[BC_Labour_E-NEWS] B.C. Federation of Labour E-News September 22, 2006

[bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net]

B.C. Federation of Labour E-News September 22, 2006


Sep 22, 2006


   

Stories 

300 rally to stop the exploitation of foreign workers
<http://www.bcfed.com/node/556> 

B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair was joined by 300 union
members of the Ironworkers Sept. 20 at a rally calling for an end to the
exploitation of foreign workers on BC construction projects.  Sinclair
was joined by B.C. Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer Angela
Schira, BCGEU <http://www.bcgeu.bc.ca/>  President George Heyman and 
Ironworkers Local 97 <http://www.qtrades.com/ironworkers97/default.php>
Business Manager Perley Holmes.  

To read media accounts of Wednesday's rally click here.
<http://www.bcfed.com/node/556> 

 

 B.C. Fed President Jim Sinclair speaks to 300 union members calling for
a stop to the exploitation of foreign workers.

<http://www.bcfed.com/node/556> 

Ironworkers chastise Bilfinger
<http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2006/22/c8872.html>


Senior officials of Ironworkers Local 97 are again chastising German
construction firm, Bilfinger Berger for not being forthright about why
they're hiring temporary foreign workers when there are over 1,500
unemployed ironworkers in Canada. 

"They're nuts," said Perley Holmes, Business Manager for Ironworkers
Local 97. "Bilfinger Berger has been able to convince the Federal
Government to bring in temporary foreign workers, when I've got guys
right here and across Canada who want to work on the Golden Ears
Bridge." Read more
<http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2006/22/c8872.html>


Firing of care aides at Windsor Manor to be discussed at Kelowna meeting
<http://www.bcgeu.ca/3683> 

BCGEU--The BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) will be
holding a public meeting to hear from the public over concerns around
the firing of staff at Windsor Manor, a long-term care facility in
Kelowna. The operator of the Manor plans to replace the existing staff
with foreign workers.

Manor staff were given until this Wednesday to accept lower wages and
benefits or be fired and replaced with foreign workers. Read more.
<http://www.bcgeu.ca/3683> 


Union for RAV line workers files unfair labour practice charges against
SELI Canada/SNC Lavalin joint venture

BCYT--The union representing foreign tunnel workers on the
Richmond-Airport-Vancouver rapid transit Canada Line has filed unfair
labour practice charges against their employer, alleging intimidation
and other tactics that are being used to defeat a strike vote.

As a result, the Labourers Union Local 1611 <http://www.cswu1611.org/>
have postponed a strike vote scheduled for Friday and Saturday that
could have led to a strike as early as next Thursday. 

"The SELI Canada/SNC Lavalin joint venture is using the worst sort of
intimidation tactics against our members and we expect the Labour
Relations Board to rule strongly in our favour," said Mark Olsen,
business manager for the union. "Managers told the tunnel workers that
they would pull out of building the rapid transit line if they voted for
a strike, they brought new workers into the bargaining unit to defeat
the strike vote and they bought a truckload of appliances for the
workers."

To learn more contact the BC Building Trades.
<http://www.bcbuildingtrades.org/> 

Selection process flawed for Teachers' Congress
<http://www.bctf.ca/newsreleases/Archive/2006/2006-09-18.html>  

BCTF--The BC Teachers' Federation welcomes any opportunity to discuss
education issues that will improve public education. But it takes issue
with the selection process the provincial government has drafted for
participants of the Teachers' Congress to be held in Vancouver on
November 6th. 

"The government is using different processes in selecting participants,"
says BCTF President Jinny Sims. "Teachers are not being afforded the
same democratic opportunity given parents, who were permitted to have
elected officials represent them at the Parents' Congress. The
government wants to hand-pick teachers for the congress instead of
allowing teachers to decide who will represent them." To read more click
here <http://www.bctf.ca/newsreleases/Archive/2006/2006-09-18.html>  or
view the BCTF School Staff Alert.
<http://www.bctf.ca/SchoolStaffAlert/Archive/2006-07/2006-09-21.html> 

CUPE at Water in the City <http://www.cupe.bc.ca/3556> 

CUPE BC--CUPE members were among the 650 participants at Victoria's
Water in the City conference held from September 17 to 20. The
conference brings together people involved in making decisions about
water, including politicians, water workers and the environmental
community. The focus of the conference is to take a broad, visionary
look at water issues facing our communities and to explore innovative
approaches and practical policy alternatives necessary to solving these
issues.

CUPE BC is a major sponsor of the event. The CUPE water booth was a
popular place - with conference delegates picking up water bottles,
buttons and a wide range of information about protecting public water
and sewer systems. And CUPE's Island Water Watch campaign sponsored
three community participants at the conference. Read more.
<http://www.cupe.bc.ca/3556> 

Timberwest's Massive Exports Show Need for Policy Changes say United
Steelworkers <http://www.usw.ca/program/content/3636.php>  

BURNABY, BC - A review of TimberWest Forest Corp.'s massive raw-log
exports indicates exactly why the BC government needs to change policies
on raw-log exports, say the United Steelworkers. 

TimberWest reported recently that it exported over 1.8 million cubic
meters of logs in the first half of 2006, up by 30 percent from the same
period last year. Exports to Japan and other Asian markets were up by 44
percent. Yet, TimberWest actually dis-invested in Coastal BC during the
same period, Steelworkers representative Bob Matters reported today. 
Read more. <http://www.usw.ca/program/content/3636.php> 

Events

Pension Investment & Governance <http://www.bcfed.com/node/404> 

Start: Monday September 25, 2006 9:00 am

End: Thursday September 28, 2006 12:00 pm

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 learn more click
here. <http://www.bcfed.com/node/404> 

HEU's 25th Biennial Convention
<http://www.heu.org/events/2006/10/event14/?call=D0085E53> 

Start: Monday October 2, 2006

End: Friday October 6, 2006 

HEU's convention will be held at the Richmond Inn in Richmond, BC.

To learn more click here.
<http://www.heu.org/events/2006/10/event14/?call=D0085E53> 

JU/smo 

COPE 15

0500-06prl-JU E-news Sept 22.doc

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: winmail.dat
Type: application/ms-tnef
Size: 138457 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/bc_labour_enews/attachments/20060922/f5e34625/attachment.bin>