BURMA CANADIAN ON THE UNION OF RADAR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES B.C. DIVISION 5 WINTER 2010 eemployeemployee Members unite in wake of attack on paramedics NEGOTIATE, DON’T LEGISLATE! EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2010 BARGAINING CIVIC AWARD LIBRARY CAMPAIGN leading us barry o’neill “A contract or a settlement means an agreement was reached. This was no agreement; it was a clear abuse of government power.” ‘With glowing hearts’… we defend public services As British Columbia prepares to “welcome the world” in ‘‘February, it’s worth considering some of the sacrifices that have been made by working people and the lesser privileged in this province to pave the way for the Winter Olympic Games. Don’t get me wrong: as CUPE members, and as mem- bers of our communities, we too are pleased to see our athletes compete in this world-class event – and we will con- tinue to support them. However, that does not mean that we FRIENDS INDEED CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill and CUPE 873 director of public education B.J. Chute presented a cheque for will not or should not continue to support our communities $50,000 to BCGEU president Darryl Walker on December 3. GEU as well. members missed work in support of CUPE picket lines during the 873 We all deserve such things as ambulance services when strike. we, our friends, and our neighbours, are in need. In such times, our families should feel confident that they can rely clear abuse of government power. Adding insult to injury on the lifesaving skills of a qualified paramedic. But this was the premier’s decision – unprecedented in Canadian emergency service, along with seniors care, library services, labour history – to legislate an end to the dispute while the education, and health care have all felt the impact of deep paramedics were voting on the government’s last offer. cuts at a time when people need these services most. We in the B.C. labour movement have never taken this What the BC Liberal government did to the paramedics kind of legislative assault lying down. We have fought in when it passed Bill 21 in November was not only an insult the legal arena, as with the successful Supreme Court of to CUPE 873 members; it was a signal to the public that Canada challenge of Bill 29, which trampled on the HEU’s the world-class service our ambulance paramedics provide collective bargaining rights. We have fought in the political is not worth funding. The same could be said for the other arena, with letters and e-mails and petitions to MLAs. And public services I’ve just mentioned, all of which have fallen we have taken this fight to the streets – as we have been under the knife even as the government continues to spend doing with community actions in every corner of the prov- hundreds of millions of dollars on the Games. ince since November. My heart doesn’t exactly glow with pride at this vision The strike by ambulance paramedics may have ended, of an uncaring British Columbia. It’s certainly not a vision but the real labour dispute – and the struggle to define what of the province I would feel comfortable sharing with our vision of B.C. will prevail – has only just begun. international guests. The government did not impose a “contract” or a “settle- Barry O’Neill is president of CUPE BC. ment” on paramedics. A contract or a settlement means an MORE ONLINE www.cupe.bc.ca + News + agreement was reached. This was no agreement; it was a Commentary + Leaders’ voices 2 THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE CCUPUPE aacctiioon members on the fr ont line PUBLIC EDUCATION CONFERENCE INSPIRES CUPE BC’s October Champions for Public Education conference informed and inspired more than 200 CUPE members from the K-12, uni- versity and college sectors. President Barry O’Neill opened the conference and talked about the important links between CUPE’s more than 40,000 education workers and all CUPE members. UBC law professor Joel Bakan, author of The Corporation: The COMMITTED TO LIBRARIES Re-elected National executive members Barry O’Neill, Mark Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Hancock and Colin Pawson (third from left) were joined on the sidelines at the CUPE National Power (later adapted into the highly convention in Montreal by CUPE 391 (Vancouver and Gibsons Public Library) members Ed Dickson, Alex Youngberg, Mark Whittam, and Peter DeGroot. successful film), gave the keynote address. Describing CUPE as a fighter for public services and a National convention builds solidarity defender of the public education sys- Delegates support B.C. ing to support local economic develop- tem, Bakan talked about the follies of paramedics, strategic plan ment and fight privatization. privatization. CUPE BC’s Barry O’Neill and Mark boosts bargaining efforts Hancock and HEU president Ken MONTREAL | Record numbers of new Robinson were re-elected to the national delegates converged on Canada’s sec- executive board, while Colin Pawson ond-largest city for CUPE’s 24th nation- (CUPE 1091) was elected as a national al convention in October. Some 2,500 trustee. delegates and staff set a course for the The BC/Alberta/HEU social evening next two years and pledged continued drew hundreds to Montreal’s old town. support for B.C.’s striking ambulance And national communications awards paramedics in CUPE 873. went to CUPE 4227, B.C.’s Francophone ANTI-CORPORATE Keynote speaker The CUPE strategic plan focuses on Education Authority School District, Joel Bakan praised convention delegates for their role as frontline fighters for improving pensions, strengthening bar- and to CUPE BC’s Public Employee. public education. gaining capacity, fighting concessions, For more on the national convention, supporting shop stewards, and continu- visit cupe.ca. K-12 and university delegates then participated in panels and workshops specific to their sectors, while college Garbage, recycling helped the CAO make the case for public participants attended a board of gov- sector provision of solid waste, recycling, ernor training session. go public again and compostable yard waste. CUPE BC secretary-treasurer Mark GRAND FORKS | CUPE 4728 members “Thanks to a great collaborative effort Hancock closed the successful con- will once again provide with our Local and the CAO, ference by encouraging participants garbage and recycling residents will win,” says CUPE to keep championing public educa- collection starting on 4728 president Ross Idler. tion in their communities. See the Canada Day 2010 – “Concern about inadequate conference video and pictures at thanks to the Local’s service quality from the private cupe.bc.ca. five years of work to contractor and the ability for bring solid waste col- us to provide a higher level of lection back in-house. service that meets our resi- CUPE 4728 members in Grand Forks dents’ needs sold Council.” WINTER 2010 3 CCUPUPE aacctiioon VOICES “It is extremely frustrating because if all they were going to do was force us back to work they could have done that a long time ago and saved us all a lot of work and heartache.” Elk Valley CUPE 873 steward Amy Chris on Bill 21, the BC Liberal legislation that ended the ambulance paramedics’ strike while the union was voting on the government’s last offer. The Free Press (Fernie), Thursday, November 5, 2009. “All UBC has been asked to do is to adhere to standards and LONGTIME PRESENCE Okanagan Mainline District Council regulations that all other public bodies are governed by. We celebrated its 45th Anniversary in November with cake, camaraderie fail to see the problem with that.” and congratulations. CUPE 116 president Colleen Garbe, in a letter to the editor, takes issue with criticism that Metro Vancouver’s redevelopment bylaw proposals put funding at UBC at risk. CUPE BC hails court ruling The Province (Vancouver), Wednesday, November 25, 2009. on Catalyst tax complaint “What’s really unfortunate is the government blamed H1N1 DUNCAN | The BC Supreme Court’s rejection of Catalyst when we know VANOC had a deadline (to resolve the Paper’s taxation complaint against the District of North dispute).” Cowichan is likely to influence other cases involving corpo- CUPE 873 regional vice-president Richard Vollo, on the rate tax avoiders, CUPE BC said in praising the decision. government’s explanation for introducing Bill 21. In a judgment released on October 16, Justice Peter Voith Williams Lake Tribune, Tuesday, November 10, 2009. said that municipal bylaws North Cowichan used to set Catalyst’s tax rate are reasonable. He dismissed Catalyst’s “Every one of us has a close call story. It’s good to see we’re claim that they are unfair because they bear no relationship to doing some preventative maintenance on the roadside.” the services Catalyst consumes. In a decision bound to influ- CUPE 626 chief shop steward Aaron Cyr, on a City of Vernon ence outstanding cases involving other Catalyst communities campaign that uses images of real workers and their children to Campbell River, Powell River and Port Alberni, Voith said the remind drivers to slow down when passing construction zones. courts would not interfere in North Cowichan council’s delib- Thursday, December 3, 2009. Vernon Morning Star, erations in arriving at tax rates. “You’re going to see, right through the Olympics, rotating “The failure of corporations to pay property taxes threatens rallies and large groups of people expressing their displea- the health, well-being and sustainability of B.C.’s commu- sure around Bill 21. This will carry on until there is a resolve, nities,” CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill told the Courier- or they rethink their choice.” Islander newspaper. “We’re pleased that the Court will not overturn the local CUPE Local 873 Island-North regional vice-president John Hosie, describing the provincewide campaign against Bill 21.