BC life clogged the streets of downtown Vancouver Saturday as the B.C. Federation of Labour's Campaign BC brought its campaign for jobs, health care, education, strong communities and public services to the Lower Mainland. Marchers were jubilant, despite occasional rain showers. Costumes, balloons and floats decorated the streets and converged at the beach in a noisy demonstration of opposition against the Campbell Liberals. Signs indicate that people came from all over the province and that the event attracted many people from outside the labour movement in the broadest show of support yet for Campaign BC. +++ HOW MANY WERE THERE? Were there 40,000 marchers in Vancouver, as Campaign BC estimated, or 20,000, as the police estimated? The answer is yes. March and demonstration estimates are always a tricky business, and they're highly political as well. But Campaign BC marshalls reported that the last marchers were just leaving the Burrard Skytrain Station rally point as the head of the march crossed Drake Street on Burrard, meaning the main body of the march was six lanes wide and nine blocks long. The second contingent, which marched north on Burrard from Seaforth Park, covered the entire bridge for its entire width and merged with the main group at Pacific Boulevard. How many people is that? The Sun Fun Run jams 44,000 people into a starting area three to four blocks long. Consider that the Peace Marches of the 1980s numbered 80,000 and took about twice as long to pass a given point. That puts us in the 40,000 marcher range. How do the police estimate 20,000? Ask them. The main point is this: We wanted tens of thousands to attend, and we were successful. We wanted the biggest political demonstration in the city in a generation, and we were successful. We asked British Columbians to speak up - and they did. Thanks to all who came! +++ LIBERALS SHUT DOWN DEBATE The NDP Opposition is asking people to help them fight the Liberals on five key bills they will push through the legislature in as little as twenty hours. The use of closure to shut down debate on the controversial bills has never happened on such a scale before in BC's history. In the past decade, closure was used only once to pass a single bill on the Nisga'a Final Act after 120 hours of debate. The NDP expects the legislature to debate the bills as follows: Bill 48 Employment Standards (2nd Reading) 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, May 27 Bill 26 Employment and Assistance Act 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 28 Bill 38 Environmental Assessment Act 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 29 Bill 49 Workers Compensation Amendment Act 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 29 Bill 27 Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 29 Bill 48 Employment Standards Act (Committee and 3rd Reading) 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30 The Opposition is inviting individuals interested in any of these pieces of legislation to sit in the public gallery to bear witness. You must let their office know if you plan to attend as Joy and Jenny will want to acknowledge your presence in the house during the course of debate. Joy and Jenny will also read the names of those who are unable to attend but who want an opportunity to speak as witness to any of these bills should the committee in question provide that opportunity. To contact the NDP Opposition: Daphne Powell Legislative Intern Opposition Caucus 250.356.1990 fax: 250-387-4680 < mailto:daphne.powell at leg.bc.ca> +++ EDUCATORS SAY GOVERNMENT VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL LABOUR RIGHTS The Canadian Association of University Teachers filed a formal complaint with the International Labour Organization against the government of British Columbia on May 14. "The government of British Columbia has enacted legislation that affects thousands of workers in the post-secondary education sector and that blatantly violates the most fundamental principles of free collective bargaining and freedom of association," explained CAUT president Vic Catano. In January, the BC Legislature passed Bill 28, the Public Education Flexibility and Choice Act, which gave the province's colleges the power to ignore provisions negotiated in collective agreements and to unilaterally increase class sizes, require faculty to take on more students, and force teachers to deliver courses on-line. CAUT is calling on the ILO to conduct an immediate investigation, alleging that Bill 28 directly contravenes ILO Convention 87 concerning Freedom of Association and the Protection of the Right to Organize (1948), which Canada has ratified. "Collective bargaining rights include the assurance that freely negotiated collective agreements should not be subject to government intervention," Catano stated. "Without any consultation, the government in BC has violated this basic principle." The Canadian Association of University Teachers is the national voice of 30,000 academic staff and is dedicated to improving the quality of post-secondary education in Canada. The ILO is the United Nations specialized agency that formulates minimum international labour standards. The ILO has a tripartite structure and is comprised of government, employer, and labour members. For more information, please contact Roseanne Moran, CIEA Staff Representative, at 604.873.8988. Visit the College Institute Educators' Association website for more information: < http://www.ciea.bc.ca > +++ EVENTS FREE PUBLIC FORUM ON PRIVATIZATION AND "PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS" Wednesday May 29, 2002 7:00 pm Metrotown Hilton 6083 McKay Street Burnaby Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Pacific Office For more information: 604-801-5121 What will privatization and "public-private partnerships" (P3s) mean for you and your family? What happens to accountability and the quality of public services like health care and education? Do P3s really save governments money? Find out the answers to these and other questions about the effects of privatization. Join us to hear from world-renowned experts from Great Britain, Canada and the United States. THE EFFECT ON HEALTH CARE Dr. Matthew Dunnigan is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Glasgow and Edinburgh. He has published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Dunnigan has conducted detailed analysis of the so-called "Private Finance Initiative" (PFI) in the United Kingdom. THE IMPACT ON SCHOOLS Heather-Jane Robertson is an author, a Distinguished Educator of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and a recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award from the Canadian College of Teachers. She has spoken to groups on four continents. THE LOSS OF SOCIAL SERVICES Professor John Loxley, an economist at the University of Manitoba, is one of the few Canadian economists to have conducted in-depth studies into the impact of privatization of public services and public-private partnerships. THE COST TO COMMUNITY SAFETY Judith Greene, a criminal justice policy analyst with Justice Strategies, currently serves as a research consultant for both the RAND Corporation and Human Rights Watch. Her articles have appeared in numerous academic journals. HOW TO GET THERE: The Metrotown Hilton is at 6083 Mackay St, in between Kinsgway and Central Boulevard. If you come by skytrain: get off at Metrotown Station. Walk one block west on Central Boulevard to Mackay. Turn right. The hotel is just up the street on the left. The #19 bus will also get you there, albeit rather slowly. +++ HERE A CUT, THERE A CUT, EVERYWHERE A CUT CUT !! Monday June 3rd at 7pm Richmond Christian Reformed Church (9280 No. 2 Road) Contact: Kevan Hudson - Council of Canadians (Richmond Chapter) Telephone #: 604-274-1191 < mailto:khudson at vcn.bc.ca > *ADMISSION: A CAN OF CAMPBELL'S SOUP This event is a public forum about the state of public education and health care in Richmond and British Columbia. Panelists will discuss the cuts and policy changes in education and healthcare. *With Street Theatre performances by: The Corporate Bagmen The Not-So-Liberal Dancers The Robbing Hood Perfomers EDUCATION PANEL: Braeden Caley - student at Richmond Incentive School Olwen Walker - Parents Against Cuts in Education (PACE) Neil Worboys - BC Teacher's Federation (BCTF) President HEALTHCARE PANEL: Marnie Hewlett - BC Nurses Union (BCNU) Health Employees Union (HEU) representative IS THERE AN EVENT HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY? PLEASE LET US KNOW: < mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com > +++ SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Subscribe or unsubscribe: To subscribe to BC Labour E-News, visit www.bcfed.com/sub.htm If you ever want to unsubscribe or change your options (eg., change your password, suspend E-news while you are on vacation, etc.), visit your personal subscription page at: < http://bcfed.net/cgibin/mailman/options/bc_labour_enews/(add_your_email_addr ess_here)> To get helpful information, send a message to: < mailto:BC_Labour_Enews-request at bcfed.net > with "help" in the subject line, but without quotation marks. opeiu 15 From bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net Thu May 30 16:56:22 2002 From: bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews-admin at bcfed.net) Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 16:56:22 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] Issue 26 - May 30, 2002 Message-ID: <3D6D51D9DD03D611BBA700508B97628C12D6E1@BCFEDNT> BC LABOUR E-NEWS Issue #26 - May 30, 2002 We are updating the website and are unable to provide this issue of LABOUR E-NEWS on the website at this time. This website version will be uploaded within two days. +++ To subscribe or unsubscribe, follow the instructions at the end of this message. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Messages to this mailbox are processed automatically, and are not read by a person. If you would like to contact us, send messages to: < mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com > Help spread the word - forward this e-mail to your friends. +++++++++++ COMMUNITY PICKETS ASSURE BUSINESS AS USUAL DISRUPTED IN DUNCAN Pickets went up at schools, hospitals and public buildings in Duncan until noon today, effectively shutting down public services for the day in Labour Minister Graham Bruce's riding. The demonstration was organized by community groups angry about the Liberal's use of closure to ram through reductions in employment standards and benefits for injured workers. The Liberals have passed changes to the Labour Code, WCB pension benefits already this week, and expect to pass changes to employment standards by the end of the week. "If this government invokes closure to shut down debate on issues as fundamental as the eight-hour day and limits on overtime, he can expect working people to respond in kind," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair. At 11:00 am, the demonstrators met for a rally in front of Bruce's constituency office. IWA members, CUPE members, health workers, provincial government worksites, school teachers and support workers and municipal workers all took part, though essential services levels were maintained. "The message to the government is clear -- the Liberals are out of step with how these changes are affecting people in their communities," said Sinclair. For more information: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/media/duncan.htm > +++ LIBERALS RAM THROUGH LAWS TO CUT WORKPLACE RIGHTS Gordon Campbell's Liberals rammed through legislation to cut workplace standards in the dying hours of the current Legislative session today, then introduced a bill to reduce appeals for workers seeking workers' compensation. "This is a travesty of democracy," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair. "The labour and workplace legislation introduced during this session will take back the province 50 years. "Parents can send children out to work at 12 years of age without government oversight. People can now worker longer hours without overtime. We are actually punishing good employers by forcing them to compete with abusive employers. It's a cheap labour strategy." Other regressive changes introduced by the Liberals today included: * A bill to reduce appeals for injured workers. Changes to WCB in this session will mean "less money for people who are injured and now less justice," Sinclair said. *A bill to eliminate the Human Rights Commission. "BC will now be the only jurisdiction in Canada, and perhaps even North America, that does not have an independent Human Rights Commission," Sinclair said. The human rights legislation will not pass until the Fall. "This is yet another example of where people are being put last in order to fulfill the wish list of the BC Business Council," added Sinclair, and paid tribute to the tireless work of opposition MLA's Joy MacPhail and Jenny Kwan. "This is a government that defers legislation to assure British Columbians have clean drinking water but rams through changes to cut workers pay cheques. The two NDP MLAs have done an outstanding job holding this government to account." +++ LABOUR MINISTER SAYS NO NEED TO LEGISLATE AGAINST EMPLOYER ABUSE Claiming that increased penalties will be enough to convince employers to comply with a code of 'best practices', Labour Minister Graham Bruce today continued to press ahead with regressive reforms to the Employment Standards Act in the legislature. Critics of the changes, including former Director David Ages, who resigned before the legislation was introduced, have warned that changes to the Employment Standards Act put the burden of responsibility on workers and ease restrictions on employers. "Penalties will be levied per offense, rather than per employee, effectively reducing the real penalty for larger employers" said Ages on the day the legislation was introduced. He added that he does not believe the Employment Standards Branch has either the will or resources to see that employers stay in line. The government has already passed legislation in record time that will reduce benefits for injured workers, limit benefits for the disabled and bias the Labour Code in favour of employers. The Liberals invoked closure on a range of Bills that will profoundly affect thousands of British Columbians (see issue 26, May 27). "Child employment now will be governed by regulation instead of the act," said NDP Opposition Leader Joy MacPhail. "The employment standards branch won't participate in the process of monitoring the employment of children under 15 years of age, and each industry will have its own set of regulations to follow." Bruce attempted to deflect suggestions that the legislation watered down protection for children under 14, saying that the government believes parental authority and responsibility was sufficient. "We believe parents should have the authority and the responsibility in that respect," said Bruce. For more information on the morning debate: < http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/hansard/37th3rd/h20530a-blues.htm > +++ NO PUBLIC DEBATE ON FUTURE OF HYDRO: NEUFELD The long-awaited report of the provincial government's Energy Task Force Review on the future of BC Hydro will be released and implemented without public consultation, Energy Minister Richard Neufeld confirmed today in the Legislature. Neufeld told NDP MLA Jenny Kwan during Question Period that "we will be releasing the energy task force report at the same time as we put forward our views on how we'll continue to keep BC Hydro at a competitive advantage in British Columbia." Kwan challenged Neufeld to promise there would be no privatization of core assets of BC Hydro, including transmission lines. Sale of the transmission lines has been demanded in recent days by BC business leaders. Neufeld ducked the question, but appeared to confirm that the core assets - whatever they are - will remain in public hands. The Office and Professional Employees' International Union (OPEIU) expects an announcement any day that almost two-thirds of the crown corporation's head office employees have been contracted to Accenture, an American firm. For details of the debate go to < http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/hansard/37th3rd/h20530p-blues.htm > +++ WOMEN'S CENTRES CONDEMN DECISION TO CLOSE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION The BC Coalition of Women's Centres has warned the government that it will not permit the government to turn the clock back on women's rights. The coalition is angry over the Liberal's decision to disband the BC Human Rights Commission, restrict debate in the legislature and allow some spousal assaults to be carried out without criminal charges. "The BC Coalition of Women's Centres puts this government on notice. This government will not balance the budget on the backs of women. We will not tolerate this government's calculated and deliberate violence against women." The coalition claims that during a conference held at Harrison Hot Springs May 2-3, four hundred BC prosecutors were instructed to be more tolerant of spousal assaults. "We hope that the changes introduced by government will not impede the Commission's ability to speak out for the human rights of British Columbians," said Acting Chief Harinder Mahinder, in a prepared statement released less than a week ago. Mahil was fired today, before legislation eliminating the commission had been tabled in the legislature. VIEW THE BC COALITION OF WOMEN'S CENTRE'S PRESS RELEASE: < http://www3.telus.net/bcwomen/archives/breach_of_public_trust_may_02.html > VIEW THE FEDERATION'S PRESS RELEASE: < http://www.bcfed.com/news/media/hrc.htm > BCGEU COVERAGE: < http://www.bcgeu.org/nr_020530b.html > THE BC HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: < http://www.bchrc.gov.bc.ca/home.htm > +++ PURDY'S WORKERS GET CLOSED SHOP The biggest issue for the Purdy's Chocolates workers of CEP Local 2000 was having a closed shop. The company had vowed never to agree to a full closed shop, but as a condition of signing the collective agreement they agreed to go to binding arbitration to settle the issue. Arbitrator Vince Ready issued his decision today, which gives the Purdy's workers a full closed shop. Congratulations goes out to these valiant workers and CEP Local 2000. Special thanks goes out to all the many supporters of the Purdy's sisters and brothers during this difficult struggle. +++ SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Subscribe or unsubscribe: To subscribe to BC Labour E-News, visit www.bcfed.com/sub.htm If you ever want to unsubscribe or change your options (eg., change your password, suspend E-news while you are on vacation, etc.), visit your personal subscription page at: < http://bcfed.net/cgibin/mailman/options/bc_labour_enews/(add_your_email_addr ess_here)> To get helpful information, send a message to: with "help" in the subject line, but without quotation marks. opeiu 15