BURNABY – The winners of CUPE BC’s Environment All-Stars Contest have been selected and we can all benefit from their innovative ideas. 

The contest was open to all CUPE members in B.C. as part of an effort to highlight creative projects that support the environment. The results engage and celebrate CUPE members who have shown leadership as stewards of the environment in their lives, their workplaces, or their communities.

CUPE 23 members with Chris Revitt and family take a well-deserved break after setting up the pumpkin patch at South Slope Elementary.

BURNABY — CUPE 23 member Chris Revitt and his family turned their enjoyment of choosing pumpkins at a pumpkin patch into a community event for neighbourhood children, who may be physically or financially unable to get to one.

BURNABY – Effective today, Community Social Service workers will be using a newly developed medical form for absences from work of more than five days. The new forms were developed during a three-day arbitration regarding a policy grievance filed about the appropriateness of medical leave forms in obtaining medical information from employees.

REVELSTOKE – Revelstoke City Council has opted to keep its curbside garbage collection in-house. The decision follows a comprehensive review of options that included various bids from three private companies.

The city agreed with the conclusions of an internal report that determined that public curbside collection is the most affordable route. The report recommended keeping the current service, which is staffed by CUPE municipal workers.

At its 27th National Convention in Vancouver, CUPE will rally with environmental, indigenous, labour and social justice organizations, calling for fundamental change in the wake of the federal election.

In partnership with leapmanifesto.org, CUPE National President Paul Moist will join author and activist Naomi Klein and others to talk about a Canada based on caring for each other and the planet.

The rally will be held Thursday, November 5, at 12 noon at the Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver/Coast Salish Territories.

PORT ALBERNI - CUPE Local 118 workers at the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District have given their bargaining team a 90% strike mandate. Before taking any job action, the local would file 72-hour strike notice with the BC Labour Relations Board.

The vote was taken at a CUPE Local 118 membership meeting on bargaining held last night in Port Alberni. The CUPE bargaining committee is slated to meet with the district tomorrow and Friday for mediated talks in a union-led effort to reach a negotiated settlement.

BURNABY - Yesterday’s federal election officially ended the Stephen Harper era in Canadian politics, and that’s good for all working people in the country. His meanspirited and divisive policies—and campaign tactics—were clearly rejected by a majority of Canadians.

REVELSTOKE – The union representing municipal workers in Revelstoke is disappointed the city has rejected its own staff recommendation to keep curbside garbage collection public.

At a City Council meeting last night, mayor and council voted against a comprehensive staff report that concluded in-house curbside garbage collection is by far the most affordable. The report considered proposals from three private companies as well as the current in-house service staffed by CUPE members.

VICTORIA-CUPE Locals representing close to 2000 workers at the University of Victoria reached a tentative deal that brings improvements for members over the next 5 years.

Details of the agreements are currently being communicated to the members of CUPE Locals 951 and 917 who will be voting to ratify the new deal next week. Specifics of the respective collective agreements will be released to the public following ratification by the membership of the two CUPE Locals.

CUPE BC Executive Board unanimously endorses candidacy

BURNABY—CUPE BC’s Executive Board has unanimously endorsed Mark Hancock in his bid for national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, replacing outgoing president Paul Moist, who announced his retirement earlier this week after 12 years at the helm of Canada’s largest union.