[BC_Labour_E-NEWS] December 17, 2004

Fri Dec 17 15:43:18 PST 2004

BC LABOUR NEWS NETWORK
Electronic News from the B.C. Federation of Labour
December 17, 2004
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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

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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.

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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 >

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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.

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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.

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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
>.

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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

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