[BC_Labour_E-NEWS] B.C. Federation of Labour E-News ISSUE #46 - July 7, 2006

[bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net]

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
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#stories> 

Latest CN Rail fatalities highlight risks to rail tourists on privatized
BC Rail right-of-way, warns labour
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Rail_fatality>  

Nothing for BC's forest communities, $450 million for US communities in
Softwood pact
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Softwood> 

 Coming Events
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#events> 

Solidarity with CUPE Local 774 at Abbotsford Council Meeting
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#CUPE_Abbotsford> 

Victoria Labour Council 15th Annual Michael Dunahee Slo-Pitch Tournament
of Hope for Missing Children
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Victoria_Softball> 

Pension Investment and Governance (Intermediate) Course
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#SHARE Fall and Winter
Courses> 

 Subscription Information
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#subscribe> 

top
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#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
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#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
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/rdonlyres/edae5cc52hydivjdyhqbxhlgmra7j3ujp7pk5
ylz2umlnwa7xqc3ndlsp7mjbq6vwmdlhqfea6ppjl/CallingAllActivists7706.pdf>  
 <http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif> 	
Location	
	
Abbotsford CIty Hall
32315 South Fraser Way
Abbotsford, BC
	
 <http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif> 	

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.
 
 
 <http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif> 	
Location	
	
Topaz Park(corner of Blanshard & Finlayson streets), Victoria
	
 <http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif> 	
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 <http://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.

 <http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif> 	
Location	
	
Vancouver, BC
	
 <http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif> 	
Notes	
	
cope 15 	

top
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#top> 



Subscription Information

Go to Subscribe to E-News
<http://www.bcfed.com/BFNews/E-Newsletter/Subscribe+to+E-News.htm>  to
subscribe to B.C. Citizen, the electronic newsletter of the BC
Federation of Labour.
 
Send a message to BCFED
<mailto:bcfed at bcfed.com?subject=Unsubscribe-E-NEWS>  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 <mailto:BC_Labour_Enews-request at bcfed.net>  with
"Help" in the subject line.

cope 15
 
TO CONTACT THE FEDERATION, send an email to bcfed at bcfed.com
 
 
top
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/D77254A0-6774-434A-A0ED-E92D97DB86CE,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#top> 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: winmail.dat
Type: application/ms-tnef
Size: 220560 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060707/ec080071/attachment.bin>