From bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net Fri Dec 10 11:23:19 2004 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 11:23:19 -0800 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] December 10, 2004 Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC1206376041647@bcfednt.bcfed.local> BC LABOUR NEWS NETWORK Electronic News from the B.C. Federation of Labour December 10, 2004 ________________________________________________ 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. +++|+++ CONTENTS 1> New Bill Introduced by NDP Will Protect Employees' Wages, Benefits and Pensions 2> Cuts to BC Forest Service Threaten Public Forests 3> Weyerhaeuser Doesn't Work for British Columbians 4> Labour Sponsors 9th Annual Community Christmas Dinners 5> New Cleaning Concerns: Investigation Reveals Widespread Problems with Housekeeping at St. Paul's Hospital ++++|++++ 1> New Bill Introduced by NDP Will Protect Employees' Wages, Benefits and Pensions Federal New Democratic Party MP Pat Martin led off debate in the House of Commons December 3rd on a private members' Bill that would put employee claims for wages, benefits and pensions at the front of the line when a company goes bankrupt. Under present laws, employees are the last to receive money - after other creditors and suppliers are paid - and there's often not enough money left. Bill C-283, an Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Canada Business Corporations Act, the Employment Insurance Act and the Employment Insurance Regulations, was criticized by Liberal MPs who say the Bill is unbalanced and would threaten the availability of capital investment funds. But NDP MPs say the change is long overdue and urged the House to send the Bill to the committee stage. "It's time for MPs to come together and agree to better protect Canadians. There have been too many tragic stories of lives shattered by companies going bankrupt," said Martin. "We have a responsibility and an obligation to stand up for employees and act in their best interests." According to a Vector Research poll conducted on behalf of the United Steelworkers, eighty-nine percent of Canadians support changing Canada's bankruptcy laws. Eighty-four percent of Canadians said that the present laws are unfair to employees. "I look forward to working with MPs from all parties to finally reform these laws. We must make sure that we are living up to our responsibilities to Canadian employees and not only to the banks," said Martin. "Workers deserve these changes, Canadians want these changes, so let's get to work and get the job done." Hamilton Centre MP David Christopherson, who seconded the Bill, said that these changes are urgently needed for Canadian workers. "I have seen these personal tragedies repeated far too often in Hamilton and across the country. I look forward to working with Pat to make sure that we finally bring fairness to Canada's bankruptcy laws." On October 22, 2004, Lapointe Partnership, owners of the Port Alice, BC pulp mill, filed to seek bankruptcy protection. Almost 500 CEP members at the Port Alice mill are facing the loss of their community's only major employer. Delegates to last week's B.C. Federation of Labour Convention overwhelmingly voted to support the NDP's "Workers First" campaign. Visit the NDP's website to become a Workers First Bill supporter and/or tell your story: < http://douglas.ndp.ca/pensions/en/ > Read the text of the second reading debate in the House of Commons: < http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/038_2004-12-03/ han038_1330-E.htm > Read the full text of the private members' Bill: < http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/private/C-281/C-2 81_1/C-281_cover-E.html > +++|+++ 2> Huge Cuts to BC Forest Service Threaten Public Forests The Campbell Liberals' cuts to the B.C. Forest Service are threatening the ability of the provincial government to properly manage and protect British Columbia's forests, according to a new report released December 7th. "The Sierra Club of Canada has documented how 800 jobs have been cut from the Ministry of Forests since 2001," said BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) President George Heyman. "These cuts have come in some of the most important jobs in the Forest Service - the employees responsible for compliance and enforcement." The Sierra Club report also shows that scalers, the staff who measure the value of the wood cut by the forest companies, are now only able to check one out of every 147 truckloads of wood, calling into question whether the people of BC are receiving full compensation for our resources from forest companies. "The cuts to the Forest Service have hit communities outside the Lower Mainland especially hard," said Heyman. "The Campbell government follows a cynical policy of short term resource exploitation which just helps line the pockets of industry at the expense of British Columbians and a sustainable economy for forest dependant communities." The Sierra Club recommends increasing the minimum stumpage rate and hiring more staff to monitor and safeguard BC forests. +++|+++ 3> Weyerhaeuser Doesn't Work for British Columbians Members of the United Steelworkers and their supporters gathered in Vancouver on December 7th to rally support for members of Steelworkers Local 1-3567 on strike against Weyerhaeuser. "Weyerhaeuser is making millions in BC but not putting it back to work here by creating jobs or strengthening our communities," said Steelworkers-IWA Council president Norm Rivard. "It's time this company started benefiting its employees, their families and their communities, not just its owners." While Steelworker members have been on strike at Weyco's Northwest Hardwoods mill in Delta, BC since July, the firm has shifted production to the US Pacific Northwest and refused to talk. Steelworker District 3 Director Steve Hunt noted that in spite of promises to invest in BC, Weyerhaeuser has not delivered. "They said if the Campbell government changed the Forest Act and timber harvesting regulations, and if changes were made in their agreement with their employees, they would invest over a billion dollars here. Well, they got what they wanted but we're still waiting." Recent changes to forest laws and regulations have given companies a free hand to close mills, contract out and reconfigure their timber-harvesting activities, Hunt noted. The provincial government has rewritten the province's Forest Practices Code. Earlier this year, a contract imposed on workers allowed longer shifts and reduced overtime and travel-time, thereby making work more dangerous. "We need people all over BC to let this company know we don't do business this way here," says Hunt. In the third-quarter of 2004, Weyerhaeuser profits soared to a record $594 million, seven times their third-quarter profits last year, and twice their total 2003 earnings. So far this year the firm has made over $1.08 billion. Delegates to the B.C. Federation of Labour's 48th Convention endorsed an emergency resolution to oppose Weyerhaeuser's implementation of dangerous shifts, to lobby the government to ensure companies invest in resource-dependent communities, to oppose raw log exports and to support the strategic campaign against the company. +++|+++ 4> Labour Sponsors 9th Annual Community Christmas Dinners Once again, unions and union members are extending a hand to those in the community who may be having a difficult time this Christmas. Marie Decaire, the B.C. Federation of Labour Director of Women's Rights and Community and Social Action, says more help is needed from unions and other community organizations to ensure the events are financially viable. "I've organized events like this many times in the past and I've never seen so many families in need," said Decaire. "With just a couple of weeks to go before Christmas Eve, we're sending out a special appeal to ask unions, community groups and activists to donate money to cover the cost of hosting the two dinners." The Labour Community Christmas Dinners consist of a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings, live music and carols and gifts from Santa for every child and teenager there. If you know a family in need, please let them know about the dinners. Reservations are not necessary and families can drop by between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm on Christmas Eve at the following locations: Maritime Labour Centre 1880 Triumph Street (at Victoria Drive) Vancouver, BC Upper Auditorium Whalley Legion 13525 - 106th Avenue Surrey, BC For more information, or to volunteer or donate, please call Marie Decaire at 604-430-1421 or send e-mail to < mailto:community at bcfed.com >. +++|+++ 5> New Cleaning Concerns: Investigation Reveals Widespread Problems with Housekeeping at St. Paul's Hospital An investigation into staff concerns about deteriorating cleaning standards at St. Paul's Hospital has triggered a call by health care unions for an independent audit of the facility's privatized housekeeping services. "Falling Standards, Rising Risks", a research report produced by the BC Nurses' Union and the Hospital Employees' Union in collaboration with the Health Sciences Association, paints a disturbing picture of dirty conditions and the consequences that come with over-worked, poorly-trained workers who no longer have a direct working relationship with either hospital staff or the Infection Control Department. Staff observations included: - old feces on curtains for several days; - bedsides and bedside tables sticky with juice, again for days; - no cleaning of monitor cables, no cleaning of IV poles; - concerns about inadequate cleaning in the TB rooms, and more. "The conditions reported by nurses and other frontline staff at St. Paul's are alarming," says BCNU President Debra McPherson. "We're hearing these same concerns from nurses in the Vancouver Island Health Authority and the Fraser Health Authority, and we've seen what can happen to patients as a result. "It's time for government and the health authorities to take these concerns very seriously. We're not talking about dust bunnies here - we're talking about bodily fluids of all descriptions on bed rails and equipment, and empty soap and towel dispensers which makes it difficult to maintain good hand washing." A survey of Emergency Department staff in May found that 86 percent believed the overall cleanliness of the Department had declined post-privatization, while 64 percent said housekeeping practices did not meet commonly accepted infection control requirements. "This report shows that unacceptable cleaning practices continued to exist a full six months after St. Paul's housekeeping services were handed over to the US-based multinational Aramark," says HEU Acting Secretary Business Manager Zorica Bosancic. "The research wasn't conducted within a few weeks of the transition to privatized cleaning services - it was undertaken six months later. And we know from frontline staff and members of the public that those same inadequate practices continue today." Bosancic says the link between infection control and hospital housekeeping services is critical. "The public needs to feel confident that their safety isn't at risk when they enter a hospital. Only a full, independent investigation will ensure that." ++++++|++++++ To subscribe to E-News, visit: < http://www.bcfed.com/sub.htm >. If you want to unsubscribe or change your options (e.g, change your password, suspend E-News while you are on vacation, etc.), visit the subscription page and enter your e-mail address at the bottom of the page: < http://bcfed.net/mailman/listinfo/bc_labour_enews > To get helpful information, send a message to: < mailto:BC_Labour_E-News > with "help" in the subject line (no quotation marks). TO CONTACT THE FEDERATION, send an email to: < mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com > cope 15 From bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net Fri Dec 17 15:43:18 2004 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2004 15:43:18 -0800 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] December 17, 2004 Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC1206376041883@bcfednt.bcfed.local> BC LABOUR NEWS NETWORK Electronic News from the B.C. Federation of Labour December 17, 2004 ________________________________________________ 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. +++|+++ CONTENTS 1> Latest Mustel Polling Shows NDP and Liberals in a Tight Race 2> Yes, We're Political...But Here's Why - Editorial by Jim Sinclair 3> $25 Million in Severance Pay for Health Care Workers 4> Machinists Win $36.5 Million for Air Canada Members 5> Christmas Dinner 6> Federation's Holiday Message ++++|++++ 1> Latest Mustel Polling Shows NDP and Liberals in a Tight Race A week after Ipsos-Reid polling showed 44 percent support for the BC Liberals compared to 41 percent for the NDP, Mustel Group released a poll December 14 showing 43 percent of BC voters support the NDP while 40 percent support the BC Liberals. Both polls are within the margin of error for their sample size, putting the Parties in a statistical dead heat five months before the election. Mustel sampled 500 British Columbians between November 30th and December 7th. Ipsos-Reid's sample polled 800 British Columbians from November 24th to 30th. +++|+++ 2> Yes, We're Political... But Here's Why - Editorial by Jim Sinclair You know something's gone terribly wrong in BC politics when labels are applied to people rather than political ideas and issues. When labels are used to silence debate and simplify ideas in a democracy, it's a good idea to peel back the label and see what's underneath. As some see it, the views of half a million British Columbian voters don't count because they're a part of "Big Labour". They say we're too engaged in the democratic process. They say we ask too many questions of our MLAs. Peel back the label and we're workers, voters and family members just like everyone else in BC. It's disturbing how this label has become a convenient way to dismiss our active participation in democracy. It was our political action, over many decades, that created the eight-hour day, public pension plans, safer workplaces and even ensured our right to vote. In 2005, workers will be as engaged as we have always been. For as long as there has been a labour movement in BC, union members have been actively engaged in politics. We understand that a better province isn't just about our workplaces and our paycheques. It's also about our families, our communities and the services and standards that improve them. This government has shown it isn't interested in our concerns so, more than ever before, we need to turn up the volume. Looking back at the last three and a half years, the BC Liberals have some explaining to do. They have been less than honest about their privatization schemes. They took a profitable, publicly owned and strategically important railway, BC Rail, and sold it (make that "leased" it for 990 years) to CN, despite firm commitments from Gordon Campbell that the BC Liberals "would not sell or privatize BC Rail" (New Era Document). Equally misguided, Premier Campbell promised not to "rip up signed contracts" of frontline health care workers and claimed his version of health care reform would make private clinics "redundant". The result? Growing wait lists, dirty hospitals, expansion of private clinics and demoralized health care workers. The Campbell government has undermined labour standards (and has been found guilty of labour contraventions by the United Nations six times), and given BC the dubious distinction of having the weakest child labour laws of any jurisdiction in North America. In fact, the BC Liberals' child labour laws are so out of step with current standards they contravene Canada's international commitments to protect children from exploitive labour practices. The government's track record of mismanagement and broken promises are only part of the problem. The BC Liberals have also demonstrated no real vision for our province's future. Instead of investing in BC's youth, they have allowed tuition fees to skyrocket, imposed larger class size and they gutted trades training. Union members, like the majority of voters in BC, don't believe this government deserves re-election. They want a government that is honest, more accountable and more inclusive. We're all tired of Campbell's broken promises. Instead of showing real leadership, this government uses multi-million dollar TV ads to gloss over their mistakes and shortcomings. This from a Party that promised not to use taxpayer dollars for political ads. And when those TV ads don't work, they blame workers and their unions. Talk about weapons of mass distraction. No doubt the BC Liberals and their corporate CEO friends will step up the ad campaigns as we get closer to Election Day. The BC Business Council has already started with its massive "You're Hired" TV ads. The good news? Voters make up their own minds. They won't be fooled into forgetting what the BC Liberals have done. Voters delivered that message loud and clear in the Surrey Panorama Ridge by-election. Between now and May 17th, that momentum will only grow. This article is available for PDF download at: < http://www.bcfed.com/Where+We+Stand/Publications/Archives/editorial-200 4-politics-labour.htm > +++|+++ 3> $25 Million in Severance Pay for Health Care Workers More than 1,300 health care workers who recently lost their jobs because of government privatization schemes will soon receive some financial compensation, says the Hospital Employees' Union. The payments come from a $25 million enhanced severance package negotiated by health care unions as part of an agreement that ended job action in health care facilities last May. That agreement also capped the number of future privatization-related layoffs in health care. The financial aid package had been delayed while an arbitrator decided who would be included in the cap - an issue that effects the distribution of payments. That matter was resolved last month and health employers received instructions last week to begin issuing payments. "This severance package is long overdue and badly needed by our members," says HEU Acting Secretary-Business Manager Zorica Bosancic. "This government's privatization schemes have cost our members their jobs, their homes and put their families under enormous pressure. It's also caused chaos in health care." More than 8,000 front-line health care workers - 90 percent of them women - have lost their jobs as a result of the privatization of cleaning, food services, laundry and security services. More than 1,300 workers either laid off as a result of privatization since April 1, or who were working out their notice period at the time of the job action on May 1, are eligible for payments of between $3,500 and $17,000, depending upon their length of service. Several hundred more health care workers will be eligible for enhanced severance payments in the future. +++|+++ 4> Machinists Win $36.5 Million for Air Canada Members International Association of Machinists and Aerospace members at Air Canada will soon receive a stocking stuffer that will make this holiday season one to remember. Individual cheques worth $2,153.82 will be distributed to each of 11,066 eligible IAM Air Canada members as a result of claims made by the IAM on behalf of members impacted by the restructuring of Air Canada. "We felt that we should be considered in the same light as the other creditors," said Grand Lodge Representative Ron Fontaine. "The monitor and Justice James Farley agreed and we were able to have an amount of monies set aside to be distributed to the IAM membership working at Air Canada." "In total, we were able to turn the IAM claims overall into $36,524,044.14 in cash," said Fontaine. Out of this sum, Revenue Canada required over $8.5 million held back for income tax. An additional amount slightly in excess of $3 million was needed to pay for grievance claims as well as associated legal and professional fees. This left $23,834,274.84 for distribution among eligible members at Air Canada. Fontaine credited the legal assistance provided by Hugh O'Reilly of Cavalluzzo-Hayes for initiating the concept that led the discussions with the monitor and resulted in the sizeable award. +++|+++ 5> Labour Sponsors 9th Annual Community Christmas Dinners Once again, unions and union members are extending a hand to those in the community who may be having a difficult time this Christmas. The B.C. Federation of Labour is sending out a dinner invitation to Lower Mainland residents who may be having a difficult time this Christmas as unions prepare to host labour's 9th Annual Community Christmas Dinners on Christmas Eve in Surrey and Vancouver. "It's not generally well known that BC's unions have been hosting and supporting this event for nine years now," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair. "But we know that times are really tough for a lot of BC families right now, so we're putting some extra effort into getting the word out to our community partners and have made a special appeal to unions and activists for money and volunteers." The Labour Community Christmas Dinners consist of a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings, live music, carols and gifts from Santa for every child and teenager there. The Federation expects over 350 volunteers to serve in excess of 3,000 guests. If you know of a family in need, please let them know about the dinners. Reservations are not necessary and families can drop by anytime between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm on Christmas Eve at the following locations: Maritime Labour Centre 1880 Triumph Street (at Victoria Drive) Vancouver, BC Upper Auditorium Whalley Legion 13525 - 106th Avenue Surrey, BC For more information, or to volunteer or donate, please call Marie Decaire at 604-430-1421 or send e-mail to < mailto:community at bcfed.com >. +++|+++ 6> Federation's Holiday Message "What We Desire for Ourselves, We Wish for All" Dear Sisters and Brothers: As we share the joy of the holiday season together with our friends and families, let's reflect on the history, the struggles and the successes of our movement, ready to build a better world, on the job, at home and in our communities. We would like to thank each of you and your organizations for your support of working families across our province. We look forward to continuing our work with you in the New Year. >From all of us at the B.C. Federation of Labour, the best to you and your family this holiday season. In Solidarity, Federation officers and staff +++|+++ ++++++|++++++ To subscribe to E-News, visit: < http://www.bcfed.com/sub.htm >. If you want to unsubscribe or change your options (e.g, change your password, suspend E-News while you are on vacation, etc.), visit the subscription page and enter your e-mail address at the bottom of the page: < http://bcfed.net/mailman/listinfo/bc_labour_enews > To get helpful information, send a message to: < mailto:BC_Labour_E-News > with "help" in the subject line (no quotation marks). TO CONTACT THE FEDERATION, send an email to: < mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com > cope 15