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This summer, an agreement in
principle was signed between
the federal and British
Columbia governments to
create a professional, First
Nations-run school district
to manage on-reserve schools.
“This represents a major
organizing opportunity for
CUPE,” says Richard Gauthier, a
member of CUPE 3523 (Central
Okanagan School District) who recently completed
an Aboriginal mapping project for CUPE National.
Gauthier, drawing from an employee list representing
more than a third of all bands in B.C.,
reached nearly every corner of the province in a quest
to identify potential union members among First
Nations employees. The project ran from mid-
October 2005 to the end of March 2006.
The bulk of Gauthier’s work was to research where
Aboriginal people live and work in B.C., determine
who their employers are, and identify potential
organizing opportunities.
“The government’s announcement is very timely,”
he says. “There could be provincial school districts
where you have only one employer, which from a
union perspective could be a good thing, instead of
dealing with little districts with eight staff. If they do
move to forming a provincial school district, it will
make it easier to negotiate contracts.”
Meanwhile, CUPE BC plans a follow-up to its
successful Aboriginal gathering held in Kelowna two
years ago. The second province-wide gathering will be
held in Victoria Oct. 13-15.
“We’re really excited that this is happening,” says
CUPE BC diversity vice-president John Thompson.
“There have been so many positive outcomes from
the first gathering in Kelowna, like the [B.C.]
Aboriginal council being formed and the mapping
project, to name just two. I’m sure the energy will be
very high.”