[BC_Labour_E-NEWS] ISSUE #43 March 10, 2006, News from the B.C. Federation of Labour
bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net
bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net
Fri Mar 10 12:00:08 PST 2006
ISSUE #43 March 10, 2006, News from the B.C. Federation of Labour
Tune in to CBC TV this Sunday and Monday evening for "Prairie Giant:
The Tommy Douglas Story."
Think today's battle to save public health care is an enormous
challenge?
Take a couple of evenings to learn about the person who introduced
Medicare to Canada.
Take this opportunity to learn more about our "Greatest Canadian."
To watch the trailer for "Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story" visit:
http://www.tommydouglas.tv/
FAST FACT
After abandoning the national childcare plan, BC stands to lose close to
33,000 childcare spaces.
In this issue:
Stories
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#stories>
North Shore News Refuses To Run Union Ad On Super Valu/Extra Foods
Strike
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#UFCW1518_NorthShoreNews>
B.C. Federation of Labour issues International Women's Day call to
Finance Minister: restore funding to Women's Centres and invest in
childcare
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#iwd>
B.C. Federation of Labour blasts Taylor for putting pine beetle funding
ahead of fight for Harper's childcare commitments
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Childcare>
Surrey Wal-Mart TLE Employees Go Union!
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Wal-mart_Surrey>
1,400 Surrey call centre workers vote to join BCGEU
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#BCGEU_NCO>
Coming Events
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#events>
RALLY to support striking workers at Extra Foods
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Extra Foods Rally>
Prairie Giant - The Tommy Douglas Story
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Tommy Douglas Story>
BCTF 90th Annual General Meeting
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#BCTF_AGM>
Basic OH&S Course
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Basic OHS Course>
Advanced OH&S Course
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Advanced OHS Course>
Publications
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#publications>
UK Health Chief Quits as System Plunges into Financial Crisis
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#Tyee_UK_Health>
Subscription Information
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#subscribe>
top
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#top>
Stories
North Shore News Refuses To Run Union Ad On Super Valu/Extra Foods
Strike
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
UFCW 1518 members and the union faced another form of censorship after
the publisher of the North Shore News refused to run an ad the union
wished to place in the paper.
Doug Foot, the publisher of the North Shore News would only say that the
refusal to run the ad was a "business decision." It will be little
surprise to anyone that Westfair and the Super Valu/Extra Foods store do
a substantial amount of advertising in the North Shore News.
Union members have been doing a thorough job of leafleting the store's
customers, and business has slowed down to a trickle since the dispute
began. The store is being staffed by management, and is only open for
five days of the week, for five hours each day.
Union members have also been leafleting customers of the Westfair-owned
Real Canadian Superstores, asking them not to shop at Superstores until
a new collective agreement is settled to end the Super Valu/Extra Foods
dispute.
The ad addresses many misleading and inaccurate claims put out by the
employer, and its content is very similar to leaflets currently being
distributed by picketing union members at the Super Valu/Extra Foods
store in West Vancouver's Park Royal mall.
The 100 UFCW 1518 members have been on strike since January 13, after
Super Valu/Extra Foods and parent company Westfair persisted in
demanding concessions during negotiations for a new collective
agreement. UFCW Local 247 members who work in the store's meat-deli
department have been honouring the picket lines as well.
Click here
<http://http://www.ufcw1518.com/news/overwaitea-safeway-news/060301-ad.p
df> to see the UFCW 1518 ad North Shore News refused to publish.
B.C. Federation of Labour issues International Women's Day call to
Finance Minister: restore funding to Women's Centres and invest in
childcare
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
VANCOUVER-If the Finance Minister is committed to women's equality,
International Women's Day is the perfect occasion to restore funding to
BC's women's centres and commit any new federal dollars to childcare
said B.C. Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer, Angela Schira.
Schira made the call a week after Finance Minister Carole Taylor turned
her back on $455 million of federal funding needed to create a
provincial childcare system.
Schira urged the BC Liberals to press the Stephen Harper government to
maintain a national childcare plan.
"There's half-a-billion dollars that the BC government is walking away
from, that's almost 33,000 childcare spaces BC's working families need,"
added Schira.
The BC Liberals have committed to building a women's history museum but
refused to restore funding to BC's women's centres. "If this government
continues to ignore women's voices, the only place we'll find progress
for women is in a museum," Schira said.
Schira criticized the Liberals for being out of touch with the realities
of ordinary working women and noted that women aren't getting ahead in
today's economy. Last year in BC, non-union women workers earned 29
percent less than men; the gap was only 10 percent for unionized women,
double the previous year.
"There's clearly a union advantage for women workers," Schira said, "but
there's no doubt that the BC Liberals attack on public sector workers
and the rolling back of wages were attacks on pay equity for women."
B.C. Federation of Labour blasts Taylor for putting pine beetle funding
ahead of fight for Harper's childcare commitments
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Provincial Finance Minister Carole Taylor is letting down BC families
and turning her back on $455 million of federal funding needed to create
a provincial childcare system, said B.C. Federation of Labour
Secretary-Treasurer Angela Schira.
"Today's news reports indicate the Minister has given up on forcing
Stephen Harper to deliver federal funding commitments for our kids, but
has hopes of getting more money to fight the mountain pine beetle,"
Schira said. "Why won't she have the guts to demand the federal money
for both programs?"
Schira said International Women's Day on March 8th would be a good time
for Taylor to recommit to the fight for a provincial childcare program.
"If the BC Liberals really believe Stephen Harper will come fix the
fiscal imbalance," added Schira, "they could earmark those dollars for
childcare and commit today to building a public plan BC families need."
"Taylor claimed her budget was focused on children," stated Schira, "but
her next pronouncement walks away from nearly half-a-billion dollars
that would do more than any other single initiative to help our kids and
working families."
Schira noted that the lost funding amounts to 32,983 childcare spaces
that BC will forego and will create a crisis as more and more families
look for affordable, quality childcare.
"The so-called 'choice' offered by Stephen Harper is nothing of the
kind," Schira said. "The Harper Tories are offering $1,200 a year but no
childcare system to spend it on. Without real childcare spaces, families
have no choice at all."
Surrey Wal-Mart TLE Employees Go Union!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Following lengthy Labour Relations Board hearings, the ballots were
finally counted and employees at a Surrey Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express
shop have voted 7-2 in favour of joining the United Food & Commercial
Workers Union, Local 1518.
The vote was originally held in September of 2005, but Wal-Mart held
true to its usual pattern of litigation and delay, and it took until
March 3, 2006 for the LRB to work its way through Wal-Mart's challenges
and authorize a count of the ballots for workers at two Wal-Mart Tire &
Lube Express shops in Surrey.
The union won the vote 7-2 at the West Wal-Mart store on 88th street in
Surrey, and lost a close vote 7-5 at the Guildford Wal-Mart.
"Despite the delays forced upon these Wal-Mart workers, they are now
members of our union, and we couldn't be happier about that," said
Brooke Sundin, President of UFCW Local 1518. "This is a big and brave
step for Wal-Mart workers to take given the barefaced hostility Wal-Mart
shows to employees who are interested in joining the union. We're very
much looking forward to representing our newest union members, and will
be approaching the company shortly to begin negotiations for a
contract."
To find out more about the Wal-mart campaign click here.
<http://www.ufcw1518.com/arcview.php?category=wal-mart-news>
1,400 Surrey call centre workers vote to join BCGEU
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
More than 1,400 customer service representatives at a Surrey call centre
have voted to join the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union to
improve wages and working conditions.
The call centre is owned by the NCO Group Inc., a Pennsylvania-based
company that operates a global network of contact facilities. The Surrey
site handles customer service enquiries for a host of big U.S. companies
including Microsoft's X-Box, Amazon.com, and Nextel.
"While the vote was close, this is a real success story," says BCGEU
President George Heyman. "I'm extremely proud of NCO employees who
showed great courage and determination throughout the organizing drive.
For more information click here. <http://www.bcgeu.ca/3292>
top
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#top>
Events
RALLY to support striking workers at Extra Foods
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Information
Our guest speakers will be:
Jim Sinclair, President, B.C. Federation of Labour
Suzanne Hodge, Secretary-Treasurer, UFCW Local 247
Please bring your banners!
The Extra Foods picketers will be collecting food donations for Women's
Shelters if you wish to donate.
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Location
1020 Park Royal South
West Vancouver, BC.
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Notes
cope 15
Prairie Giant - The Tommy Douglas Story
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Information
Prairie Giant , The Tommy Douglas Story - On your local CBC
March 12 & 13, 2006
Link will give you dates for the airing of the television show as well
as trailers. http://www.tommydouglas.tv/
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Location
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Notes
cope 15
BCTF 90th Annual General Meeting
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Information
The 2006 AGM will commence on Saturday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m., in the
ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, and will conclude on Tuesday, March
14.
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Location
Hyatt Regency
Vancouver, BC
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Basic OH&S Course
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Information
GOAL:
The goal of this introductory Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) course
is to introduce new Committee members and worker representatives to the
basic principles of workplace health and safety. OH&S Committee members
who have had previous OH&S education can use it as a refresher.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
In this course participants will:
* Learn about the OH&S Regulation and the Workers Compensation
Act, workers' OH&S rights and the procedure for refusing unsafe work.
* Learn the responsibilities and duties of the OH&S Committee.
* Learn how to conduct effective safety inspections and incident
investigations.
* Have the opportunity to put theory into practice in various
interactive exercises in the course.
* Be updated on changes to the OH&S Regulation.
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
OH&S EDUCATION PROJECT (Funded by the Workers' Compensation Board)
#200 - 5118 Joyce Street
Vancouver, BC V5R 4H1
Telephone: 604-430-1421/Toll Free - 1-888-BCFL NOW (223-5669)
Facsimile: 604-430-5917
E-Mail: fed_ohs_ed at telus.net/Website: www.bcfed.com (view courses
online)
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Location
Ramada Hotel & Suites
286 Island Highway
Campbell River, BC
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Notes
The course meets the criteria for the eight-hour annual educational
leave that OH&S Committee members and worker representatives are
entitled to under the Workers Compensation Act. Wages, course fees and
reasonable costs of attending must be paid by the employer.
COPE 15
Advanced OH&S Course
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Information
GOAL:
We've heard from many Joint OH&S Committee members about their successes
and their difficulties. The Advanced OH&S Course has been designed to
allow participants to develop the tools, resources and strategies to
build on their successes and to tackle the tough OH&S issues at their
workplaces.
This educational opportunity will assist Committee members in the
valuable work they do in protecting the health and safety of workers.
The course meets the criteria for the eight-hour annual educational
leave that OH&S Committee members and worker representatives are
entitled to under the Workers Compensation Act. Wages, course fees and
reasonable costs of attending must be paid by the employer.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
In this course participants will:
* Discuss barriers facing joint OH&S Committees and develop
practical strategies and solutions to deal with them.
* Learn about OH&S trends such as Behaviour-Based Safety programs
and how they impact the work of the Committee.
* Learn how to use the OH&S Regulation and the Workers
Compensation Act as a resource.
* Use work specific case studies to practically apply the tools,
resources and strategies necessary to solve OH&S problems.
Prerequisite: Participants must have taken a Basic OH&S Course not less
than 6 months prior to registering in this Advanced Course.
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
OH&S EDUCATION PROJECT (Funded by the Workers' Compensation Board)
#200 - 5118 Joyce Street
Vancouver, BC V5R 4H1
Telephone: 604-430-1421/Toll Free - 1-888-BCFL NOW (223-5669)
Facsimile: 604-430-5917
E-Mail: fed_ohs_ed at telus.net/Website: www.bcfed.com (view courses
online)
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Location
Firefighters' Banquet & Conference Centre
6515 Bonsor Avenue
Burnaby BC
(Metrotown)
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/images/clearDot.gif>
Notes
The course meets the criteria for the eight-hour annual educational
leave that OH&S Committee members and worker representatives are
entitled to under the Workers Compensation Act. Wages, course fees and
reasonable costs of attending must be paid by the employer.
COPE 15
top
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#top>
Publications
UK Health Chief Quits as System Plunges into Financial Crisis
Tom Sandborn
The Tyee.ca
3/8/2006
Only a day after Gordon Campbell celebrated the British health care
delivery system as a source of model reforms for BC, the UK's top health
administrator has resigned amidst claims the system he shifted toward
privatization and for-profit care over the last half decade was sinking
into financial crisis.
Timing is everything in life and politics, and Gordon Campbell may
already regret the timing of an interview he gave on Monday, March 6.
Speaking to Vancouver Sun reporter Jeff Lee in London, Campbell
expressed his interest in bringing British ideas back for possible
application to the BC health care delivery system. He singled out for
special mention the use of private-public partnerships in building and
operating hospitals and in delivery of medical services.
Even before yesterday's Sun was fish-wrap, the news out of the UK's
National Health Service had turned ugly. A headline in today's Guardian
trumpeted "NHS Chief Quits amid Worsening Cash Crisis."
Read more at thetyee.ca <http://thetyee.ca/News/2006/03/08/UKCrisis/>
top
<http://www.bcfed.com/NR/exeres/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,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/ECAA9836-2DD7-45B7-9C3C-2071979FD58F,A91
7458F-F364-4CF2-B94F-66B5531BE481,frameless.htm#top>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060310/ffc0ea66/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: BCFedblu111.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 6108 bytes
Desc: BCFedblu111.gif
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060310/ffc0ea66/attachment.gif>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: TommyDouglas1.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 52252 bytes
Desc: TommyDouglas1.gif
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060310/ffc0ea66/attachment-0001.gif>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: spacer.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 43 bytes
Desc: spacer.gif
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060310/ffc0ea66/attachment-0002.gif>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: divider.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 177 bytes
Desc: divider.gif
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060310/ffc0ea66/attachment-0003.gif>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: bullet_square2.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 83 bytes
Desc: bullet_square2.gif
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060310/ffc0ea66/attachment-0004.gif>
More information about the BC_Labour_Enews
mailing list