From bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net Fri Jul 7 16:18:00 2006 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006 16:18:00 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] B.C. Federation of Labour E-News ISSUE #46 - July 7, 2006 Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC1206376406454@bcfednt.bcfed.local> ISSUE #46 - July 7, 2006 The BC Fed is calling for an investigation by the Transportation Minister after two workers lost their lives due to a CN Rail derailment on the privatized BC Rail line near Lillooet. There were 11 main-track derailments in 2005. FAST FACT In 2005 CN Rail recorded a net profit of $1.556 billion, a 24 percent increase over 2004. In this issue: Stories Latest CN Rail fatalities highlight risks to rail tourists on privatized BC Rail right-of-way, warns labour Nothing for BC's forest communities, $450 million for US communities in Softwood pact Coming Events Solidarity with CUPE Local 774 at Abbotsford Council Meeting Victoria Labour Council 15th Annual Michael Dunahee Slo-Pitch Tournament of Hope for Missing Children Pension Investment and Governance (Intermediate) Course Subscription Information top Stories Latest CN Rail fatalities highlight risks to rail tourists on privatized BC Rail right-of-way, warns labour Friday, June 30, 2006 Yesterday's double fatality in a derailment near Lillooet underlines CN Rail's continued failure to ensure safety on the privatized BC Rail line, says the B.C. Federation of Labour, and casts a cloud over the new Rocky Mountain Railtour service set to begin on the line this summer. "Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon should stop the Rocky Mountain service until he has examined CN Rail's safety procedures, and can satisfy rail workers and the public, that safety is paramount," said Federation Secretary-Treasurer Angela Schira. "CN Rail was fined $75,000 for its role in the death of two workers in a bridge collapse near McBride in 2003," Schira said. "There were 11 main-track derailments in 2005, including the disastrous chemical spill on the Cheakamus that wiped out fish stocks. "The corridor from Squamish to 100 Mile House is one of the steepest and most dangerous stretches on the entire line," Schira said. "Before we ramp up passenger traffic we must be sure safe practices are the rule." cope 15 Nothing for BC's forest communities, $450 million for US communities in Softwood pact Tuesday, July 04, 2006 "BC's communities are missing from the proposed Softwood Lumber Agreement while Americans have allocated $450 million dollars from duties paid by Canada to assist forest- dependant communities in the United States," says B.C. Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer Angela Schira. "Labour has been calling for all of those duties to be returned to Canada with a significant portion dedicated to helping Canadian forest communities," Schira said. "Instead of ensuring a fair deal that invests in BC's forest communities, communities and workers alike have been completely ignored." Under Article XIII of the agreement, $450 million dollars will be spent in the United States on projects including: "educational and charitable causes in timber reliant communities, initiatives related to low-income housing and disaster relief, and educational and public-interest projects addressing forest management issues." The Agreement creates no such funds for forest communities in Canada, nor is there any requirement that duties returned to Canada are actually invested by forest companies in Canada. Forest unions also dismissed any notion that more contentious aspects of the deal could be ironed out over the summer. "This deal doesn't need tweaking, it needs a complete rewrite," said United Steelworkers Western Canadian Director Steve Hunt. Hunt also expressed concern that the proposed Agreement was part of a "sell-out strategy." If this is what Bush-Harper talks have achieved, then we'd prefer continued litigation, rather than a Softwood Lumber Agreement that might only last a few years and gives up provincial sovereignty over forest policy." Despite earlier pronouncements that the proposed Agreement would benefit BC, this past weekend BC's provincial government was forced to publicly reject the Softwood deal. While the BC government has now indicated it will not support the deal, Schira expressed concern that both the federal government and BC's provincial government have failed to consult with the very workers and communities who are directly impacted by the proposed Agreement. "Forest workers and their communities will bear the brunt of whatever these politicians agree to, yet they have been ignored as the draft Agreement has been passed around corporate and government backrooms." top Events Solidarity with CUPE Local 774 at Abbotsford Council Meeting Monday, July 10, 2006 Information Join striking CUPE members to send a message of solidarity at Abbotsford's City Council meeting. CUPE Local 774 is calling for any and all other union members to come out on Monday July 10 and walk the line at City Hall. Download the poster here: Calling All Activists 7 7 06.pdf Location Abbotsford CIty Hall 32315 South Fraser Way Abbotsford, BC Victoria Labour Council 15th Annual Michael Dunahee Slo-Pitch Tournament of Hope for Missing Children Saturday, August 12, 2006 Information $275(earlybird) or $325 entrance fee per team Deadline: June 22, 2006 Each team must field 10 players. At least 4 must be women. Each team captain my be a union member. Each team must be sponsored by a union. Location Topaz Park(corner of Blanshard & Finlayson streets), Victoria Notes Colin Graham 250-384-8331 vlc at telus.net Pension Investment and Governance (Intermediate) Course Monday, September 25, 2006 Information If you are a Pension Trustee, a Pension Advisory Committee member or a Union Officer, SHARE's Pension Investment and Governance Courses will help you fulfill your duties to plan members and beneficiaries in a financially prudent and socially responsible manner. To register, go to www.share.ca to register online using a credit card or to download a registration form for payment by cheque. For further information contact: e-mail: education at share.ca Tel: 604-408-2456 Course Fees: SHARE Affiliates - $500.00 Non-Affiliates - $600.00 Early Registration Discount A 15 percent discount will apply to registrations received 3 weeks in advance of the course starting date. Location Vancouver, BC Notes cope 15 top Subscription Information Go to Subscribe to E-News to subscribe to B.C. Citizen, the electronic newsletter of the BC Federation of Labour. Send a message to BCFED to unsubscribe or suspend your subscription while on vacation or change your password. To get helpful information, send a message to: BC_Labour_Enews-request with "Help" in the subject line. cope 15 TO CONTACT THE FEDERATION, send an email to bcfed at bcfed.com top -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: winmail.dat Type: application/ms-tnef Size: 220560 bytes Desc: not available URL: From bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net Fri Jul 21 17:22:37 2006 From: bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net (bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net) Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 17:22:37 -0700 Subject: [BC_Labour_E-NEWS] B.C. Federation of Labour E-news ISSUE #47 - July 21, 2006 Message-ID: <1EFB83EC494285438D10B2CCC120637643F245@bcfednt.bcfed.local> ISSUE #47 - July 21, 2006 B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair, members and volunteers with B.C. Fed's Young Workers Committee were joined by Doug DePatie and Chett Crellin, family members of Grant DePatie, the young man killed last year while working at a Maple Ridge gas station. These young workers have been volunteering their time to conduct surveys of gas station workers, and provide station workers with important information about workers' rights to a healthy and safe workplace. FAST FACT According to WorkSafeBC, a recent random inspection of 366 gas stations "has resulted in virtually every inspection documenting violations and issuing orders." In this issue: Stories Widespread safety violations underline need for safety crackdown, says B.C. Federation of Labour Training tax credit should reimburse apprentice's tuition Help save Canada's only safe injection site City, CUPE member reach human rights settlement Current Disputes Coming Events Pride Weekend Victoria Labour Council 15th Annual Michael Dunahee Slo-Pitch Tournament of Hope for Missing Children Publications Is this the vision we have for a modern, 21st century forest industry? Subscription Information top Stories Widespread safety violations underline need for safety crackdown, says B.C. Federation of Labour Tuesday, July 18, 2006 Vancouver--Safety violations like those that led to the death of Grant DePatie, are widespread and underline the need for safety crackdown, says B.C. Federation of Labour Secretary Treasurer, Angela Schira, after findings released today by WorkSafeBC. After pressure from the B.C. Federation of Labour, WorkSafeBC agreed to step up safety inspections of BC gas stations, conducting 366 inspections in the last three months. According to WorkSafeBC, this pressure "has resulted in virtually every inspection documenting violations and issuing orders." "These findings confirm what we have been saying all along," said Schira. "Gas station workers are at risk and gas companies are not following the laws in place to protect these workers." "Not only do employers have a legal responsibility to provide safe workplaces, WorkSafeBC has a legal responsibility to enforce the rules," Schira stated. "When every inspection shows there's a problem, education alone isn't enough. There needs to be a crackdown, and gas stations not complying, should be shut down." The B.C. Federation of Labour has been lobbying the provincial government and WorkSafeBC to toughen up rules to protect workers working alone in gas stations, convenience stores and other late-night retail occupations. The Vancouver Police Department recently issued a warning to workers working alone after a spate of convenience store robberies. Kelowna RCMP also announced they will be approaching their City Council to request a by-law requiring gas stations to have a "pay before you pump" policy. Training tax credit should reimburse apprentice's tuition Tuesday, July 18, 2006 VANCOUVER - BC's new training tax credit should reimburse an apprentice's tuition upon completion of inter-provincial certification, says B.C. Federation of Labour President, Jim Sinclair. The 2006 budget included a $90 million tax credit for training but included no details on how it should be utilized. In the wake of the Federation's submission on the matter, Taylor's ministry organized a consultation. "Tuition fees have increased by 40 percent while support to apprentices were all but eliminated," said Sinclair. The focus of any training tax credit must remain on apprentices. In addition to tuition reimbursement, the Federation submission also proposes an apprentice tool allowance for each year of apprenticeship training. Sinclair's remarks came after a meeting with Finance Minister Carole Taylor to outline the Federation's submission to the provincial government's review of a training tax credit. The Federation also proposed that, in order to maximize incentive for apprenticeship completion, the training tax credit must be back-end loaded for eligible employers. The proposed tax credit would increase in each subsequent year of a training program, with the largest amount claimed following the apprentice achieving trade certification. Sinclair stressed that over the long term, rewarding good employers wouldn't be sufficient. "It's the old carrot and stick approach. The tax credit may be a carrot but where's the stick?" Sinclair asked. "Employers who don't train should have to contribute to the system. Poaching skilled workers by the highest bidder might generate some nice paycheques for the individual worker, but in the long run will only hurt our economy," said Sinclair. Sinclair suggested BC consider the training model used in Quebec where employers must invest one percent of their payroll in training. Since 2001/2002, the number of provincial training certificates completed has decreased by 26 percent. According to the Industry Training Authority, only 42 percent of those in apprenticeship programs complete and attain their full credentials. This compares to a rate of 95 percent for union-sponsored training programs. Click here to download a copy of the Training Tax Credit submission. Help save Canada's only safe injection site Friday, July 21, 2006 InSite, Canada's only safe injection site is based in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The site averages 600 visits each day. Through overdose interventions, Insite has saved 336 lives; injections that would have otherwise taken place in unsafe locations like alleys or hotel rooms. On September 12th, 2006, Insites Health Canada exemption from section 56 of Canada's Controlled Substances Act will expire and InSite will become illegal. But you can help change that. Please urge Prime Minister Stephen Harper to renew the Health Canada exemption and allow InSite to continue this valuable and needed work. Researchers and health professionals, both here in BC and around the world, have concluded that InSite is making a positive difference. Despite this evidence and Insite's life-saving interventions and introduction of people to detox and addiction treatment, Stephen Harper isn't convinced that this exemption should be granted. Please take a minute to write or e-mail Prime Minister Stephen Harper to help keep the Safe Injection Site saving lives in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. For more information visit: http://www.communityinsite.ca/ City, CUPE member reach human rights settlement Friday, July 14, 2006 KELOWNA-In a pre-emptive move designed to avoid an embarrassing loss, the City of Kelowna has reached a human rights settlement on same-sex spousal benefits with a local CUPE member less than a week before her complaint was to go before the BC Human Rights Tribunal. Meredith Clements, a member of CUPE 338 working at a local RCMP detachment, first asked her employer for spousal benefits when she was hired in 1999. The employer turned her down. Clements applied again in 2001 and in 2003, and was denied both times. After BC marriage law changed in the summer of 2003 and benefits were legally extended to same-sex partners, the union filed a grievance with the employer on her behalf. The grievance was settled in the fall of 2004 before the case went to arbitration. Shortly afterward, Clements filed a complaint with the BC Human Rights Tribunal. To learn more click here. Current Disputes Friday, July 21, 2006 COPE 15/Island Savings Credit Union On July 15, COPE 15 members who work at Island Savings Credit Union hit the picket lines after a mediator booked out of negotiations. Issues of wages and benefits, staffing and workload issues are central to this dispute while the employer continues to boast of profits. COPE 15 is asking Credit Union members to refuse to patronize Island Savings. For more information on this dispute, please visit the COPE15 website. CUPE 774/City of Abbotsford Members of CUPE 774 representing almost 500 workers employed by the City of Abbotsford have voted to reject the last offer made by the employer. After more than a year of bargaining, CUPE members began strike action June 26, 2006. Key issues remain wages, length of the contract, and recruitment and retention of workers. To find out how you can support these striking workers visit CUPE 774's website. UFCW 1518/Extra Foods-Park Royal UFCW 1518 members have been on strike at Extra Foods 8565 (Park Royal) since January 13, 2006. Union members are continuing their leafleting and information campaign at Westfair's Superstores. Westfair is the parent company of many Extra Foods stores as well as the Real Canadian Superstore chain. Westfair recently announced that it will be closing the Park Royal store for the duration of the strike. For updates on this strike please visit UFCW 1518. For more information on current disputes, please visit the B.C. Fed website. top Events Pride Weekend Saturday, August 05, 2006 Information The Multi-Union Pride Committee will be participating in several events on Pride weekend. Download the poster below for more information on how you can participate. Pride Week Events_2006.pdf Location Vancouver, BC Victoria Labour Council 15th Annual Michael Dunahee Slo-Pitch Tournament of Hope for Missing Children Saturday, August 12, 2006 Information $275 (earlybird) or $325 entrance fee per team Deadline: June 22, 2006 Each team must field 10 players. At least 4 must be women. Each team captain must be a union member. Each team must be sponsored by a union. Location Topaz Park (corner of Blanshard & Finlayson streets) Victoria Notes Colin Graham 250-384-8331 vlc at telus.net top Publications Is this the vision we have for a modern, 21st century forest industry? 7/17/2006 Why are people in Port Alberni willing to push a 227 kilogram log down the Island to Victoria to draw attention to the record level of log exports? For the same reason a recent poll showed over half of Port Alberni citizens believe their families may be forced to leave their community if raw log exports continue. Since 1891, BC has had laws restricting forest companies' ability to export raw logs. This policy has been reiterated by successive governments, keenly aware of British Columbians' desire to maximize the benefit of our forest resource. Before he was elected Premier, then Opposition Leader Gordon Campbell said in a radio interview, "we're not in favour of raw log exports. We don't want to export logs and export jobs along with them." But yesterday's political rhetoric doesn't match today's reality. In the last ten years raw log exports have tripled, reaching almost seven percent of the annual allowable cut. The B.C. Federation of Labour estimates that 3,300 jobs in the forest sector were lost to log exports in 2005 alone. In direct income to workers, the export of jobs from British Columbia costs $250 million annually in lost earnings to workers living in forest communities. Using traditional economic models, for every job created in the direct resource industry, an additional 2.5 jobs are created among suppliers and in the service sector. That amounts to a loss of an additional $625 million from British Columbia's economy. Some industry analysts initially predicted that the dramatic rise of exports could be attributed to the pine beetle crisis in BC's interior. However, figures from the Ministry of Forests, show that's far from the case. In 2005, the majority of logs exported were high value species, not beetle-infected pine. Most of these species originate on the coast. Some forest companies defend the practice as almost an inevitable evolution of the coastal forest industry restructuring. The B.C. Fed estimates 27 mills closed at a cost of 13,000 jobs between 1997 and 2004. Coastal mills made up the large majority of those closed. Not all of those mills closed because they were old or inefficient. (In fact, compared to our American neighbours BC has an incredibly productive saw-milling sector; just look at the ongoing trade battle over softwood lumber.) Reliable fibre supply that mills need to operate has continued to erode while log exports have continued to gather steam. Former Western Forest Products CEO Rick Doman described it best: "we'll be creating forest jobs in other countries and losing jobs here where workers actually get fair wages. They call it restructuring of Coastal BC but I call it the destruction of Coastal BC." And it's not just sawmill companies that are impacted. With the continued climb of raw log exports pulp mills face disappearing chip supplies and small remanufacturers are struggling as well. Forest unions, the B.C.Fed, and local labour councils are visiting with city councils around the province. We're asking local councils to support a moratorium on raw log exports and take this issue to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) this October. After meeting a delegation from Port Alberni, Minister of Forests Rich Coleman agreed to review the matter. A simple question should guide that review: is this the vision we have for a modern, 21st century forest industry? Are we content to simply remain hewers of wood? Or should we drive for a developed forest sector full of value-added opportunities and the best of sustainable harvesting practices? And if this is the best we can do in one of the most mature industries, what does this say for other sectors of the BC economy? Putting an end to raw log exports would provide the first clear signal in some time that resource communities can look forward to a positive future. top Subscription Information Send a message to BCFED to unsubscribe or suspend your subscription while on vacation or change your password. To get helpful information, send a message to: BC_Labour_Enews-request with "Help" in the subject line. cope 15 TO CONTACT THE FEDERATION, send an email to bcfed at bcfed.com top -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: winmail.dat Type: application/ms-tnef Size: 204388 bytes Desc: not available URL: