From bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net Thu Sep 23 12:16:54 2004 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 12:16:54 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] September 23, 2004 Message-ID: <92AE3E392A698245A015C4C1B92CD2CA042528@bcfednt.bcfed.local> BC LABOUR NEWS NETWORK Electronic News from the B.C. Federation of Labour September 23, 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> BC's economy continues to lag behind rest of Canada 2> Look deeper to see the real sources of BC Liberal surplus 3> Unions fight BC Ferries' decision to build ferries offshore 4> THE TYEE - One BC community's struggle to keep its school open 5> Women paying price of legal services cutbacks - CCPA 6> Union challenges new ICBC CEO Paul Taylor to reveal whether mandate includes privatization of public auto insurance 7> Farmworkers pay price for New Era policies 8> CURRENT DISPUTES - September 23, 2004 +++|+++ PUBLICATIONS - Eye on the Economy - September, 2004 Download from the publications section of our website: < http://www.bcfed.com/Where+We+Stand/Publications/index.htm > +++|+++ EVENT LISTINGS - Visit website for details: < http://www.bcfed.com/Coming+Events/index.htm > AGM Nanaimo 09/27/2004 Documentary "The Corporation" 10/06/2004 Apprenticeship & Skill Training Conference 10/13/2004 B.C. Federation of Labour 48th Convention 11/29/2004 ++++|++++ 1> BC's economy continues to lag behind rest of Canada B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair says the quarterly budget released by the BC Liberals on September 14 shows students and patients are still in trouble, despite improving circumstances in the natural resource sector. "New dollars from the federal government are just being matched by equal cuts from the provincial government," pointed out Sinclair. "$148 million in new federal health transfers slated for this year is offset by a $148 million reduction in provincial health care spending." "While Premier Campbell is demanding more health care dollars from the federal government, his record demonstrates that he actually diverts the money to other areas," said Sinclair. "British Columbians expect every penny of federal health funding to be spent in addition to the current health funding in BC, not be clawed back to pay for Campbell's tax cuts." Students are no better off than patients according to the BC Liberal government's first quarterly report for 2004-2005. Post-secondary fees will see an additional $95 million going to government coffers as a result of increased tuition fees. "Students are struggling to pay for record tuition increases and BC's Finance Minister is bragging about the new revenue his government is taking from students." "This just shows how this government is out of touch with the needs of working families and students trying to get a decent education," Sinclair added. ICBC is forecast to deliver an additional $166 million in revenue. However, the Liberals recently fired former ICBC CEO Nick Geer, whose successful leadership generated these results. Higher commodity prices, including record lumber and oil prices, as well as increased housing sales driven by low interest rates, have increased government revenue forecasts. Despite the privatization of Crown Corporations like BC Rail and BC Ferries, taxpayer debt as a percentage of GDP is 19.9 percent higher than when the BC Liberals took office. Since then, BC's debt has grown by almost $4 billion. +++|+++ 2> Look deeper to see the real sources of BC Liberal surplus Finance Minister Gary Collins is claiming that BC is undergoing a "broad based" economic recovery. As is frequently the case, the hard data does not support his claims. Three-quarters of the job growth in the past 12 months is in construction. Without construction, the BC economy gained only 8,700 jobs in the past year. When August 2004 is compared to August 2003, employment is down by 9,800 in education, down by 17,500 in trade, down by 6,000 in the resource industries, and down by 5,400 in manufacturing. Construction, driven by low interest rates, is booming, but other sectors have been negative or flat over the past year. Small communities outside of the Lower Mainland know that broad based economic growth is a myth. So what has contributed to the rosy financial picture painted in the province's First Quarterly Report which forecasts a surplus by yearend of almost $1.2 billion? The tax cuts have come nowhere close to paying for themselves. Personal income tax revenue is still $896 million less than it was in 2000-2001. Revenue from MSP premiums is up since the New Era began because of the 50 percent increase imposed in 2002. That regressive tax now raises $1.4 billion. The Finance Minister's September Report estimates total revenue as being $1.173 billion higher than when the budget was presented in February. The biggest single item making up that change, contributing $375 million, is higher forestry revenue due to record high prices and higher harvests. High natural gas prices have also helped the government's bottom line by contributing $203 million more than anticipated in February. The third biggest item is the property transfer tax; it adds $168 million more than expected. When the government targets a program for cuts, it says that it is "not sustainable". Budget surpluses that depend on low interest rates and high resource prices are not sustainable. Such surpluses have absolutely nothing to do with anything for which the government can claim responsibility. The government is responsible for inflicting pain on tens of thousands of British Columbians through its attack on the social safety net. Since 2001, the Ministries of Human Resources, Attorney General, and Children and Family Development have been cut by $870 million. Look at the downtown streets in Victoria, Vancouver or Kelowna to get an idea of what happens to people when the supports are yanked out. You won't see anything about program cuts in the Finance Minister's Report. Cuts made this year were announced last year. Every effort is made to ignore them with just 8 months to go before the election. The Ministry of Children and Family Development was cut a further $70 million this year; the Ministry of Human Resources was cut $117 million this year; 14 other ministries were cut a total of $803 million this year. The government's surplus was paid for through service cuts, regressive tax hikes and high commodity prices. If the entire surplus was used to correct the damage done over the past three years, it would make only a small step, but it would at least be a step in the right direction. +++|+++ 3> Unions fight BC Ferries' decision to build ferries offshore B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair was in Victoria September 17, along with Shipyard General Workers' Federation President George MacPherson and BC Ferry and Marine Workers' Union President Jackie Miller. The unions organized a rally at the head office of the BC Ferries Services Corporation, where the Board of Directors held a meeting to select a shipyard to build new ferries for the province. BC Ferries has come under heavy criticism for its decision to exclude local shipyards from the final bidding process. At the meeting, the directors chose Flensburg, a German shipbuilder, to build the ferries offshore. The cost of the contract is $325 million, but taxpayers are on the hook for a total budget of $542 million to cover additional project management costs, financing, taxes and a possible federal duty. "This decision is a disaster for the industry," said Sinclair. "It just doesn't make any financial sense to send this work offshore." MacPherson says the decision to build offshore takes 2,000 jobs directly out of the BC economy. Carole James, Leader of the BC NDP, and Jack Layton, Leader of the Federal NDP, were also in attendance to lend support to shipyard workers. BC shipyards currently employ about 1,500 workers in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Victoria, Port Alberni and Nanaimo. UPDATE: Union organizers are asking everyone opposed to this decision to turn out for the BC Ferries Annual General Meeting to speak out against the decision to build overseas. What: BC Ferries AGM, Nanaimo When: 4:00 p.m., September 27 Where: Ports Theatre, Nanaimo - 127 Front Street +++|+++ 4> The Tyee - read excerpts from BC's feisty on-line newspaper and sign up Rural Schools don't die easily - TYEE article by Scott Deveau BC towns and villages are struggling to save their community anchors. Forest Grove Elementary is one. Read the full article: < http://www.thetyee.ca/News/current/RuralSchoolsDontDie.htm > Sign up for e-mail updates on Tyee articles: < http://www.thetyee.ca/About+Us/subscribe.htm > +++|+++ 5> Women paying price of legal services cutbacks As a result of legal aid cuts, women are losing custody of their children, giving up valid legal rights to support, and being subjected to litigation harassment according to a new report. It finds that women are paying a greater price for BC's deep cuts to legal services because it is primarily family and poverty law legal aid that have been affected. Women's need for legal services is overwhelming in these areas, not in criminal law (where almost no cuts were made). "The impact of legal services cuts on women has been devastating," says Alison Brewin, author of Legal Aid Denied: Women and the Cuts to Legal Services in BC, released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the West Coast Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (West Coast LEAF). Brewin is Program Director for West Coast LEAF. "Women are being put in totally unacceptable situations," she says. "Without legal aid they must spend endless days navigating a complex legal system - researching and preparing legal documents, appearing without a lawyer for highly charged divorce and custody cases, and agreeing to settlements that are not in their own or their children's interests." In 2002, the provincial government announced a 40 percent cut to the Legal Services Society's (LSS) budget over three years. Full-time staff were slashed from 460 to 155 and the province replaced 42 offices and 14 area directors with seven offices and 22 local agents. The majority of the 40 percent cut occurred in family law legal aid, and through the complete elimination of provincial funding for poverty law (for example, for welfare and Employment Insurance matters) and immigration law. Women are twice as likely to access family law legal aid, whereas men are five times more likely to access criminal legal aid. The number of funded referrals to private lawyers for family law matters decreased by 58 percent between 2000-2001 and 2003-2004; referrals for criminal cases decreased by just 2 percent. The province has restricted access to family law legal aid to situations where someone is fearful for their own safety or that of their children. The amount of representation available has also decreased dramatically - even when aid is granted, it is limited to a maximum of 8 hours and is provided only to assist with obtaining a restraining order or change in custody agreement to protect the recipient's and/or her children's safety. Noelle Heppell can attest to the impact of the government's changes. Following the cuts she was denied access to legal aid to deal with ongoing child maintenance issues and was forced to represent herself in court. "I don't know very much about the court system," Heppell said. "I lost almost half of the child maintenance because I did not have adequate legal representation. The system does not work for women. You try to get help but you can't get it anywhere." West Coast LEAF is collecting sworn testimony from women across the province describing their situations following the cuts. "The province's actions are shameful," says Brewin. "The government is taking in significantly more money for legal aid than it is spending." The province collects a 7.5 percent tax on legal services that is supposed to go directly to legal aid. It is difficult to determine exactly how much is being collected, but some estimates put the amount over $90 million. The federal government also contributes $9 million for criminal legal aid, yet current provincial government spending is only $55 million. "The government has an obligation - under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as international human rights agreements - to take into account the impact of policy changes on women and ensure their equality rights are respected," says Brewin. "It is failing miserably." Legal Aid Denied: Women and the Cuts to Legal Services in BC is available at < http://www.policyalternatives.ca > The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is a non-partisan research institute examining social and economic issues facing British Columbians and Canadians. West Coast LEAF was founded in 1985 to advance the equality of women in Canada using the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other human rights law. +++|+++ 6> Union challenges new ICBC CEO Paul Taylor to reveal whether mandate includes privatization of public auto insurance The union representing ICBC workers is challenging new CEO Paul Taylor to dispel widespread rumours he has been hired by the BC Liberal government to privatize and split up ICBC. Jerri New, President of the Canadian Office and Professional Employees' Union [COPE] Local 378, said that since the firing of ICBC CEO Nick Geer for supporting public auto insurance as cheaper and better than private insurance union members have become deeply concerned about reports that Taylor would be hired to privatize and split up ICBC. "We hope that there is no truth to rumours that Paul Taylor's assignment is to privatize ICBC. We encourage Mr. Taylor to have an open mind and examine how public auto insurance has been able to offer BC drivers low stable rates and better service than the private insurance industry," New said. New said Taylor, who until recently was Deputy Minister of Finance in the BC Liberal government, played a key role in creating Partnerships BC, the government's agency that promotes public private partnerships. Taylor has previously been the Chief Executive Officer of the BC Automobile Dealers' Association, which has been a major donor to the BC Liberal Party, contributing $54,967 in 2003 alone. "Taylor was also one of the key architects of Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's conservative fiscal program in the 1990s," she said, "as well as serving as Chief Economist for the National Automobile Dealers' Association and a Vice-President with TransAlta." New said ICBC workers are concerned that the BC Liberal government will split ICBC into separate basic and optional insurance companies as the first step towards privatizing the more profitable optional side of the business. The BC Liberals' election platform promised to "increase competition" for auto insurance but the appointment of former Jim Pattison executive Nick Geer as CEO seemed to have stopped the privatization efforts until Geer was fired in May 2004, New noted. New said she also hopes the appointment of Taylor will mean a return to negotiating a new collective agreement for ICBC workers, whose contract expired in October 2003. The union believes not having a permanent CEO since May has made it impossible for ICBC to negotiate a new contract, New said. She said that with ICBC posting a huge $166 million profit in the first six months of 2004 the company can easily drop its concession demands and reach an agreement with ICBC workers. For background on ICBC and public auto insurance, go to < http://www.saveicbc.com > +++|+++ 7 > Farmworkers pay price for New Era policies New B.C. Federation of Labour Report on Farmworkers Reveals Weakened Standards and Little Enforcement Ongoing trouble in the agriculture sector won't be over soon according to a new report released today by the B.C. Federation of Labour. The report, written by former Employment Standards Branch Program Advisor Graeme Moore, details ongoing worker abuse in the agricultural sector and points to New Era changes in Employment Standards as the chief culprit. "Abuses that have long been part of doing business in the fields are increasing under Liberal policy," said report author Graeme Moore. "The living and working conditions that this mainly Indo-Canadian workforce endures are comparable to those in the Third World." The 49-page report outlines the watering down of standards and enforcement that turn back the clock more than a decade on some of the worst exploited workers in the province. The report says: * The special investigation team made up of federal and provincial inspectors has been shutdown and enforcement dramatically reduced. * Where limited enforcement was done (57 fields) Employment Standards Officers found major violations of regulations, including labour contractors operating without a license. * Sanitation and hygiene conditions on many work sites are extremely low and warrant immediate action to protect workers and consumers. * Children are working in the fields without any government oversight or protections necessary to ensure their safety. * Fines against employers have dropped dramatically. "The entire New Era agenda for working people has been about driving down wages, working conditions and worker protections and nowhere is this more blatant than in the fields of British Columbia," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair. "Any government with a shred of integrity will take this report and immediately implement the recommendations to clean up the problems." "Working and living conditions in the fields would be unrecognizable to the average person in British Columbia," said Canadian Farmworkers Union representative Charan Gill. "Workers have no access to sanitation and no right to minimum wages, overtime, statutory holidays or vacation pay. Whole families, and many older Indo-Canadians, live this way just to get by." Moore's in-depth analysis on the treatment of Fraser Valley hand-harvesters traces attempts by the Employment Standards Branch to curb Employment Standards infractions by producers and farm labour contractors. The findings of the report point to the need to step up enforcement to ensure the industry provides basic guarantees like payment of wages, hours of work, vacation and overtime. Moore says an environment of intimidation, threats and coercion keeps local workers from complaining or accessing their rights under the Employment Standards Act. The Federation has forwarded the report to the Minister of Labour, Graham Bruce, with a request for a meeting immediately so that changes can be made. +++|+++ 8> CURRENT DISPUTES STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) - VS - Treasury Board Table 2 (National) Major Issues: Wages, Job Security, Concessions Commenced: September 20, 2004 **** Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) - VS - Canada Revenue Agency (Nationwide) Major Issues: Wages, Job Security, Term Employees Commenced: September 8, 2004 **** Canadian Union of Public Employuees (CUPE) Local 1004 - VS - Easy Park (Vancouver) Major Issues: Wages, Benefits Commenced: August 20, 2004 **** Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) - VS - Parks Canada (Nationwide) Major Issues: Wages, Whistleblowing Protection, Job Security Commenced: August 13, 2004 **** Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), Local 1129 -VS - Norampac (a joint-venture between Cascades Inc & Domtar Inc) (Vancouver) Major Issues: Seniority, Benefits, Contracting-Out Commenced: April 11, 2004 **** United Steelworkers of America (USWA), Local 2952 - VS - Modern Auto Plating Limited (Vancouver) Major Issues: Working Conditions, Wages, Benefits Commenced: January 24, 2002 **** Construction and Specialized Workers' Union, Local 1611 - VS - Wescon Enterprises Ltd. (Armstrong) Major Issues: Seniority, Benefits, Concessions Commenced: July 25, 2001 **** National Automotive, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW), Local 3000 - VS - Royal Diamond Casino (Vancouver) Major Issues: Concessions, Benefits, Contracting-Out Commenced: Locked-out July 15, 2001 (A tentative agreement has been reached but the end of the lockout and recall to work is conditional on re-zoning approval.) **** Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Union of Canada, Local 2000 - VS - Castlegar Sun (Castlegar) Major Issues: Wages Commenced: November 4, 1999 **** Starbucks Unstrike National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW), Local 3000 - VS - Starbucks Major Issues: Job Security, Concessions, Seniority Commenced: May 13, 2002 CAW members are continuing to work while disregarding Starbuck's dress code and are leafleting customers at their own and non-union locations to spread the word about their dispute. CAW is asking for your help to Send Starbucks A Message. For more information about the CAW STARBUCKS UNSTRIKE FOR JUSTICE AND DIGNITY check out the CAW Canada website at www.caw.ca and Send Starbucks A Message using the Starbucks "hot button" or via "Campaigns and Issues". Please patronize the following unionized Vancouver and one Westbank Starbucks locations: 2531 E Hastings St, East of Nanaimo 3451 Kingsway, West of Joyce at Tyne 1702 Robson St, East of Denman 1095 Howe St, at Helmecken 811 Hornby St, across Vancouver Courts 1641 David St, East of Denman Royal Centre Mall, Dunsmuir Entrance 1395 Main St, at the Skytrain 1752 Commercial Dr, at 2nd Ave 3492 Cambie St, at 19th Ave 1015 Denman St, at Nelson 22-3645 Gossett Rd, at Westbank Centre **** SETTLED UNITE HERE! Local 40 - VS - Cara Operations Ltd. (Richmond) **** Teamsters, Local 213 - VS - Kelowna Redi Mix, OK Redi Mix, Norgaard Redi Mix (Kelowna, Penticton) HOT EDICTS Construction and Specialized Workers' Union, Local 1611 - VS - Wescon Enterprises Ltd. (Armstrong) **** BOYCOTTS Non-Union Postal Outlets - CLC/BCFL - CUPW Philips Electronic Products, Quebec - CLC - USWA 7812 Essex Kent Mushroom, Essex Continental Dist. Inc. or Unionville Farms, Kingsville, Ontario - CLC/BCFL - UFCW National ++++++|++++++ 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