Last week at its quarterly meeting, CUPE BC’s Executive Board voted to donate $10,000 to typhoon relief efforts in the Philippines.
“Many members of our union across the province have contacted our office to ask what CUPE BC can do to help citizens in the Philippines following the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan last month, and the Executive Board today responded by unanimously passing a motion to donate $10,000 to our sister union in the Philippines,” said CUPE BC President Mark Hancock. “This donation will help the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) provide assistance to members and their families as they struggle to rebuild their communities and their lives.”
“We have built an excellent relationship with COURAGE over the past number of years, and this is a time when union solidarity—and international solidarity—becomes so important,” said CUPE BC Secretary Treasurer Paul Faoro. “Many CUPE members in BC are Filipino, who I know share a special and unique passion for their home country. Beyond that, just as we provided financial assistance to our sister union in Haiti following the horrendous earthquake there, we now are providing financial assistance to our sisters and brothers in the Philippines.”
Faoro and Hancock both encouraged individual CUPE members who are able to make donations to relief efforts in the Philippines. For more information on how you can help, see Oxfam Canada’s website here.