The warming shack built on the CUPE 2262 picket line by local carpenters

CASTLEGAR – Civic workers out on strike for a month say morale remains strong, despite the City’s refusal so far to restart talks.

BURNABY—CUPE BC is proud to mark the 23rd annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

“Both in the workplace and society at large, our union has a strong track record of fighting for the rights of persons with disabilities,” said CUPE BC President Mark Hancock.

In 2012, CUPE launched the disability rights awareness campaign “A Solidarity of Abilities.” It led to the creation of the first “Duty to Accommodate” course for members, workshops across the country, and coalition-building with a number of disability-related organizations.

The Women’s Shoe Memorial in Kamloops was started by Lynn Chasse in honour of her mother whom she lost to domestic violence. December 6 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Montreal massacre.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal, where 14 women were singled out and murdered because of their gender. A CUPE member who worked at the school was one of the murdered women.

BURNABY- CUPE’s 57 BC K-12 Local bargaining committees have reached and ratified collective agreements, meeting the November 30 deadline.

“We’re pleased that all locals were able conclude local bargaining issues by the November 30 deadline,” says K-12 Presidents’ Council Chair Marcel Marsolais.  “Locals can now focus and look forward to the gains we achieved in this round of bargaining.”

Locals bargained individually with school districts to achieve local agreements that added to the provincial framework agreement ratified by the K-12 Presidents’ Council in June.

NELSON – CUPE Local 2262 has ratified a new three-year agreement with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK).  The no-concessions deal includes wage increases of 1.5%, 1.4% and 1.5% respectively. Included in the collective agreement are improvements to employee definition language and increases to clothing and optical allowances.

VANCOUVER—CUPE BC President Mark Hancock and Secretary-Treasurer Paul Faoro congratulated Irene Lanzinger and Aaron Ekman on their election yesterday as the new President and Secretary-Treasurer of the BC Federation of Labour.

“Although our organization supported another candidate, I know that Irene Lanzinger will be a good President for our Federation, and on behalf of CUPE BC, I congratulate her on her election yesterday,” said Hancock.

VANCOUVER – CUPE BC announced today it has filed a libel law suit against the Vancouver Non-Partisan Association and Kirk LaPointe.

In the recent Vancouver election NPA Mayoral Candidate Kirk LaPointe and the NPA electoral organization alleged “corruption” in regards to financial contributions from CUPE Local 1004 and CUPE BC to candidates recommended by the membership.

President Mark Hancock and Secretary-Treasurer Paul Faoro met with the Executive Board of CUPE BC and decided the union had no choice but to pursue legal action.   

CISSBA committee members include Lily Bachand, Marcela Popovici, Marcel Beerken, Nicki Pearson, Michelle Waite, Juanita Fraser, Pam Catsirelis, Ryan Cousineau, Deborah Hopper, Richard Schaeffer, John Ross and spokespeople Ian McLean and Linsay Buss.

VANCOUVER – CUPE delegates to the BC Federation of Labour convention today endorsed Amber Hockin for President and Aaron Ekman for Secretary-Treasurer of the Federation.

CASTLEGAR – We all love Winterfest and your Castlegar city workers know that it’s an important annual community event.

Unfortunately, the unresolved labour dispute with the City of Castlegar would put the usual ceremony behind a legal picket line.  Given this, CUPE Local 2262 is looking at options to see if we can help to find a way for the event to go ahead.