British Columbia

B.C. health unions seek fair and reasonable settlement as talks begin Tuesday

Feb 6, 2012 09:42 PM Unions representing 43,000 B.C. health care workers will sit down with employers and government to begin negotiations for a new collective agreement Feb. 7.

Sectors meet to shape bargaining priorities in British Columbia

Feb 3, 2012 07:13 PM CUPE’s B.C. regional bargaining strategies conference continued on Thursday with delegates separating into provincial and locally-funded sectors—and then into individual sectors—to discuss bargaining priorities for 2012.

BC Jobs Plan failing northern communities

Feb 2, 2012 07:28 PM With an unemployment rate in northern B.C. sitting at 11.5% and layoffs looming at northern colleges, the B.C. government’s vaunted BC Jobs Plan is failing northern communities, unions representing post secondary workers said today.

Bargaining issues workshops tackle barriers, explore solutions

Feb 2, 2012 07:03 PM For Day One of CUPE BC’s bargaining strategies conference, delegates attended four of a possible nine workshops on various issues CUPE locals are facing at the bargaining table this year:

Collective action makes all the difference: panel discussion

Feb 1, 2012 08:20 PM CUPE’s B.C. regional strategic bargaining conference got down to business Tuesday night with a lively panel discussion on approaches to public sector bargaining that featured four labour activists representing a range of public sector union experience.

United front more important than ever: Paul Moist

Feb 1, 2012 08:18 PM Thanks to the growing income gap between the richest and poorest citizens, and relentless labour-bashing by the federal Conservative and BC Liberal governments, CUPE members have more cause than ever to unite across sectors and work with other unions to restore free collective bargaining, CUPE National president Paul Moist told delegates in his keynote address on Tuesday night.

High public esteem helps us at the table: Barry O’Neill

Feb 1, 2012 08:15 PM CUPE has come a long way in its embrace of strategic, coordinated bargaining across sectors and unions, CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill told delegates, in his welcoming remarks on Tuesday night.

B.C. workers in Community Health begin tabling bargaining proposals

Jan 31, 2012 04:49 PM CUPE BC Health Care Workers began bargaining last week, joined by over 13,000 workers employed in the Community Health sector. The Community Bargaining Association presented a summary of the priorities identified by health care workers and proposals related to housekeeping issues, harassment and bullying.

CUPE BC Donates $11,000 to Burns Lake relief efforts, encourages others to help

Jan 31, 2012 04:22 PM Following the horrific explosion January 20 in Burns Lake, the BC division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees has donated $10,000 to the Steelworkers union’s relief fund and an additional $1,000 to CUPE Local 2062 (Burns Lake Civic workers). The funds are to assist the community as it tries to cope with the deaths of two residents, serious injuries to 19 workers and the long-term loss of hundreds of jobs in the small town.

Provincial bargaining strategies conference to bridge CUPE sectors in British Columbia

Jan 30, 2012 02:34 PM CUPE BC’s first provincial bargaining strategies conference in three years kicks off this week (January 31-February 3), with about 260 delegates prepared to tackle the key issues facing all sectors at the bargaining table in 2012.