From bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net Fri Nov 26 13:34:22 2004 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 13:34:22 -0800 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] November 26, 2004 Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC120637604139F@bcfednt.bcfed.local> BC LABOUR NEWS NETWORK Electronic News from the B.C. Federation of Labour November 26, 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> BCFL Convention kicks off November 29 - December 3 2> CAW Local 3000 Requests Picket Support 3> Union wants BC Liberals to expand probe at Surrey Memorial Hospital -- Investigation should include public disclosure of privatized cleaning standards 4> THE TYEE - Beware of Zombie Truckers 5> Kwantlen support staff vote 88 percent in favour of strike action 6> Labour sponsors 9th Annual Community Christmas Dinners ++++|++++ 1> B.C. Federation of Labour Annual Convention Over 1200 delegates have registered so far for the B.C. Federation of Labour's 48th convention at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, November 29 - December 3, 2004. Guest speakers at the convention will include Maria Marcela Maspero from the Union Nacional de Trabajordores (UNT) Venezuela, BC NDP Leader Carole James, Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton, and Canadian Labour Congress Secretary-Treasurer Hassan Yussuff. Monday Evening - Wal-Mart Women Featuring organizers from UFCW Locals currently organizing Wal-Mart in Canada, and Carolyn Sapp, the US activist who launched the class-action suit against Wal-Mart. Tuesday Evening - International Solidarity Night Featuring Thulas Nxesi from the South African Democratic Teachers' Union, Alfonso Narenjo, Leader of the Colombian Health Care Union, and Alfredo Porras, a Colombian Coca-Cola Worker. Wednesday Evening - Occupational Health and Safety Fightback Campaign The theme of this year's convention is "Building a Better BC". +++|+++ 2> CAW Local 3000 requests picket support Fifty members of CAW Local 3000 in the Food and Beverage Department of the Hollyburn Country Club went on strike on Wednesday, November 10. They have been trying to reach a new Collective Agreement since March 2004. The union has tabled a reasonable wage increase to protect incomes against increases in the cost of living, but Hollyburn's offer includes no wage increase and no job security. Hollyburn also wants the union to agree to assigned section rotation and a reduction of available sick days. The union met with the Company Tuesday, November 23rd to address an illegal strike replacement complaint at the LRB. No bargaining took place. CAW Local 3000 President Frank Sobczak says the union will be stepping up the pressure on the employer by getting as many of their supporters to show up on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings on the picket line. If you have time to lend some support at the picket line on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, please join them. 950 Crosscreek Road, West Vancouver. *(on the Upper Levels Highway #1 traveling towards Horseshoe Bay, take Exit 11 (15th Street), turn right on 15th Street North and you will reach the picket line in about 1 and 1/2 minutes!)* For more information, call Frank Sobczak, President Local 3000, at: 604-220-8409 or the Coordinators of the CAW Flying Squad, Mable Elmore at: 604-783-5171 or Stacy Wakfer at: 604-517-1525. +++|+++ 3> Union wants BC Liberals to expand probe at Surrey Memorial Hospital -- Investigation should include public disclosure of privatized cleaning standards A government-ordered investigation into emergency and maternity care at Surrey Memorial Hospital must be expanded to other Fraser Health Authority (FHA) facilities and include an examination of privatization's impact on infection control, says the Hospital Employees' Union. High-profile cases reported in the media in the last few days are only the most recent incidents of compromised health and safety to be reported since the FHA handed over critical cleaning functions to the foreign multi-national Sodexho during the past year. "Without a full disclosure of the standards to which the private cleaning contractor is being held, this investigation will fail to restore public confidence," says HEU Acting Secretary-Business Manager Zorica Bosancic. "Problems are not limited to Surrey Memorial and neither should this investigation be." Other incidents this year include: - In March, the Abbotsford Times reported on blood smears in delivery rooms and trash left behind beds in the emergency ward at MSA Hospital. The FHA promised penalties if substandard conditions continued; - In April, the special care nursery at Royal Columbian Hospital was closed due to a superbug outbreak; - In August, patient complaints about cleanliness at the Royal Columbian emergency room led the FHA to promise more staffing from the private contractor. But more complaints were raised in September by a patient placed in a bed with wet and soiled linens; and - In September, a Workers' Compensation Board investigation determined that Sodexho's health and safety procedures at MSA Hospital were applicable to the hospitality sector not to health care. The WCB probe followed an incident where a contract worker was exposed to biohazardous waste. "The contract workers have been telling us that their workloads are extreme and they've received minimal training. These issues must be part of the investigation as well," says Bosancic. The HEU has filed Freedom of Information requests to determine the level of cleaning standards agreed to by the FHA in its five-year contract with Sodexho, but those requests have so far only produced blank pages of severed material. "There's a total lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to infection control standards post-privatization," says Bosancic. "If the government is serious about restoring public confidence, this secrecy must end now." +++|+++ 4> TYEE - Beware of 'Zombie' Truck Loggers Longer shifts are stretching truckers to the point of dangerous exhaustion, say drivers and union reps. Read the full article: < http://www.thetyee.ca/News/current/BewareZombieTruck.htm > Subscribe to The Tyee: < http://www.thetyee.ca/About+Us/subscribe_standard.htm > +++|+++ 5> Kwantlen support staff vote 88 percent for strike action to press for fair wage Unionized support staff at Kwantlen University College have voted 88 percent in favour of strike action to back up demands for a fair contract settlement. Talks between the college and more than 400 support staff represented by the BC Government and Service Employees' Union broke off October 15th because of the Campbell government's rigid zero percent wage increase mandate for public sector workers. "The result should send a clear message to Kwantlen and Victoria that a pay increase must be part of any settlement for college support staff," says BCGEU President George Heyman. Heyman says his union's primary goal is to negotiate a new collective agreement, and has no immediate plans to issue strike notice. "Our next move will be to try to resume discussions to reach a deal," he says. Like their counterparts at other BC colleges and institutes, Kwantlen support staff have gone without raises in five of the last seven years, and have seen their real incomes fall by more than seven percent during that period after taking inflation into account. The union is seeking wage increases of seven percent in a new four-year agreement. Support staff also want access to benefit provisions already enjoyed by college instructors. College support staff operate audio/visual services along with registration, counseling, academic advice and financial aid programs. They also assist in trades training and student labs, maintain buildings, and provide library, IT and computer services. Kwantlen has campuses in Surrey, Richmond and Langley. +++|+++ 6> 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 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 of a family in need, please let them know about the dinners. Reservations are not necessary and families can drop by on Christmas Eve between the hours of 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm 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 >. +++|+++ ++++++|++++++ 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 your personal subscription page at: < http://bcfed.net/cgibin/mailman/options/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 Nov 26 16:53:02 2004 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 16:53:02 -0800 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] November 26 UPDATE Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC12063760413E7@bcfednt.bcfed.local> BC LABOUR NEWS NETWORK Electronic News from the B.C. Federation of Labour November 26, 2004 - UPDATE - Add Young Workers' Conference ________________________________________________ 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. +++|+++ YOUNG WORKERS RESIST - Youth Conference One Day Conference, Sunday November 28, 2004 Join young workers to discuss systemic oppression, the income gap, sweat shop conditions, tuition fee increases and the effects of globalization at this one day conference at the Westin Bayshore Resort & Marina, 1601 Bayshore, Vancouver. Young people, aged 15-30, are welcome to register on site at 9:00 am. Registration fee is $50.00, payable to the B.C. Federation of Labour. The conference begins at 9:30 am and runs until 6:00 pm, with a reception and entertainment to follow. For more information, or to download the agenda and registration form, please visit the Federation's website: < http://www.bcfed.com > +++|+++ ++++++|++++++ 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 your personal subscription page at: < http://bcfed.net/cgibin/mailman/options/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 Mon Nov 29 17:17:18 2004 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 17:17:18 -0800 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] November 29, 2004 Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC12063760613FD@bcfednt.bcfed.local> November 29, 2004 B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair Launches Grassroots Political Action Campaign at 48th B.C. Federation of Labour Convention VANCOUVER - B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair today launched the largest grassroots political action campaign in the Federation's history at the 48th Convention of the B.C. Federation of Labour. "We're going to reach out to every one of our members and make sure they understand the choice facing BC so that they understand the connection between the ballot box and their workplace, the connection between the ballot box and our communities," Sinclair told the crowd. Sinclair explained that the campaign, called "Count Me In", isn't about money, but about organizing large numbers of workers to get involved in politics in every BC community. "Our war chest is over half a million people strong. Unions represent working women and men right across this province." "Pundits would have us believe Gordon Campbell can't be beaten," said Sinclair. "I have three words for them: Surrey-Panorama-Ridge." Sinclair also told delegates that unions must step up to the plate to fight for fair wages. Sinclair said CEO's of the top 100 publicly traded companies got an average pay increase of thirty-six percent last year and fifty-one percent this year. "More and more this government is siding with the employers and that's why more and more workers need unions." The B.C. Federation of Labour's 48th Convention runs from November 29 to December 3 at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, 999 Canada Place, Vancouver. -30- For more information contact: Jessie Uppal, 604-220-0739. cope 15 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net Tue Nov 30 16:45:03 2004 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 16:45:03 -0800 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] November 30, 2004 Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC12063760613FF@bcfednt.bcfed.local> November 30, 2004 Olympic Rings Must Include Pay Equity Vancouver - Delegates to the B.C. Federation of Labour's 48th Convention today passed an emergency resolution calling on members of Vancouver's 2010 Winter Olympics Committee (VANOC) to demand pay equity for about 5,000 current and former Bell Canada operators who are owed up to $500 million in back pay. Bell Canada, which bills itself as "a great Canadian company", announced in October it had been awarded a $200 million sponsorship that includes the provision of telecommunications services to Olympic venues. "This company's record on paying women fairly is bad enough," said B.C. Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer Angela Schira. "But we're absolutely appalled they are deploying tactics to deny thousands of women equal pay for work they've already performed." Bell fully committed to a pay equity plan over a decade ago, but has since reneged and is stalling on settling the claim. The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP), the union representing the women, has taken the case before the Human Rights Tribunal, but hearing dates are scheduled well into 2005. "They've got hundreds of millions for an army of lawyers and millions more to sponsor sporting events and buildings like the Montreal Forum, but they can't pay us what we're owed," said Monique Martin, an operator from Quebec. "Bell has paid $200 million for the 2010 Olympic contract," said Rocklee Johns, a former Bell Canada operator involved in the case. "I've been waiting 12 years - that's my money." "The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Committee has to show they're committed to pay equity," said CEP Western Region Vice President Dave Coles. "VANOC has been busy defending their Olympic rings brand, which is really about integrity and fairness. Now it's time to put their money where their mouth is and ensure their sponsors do the same." The emergency resolution also commits Federation affiliates to full support for the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers' demand that Bell Canada immediately negotiate a fair pay equity settlement. - 30 - For more information contact: Jessie Uppal, 604-220-0739, B.C. Federation of Labour Dave Coles, 604-240-7284, Vice President, Western Region, Communications, Energy & Paperworkers' Union cope 15 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: