Local Voice November 2011

Ecojustice – Water Protection

Job Stewards Training

Ardell Brophy Award Form

ICBC – Driving a New Mandate

Constitutional Changes

Driving ICBC | Rate Reviews

ALSO INSIDE

Quarterly publication for members of the Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378

Local VoiceVOLUME 6 | Issue #4 Fall 2011

Safety

3 PRESIDENT’S OPENING MESSAGE by President David Black

4 TRANSLATIONS

6 NOMINATIONS – ARDELL BROPHY AWARD

7 STEWARDS: WHAT I LEARNED

8 PRESIDENT’S WORD

9 SME UPDATE

10 CREDIT UNION ORGANIZING

11 ECOJUSTICE – WATER PROTECTION

12 TRANSIT POLICE – IT’S ABOUT SAFETY, NOT FARES by Geoff Meggs

13 POLITICAL ACTION REPORT

14 ICBC’S PROUD LEGACY FOR BC By Kathy Corrigan

15 DRIVING A NEW MANDATE

16 ALTERNATIVE RATE REVIEW REPORT by Marjorie Griffin Cohen and John Calvert

17 10 YEARS AT BCAA by Heather Lee

18 FORTISBC AMALGAMATION UPDATE

19 INTERNATIONAL LABOUR COMMUNICATORS

20 BARGAINING BRIEFS

22 OVERVIEW OF CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES

23 UNION REP ASSIGNMENTS

24 ORGANIZED LAUGHTER

Job Steward Training

Ardell Brophy Award Form

Driving a New Mandate - ICBC

6

7

15

In This IssueCONTENTS

President’s Opening Message

It’s hard to believe I began as COPE 378’s President only five months ago. We’ve had an incredibly busy summer which quickly turned into a full and fast-paced fall. During these five months, I’ve been working with COPE’s Sec-

retary-Treasurer, Vice Presidents and office staff to make my stated priorities a reality. We’ve refocused the union on organizing and growing our membership, and started a dialogue about the fiscal structure we need to service a robust, sustainable and modern union with a full complement of tools at our disposal.

But that’s not all we’ve taken on since last spring. As of press time for Lo-cal Voice our biggest bargaining unit, ICBC, has gone back into bargaining. In the late summer and early fall COPE 378 began an ICBC member engagement campaign called Driving a New Mandate. The campaign included a series of three videos which reminded our members about where ICBC’s money is going (into the government’s coffers), that their work is vital to the safety of B.C.’s driv-ing public, and that a strong bargaining committee depends on strong support from the membership. Jeff Gillies, COPE 378’s Vice President for ICBC, gives a full synopsis of the campaign and an update on the Transformation Program on page 15 of this magazine.

We’ve also spent quite a bit of time working with our Combined Units, some of the smaller bargaining units under COPE 378’s umbrella. You will read a piece by Vision Vancouver City Councillor Geoff Meggs explaining how our Transit Police members ensure our public transit system is safe and accessible on page 12. Vice President Heather Lee writes about BCAA and the challenges faced by both our members there and the union. We are pleased to profile the good work enabled by our members at Ecojustice as that organization fights to protect Canada’s safe water supply.

Re-framing the financials of our union into a structure that can nimbly respond to the challenges facing today’s labour movement will be discussed at a special convention in December. These challenges, however, are already on our doorstep as our members at Accenture and BC Hydro have been bat-tered by a series of shocking and harmful decisions by both BC Hydro and the government.

Accenture lost half of their outsourcing contract with BC Hydro. Our mem-bers there are faced with a great deal of uncertainty and upheaval regarding their livelihoods. Meter readers are facing job losses with the introduction of the $930 million Smart Meter Initiative. BC Hydro itself faced an attack by the government’s rate review panel, which insisted on placing the blame for bal-looning hydro rates on workers, rather than the government’s own misguided and expensive private power policies, or the Smart Meter Initiative.

In the face of these challenges and all the other projects we’re working on with our members, it’s certain the pace at COPE 378 won’t soon let up. I’ve rolled up my sleeves and am working on our challenges as equal-ly as our opportunities. Often, as the saying goes, they are two sides of the same coin.

USW 2009

David Black

President, COPE 378

The Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378, is affiliated with the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, the British Columbia Federation of Labour, and the Canadian Labour Congress.

Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378, Executive Board Members:President: David BlackSecretary-Treasurer: Lori MayhewVice Presidents: Jeff Gillies (ICBC), Gwenne Farrell (Utilities), Heather Lee (Combined Units)Accenture Business Services Directors: Melanie Greenlaw, Lucas MeyerBC Hydro Directors: Calvin Jonas, Sharon ThomasICBC Directors: Yasmin Carroll, Karin Cirez, Mike Ferguson, Joyce Galuska, Trevor HansenUtilities Director (Fortis, Terasen): Tim Bouzovetsky Combined Units Directors: Colleen Finn, Laurie Kirk, Stephen Von Sychowski, Tim Weigelt

COPE 378 Communications & Campaigns:Sage Aaron, Jarrah Hodge

COPE 378 Senior Union Representatives:Brad Bastien, Jaime Zygmunt, Dave McPherson

COPE 378 Union Representatives:Georgi Bates, Jackie Brown, Vic Foth, Jack Gerow, Barry Hodson, Kerrie Irving, Barbara Junker, Pat Junnila, Sarah Melsness, Glen MacInnes, Bonnie Merriman, Brian Nelson, Kevin Payne, Kelly Quinn, Karen Rockwell, Kevin Smyth

COPE 378 Administrative & Office Staff:Joanne Banfield, Karen Caston, Elaine Chilman, Lise Cluff, Adele Earwaker, Yudon Garie, Valerie LeBlanc, Shelley Lockhart, Carol McLuskie, Karen McRae, Toni Morrison, Amandeep Sandhu, Kim Smith

COPE 378 Financial Staff: Linda Allan, Sandi Malhame, Donna Morris

COPE 378 Financial Controller:Wendy Ham CGA, Barbara Liang

BC Utilities Commission Liaison and Legal Director:Jim Quail

Occupational Health & Safety & WCB Appeals:Steve Milne

LTD Trust Administrator:Jim Moynham

COPE 378 Local Voice is the official quarterly magazine published for the members of the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378.ISBN 1918-9753 COPE Local 378 Voice

Letters to the editor are welcome but may be edited for brevity and clarity. Please contact COPE Local 378 for permission to reprint articles, graphics, or photographs.

Address all correspondence to:COPE 378 Communications2nd Floor, 4595 Canada WayBurnaby, BC V5G 1J9Phone: 604-299-0378Toll Free: 1-800-664-6838Fax: 604-299-8211

Visit COPE 378’s website at www.cope378.caOr contact us via email at [email protected]: Sage Aaron

COPE 378 Local Voice VOLUME 6 Issue #4 Fall 2011 | 3

Translations

of the

President’s

Message

Spanish

French

Tagalog

Translated

President’s

Message

from

Andy Ross

French

Punjabi

J’ai du mal à croire que je suis devenu président du COPE Local 378 depuis cinq mois seulement. Nous avons été incroyablement occupés durant le dernier été qui a rapidement débouché sur un automne au rythme effréné et bien rempli. Au cours de ces cinq mois, j’ai travaillé avec notre secrétaire-trésorier, nos vice-présidents et notre personnel de bureau pour faire des priorités que j’avais fixées une réalité. Nous avons réorienté notre organisation vers la syndicalisation et le recrutement, et entrepris des discussions sur la structure fiscale qui nous permettrait d’avoir un syndicat solide, durable et moderne disposant d’une panoplie complète d’outils.

Toutefois, le travail entrepris depuis le printemps dernier ne s’arrête pas là. Au moment où Local Voice allait sous presse, notre plus grande unité de négociations retournait à la table de négociations chez ICBC. Un peu avant le début de l’automne, COPE Local 378 a entrepris une campagne de recrutement chez ICBC appelée Driving a New Mandate (Vers le renouvellement de la convention collective). La campagne comprend une série de trois vidéos qui rappellent à nos membres où s’en va l’argent de l’ICBC (dans les coffres du gouvernement), que leur travail est essentiel pour la sécurité de tous les conducteurs de la Colombie-Britannique et que la force du comité de négociation repose sur un soutien solide des membres. À la page 15, Jeff Gillies, vice-président COPE 378 pour ICBC, livre un sommaire complet de la campagne et fait le point sur l’évolution du programme de transformation.

Nous avons également passé beaucoup de temps à travailler avec nos unités de négociations combinées, puisque quelques petites unités relèvent du COPE Local 378. À la page 12, vous pourrez lire un article rédigé par le conseiller municipal Geoff Meggs de Vision Vancouver qui explique comment nos membres de la police des transports publics garantissent la

sécurité et l’accessibilité de notre système de transport public. Notre vice-présidente Heather Lee expose, quant à elle, les défis auxquels nos membres et le syndicat doivent faire face chez la BCAA. En outre, c’est avec plaisir que je souligne l’excellent travail qu’effectuent nos membres chez Écojustice, qui permet à l’organisation de mener son combat pour garantir un approvisionnement en eau potable au Canada.

La réorganisation des finances de notre syndicat en une structure pouvant rapidement répondre aux difficultés auxquelles fait face le mouvement ouvrier actuel sera débattue lors d’un congrès spécial au mois de décembre. Nous pouvons déjà identifier les difficultés auxquelles nos membres sont confrontés chez Accenture et BC Hydro, ceux-ci ayant été frappés par une série de décisions scandaleuses et néfastes prises par BC Hydro et le gouvernement.

Accenture a perdu la moitié de ses contrats de sous-traitance avec BC Hydro. Nos membres y vivent de grandes incertitudes et perturbations à propos de leur gagne-pain. Les releveurs de compteurs sont menacés de perdre leur emploi à la suite du dépôt du projet des compteurs intelligents de 930 millions de dollars. BC Hydro elle-même subit la critique de la commission d’examen des tarifs du gouvernement qui a jeté le blâme avec vigueur du gonflement des tarifs sur les travailleurs plutôt que sur les politiques mal inspirées et coûteuses du gouvernement en faveur des compagnies privées d’électricité, ou sur le projet des compteurs intelligents.

Devant ces défis et tous les autres projets auxquels nous nous attaquons avec nos membres, il est évident que le rythme du COPE Local 378 ne va pas ralentir de sitôt. Les manches retroussées, j’aborde sur un pied d’égalité aussi bien les défis que les occasions qui se présentent. Comme le dit le dicton, il s’agit souvent des deux faces d’une même médaille.

Chinese

TagalogHindi ako makapaniwala, limang buwan na pala ang

nagdaan mula ng maging Pangulo ako ng COPE 378. Masyado tayong busy nitong nakalipas na summer at kay bilis din na dumating ng ‘fast-paced’ na fall. Sa panahon ng limang buwan na ito, nakipagtrabaho ako sa Secretary-Treasurer ng COPE, mga Vice President at mga office staff para maisakatuparan ang aking mga ‘stated priorities’. Ang ating unyon ay muling nagpokus sa pag-oorganisa at pagpapalawak ng kasapian; at sinimulan ang dyalogo ukol sa ‘fiscal structure’ na kailangan natin na naglilingkod sa matatag, pangmatagalan at modernong union; na may mga kagamitan na pwedeng gamitin.

Pero hindi lamang iyan ang ating pinagkaabalahan nitong nakaraang spring. Habang iniimprenta ito para sa Local Voice, ang pinakamalaki natin na ‘bargaining unit’; ang ICBC ay bumalik na sa ‘bargaining’ o pakikipagkasundo. Nitong huling bahagi ng summer at umpisa ng fall, sinimulan ng COPE 378 ang ICBC ‘member engagement campaign’na tinawag na Driving a New Mandate. Ang kampanyang ito ay kinabilangan ng tatlong serye ng mga video na nagpapaalala sa ating mga miyembro kung saan napupunta ang pondo ng ICBC (doon sa kaban ng gobyerno), na ang kanilang trabaho ay napakahalaga sa kaligtasan ng nagmamanehong publiko sa BC; at ang ‘strong bargaining committee’ ay nakabatay sa malakas na suporta mula sa kasapian. Nagbigay din ng ‘full synopsis’ (paglalagom) ng kampanya at update ukol sa ‘Transformation Program’ ang Jeff Gillies, COPE 378 sa Vice President para sa ICBC, nasa pahina 15.

Nag-gugol din tayo ng panahon para makipagtrabaho sa ating Combined Units, ilang mga maliliit na ‘bargaining unit’ na nakapailalim sa COPE 378 umbrella. Mababasa din ninyo sa isang bahagi ang paliwanag ni City Councillor Geoff Meggs ng Vision Vancouver kung paano tinitiyak ng mga miyembro ng ating Transit Police na gawing ligtas at accessible ang

ating public transit system, nasa pahina 12. Si Vice President Heather Lee naman ay nagsulat tungkol sa BCAA at ang mga hamon o ‘challenges’ na kinakaharap ng mga miyembro at unyon natin doon. Natutuwa kami na i-profile ang mahusay na trabahong ginampanan ng ating mga kasapi at Ecojustice, ang organisasyon na nakikipaglaban para protektahan ang safe water supply ng Canada.

Ang pag-re-reframe ng pampinansyang aspeto ng ating unyon tungo sa istrukturang mabilis na makatutugon sa mga hamon na kinakaharap ng kilusang paggawa sa kasalukuyan ay tatalakayin sa special convention sa Disyembre. Ang mga hamon na ito, gayon pa man, ay nasa harap na ng ating pintuan, ang ating mga miyembro sa Accenture at BC Hydro ay sinasalanta na ng mga serye na nakabibigla at mapaminsalang mga desisyon na kagagawan ng BC Hydro at gobyerno.

Nawala sa Accenture ang kalahati ng ‘outsourcing contract’ nito sa BC Hydro. Ang mga miyembro natin doon ay nahaharap sa kawalang-katiyakan at maaaring biglaang pagbabago ng kanilang kabuhayan. Ang mga meter readers ay malamang na matanggal sa trabaho pag nag-umpisa na ang introduction ng $930 milyon na Smart Meter Initiative. Mismong ang ‘government’s rate review panel’ ay binatikos ang BC Hydro dahil sa isinisi nito sa manggagawa ang lumolobong pagtaas ng hydro rates sa halip na sa kawalan ng direksyon ng gobyerno at ng napakamahal na private power policies nito na Smart Meter Initiative.

Kaugnay ng hinaharap natin na mga hamon at iba pang mga project na ating tinatrabaho, kasama ang mga miyembro, nakatitiyak tayo na ang bilis ng galaw o ‘pace’ ng COPE 378 ay hindi tatantan sa madaling panahon. Ako’y nagtatrabaho at nakahandang harapin ang mga hamon, kasabay, ng mga oportunidad para sa atin. Madalas, mayroon kasabihan, ‘they are two sides of the same coin’.

SpanishEs difícil de creer que debuté como Presidente de COPE 378

hace tan solo cinco meses. Tuvimos un verano extremamente atareado que ya se transformó en un otoño pleno y a todo dar. Durante los pasados cinco meses he colaborado con el secretario-tesorero, los vicepresidentes y el personal clérico de COPE para volver realidad mis prioridades expresas. Hemos puesto el enfoque de nuestro sindicato en la organización y

crecimiento de nuestra membresía y hemos comenzado a dialogar sobre la estructura económica que necesitaremos para administrar un sindicato sólido, sostenible y moderno con un juego completo de herramientas a nuestra disposición.

Pero eso no es todo lo que nos ha ocupado desde la pasada primavera. Al momento del cierre de este número de Local Voice nuestra más numerosa unidad de negociación, ICBC, acaba

de recomenzar negociaciones. A fines del verano y comienzo del otoño, COPE 378 dio comienzo a una nueva campaña de compromiso con nuestros miembros en ICBC, llamada Driving a New Mandate (Tomemos el Volante para obtener un nuevo mandato). Esta campaña incluyó una serie de tres videos recordando a nuestros miembros a dónde van los ingresos de ICBC (al erario público), que su labor es vital para la seguridad de todos los conductores de la provincia, y que la fortaleza del comité de negociación depende del fuerte apoyo de todos los miembros. Jeff Gillies, COPE 378 Vicepresidente de ICBC, nos da una sinopsis completa de la campaña y nos da las últimas novedades del Programa de Transformación en la página 15.

Hemos asimismo invertido un buen tiempo en colaboración con nuestras Unidades Combinadas, que son algunas de las unidades de negociación más pequeñas de COPE 378. Puede leer un artículo de Geoff Meggs, concejal municipal de Vancouver por Vision, en el que explica el rol de nuestros miembros en la Fuerza Policial de Transporte Público (Transit Police) en mantener el acceso seguro y permanente a nuestro sistema público de transporte masivo, en la página 12. La vicepresidenta Heather Lee nos brinda un artículo sobre BCAA y los desafíos que hemos tenido allá, tanto nuestros miembros como el sindicato. Nos es grato incluir una nota acerca de la buena labor que nuestros miembros desempeñan en Ecojustice, una organización que lucha para proteger la seguridad del suministro de agua en Canadá.

Un importante tema que se debatirá en una conferencia

especial en el mes de diciembre es cómo crear un nuevo marco económico para nuestro sindicato que sea capaz de responder con agilidad a los desafíos que confrontan al movimiento laborista de hoy. Estos retos, no obstante, ya se nos asoman como vemos en Accenture y BC Hydro, donde nuestros miembros han sido apaleados por una serie de decisiones chocantes y perjudiciales tomadas por BC Hydro así como también el gobierno provincial.

Accenture perdió la mitad de su contrato de tercerización con BC Hydro. Nuestros miembros en esa organización se enfrentan a enormes incertidumbres y trastornos con respecto a sus medios de vida. Los lectores de medidores se enfrentan a la pérdida de puestos debida a la introducción de la iniciativa Smart Meter que representa para la empresa una inversión de 930 millones de dólares. BC Hydro en sí fue atacada por el panel gubernamental de reexaminación de tarifas, que insistió en culpar a los trabajadores por el alza de las tarifas energéticas en vez de las insensatas políticas del propio gobierno, con sus caros planes energéticos privados o la iniciativa Smart Meter en sí.

En vista de estos retos y de todos los demás proyectos en que estamos colaborando con nuestros miembros, no hay duda que el ritmo que venimos manteniendo en COPE 378 no va a aminorar en el corto plazo. Me he remangado la camisa y estoy dedicándome a enfrentar tanto nuestros desafíos como nuestras oportunidades, ya que, como dice el proverbio, son comúnmente dos caras de la misma moneda.

杰夫吉利斯，应对378的中国工商银行副总裁，Jeff Gillies

T30324 CS2 OL-CS5.indd 2-3 11-10-27 5:58 PM

Translated

President’s

Message

from

Andy Ross

French

Punjabi








Chinese




















T30324 CS2 OL-CS5.indd 2-3 11-10-27 5:58 PM

Translated

President’s

Message

from

Andy Ross

French

Punjabi


Toutefois, le travail entrepris depuis le printemps dernier ne s’arrête pas là. Au moment où Local Voice allait sous presse, notre plus grande unité de négociations retournait à la table de négociations chez ICBC. Un peu avant le début de l’automne, COPE Local 378 a entrepris une campagne de recrutement chez ICBC appelée Driving a New Mandate (Vers le renouvellement de la convention collective). La campagne comprend une série de trois vidéos qui rappellent à nos membres où s’en va l’argent de l’ICBC (dans les coffres du gouvernement), que leur travail est essentiel pour la sécurité de tous les conducteurs de la Colombie-Britannique et que la force du comité de négociation repose sur un soutien solide des membres. À la page 15, le représentant syndical principal Jaime Zygmunt livre un sommaire complet de la campagne et fait le point sur l’évolution du programme de transformation.






Chinese很难相信，我开始担任COPE 378的主席仅仅是5个月之

前。我们经历了一个超级忙碌的夏天，迅速就来到了完整的、快节奏的秋季。在这5个月中，我一直在与COPE的秘书／财务主管、副主席和办公室的工作人员共同努力，把我说过的优先事项变为现实。我们重新调整了工会的工作重点，组织和发展我们的会员，并对财政结构开始了对话。我们需要这样的财政结构，为健全的、可持续发展的和现代化的工会服务，我们拥有全套的工具供我们使用。

但这并不是我们从去年春天以来一直在做的所有工作。随着Local Voice即将开始印刷，我们最大的谈判单位，卑诗保险公司(ICBC)又回到了谈判桌前。在夏末和秋初，COPE 378展开了一个约请卑诗保险公司会员参与的运动，叫做“驾驶新任务” (Driving a New Mandate)。该运动包括了一系列三段视频，提醒我们的会员卑诗保险公司的钱都到哪里去了(进入了政府的金库)，他们的工作对卑诗省驾驶市民的安全至关重要，以及一个强大的谈判委员会依靠的是会员的大力支持。高级会员代表Jaime Zygmunt在第15页就这次运动提供了概要，并对改革计划提供了更新。

我们还花了相当多的时间与我们的“联合单位”共同努力，他们是在COPE 378保护伞下较小的一些谈判单位。你们会在第12页读到一篇由伟景温哥华市议员麦杰士(Geoff Meggs)写的文

章，解释我们运输联线的警察如何确保我们的公共交通系统是安全的、易于使用的。副主席Heather Lee写了一篇关于卑诗汽车协会 (BCAA)的文章，以及我们那里的会员和工会所面临的挑战。我们很高兴地描述我们的会员在Ecojustice所做的出色的工作，该组织努力奋斗以保护加拿大的安全供水。

将我们工会的财务重新制定成一种结构，它可以灵活地应对当前劳工运动所面临的各种挑战，这些将在12月的一个特别大会中进行讨论。然而，这些挑战已经来到了我们的家门口，我们在Accenture和卑诗水电公司(BC Hydro)的会员已受到由卑诗水电公司和政府通过的一系列令人震惊和有害的决定所造成的伤害。

Accenture失去了与卑诗水电公司外包合同的一半。我们那里的会员对他们的生计面临着很大的不确定性和动乱。随着9.3亿元智能电表计划的推出，抄表员正面临着失业。卑诗水电公司自己也在受到省政府价格审查小组的攻击。该小组坚持把飞涨的水电价格归咎于工人，而不是政府自己受到错误引导而制定的昂贵的私营电力政策，或智能电表计划。

面对这些挑战，以及所有其他我们与我们的会员正在共同努力奋斗的项目，COPE 378的步伐肯定不会很快减缓。我已卷起衣袖，我视挑战如同机遇。通常，正如俗话所说，它们是同一个硬币的两面。



Pero hindi lamang iyan ang ating pinagkaabalahan nitong nakaraang spring. Habang iniimprenta ito para sa Local Voice, ang pinakamalaki natin na ‘bargaining unit’; ang ICBC ay bumalik na sa ‘bargaining’ o pakikipagkasundo. Nitong huling bahagi ng summer at umpisa ng fall, sinimulan ng COPE 378 ang ICBC ‘member engagement campaign’na tinawag na Driving a New Mandate. Ang kampanyang ito ay kinabilangan ng tatlong serye ng mga video na nagpapaalala sa ating mga miyembro kung saan napupunta ang pondo ng ICBC (doon sa kaban ng gobyerno), na ang kanilang trabaho ay napakahalaga sa kaligtasan ng nagmamanehong publiko sa BC; at ang ‘strong bargaining committee’ ay nakabatay sa malakas na suporta mula sa kasapian. Nagbigay din ng ‘full synopsis’ (paglalagom) ng kampanya at update ukol sa ‘Transformation Program’ ang Senior Union Representative na si Jaime Zygmunt, nasa pahina 15.










ieh ivsLvfs krnf aOKf hY ik mYN kop 378 dy pRYjLIzYNt vjoN isrP pMj mhIny pihlF sLurUafq kIqI sI[ grmIaF dI ruwq sfzy leI bhuq hI ruJyivaF vflI sI aqy ijhVI iek pUrI aqy qyjL-kdm pqJwV ivwc qbdIl ho geI hY[ iehnF pMjF mhIinaF dOrfn mYN afpxy vloN dwsIaF pRfQmkqfvF nUM aslIaq df jfmf pihnfAux leI kop dy skwqr-KjfncI (sYktrI tRYXrar), AuWp-pRDfnF (vfeIs-pRYjLIzYNts) aqy dPqr dy stfP nfl kMm kr irhf hF[ asIN XUnIan nUM dubfrf jQybMdk srgrmIaF (afrgynfeIijLMg) `qy kyNdirq kIqf hY aqy sfzI mYNbrisLwp vD rhI hY[ ies dy nfl hI asIN kMm afAux vfly smuwcy sfDnF nfl lYs iek qfkqvr, hMZxsfr aqy afDuink XUnIan nUM Pfiedf phuMcfAux leI loVINdy ivqI pRbMD bfry gwlbfq sLurU kIqI hY[

pr ipClI bhfr qoN asIN isrP ieh hI nhIN kr rhy[ lokl vuafies dy pRYWs ivwc jfx dy smyN qoN lY ky sfzy sB qoN vwzy bfrgyinMg XUint, afeI sI bI sI, ny smJOqy leI dubfrf gwlbfq sLurU kr idwqI hY[ grmIaF dy ipCly ihwsy aqy pwqJV dy sLurU ivwc kop 378 ny afeI sI bI sI dy mYNbrF nUM dubfrf nfl joVn leI zrfeIivMg ey inAU mYnzyt nfmI muihMm sLurU kIqI sI[ ies muihMm ivwc iqMn vIzIE sLfml sn ijhVIaF sfzy mYNbrF nUM Xfd krvfAuNdIaF sn ik afeI sI bI sI df pYsf ikwQy jf irhf hY (srkfr dy KjLfny ivwc), AuhnF df kMm bI sI ivwc gwzIaF clfAux vfly lokF dI surwiKaf leI mhwqvpUrn hY aqy sLkqIsLflI bfrgyinMg kmytI df hoxf mYNbrF dy jLordfr smrQn `qy inrBr krdf hY[ XUnIan dy sInIar numfieMdy, jymI ijLgmMt ny ies muihMm df sMpUrn vyrvf aqy trFsportysLn pRogrfm bfry nvIN jfxkfrI sPf 15 AuWqy idwqI hY[

asIN kop 378 aDIn afAux vfly keI Coty XUintF (kMbfeInz XUintF) AuWqy vI kfPI smF lfieaf hY[ qusIN sPf 12 `qy ivjLn vYnkUvr dy istI kfAuNslr jYP mYgjL df lyK pVHogy ijs ivwc dwisaf igaf hY ik sfzy trFijLt

pulIs mYNbr ieh ikvyN XkInI bxfAuNdy hn ik pbilk trFijLt isstm surwiKaq aqy phuMc ivwc rhy[ AuWp-pRDfn (vfeIs-pRYjLIzYNt) lI ny bI sI ey ey ivKy sfzy mYNbrF aqy XUnIan dy sfhmxy af rhIaF cuxOqIaF bfry iliKaf hY[ kYnyzf dI surwiKaq pfxI dI splfeI bfry kMm kr rhI jQybMdI eIkojsits ivKy sfzy mYNbrF vloN kIqy cMgy kMm bfry ilKidaF sfnUM KusLI ho rhI hY[

dsMbr dI Kfs knvYnsLn ivwc afpxI XUnIan dy ivqI mfmilaF nUM aijhy pRbMD ivwc bdlx bfry ivcfr vtFdrf kIqf jfvygf ijhVf pRbMD kfrgr ZMg nfl ajokI mjLdUr lihr dIaF cuxOqIaF dy anUkUl hovy[ aYksYNcr aqy bI sI hfiezro ivcly sfzy mYNbrF AuWqy bI sI hfiezro aqy srkfr dy DwkV aqy nuksfndfiek PYsilaF kfrn pY rhI mfr kfrn ieh cuxOqIaF pihlF hI sfzIaF dihlIjLF `qy phuMc cuwkIaf hn[

aYksYNcr df bI sI hfiezro nfl afAUtsorisMg df awDf Tykf Kwus igaf hY[ AuWQoN dy sfzy mYNbrF nUM afpxy rujLgfrF dy sMbMD ivwc bhuq ijLafdf byBrosgI aqy AuQl-puQl df sfhmxf krnf pY irhf hY[ 930 imlIan zflr dI lfgq vflI smfrt mItrF dI muihMm kfrn mItr rIzrF nUM nOkrIaF Kuwsx df sfhmxf krnf pY irhf hY[ bI sI hfiezro nUM Kud srkfr dI ryt irvIAU pYnl dy hmly df sfhmxf krnf ipaf hY, ijs ny hfiezro dy vwD rhy rytF leI srkfr dIaF glq aqy mihMgIaF pRfeIvyt pfvr nIqIaF jF smfrt mItrF dI muihMm dI QF krmcfrIaF AuWqy dosL Drn dI ijLwd kIqI hY[

iehnF cuxOqIaF aqy sfzy vloN afpxy mYNbrF nfl iml ky kIqy jf rhy pRojYktF dy mwdynjLr ieh XkInI hY ik kop 378 dI rPqfr CyqI hOlI nhIN hovygI[ mYN afpxIaF bfhF tuMg ky afpxIaF cuxOqIaF dy nfl nfl afpxy mOikaF dy sMbMD ivwc kMm kr irhf hF[ aksfr, ijvyN ik kihMdy hn, Auh iewko iswky dy do pfsy huMdy hn[

de recomenzar negociaciones. A fines del verano y comienzo del otoño, COPE 378 dio comienzo a una nueva campaña de compromiso con nuestros miembros en ICBC, llamada Driving a New Mandate (Tomemos el Volante para obtener un nuevo mandato). Esta campaña incluyó una serie de tres videos recordando a nuestros miembros a dónde van los ingresos de ICBC (al erario público), que su labor es vital para la seguridad de todos los conductores de la provincia, y que la fortaleza del comité de negociación depende del fuerte apoyo de todos los miembros. Jaime Zygmunt, Representante Sindical Senior, nos da una sinopsis completa de la campaña y nos da las últimas novedades del Programa de Transformación en la página 15.






T30324.indd 2-3 10/18/2011 9:26:56 AM

4 | VOLUME 6 Issue #4 Fall 2011 COPE 378 Local Voice

Punjabi

Translated

President’s

Message

from

Andy Ross

French

Punjabi


Toutefois, le travail entrepris depuis le printemps dernier ne s’arrête pas là. Au moment où Local Voice allait sous presse, notre plus grande unité de négociations retournait à la table de négociations chez ICBC. Un peu avant le début de l’automne, COPE Local 378 a entrepris une campagne de recrutement chez ICBC appelée Driving a New Mandate (Vers le renouvellement de la convention collective). La campagne comprend une série de trois vidéos qui rappellent à nos membres où s’en va l’argent de l’ICBC (dans les coffres du gouvernement), que leur travail est essentiel pour la sécurité de tous les conducteurs de la Colombie-Britannique et que la force du comité de négociation repose sur un soutien solide des membres. À la page 15, le représentant syndical principal Jaime Zygmunt livre un sommaire complet de la campagne et fait le point sur l’évolution du programme de transformation.






Chinese很难相信，我开始担任COPE 378的主席仅仅是5个月之

前。我们经历了一个超级忙碌的夏天，迅速就来到了完整的、快节奏的秋季。在这5个月中，我一直在与COPE的秘书／财务主管、副主席和办公室的工作人员共同努力，把我说过的优先事项变为现实。我们重新调整了工会的工作重点，组织和发展我们的会员，并对财政结构开始了对话。我们需要这样的财政结构，为健全的、可持续发展的和现代化的工会服务，我们拥有全套的工具供我们使用。

但这并不是我们从去年春天以来一直在做的所有工作。随着Local Voice即将开始印刷，我们最大的谈判单位，卑诗保险公司(ICBC)又回到了谈判桌前。在夏末和秋初，COPE 378展开了一个约请卑诗保险公司会员参与的运动，叫做“驾驶新任务” (Driving a New Mandate)。该运动包括了一系列三段视频，提醒我们的会员卑诗保险公司的钱都到哪里去了(进入了政府的金库)，他们的工作对卑诗省驾驶市民的安全至关重要，以及一个强大的谈判委员会依靠的是会员的大力支持。高级会员代表Jaime Zygmunt在第15页就这次运动提供了概要，并对改革计划提供了更新。

我们还花了相当多的时间与我们的“联合单位”共同努力，他们是在COPE 378保护伞下较小的一些谈判单位。你们会在第12页读到一篇由伟景温哥华市议员麦杰士(Geoff Meggs)写的文

章，解释我们运输联线的警察如何确保我们的公共交通系统是安全的、易于使用的。副主席Heather Lee写了一篇关于卑诗汽车协会 (BCAA)的文章，以及我们那里的会员和工会所面临的挑战。我们很高兴地描述我们的会员在Ecojustice所做的出色的工作，该组织努力奋斗以保护加拿大的安全供水。

将我们工会的财务重新制定成一种结构，它可以灵活地应对当前劳工运动所面临的各种挑战，这些将在12月的一个特别大会中进行讨论。然而，这些挑战已经来到了我们的家门口，我们在Accenture和卑诗水电公司(BC Hydro)的会员已受到由卑诗水电公司和政府通过的一系列令人震惊和有害的决定所造成的伤害。

Accenture失去了与卑诗水电公司外包合同的一半。我们那里的会员对他们的生计面临着很大的不确定性和动乱。随着9.3亿元智能电表计划的推出，抄表员正面临着失业。卑诗水电公司自己也在受到省政府价格审查小组的攻击。该小组坚持把飞涨的水电价格归咎于工人，而不是政府自己受到错误引导而制定的昂贵的私营电力政策，或智能电表计划。

面对这些挑战，以及所有其他我们与我们的会员正在共同努力奋斗的项目，COPE 378的步伐肯定不会很快减缓。我已卷起衣袖，我视挑战如同机遇。通常，正如俗话所说，它们是同一个硬币的两面。



Pero hindi lamang iyan ang ating pinagkaabalahan nitong nakaraang spring. Habang iniimprenta ito para sa Local Voice, ang pinakamalaki natin na ‘bargaining unit’; ang ICBC ay bumalik na sa ‘bargaining’ o pakikipagkasundo. Nitong huling bahagi ng summer at umpisa ng fall, sinimulan ng COPE 378 ang ICBC ‘member engagement campaign’na tinawag na Driving a New Mandate. Ang kampanyang ito ay kinabilangan ng tatlong serye ng mga video na nagpapaalala sa ating mga miyembro kung saan napupunta ang pondo ng ICBC (doon sa kaban ng gobyerno), na ang kanilang trabaho ay napakahalaga sa kaligtasan ng nagmamanehong publiko sa BC; at ang ‘strong bargaining committee’ ay nakabatay sa malakas na suporta mula sa kasapian. Nagbigay din ng ‘full synopsis’ (paglalagom) ng kampanya at update ukol sa ‘Transformation Program’ ang Senior Union Representative na si Jaime Zygmunt, nasa pahina 15.










ieh ivsLvfs krnf aOKf hY ik mYN kop 378 dy pRYjLIzYNt vjoN isrP pMj mhIny pihlF sLurUafq kIqI sI[ grmIaF dI ruwq sfzy leI bhuq hI ruJyivaF vflI sI aqy ijhVI iek pUrI aqy qyjL-kdm pqJwV ivwc qbdIl ho geI hY[ iehnF pMjF mhIinaF dOrfn mYN afpxy vloN dwsIaF pRfQmkqfvF nUM aslIaq df jfmf pihnfAux leI kop dy skwqr-KjfncI (sYktrI tRYXrar), AuWp-pRDfnF (vfeIs-pRYjLIzYNts) aqy dPqr dy stfP nfl kMm kr irhf hF[ asIN XUnIan nUM dubfrf jQybMdk srgrmIaF (afrgynfeIijLMg) `qy kyNdirq kIqf hY aqy sfzI mYNbrisLwp vD rhI hY[ ies dy nfl hI asIN kMm afAux vfly smuwcy sfDnF nfl lYs iek qfkqvr, hMZxsfr aqy afDuink XUnIan nUM Pfiedf phuMcfAux leI loVINdy ivqI pRbMD bfry gwlbfq sLurU kIqI hY[

pr ipClI bhfr qoN asIN isrP ieh hI nhIN kr rhy[ lokl vuafies dy pRYWs ivwc jfx dy smyN qoN lY ky sfzy sB qoN vwzy bfrgyinMg XUint, afeI sI bI sI, ny smJOqy leI dubfrf gwlbfq sLurU kr idwqI hY[ grmIaF dy ipCly ihwsy aqy pwqJV dy sLurU ivwc kop 378 ny afeI sI bI sI dy mYNbrF nUM dubfrf nfl joVn leI zrfeIivMg ey inAU mYnzyt nfmI muihMm sLurU kIqI sI[ ies muihMm ivwc iqMn vIzIE sLfml sn ijhVIaF sfzy mYNbrF nUM Xfd krvfAuNdIaF sn ik afeI sI bI sI df pYsf ikwQy jf irhf hY (srkfr dy KjLfny ivwc), AuhnF df kMm bI sI ivwc gwzIaF clfAux vfly lokF dI surwiKaf leI mhwqvpUrn hY aqy sLkqIsLflI bfrgyinMg kmytI df hoxf mYNbrF dy jLordfr smrQn `qy inrBr krdf hY[ XUnIan dy sInIar numfieMdy, jymI ijLgmMt ny ies muihMm df sMpUrn vyrvf aqy trFsportysLn pRogrfm bfry nvIN jfxkfrI sPf 15 AuWqy idwqI hY[

asIN kop 378 aDIn afAux vfly keI Coty XUintF (kMbfeInz XUintF) AuWqy vI kfPI smF lfieaf hY[ qusIN sPf 12 `qy ivjLn vYnkUvr dy istI kfAuNslr jYP mYgjL df lyK pVHogy ijs ivwc dwisaf igaf hY ik sfzy trFijLt

pulIs mYNbr ieh ikvyN XkInI bxfAuNdy hn ik pbilk trFijLt isstm surwiKaq aqy phuMc ivwc rhy[ AuWp-pRDfn (vfeIs-pRYjLIzYNt) lI ny bI sI ey ey ivKy sfzy mYNbrF aqy XUnIan dy sfhmxy af rhIaF cuxOqIaF bfry iliKaf hY[ kYnyzf dI surwiKaq pfxI dI splfeI bfry kMm kr rhI jQybMdI eIkojsits ivKy sfzy mYNbrF vloN kIqy cMgy kMm bfry ilKidaF sfnUM KusLI ho rhI hY[

dsMbr dI Kfs knvYnsLn ivwc afpxI XUnIan dy ivqI mfmilaF nUM aijhy pRbMD ivwc bdlx bfry ivcfr vtFdrf kIqf jfvygf ijhVf pRbMD kfrgr ZMg nfl ajokI mjLdUr lihr dIaF cuxOqIaF dy anUkUl hovy[ aYksYNcr aqy bI sI hfiezro ivcly sfzy mYNbrF AuWqy bI sI hfiezro aqy srkfr dy DwkV aqy nuksfndfiek PYsilaF kfrn pY rhI mfr kfrn ieh cuxOqIaF pihlF hI sfzIaF dihlIjLF `qy phuMc cuwkIaf hn[

aYksYNcr df bI sI hfiezro nfl afAUtsorisMg df awDf Tykf Kwus igaf hY[ AuWQoN dy sfzy mYNbrF nUM afpxy rujLgfrF dy sMbMD ivwc bhuq ijLafdf byBrosgI aqy AuQl-puQl df sfhmxf krnf pY irhf hY[ 930 imlIan zflr dI lfgq vflI smfrt mItrF dI muihMm kfrn mItr rIzrF nUM nOkrIaF Kuwsx df sfhmxf krnf pY irhf hY[ bI sI hfiezro nUM Kud srkfr dI ryt irvIAU pYnl dy hmly df sfhmxf krnf ipaf hY, ijs ny hfiezro dy vwD rhy rytF leI srkfr dIaF glq aqy mihMgIaF pRfeIvyt pfvr nIqIaF jF smfrt mItrF dI muihMm dI QF krmcfrIaF AuWqy dosL Drn dI ijLwd kIqI hY[

iehnF cuxOqIaF aqy sfzy vloN afpxy mYNbrF nfl iml ky kIqy jf rhy pRojYktF dy mwdynjLr ieh XkInI hY ik kop 378 dI rPqfr CyqI hOlI nhIN hovygI[ mYN afpxIaF bfhF tuMg ky afpxIaF cuxOqIaF dy nfl nfl afpxy mOikaF dy sMbMD ivwc kMm kr irhf hF[ aksfr, ijvyN ik kihMdy hn, Auh iewko iswky dy do pfsy huMdy hn[

de recomenzar negociaciones. A fines del verano y comienzo del otoño, COPE 378 dio comienzo a una nueva campaña de compromiso con nuestros miembros en ICBC, llamada Driving a New Mandate (Tomemos el Volante para obtener un nuevo mandato). Esta campaña incluyó una serie de tres videos recordando a nuestros miembros a dónde van los ingresos de ICBC (al erario público), que su labor es vital para la seguridad de todos los conductores de la provincia, y que la fortaleza del comité de negociación depende del fuerte apoyo de todos los miembros. Jaime Zygmunt, Representante Sindical Senior, nos da una sinopsis completa de la campaña y nos da las últimas novedades del Programa de Transformación en la página 15.






T30324.indd 2-3 10/18/2011 9:26:56 AM

Translated

President’s

Message

from

Andy Ross

French

Punjabi








Chinese




















T30324 CS2 OL-CS5.indd 2-3 11-10-27 5:58 PM

Translated

President’s

Message

from

Andy Ross

French

Punjabi








Chinese




















T30324 CS2 OL-CS5.indd 2-3 11-10-27 5:58 PM

Chinese


The Ardell Brophy Award is an annual award presented to COPE 378 stewards who dem-onstrate fierce dedication and commitment to their union, and who provide mentorship to new union activists.

Ardell Brophy donates her talents as a standup comedian to raise money for count-less causes and has mentored many up-and-coming female comics. She served COPE 378 first as an Executive Board member before becoming a Union Representative for over 18 years. Ardell lives with pulmonary fibrosis.

The COPE 378 Council was pleased to create this award in Ardell’s honour.

This award will be presented to the applicant with an outstanding record of union activism, and one who has mentored new activists.

The award will be presented at the Job Stew-ard Seminar in Spring 2012.

No

min

eeN

om

inat

or

Det

ails

Deadline to receive

nominations:

Dec.9

I am nominating: q Myself q Someone Else

Nominee Name:

Nominee Bargaining Unit:

Length of time with COPE 378:

Briefly describe the nominee’s union activism:

Briefly describe the nominee’s mentoring activities:

Nominator Name:

Nominator Phone:

Nominator Email:

Official Award Entry Form

To submit nominations: DEADLINE: DECEMBER 9, 2011 5:00PM

By mail COPE 378 2nd Floor

4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C.

V5G 1J9

By fax 604-299-8211

By email Scan and send attachment to [email protected]

Official Award

Entry Form

2012 Ardell Brophy Award

Please send your

completed form to the

union office by mail, fax,

or email.


In early October COPE 378 offered job stewards a Level 1 Training course. The Local Voice took the op-portunity to chat with a couple of new stewards from

Capilano University.Todd Nickel is the Marketing and Communica-

tions Specialist for the Continuing Education division at Capilano University. He lives in East Vancouver with his criminal lawyer significant other and their Boston Ter-rier. He started working at the University in 2009.

Todd decided to become a job steward after being approached by COPE 378. He had previously been a member of the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Can-ada and the Communications, Energy, and Paperwork-ers Union.

Michelle Yu lives in Vancouver and works as a Li-brary Technician at the Capilano University Library. She started working there two and a half years ago and almost immediately decided to get involved in the union, having previously belonged to a union while working at UNBC.

“I felt I needed to have knowledge about all the union events and union policies, and to use my knowl-edge and skills to help the people around me in the workplace,” Michelle said about her decision.

Todd said the most interesting thing he learned at Job Steward Training was: “What I learned about myself. The session piqued my interest in labour code and law, and I’m curious about the law workshop in the spring Winter School.”

While he found he had a pretty good grasp of the subject matter going in, he said, “I think some of the other opportunities for training that being a steward makes available to me will benefit me personally, even if it’s just for intellectual stimulation. I mentioned the la-bour law workshop, and I’m also interested in bargain-ing and negotiations.”

Michelle found the training interesting and particu-larly appreciated the opportunity to compare expe-riences across worksites. “I thought it was just a local union – I didn’t realize we had people from different cit-ies and industries. We shared information and stories.”

After the weekend was over Michelle immediately signed up for the Level 2 Training course. “I would like to take the next level training to get more knowledge,” she commented, “Before I didn’t know what was going on with arbitration or grievances. After the training I know more about how we can protect ourselves as employ-ees and how to get agreements done properly with the support of union representatives.”

Todd’s advice for members considering becoming job stewards is to put aside some of the stereotypes you hear about unions: “I think it’s important to shelve any preconceived notions about organized labour as a whole.”

Michelle hopes more members consider the bene-fits of becoming job stewards: “Knowing the workplace and union policies better can definitely benefit you and the people around you.”

JOBSTEWARDSNew Job Stewards

Todd Nickel

Working away at the Level 1 Training

course for Job Stewards


President’s WordDAVID BLACK

Like many parents, I spend a lot of time thinking about the kind of world I want my daughters to live in. I am a proud father of three - Kate is almost five years old,

and the twins, Maggie and Rebecca, are three. More than anything, I want them to live in a world that cares about compassion and equality. I want them to live in a world where we apply the best of our skills and knowledge to elevating our collective quality of life. I want them to live in a world that values their skills and contributions, what-ever they may be.

I see my trade unionism as an extension of my wishes for my daughters, and an extension of the values that have pushed me to volunteer with several worthy organizations.

About twelve years ago a friend asked me if I would join her on the Board of Directors for REACH Community Health. The mandate for this East Vancouver multi-disci-plinary health clinic is in the name: Research, Education and Action for Community Health. This much-copied clinic has been in the community since 1969, and pro-vides salaried doctors, nutritionists, a pharmacist, nurse

practitioner and other health care professionals all in one site. During my seven-year tenure on the board we brought REACH out into the local com-munity by holding health forums on topics rang-ing from dental health for First Nations populations and drug and alcohol harm reduction.

The labour move-ment has provided op-portunities to work with community-based social change organizations. For many years I sat on the board of the United Way of the Lower Main-land and helped guide their fundraising efforts. The United Way is a re-markable revenue gener-ator for forward-thinking programs, like the Suc-cess by Six program. The United Way often finds itself at the forefront of social policy, which is then adopted by govern-ments.

When still living in Vancouver I helped

found the North Hastings Community Police office. The sex trade was being pushed into the Hastings Sunrise community and, predictably, there was a strong nega-tive reaction from local residents and businesses. I joined with a few friends and neighbours to take a proactive approach. We lobbied for a community policing branch which would focus on harm reduction. My two brothers are both police officers and I know first-hand the value of getting the police involved at a community level, and being clear about what the community wants to see in terms of compassionate and tangible outcomes.

I have a remarkable family that shares my values. My father, Peter, a high school principal, taught my broth-ers and me an important lesson about standing up for our beliefs when he chose not to cross a BC Federa-tion of Teachers picket line. At the beginning of the strike he was one of twelve principals who wouldn’t cross the line. By the end of the strike, he was the only one who didn’t cross, at great risk to his livelihood.

I’m equally grateful for my mother, Dawn, who taught me that being a parent can be a direct line to ac-tivism. When I was nearly three years old, my mother was concerned about my eyesight. After being told by our family doctor there was nothing wrong with my vi-sion, she tested me at home by getting me to grab at a candy first with my left eye covered, then my right—with left eye covered my hand waved well past the candy. I was taken to Vancouver General Hospital where I was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare cancer on my right retina. My eye was surgically removed almost im-mediately. My memories of that hospital stay are vague but I was left in a general ward with adult patients and my family wasn’t allowed to stay. My mother was so an-gered by this treatment, and by a medical system that waved off the concerns of a young mother, that she be-came politically involved in a fight to highlight the inap-propriate care given children and their families. This was the first step towards her long political career, which saw her elected as the NDP Member of Parliament for New West-Burnaby, then BC NDP Member of the Legislative Assembly for New Westminster.

There are many reasons why people get involved with their unions and other social justice causes: they believe it is their responsibility, they believe they can make a difference, they believe they have something to contribute. I look at my daughters and I know, like my parents before me, that I must do what I can to make their world a better and more equal place. I can think of no better place to do that work than at COPE 378.

Deep roots help

guide vision

BY DAVID BLACK, PRESIDENT

David Black

and his wife

Maya Russell

with their three

daughters


International Solidarity: SME Win Recognition from Mexican Government

INTERNA-TIONAL

The agreement was signed between the Mexican government and SME on September 14, and timed to avoid a possible confrontation between union

activists and authorities on Mexico’s Independence Day.SME had been staging a sit-in occupation of Zó-

calo, the main plaza in the historic centre of Mexico City. The sit-in was the culmination of various protests after 44,000 SME members were illegally fired and re-moved from their workplaces by federal police when the Mexican government privatized Mexico City’s pub-lic utility, Luz y Fuerza del Centro (Central Light and Power) in 2009. Problems have plagued Mexico City’s new private utility since the privatization – reportedly prices have skyrocketed and customers complain of frequent blackouts.

The agreement signed between SME and the gov-ernment committed to finding an employment solution by November 30th for approximately 16,600 SME mem-bers who refused to quit the union and take severance pay after they lost their work with Central Light and Power. The agreement also grants SME toma de nota – legalizing the union in the eyes of the Mexican state, which unfreezes the union’s bank accounts, releases the embargoed dues and renders the charges against members of the union’s leadership invalid.

With toma de nota (which translates as taking note) SME, one of Mexico’s oldest and most vocal unions, is recognized by the state as a legitimate trade union and negotiating partner. In a country where many indepen-dent and democratic unions struggle to gain legal rec-ognition toma de nota is a tremendous victory for all in Mexico’s labour movement.

The agreement also pushes to “re-examine and re-solve” legal charges against thirteen union activists who were taken prisoner.

SME held its union elections in July of 2011 and the leadership that had been heading up the resistance won handily, echoing the re-election of Los Mineros’ exiled Secretary Napoleon Gomez, whose story has been fea-tured in past issues of the Local Voice.

The SME has been supported in their struggle by AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers, the Communica-tions, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (of which COPE 378 is a part) and many other trade unions. SME also found common cause with a movement called Indignados, or “Indig-nant Mexicans,” who protested against President Felipe Calderón’s government.

Mexican labour law analysts have called the agree-ment a “notable success” but many within the SME re-main cautious. While the government had committed to holding weekly meetings to resolve the employment issue, the SME leaders remain on alert. SME general secretary Martín Esparza Flores said SME leaders don’t have confidence in the government; instead, they trust their members’ ability to mobilize.

Following two long years

of bitter disappointment

and persecution, hope

came to the members of the

Mexican Electrical Workers

union (SME) in the form of a

signed agreement with the

Mexican government.

Father and son at

SME sit-in camp

SME’s Zócalo sit

from COPE 378’s

International

Solidarity Trip,

2010


COPE 378: The Union for Credit Unions

CREDITUNIONS

Many COPE 378 members are also members of their

local credit unions. Many credit union customers choose these smaller fi-nancial institutions be-cause they invest in local communities. Credit union customers are also mem-bers, meaning they have a say in where the profits of the credit union go.

COPE 378 repre-sents workers at credit unions across B.C., in-cluding Coastal Com-munity Credit Union, Columbia Valley Credit Union, Community Sav-

ings, Island Savings Credit Union, Westminster Savings, VantageOne, Ladysmith and District Credit Union, and Gulf and Fraser Fishermen’s Credit Union. In this way we help credit union workers make sure they have a say in how their workplace operates, in keeping with the prin-ciples of credit unions.

About 6,000 of COPE 378’s 14,000 members work in the financial and insurance sectors and this makes us a natural fit for credit union employees looking for union representation. Credit union workers have cho-sen to join COPE 378 because we have a proven re-cord of helping employees in their sector negotiate in-creased job security and job opportunities, as well as fair pay, benefits, and Human Resource Procedures.

Most recently, we welcomed three new offices to COPE 378 from Coastal Community Credit Union: the Port McNeill, Sointula, and Alert Bay branches. The new members were harmonized under the CCCU collective agreement.

Earlier this year we also ratified a new two-year col-lective agreement at Island Savings Credit Union, which included a 4.25% pay increase over two years, new provisions for ensuring reasonable workloads, and im-proved medical benefits, sick leave, and severance pay.

At Community Savings Credit Union we helped members negotiate an 8.5% pay increase over three years, as well as improved RRSP contributions, ben-efits, severance pay, and bereavement leave. Members also negotiated an additional floating statutory holiday. These are the types of changes that make a real differ-ence to both the quality of life and the work/life balance of credit union employees.

Compared to other jurisdictions throughout the world, including Europe, North America has low levels of unionization throughout the financial sector. Here in B.C. there are workers at several credit unions who don’t yet have union representation. But they face many of the same challenges as do other workers – unfair working conditions and onerous workloads. In an ef-fort to ensure credit union workers have the same level of protection here as in other jurisdictions, COPE 378 is working to bring representation to branches that are not yet unionized.

If someone contacts us about joining we keep their information

in strict confidentiality. They cannot be fired or disciplined

for attempting to join a union.

COPE 378 is currently undertaking an organiz-ing drive at Valley First Credit Union and we are keeping our eyes open for other opportunities. If you know someone working at a non-unionized credit union or other financial institution, ask them to contact us in confidentiality:

email: [email protected]

tel: 604-299-0378

toll free: 1-800-665-6838

ORGANIZING DRIVE


In Canada, we tend to take our seemingly endless sup-ply of clean, fresh water for granted. For British Co-lumbians, it is especially easy to be complacent: ev-

erywhere we look there are sparkling streams, rushing rivers and babbling brooks.

But the cold reality is that the status quo is not good enough. In some parts of Canada, our water — and our health — remain at-risk.

Waterproof III, the latest in Ecojustice’s national drinking water report series, will be released in Novem-ber and casts a critical eye upon how Canada monitors and protects our water supply.

Our findings from previous editions of this series led us to conclude that the biggest risks to drinking water came from holes in the frontline of drinking water pro-tection — the laws, programs, policies and personnel directly responsible for delivering safe and clean drink-ing water.

To date, these concerns have not been complete-ly alleviated. The overall lack of progress in improving water treatment, drinking water quality standards and testing highlight how one tiny breakdown can endanger our health.

New issues have also emerged. Threats to source water quality, climate change, and political trends that weaken environmental laws and limit resources raise serious questions about how we protect our water.

Fresh water protection is a major priority for Eco-justice, the workplace of several COPE 378 members. Working with government, subject experts and, when necessary, through the courts, Ecojustice aims to en-sure that our water supply — the common thread con-necting people across this vast nation — is properly and equally protected.

For example, we are consulting with the B.C. gov-ernment as it moves towards a modernized Water Act.

Looking forward, there is reason for optimism giv-en that both Canada and the international community have recognized the “right to water.” Acknowledging this “right” could force the federal government to fi-nally introduce legally-binding national drinking water standards — something most developed nations already have.

Seeking Water Justice, published by Ecojustice last year, found that in the absence of national standards, we have been left with a two-tiered system of drinking water management. Urban centres benefit from better standards, technology and personnel, while First Na-tions and rural communities struggle with poor infra-structure, a patchwork of provincial and municipal laws, and next to no help from the federal government.

We believe we can do better, and we believe all Ca-nadians deserve better. Our laws, policies and systems must protect the air we breathe, the land where we live, and perhaps most importantly, the water we drink.

Waterproof III ECOJUSTICE

Add your voice to the conversation by signing our petition asking

Environment Minister Peter Kent to ensure all Canadians have access to clean,

safe water at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/810/009/337/.

Then, pass on the message and tell a friend.

Ecojustice is a charity dedicated to the restoration

and protection of Canada’s environment.

COPE 378 represents workers at Ecojustice’s Vancouver office.

Visit ecojustice.ca to learn more

BY KIMBERLY SHEARON, ECOJUSTICE

“We believe we

can do better,

and we believe

all Canadians

deserve better.“

– Kimberly Shearon


Construction of the new Faregate system at Sky-train stations won’t change one reality that transit riders understand instinctively: their best bet for a

safe, secure trip is in the hands of Tranlink’s Transit Police. That fact was driven home in May when Skytrain riders reported a man brandishing a sword at Metrotown.

Transit police officers tracked the man to Burrard Station, where they had assistance from Vancouver police to detain him, but not until he had shrugged off multiple rounds of rubber bullets and a jolt from a taser. (No one was hurt.)

Transit police officers are the only force available to prevent crime and arrest criminals who are using transit across municipal boundaries, a fact that is raising their profile as Vancouver police seek to track down the cul-prits in the Stanley Cup riot.

A key recommendation of the Furlong-Keefe re-port into the riot would see even more collaboration between the Vancouver force and transit police to regulate the flow of fans, often already drunk, into the downtown core.

Now proposals for more transit expansion, includ-ing construction of the Evergreen Line and a significant increase in bus service hours, will increase the need for transit police right across the system. Vancouver city council was among the majority of Metro Vancouver municipalities that voted to support the Moving For-ward funding supplement put forth by Translink so our public transit system can meet the growing demand.

Vancouver’s police force and council both sup-port the concept of a regional police force, something strongly resisted by some municipalities. Until common sense prevails, however, the transit police offer the best option to keep transit services free of crime.

In my view, transit policing will remain a vital neces-sity, even if regional policing is implemented, because of the specialized nature of the work. Simple issues such as fare evasion can be handled by other security per-sonnel, although the transit police are a necessary pres-ence even on this front. The real priority for the transit force has to be safety and security in and around Trans-link stations, especially as the system experiences large annual growth.

The 2010 Olympic Games produced a big spike in transit ridership that has quickly become the new nor-mal. Buses are packed, trains are experiencing longer and longer rush hours and traffic is jamming key Tran-sit transfer points like Waterfront Station and Com-mercial Drive, as well as major stops in New Westmin-ster and Surrey.

Proper funding for the Transit Police is essential to ensure the safety and security of hundreds of thousands of transit users.

Transit Police – Keeping Our Transit System SafeTRANSIT

BY GEOFF MEGGS

Geoff is running for re-election with Vision

Vancouver in the November 19th civic elections

For more information go to www.votevision.ca

Vision Vancouver City Councillor Geoff Meggs has long been a transit policy analyst and advocate.

Geoff blogs about sustainable public transit and other civic issues at www.geoffmeggs.ca.

The Vancouver

and District

Labour Council

have endorsed

the Vision

Vancouver -

Coalition of

Progressive

Electors (COPE)

co-operative

slate.

www.votevision.ca

Vision VancouverLEARN MORE


The COPE 378 Political Action Committee was quite active this summer and we will continue to be busy this fall with the 2011 B.C. municipal elec-

tions. In June 2011, the Federal NDP held their Conven-

tion in Vancouver, which COPE 378 President David Black and I attended on behalf of our national union, COPE-SEPB. It was the NDP’s 50th anniversary and there was a lot of buzz at the Convention due to the NDP’s huge gains in the May election. There were 1,500 delegates in attendance and great representation by Members of Parliament and delegates from Quebec. It was an extremely positive event and it filled me with hope for the future.

A tragic counter weight came not long after when Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton passed away on Au-gust 22, 2011. I was personally devastated. Jack had so much to do with the NDP increase in popularity. Jack was given a state funeral, which David Black was invited to attend on behalf of COPE 378. Our national Presi-dent, Serge Cadieux, was also in attendance. A federal NDP convention will take place on March 24, 2012 in Toronto to elect a new leader.

There has been both good news and bad news on the provincial political scene over the past few months. The good news: the HST was voted down, showing what can happen when a government ignores and lies to the electorate. Unfortunately, there will be no provin-cial election as a result of the HST referendum. Ending months of speculation, Christy Clark announced that she would not call an early election, no doubt because opinion polls were suggesting a BC Liberal loss.

BC Liberal policies over the past 10 years have been extremely devastating to many of our members. Just recently a government panel recommended 1,000 jobs be cut from BC Hydro. A fall election and a change in government might have stopped these cuts and oth-ers; however, it appears that we will have to wait until 2013 to try to change government. In preparation, the Political Action Committee will be reviving our 2013 elections strategy.

The B.C. municipal elections will take place on November 19, 2011 and, as always, COPE 378 will be well represented. We will have two member candi-dates and one candidate from our union office stand-ing for office. Jonathan Cote, an ICBC worker, will be

running for another term on New Westminster City Council and in Duncan, Tom Duncan, also from ICBC, will be seeking his second term as a City Councilor. After six years on Port Moody City Council, COPE 378 Union Representative Karen Rockwell has decided not to seek re-election. In her place, fellow Port Moody resident and COPE 378 colleague Barbara Junker will run for City Council. We wish all our candidates suc-cess in the upcoming civic elections.

The Political Action Committee will let COPE 378 members know about progressive candidates in their communities in advance of the civic elections. We will mail poll cards to members to identify candidates that have been endorsed by the Labour Council for their area. Members can rest assured that the endorsed can-didates are supportive of unions and many important progressive issues, such as public transit, public power and public automobile insurance.

If you have any questions about the municipal elec-tions, or if you are interested in becoming involved in the PAC or the political process, please contact me by email at [email protected]

BY JEFF GILLIES, CO-CHAIR OF COPE 378’S POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Political Action Report

POLITICALACTION

COMMITTEE

B.C. Municipal Elections:

November 19, 2011


ICBC: A Proud Legacy for British ColumbiansICBC

KATHY CORRIGAN, NEW DEMOCRAT MLA FOR BURNABY-DEER LAKEAND OFFICIAL OPPOSITION CRITIC FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE SOLICITOR GENERAL

When ICBC was formed in 1973 by the B.C. New Democrat government, the intention was sim-ply to provide quality, affordable automobile

insurance to British Columbians. By keeping the corporation a government-owned

entity, ICBC is focussed on providing service first while keeping an eye on profit and sustainability. Further, ICBC rates are structured in such a way to create an in-centive for safe driving – rewarding drivers with spotless records, and increasing premiums for repeat dangerous drivers. B.C. governments have repeatedly reviewed ICBC and concluded that public auto insurance is more efficient and effective than a private system.

While ICBC is still a very profitable corporation, it is British Columbian ratepayers and taxpayers who benefit from those profits. Those profits help keep insurance rates down and are re-invested in public safety. ICBC pays out more in medical benefits than most provinc-es, researches dangerous sites and accident areas, and looks at ways of improving our roads so that we see fewer crashes. ICBC also helps fund some of those road

improvement projects that make B.C. safer.

Because ICBC is a crown cor-poration, rates are regulated by the B.C. Utilities Commission and accountable to a government democratically elected by British Columbians. This means the cli-ents also have a say in how ICBC is run. A few months back, ICBC proposed changing the rate struc-ture in such a way that a person who received a single speeding ticket would find their insurance

rate increase. British Columbians immediately spoke up saying that isn’t fair – that a single speeding ticket should not be the measure of whether someone is a dangerous driver or not.

Under pressure from the public, the government stepped in and ensured this rate structure change did not come to pass.

By comparison, a private corporation’s bottom line is always profit, even if it means a reduction in service or skyrocketing fees and rates, and the general public does not see the benefit of those profits. A private corpora-tion sets their rates based on demand and competition, meaning they will charge as much as they can possibly get away with. While that may work for many industries, it doesn’t work for important services like automobile and health insurance, hydro, transportation infrastruc-ture and accessible education.

In B.C. we are able to balance cost to ratepayers with quality service, and British Columbians enjoy more benefits from ICBC.

Adrian Dix and the New Democrats believe ICBC can improve even more on their 38 years of affordable, quality service and look forward to working with front line workers and British Columbians to find ways of making our streets even safer.

Kathy Corrigan

“B.C. governments have repeatedly reviewed ICBC and concluded that

public auto insurance is more efficient and effective than a private system..”

– Kathy Corrigan


BY JEFF GILLIES COPE 378 VICE-PRESIDENT FOR ICBC

Driving a New Mandate at ICBC ICBC

This summer, COPE 378 launched the Driving a New Mandate campaign to try some new ap-

proaches to engaging ICBC members in the bargaining process and com-municating their issues to the public as we headed back into bargaining.

Driving a New Mandate was about emphasizing how ICBC mem-bers have helped to build the cor-poration into the financial success it is today. We wanted to remind members and the public that mem-bers work exceptionally hard and will stand together for fair treatment at the bargaining table.

The first component of the cam-paign was a series of short cartoon web videos, which you can still find on the COPE 378 website at www.cope378.ca/icbc-driving-new-mandate. The idea for the first video came when we found out that not only was ICBC funneling almost one billion dollars of profit to the BC Liberal government, but had also increased compensation for auto body shops, lawyers, execu-tives, and other business partners, with some of the highest-paid counsel re-ceiving an 11% increase. The first video brought forward our argument that B.C. drivers and ICBC workers are the ones being left behind, even though they’re the ones most deserving of a fair share in the profits.

Our second web video came out of what ICBC members have told us time and time again during our meet-ings, worksite visits, focus groups, and surveys: that they’re proud of the hard

work they do to make our province’s roads safer as well as providing excep-tional service to customers, often dur-ing stressful situations.

Our final video addressed bargain-ing directly, showing how members working together enables the bar-gaining committee to make real gains at the bargaining table.

During the roll-out of the videos, we held another component of the Driving a New Mandate campaign: a hugely successful Telephone Town Hall for ICBC members.

Over 1,300 members called in for the hour-long meeting, which was emceed by President David Black. COPE 378 Senior Union Representa-tive Jaime Zygmunt and I answered over 30 questions during that time and we were also able to use the new telephone town hall technology to do live polling of members. Through the live polling we were able to find out that the vast majority of members are at least somewhat concerned about contracting out and the impacts of the Transformation Program. That kind of fast feedback can be invaluable lead-ing into and during bargaining.

While the technology was new to almost everyone the meeting was pulled off almost without a hitch. We received great feedback from mem-bers asking us to hold similar events in the future. Thank you to everyone who shared the videos and called into the town hall. You helped us see the very real potential of these new ways of communicating with members.

As of Local Voice press time ICBC still has not tabled their transition agree-ment, nor have they provided the union with job descriptions for the proposed Claims Hierarchy jobs. The Corporation says the Transformation Program will make ICBC paperless and will enable work to be done from any location. This, how-ever, is only for the Claims division. If there is any impact outside of Claims as a re-sult of the Program the union hasn’t yet been informed, but we remain vigilant. If you have any information or concerns about the Transformation Program, contact me at [email protected]

Transformation Program Update

Negotiator

Estimator

Estimator

Adjuster

Negotiator

Negotiator

Adjuster

Engaging ICBC members

in the process of

communicating their issues

View videos at:www.cope378.ca/icbc-driving-new-mandate


Sneak Peek: Alternative BC Hydro Rate Review Gets at Real IssuesBC HYDRO

The provincial government released a BC Hydro rate review report in late summer, which claimed to make recommendations to curtail

rising Hydro rates. Disappointingly, the report failed to tackle real cost drivers – private power contracts and the Smart Meter Initiative included – but instead chose to focus on labour costs. The report recom-mended BC Hydro cut 1,000 jobs, even though a workforce reduction would have very little impact on Hydro rates. In short, instead of addressing the flawed and misguided government policies which pushed rates upwards, the report attacked the livelihoods of people working at BC Hydro.

The rate review was a lost opportunity for govern-ment to assess energy policy in B.C. and to chart a new course for a sustainable future. Instead of letting that opportunity to go to waste, COPE 378 asked four experts to provide their opinions, advice, and analy-

sis to an alternative rate review report. Contributors include Marvin Shaffer, economist and author of Lost in Translation: A Comprehensive Critique of the BC Energy Plan, Marjorie Griffin Cohen, economist and former BC Hydro Board member, John Calvert, politi-cal scientist and author of Liquid Gold: Energy Priva-tization on B.C., and Colin Fussell, retired regulatory manager for BC Hydro and frequent expert witness at the BC Utilities Commission.

The following is an excerpt written by John Cal-vert and Marjorie Griffin Cohen from the soon-to-be released paper.

The third major government policy directive occurred through the 2010

Clean Energy Act. This Act accelerated the time for BC to have ‘insurance’ for

its energy efficiency. This requirement supports the Liberal government demand

that B.C. become a net exporter of clean energy, since BC Hydro would need to

buy more private power even sooner. The Clean Energy Act exempted electricity

exports and major transmission projects (most notably the expensive Northwest

Transmission Line) from BCUC oversight and regulation and it also legislated

the Smart Meter Program by requiring that Smart Meters be installed by 2012.

Its projected $930 million cost also was to be exempt from BCUC examination.

In fact, the exemptions from BCUC oversight were for some of the most costly

features of the government’s policy directives for BC Hydro itself. In addition to

exports and transmission projects, other exemptions included the Standing Offer

and Feed-in Tariff programs, clean power requests for proposals, Site C, and the

new units on the Mica and Revelstoke dams. This means that the most expensive

projects in the future will have no cost reviews by BCUC to determine their vi-

ability and value to customers.

In addition to these directives that would result in increased costs for BC Hydro,

the Act also required the re-integration of the BC Transmission Corporation into BC

Hydro. The artificial separation of the transmission system into a separate corpo-

ration that occurred as a result of the 2002 Plan proved to be as unworkable and

expensive as many believed it would be. It was also unnecessary, once again indi-

cating that the Government had seriously misinterpreted the necessity to conform

to U.S. wishes. Reintegrating the BCTC labour force into BC Hydro added to the

expenses of the corporation. It also contributed to a false sense of the escalation

of the size of the BC Hydro labour force, one factor that was raised as a reason for

escalating operating costs in the Review of BC Hydro.

The alternative rate

report will be released

early November.

Visit:

www.cope378.ca

for the full paper.

by John Calvert and Marjorie Griffin Cohen

Excerpt...


BCAA: 10 Years of COPE Representation BCAA

Heather Lee

At the 2011 annual Canadian Public Relations conference, BCAA won a silver Award of Ex-cellence, partly for continued commitment to

“outstanding customer experience”.As a BCAA customer and COPE 378 Vice-Presi-

dent, I wasn’t surprised. I know the hard work BCAA employees do. You are to be congratulated for your dedication to providing the best possible service, leading to this amazing accomplishment. BCAA could not possibly achieve such recognition or meet its future goals without you.

Looking at their own reports, there’s no question BCAA has strong finances and increased investments. The question is how that will translate at the bargain-ing table. Will they take you for granted will your ser-vice and dedication be recognized and respected?

BCAA frequently boasts that it offers competitive compensation and benefit packages and excellent career advancement opportunities. Many of you un-derstand that this was not handed to you as a recruit-ment tool.

The reality is that the protection and many ben-efits provided today were hard fought for and nego-tiated in our first collective contract signed in 2001. Prior to that time, BCAA employees faced the threat of termination without cause and wages could be determined based on favouritism rather than experi-ence. Now COPE 378 members at BCAA have earned the protection and benefits of their agreement. You must remain vigilant in protecting what you worked so hard to achieve: wage and benefit increases, Eas-ter Monday as a paid holiday, and fair procedures for grievances, disputes, layoffs, and recall.

Ten years since that first agreement we’re still listen-ing to members’ priorities. Your completed surveys were clear. Your incredible response to our focus groups and unit meetings has given us crucial information.

There is a common thread between each of the worksites I’ve visited, whether it’s serious workload issues, irrational targets, or infringement of medi-cal privacy. These are all serious concerns, as is economic fairness for members working in a highly competitive industry. BCAA employees deserve to see a fair return for their daily provision of outstand-ing customer service.

As we move forward together we will continue to act on your concerns, to increase the number of Job Stewards and give them the tools they need to help members in the workplace, to meet members at work and in unit meetings to hear your concerns and find solutions together.

BCAA employees have made BCAA successful, and this needs to be recognized at the bargaining table. I encourage members to visit our website at www.cope378.ca regularly for updates as your bar-gaining committee strives to reach a collective agree-ment that properly reflects your contribution and translates to the improvements in wages, benefits, and working conditions you need and deserve.

BY HEATHER LEE, VICE PRESIDENT, COMBINED UNITS

“I encourage members to visit our website at

www.cope378.ca regularly for updates as your bargaining

committee strives to reach a collective agreement...”

– Heather Lee


Taking the Initiative in Fortis Amalgamation NegotiationsFORTISBC

The past several months have been an anxious time for our members at Fortis and FortisBC as we continue to negotiate the outcome of amalgama-

tion. Amalgamation of the Fortis bargaining units refers to the Employer’s request to join Fortis Electric and Gas divisions into one unit, and to join Fortis Electric’s Cus-tomer Services function into the FortisBC Energy Inc. Customer Service Centres.

The amalgamation committee, made up of Job Stewards Rick Meakes and Kate Koczor, Executive Councillors Richard Gaylard and Kari Campbell, and Union Representative Kevin Smyth, has been meeting regularly by teleconference and in person through August and September to create and finalize our pro-posals to give to the employer. At Local Voice press time the union was still waiting for a response from the employer to our proposal.

The amalgamation of collective agreements is a bit different than conventional collective bargaining, process-wise, but it is still an opportunity for us to push for improvements in the conditions of mem-bers’ employment and to resist any reductions pro-posed by the employer.

Earlier this year the employer presented us with their concept of the amalgamation, but this time we gave them our proposal. We spent considerable time creating a collective agreement and two Letters of Understanding (LOU’s). The collective agreement is the current Gas-COPE collective agreement, (for-merly Terasen-COPE), with improvements imported from the Electric division’s collective agreement.

LOU 1 establishes a process for moving employ-ees from the Electric collective agreement into the Gas collective agreement while maintaining certain terms from the Electric collective agreement. LOU 2 does the same thing for Electric-Customer Service employees moving into the Fortis-Customer Servic-es Centres collective agreement.

Through the coming weeks we will be negotiating with the employer and so the proposal’s structure, contents, and the ratification process are subject to change based on the give and take of negotiation.

If the employer agrees to our proposals we will have to ratify the agreement by a vote of the mem-bership. Before this vote we will provide all affected members with written material to make sure they have all the information and adequate time to con-sider it before having to cast a ballot. In addition the union will hold both in-person and conference call meetings with the members before the vote to an-swer any questions.

Through the coming weeks we will

be negotiating with the employer and

so the proposal’s structure, contents,

and the ratification process are

subject to change based on the give

and take of negotiation.

Fortis Electric

Fortis Gas

FortisBC


Communicators

working in ILCA

Media Centre

In late September, COPE 378 communications staff attended the International Labor Communicators Association conference in Seattle. This year’s con-

ference, entitled Rewiring Solidarity, gave an oppor-tunity for union communicators to get together to learn new skills, share issues and campaigns, and go out in the field in Seattle to get hands-on experience covering labour issues.

Day one of the conference opened with a wel-come to delegates from ILCA President Steve Stal-lone, as well as Kathy Cummings (Communications Director), and President Jeff Johnson of the Wash-ington State Labor Council. All three spoke to the challenges unions face communicating their stories in the often ambivalent mainstream media, and the need for unions to embrace new media.

Next, delegates took in a Skype presentation from Jason Mann, Director at the BC Federation of Labour, who shared insights from his recently concluded New Media Bootcamp for Union Activists. This online workshop attracted over a thousand union activists from around the world, which Mann traced to the accessible webinar format and innovative branding.

Following that, delegates enjoyed a presentation on how to use QR codes to drive people to union websites and videos. Then came a presentation from Scott Goodstein, External Online Director for the Obama 2008 campaign and head of Revolution Mes-saging. Goodstein shared potential strategies for text messaging campaigns, including using text services to mobilize the public around our political issues. He also laid out the pros and cons of developing smart phone apps for unions.

After Goodstein spoke, ILCA’s keynote speaker, John Nichols of The Nation magazine, arrived for his

scheduled lunch lecture on media lessons from Wis-consin, where Governor Scott Walker stripped public sector workers of many union rights. Nichols gave a blow-by-blow of the fight back against Governor Walker and how the events were covered in main-stream and social media.

After lunch, participants broke out into one of three skill-developing sessions on video, photog-raphy, or messaging. The video and photography classes focused on creating eye-catching visuals that tell members’ stories, while the messaging class looked at how we can re-frame the debates on our struggles to talk about our values more effectively.

Participants put their lessons into practice right away as they were sent out the next afternoon to cover Seattle labour stories. Topics ranged from unionizing musicians to union-busting at the Univer-sity of Washington to the success of the campaign which won paid sick days for most Seattle workers. Those reporting the stories worked late in the night in the conference Media Centre to file their stories.

Leaving the conference on the third day, partic-ipants had begun to put John Nichols’ advice into practice–moving toward a future of “next media: a combination of old and new media used creatively by people of principle.”

International Labor Communicators Association Report: New Media, New Skills

INTERNA-TIONAL

LABOUR


BARGAINING UNIT BRIEFS: FALL 2011 EDITIONBARGAINING UNIT BRIEFS

BY CAROL MCLUSKIE AND KIM SMITH

More info at

cope378.ca

ABSUWhile the parties are still in collective bargaining, there is no bargaining ongoing at this time.

BCAA ERSNotice to bargain has been sent to the employer. No dates have been set yet. The union’s bargaining committee expects to exchange propos-als with the employer mid-to-late October. The bargaining committee consists of Justyna Edwards, Tracy Gal, Garry Payne, and Union Representative Pat Junnila.

BCAA SCNotice to bargain has been sent to the employer. No dates have been set yet. The union’s bargaining committee expects to exchange propos-als with the employer in mid-to-late October. The bargaining committee consists of Paul Bachin, Maureen Skibo, Da-vid Black, Arianne Trueman, and Union Representative Pat Junnila.

BEACH PLACE VENTURES (BLACKTOP TAXI)The collective agreement expired June 30, 2011. Notice to commence bargaining has been sent to the employer. Bargaining surveys have been completed by the members. The bargaining committee consists of Trish Wilson and Jackie Brown, Union Representative.

BERLITZThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. The parties are looking at tentative dates in October to exchange proposals. The bargaining committee consists of Jennifer Williams, Collin Patter-son and Sarah Melsness, Union Representative.

BONNY’S TAXIThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. Notice to com-mence bargaining has been sent to the employer. Bargaining surveys have been completed by the members. The bargaining committee consists of Cyndi Nilssen-Frigstad and Jackie Brown, Union Representative.

CANADIAN FREIGHTWAYS LTD.The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2010. The parties are returning to the bargaining table on October 4, 2011. There are only a couple of items outstanding. The bargaining committee consists of Brad Eckart, Wes Rickards, Frank Brennan and Kevin Payne, Union Representative.

COAST MOUNTAIN BUS COMPANYThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. Proposals are cur-rently being formulated from the survey results. The bargaining committee consists of Stephen Von Sychowski, Ray Manning, Ron Williams, Doug Fergus, and Kevin Payne, Union Rep-resentative.

COLLEGE OF PHARMACISTS OF BCThe collective agreement expired on August 31, 2011. Proposals have been drafted and are awaiting approval from COPE 378’s President and Senior Union Representative. The bargaining committee consists of Barry Hodson, Union Repre-sentative.

COLLEGE OF REGISTERED NURSES OF BCThe collective agreement expired on September 30, 2010. Two meeting dates scheduled in September were cancelled by the employer. A meet-ing of the membership was held to go over bargaining proposals. New dates to meet with the Employer have yet to be scheduled. The bargaining committee consists of Glen MacInnes, Union Rep-resentative.

COMMUNITY SAVINGS CREDIT UNIONThe collective agreement expired June 30, 2011, the new agreement was ratified and implemented for July 1, 2011. The bargaining committee consists of Loralee Dallas, Graeme Hutchi-son and Jack Gerow, Union Representative.

CUPE BC AND LOCALSThe collective agreement expired on December 31, 2010. The union has met with the employer and exchanged proposals. The employer has responded to some of the union’s proposals. COPE 378 is waiting for the employer to confirm dates to continue bargaining. The bargaining committee consists of Nadine Ford, Lori Watt, and Bar-bara Junker, Union Representative.

CUPE LOCAL 454The union has had discussions with the employer regarding a collective agreement. The employer is considering the union’s proposal that they join the CUPE BC & Locals collective agreement. The bargaining committee consists of Kathleen Ladislaus and Barbara Junker, Union Representative.

DA TOWNLEY & ASSOCIATESThe collective agreement for this unit expired on December 31, 2010. The parties met at the Labour Relations Board to attempt to settle an unfair labour practice complaint filed by the union. The parties were not able to come to an agreement. Submissions have been sent to the Board and we await a decision. The bargaining committee consists of Colleen Finn, Lina Johal and Glen MacInnes, Union Representative.

FORTIS BCBargaining is in abeyance pending merger discussions. The bargaining committee consists of Kari Campbell, Richard Gaylard, Kate Koczor, Rick Meakes and Kevin Smyth, Union Representative.

GREYHOUNDBargaining surveys have been completed and proposals are currently being formulated. The bargaining committee consists of Kevin Payne, Union Representative.

GULF & FRASER FISHERMEN’S CREDIT UNION The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. At a special mem-bership meeting, the membership voted unanimously to reject the GFFC hours of work concession demand. Mediator Mark Atkinson was appointed to assist the parties and mediation sessions have been sched-uled to start on October 4, 2011. The bargaining committee consists of Arvid Vimb, Robin Manolson, Linda Banxachai and Jack Gerow, Union Representative.

HASTINGS ENTERTAINMENT INC.The collective agreement expired on July 31, 2011. The bargaining committee has been elected and consists of Margaret Sykes, Merritt Smith and Jeff Kwan. Bargaining surveys have been returned and tabu-lated. The results show it is clear that the members would like to see a one year roll-over. The bargaining committee will be meeting with the employer committee on September 23, 2011 to sign off on a tentative agreement. The members will be asked to vote on that agreement in November. Chief spokesperson for the bargaining committee is Kelly Quinn, Union Representative.


BARGAINING UNIT BRIEFS

ICBCThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2010. The bargaining committee met with the employer in June and is now scheduled to meet again in October to continue negotiations for a renewed collec-tive agreement. COPE 378 has launched a campaign called Driving a New Mandate to show how ICBC workers and BC drivers, who have made the corporation profitable, are being left out in its success. The bargaining committee consists of Mike Ferguson, Karin Cirez, Jeff Gillies, Joyce Galuska, Trevor Hansen, Yasmin Carroll and Jaime Zyg-munt, Senior Union Representative.

ITT FLYGTThe Collective Agreement for the members at this bargaining unit ex-pired on April 30, 2011. Proposals have been exchanged and the first meeting of negotiations was held on September 29, 2011. Union Representative Barry Hodson will be bargaining for the Union.

PVTTThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. The members will be surveyed, which will form the basis of the union’s proposals.

SEASPAN MARINE CORPORATIONThe collective agreement expired on February 28, 2011. Negotiations will commence after the employer and the trades unions conclude ne-gotiations. The bargaining committee consists of Job Steward, Dale Gibson, as-sisted by Union Representative Jackie Brown, as chief spokesperson. SEIU The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2010. The union has served Notice to Bargain and exchanged proposals with the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Cathy Conley and Bonnie Merri-man, Union Representative.

TEAMSTERS 31The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. A survey has been sent to the membership and returned to the union office. Bargaining dates have yet to be set with the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Glen MacInnes, Union Represen-tative.

TEAMSTERS 213The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. A bargaining survey has been sent and returned to the union office. A bargaining committee meeting with the membership has been scheduled for October 6, 2011. The bargaining committee consists of Glen MacInnes, Union Represen-tative.

TEAMSTERS 213 MEMBERS BENEFIT PLANThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. A member of the employer’s bargaining committee has been off sick. The bargaining committee wrote to the employer with a proposal and the union is now awaiting a response from the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Glen MacInnes, Union Represen-tative.

TRANSLINKProposals are currently being formulated from the survey results. The bargaining committee consists of Pat Keeping, Rob Gladwin, Dave Bunderla, Sara Dhaliwal, Dan Dickhout, and Kevin Payne, Union Rep-resentative.

TELECOMM WORKERS UNION PENSION PLAN Proposals have been exchanged. A date has been set for October 3, 2011 to meet for the first round of negotiations. The bargaining committee consists of Mabo Mui, Beverly Victor, Richard Vorstenborch, and Barry Hodson, Union Representative.

TELECOMMUNICATION WORKERS UNIONThe collective agreement for the members at this unit expired on July 31, 2011. The bargaining committee met and finalized proposals. Dates have yet to be scheduled to meet with the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Glen MacInnes, Union Repre-sentative.

UNITED FISHERMEN & ALLIED WORKER UNIONThe collective agreement expired December 31, 2010. The members ratified the collective agreement in July 2011. The bargaining committee consists of Nancy Anderson and Bonnie Merriman, Union Representative.

VANCOUVER TAXI (ADBA CENTRAL TAXI DISPATCH)The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. Bargaining surveys have been completed by the members and negotiations have been ten-tatively set to begin in October. The bargaining committee consists of Bernie Stroh, David Justice and Jackie Brown, Union Representative.

VICTORIA TRADE UNIONThe collective agreement expired on July 31, 2011. The union has given written notice to the employer, in accordance with the Labour Rela-tions Code of B.C., to commence collective bargaining for a renewed collective agreement. Bargaining surveys have been sent to members for their input. The bargaining committee consists of Tracy Sutton and Bonnie Merri-man, Union Representative.

WORKING ENTERPRISESThe collective agreement expired May 31, 2011. The negotiating com-mittee met with the employer and brought 30 proposals to the bar-gaining table. The employer brought two. In all, 25 of the totaled 32 proposals have either been agreed to or withdrawn. Most of the seven remaining proposals are monetary in nature and a thorough discussion has taken place on each of these outstanding proposals. The parties are scheduled to meet again on October 3 to 4, 2011. The bargaining com-mittee is hopeful that a Memorandum of Agreement can be reached in those two days. The bargaining committee consists of Pauline Yaeger and Jackie Brown, Union Representative.

IS PUBLISHED BY

Phone: 604-299-0378Fax: 604-299-8211E-mail: [email protected] 1918-9753 COPE Local 378 Voice

COPE 378: President David Black Secretary-Treasurer Lori Mayhew

LOCAL VOICE Editor: Sage Aaron USW 2009DESIGNED BY: Dansk Design Groupdanskdesigngroup.comPRINTED AT: Mitchell Press, Burnaby, B.C.

Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378,2nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1J9POSTAL AGREEMENT #41267023


Constitutional Changes Proposed at December Special Convention

CONSTITU-TIONALCHANGES

COPE 378’s Executive Board and Council have asked the membership to consider changes to COPE 378’s constitution at a December 5th Spe-

cial Convention. The proposed changes concern the governance of and contributions to the union’s De-fence Fund.

Currently each member contributes one-tenth of their overall dues to the Defence Fund. The Defence Fund exists to support members financially should a bargaining unit have to take strike action. As noted in the Financial Report in the Summer Local Voice, the De-fence Fund recently reached historic levels, while the General Fund fared markedly less well.

The proposed changes would leave the union dues collected from members unchanged. What would change are the constitutional terms which dictate the way the COPE 378 manages its funds.

While strikes have long been a powerful tool in the arsenal of trade unions, labour relations have changed, employers’ approaches have changed, and government attitudes towards back-to-work legisla-tion has changed.

Many unions, COPE 378 among them, have found themselves caught up in lengthy and expensive arbi-trations. Instead of quickly resolving issues, employers have taken a page from civil litigation and try to make the arbitrations as onerous as possible. Arbitration costs previously have come from the General Fund and Op-erations Budget and one of the proposed changes is to open the Defence Fund to cover the costs of arbitra-tions. The motion to be debated at the December 5th Special Convention reads:

That the COPE 378 Executive Council recommends to the Convention that the Defence Fund mandate be expanded to cover the costs of arbitrations undertaken on behalf of our members, and that provision be made retroactive to January 1st, 2011.

COPE 378’s Defence Fund sits at an enviable level compared to most unions, but because of the restric-tions on how to access the fund, many of the union’s members will never see a benefit from the fund. In-creasingly public sector employees are being legislated back to work – in fact, as recently demonstrated with Air Canada employees, governments are interfering with job actions at private sector companies. Job ac-tions used by unions now are often strategic – rolling strikes, overtime bans and work to rule.

What does remain effective is the ability for unions to engage in campaigns and tells members’ through stories through media relations. The following resolu-tion was endorsed unanimously by COPE 378’s Execu-tive Board and Council, and allows the union more flex-ibility while ensuring the Defence Fund remains robust.

That the COPE 378 Executive Council recommends to the Convention that a new threshold for Defence Fund provisions be included in the Constitution reduc-ing the contributions to the Defence Fund from 1/10 of dues to 1/20 of dues when the Defence Fund is over $15 million dollars and that provision be made retroactive to January 1st, 2011.

Members are encouraged to speak with their COPE 378 councillors and job stewards in advance of the December 5th Special Convention.


COPE 378 members work at the following properties

Accenture Business ServicesUnion Reps: Barry Hodson, Pat Junnila, Sarah Melsness, Brian Nelson

Alma Mater SocietyUnion Rep: Karen Rockwell

Avis CarUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

BCAA SC & ERSUnion Rep: Pat Junnila

BC Computerized Dispatch (Yellow Cab)Union Rep: Barry Hodson

BC Federation of LabourUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

BC Ferry & Marine Workers UnionUnion Rep: Brad Bastien

BCGEUUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

BC Hydro (including Powertech Construction Services)Union Reps: Barry Hodson, Pat Junnila, Barbara Junker, Glen MacInnes, Brian Nelson

BC Nurses’ Union Union Rep: Kerrie Irving

BC TransitUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Beach Place VenturesUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Berlitz CanadaUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Bonny’s TaxiUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Burvic HoldingsUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Canadian Freightways Ltd.Union Rep: Kevin Payne

Canadian Northern Shield/RSAUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Capilano UniversityUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Carpenters Local 1928Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Catalyst PaperUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

CIATUUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Coastal Community Credit UnionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Coastal Community InsuranceUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Coast Mountain BusUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

College of Pharmacists of BCUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

College of Registered NursesUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Columbia Hydro Union Rep: Brad Bastien

Coral Cabs (Richmond Taxi)Union Rep: Jackie Brown

CUPE 3338Union Rep: Barbara Junker




CUPE BC & LocalsUnion Rep: Barbara Junker

DA Townley & AssociatesUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Eco JusticeUnion Rep: Kerrie Irving

Electrical Industry Training InstituteUnion Rep: Brian Nelson

Enterprise Rent-A-CarUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

FortisBC Inc.Union Rep: Kevin Smyth

GreyhoundUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Gulf & Fraser Fishermen’s Credit UnionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Handy PackUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

Hastings Entertainment Inc.Union Rep: Kelly Quinn

HertzUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

ICBCUnion Reps: Vic Foth, Kerrie Irving, Bonnie Merriman, Kelly Quinn, Karen Rockwell

Island Savings Credit Union CU and InsuranceUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

ITT FlygtUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

IWA Forest Industry PPUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Kekinow Native Housing SocietyUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Kelowna Cabs Ltd.Union Rep: Barry Hodson

Konica MinoltaUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Kruger Products (Scott Paper)Union Rep: Karen Rockwell

Ladysmith & District CUUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Lu’Ma Native Housing SocietyUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

MacLure’s Cabs Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

Marine Workers & BoilermakersUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Master Trade OfficeUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

New Democratic PartyUnion Rep: Brad Bastien

Open SolutionsUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Pacific Vehicle TestingUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

SchneiderUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Seaspan International Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

SEIU 244Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Southern RailwayUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Teamsters Local 31Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

Teamsters Local 155Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

Teamsters Local 213 & 213 Member Benefit PlanUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU)Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

Telecommunications Workers Union Pension PlanUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Teletheatre BCUnion Rep: Kelly Quinn

Trade Union Research BureauUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

TransLinkUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Tree IslandUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

United Fishermen & Allied Worker UnionUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Vancouver Shipyards Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

Vancouver Taxi Ltd. (Central Taxi Dispatch)Union Rep: Jackie Brown

VantageOne Credit UnionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Victoria Shipyards Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

Victoria Trade UnionUnion Rep: Kerrie Irving

Westminster Savings Credit UnionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Working EnterprisesUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Yellow PagesUnion Rep: Jack Gerow


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Local Voice November 2011