Bill 21 Protest Rally Nov. 26 in Abbotsford

ABBOTSFORD—CUPE is holding a march and rally Thursday, Nov. 26 to protest the repressive Bill 21 “back-to-work” legislation passed by the provincial government.

Downtown rally calls on Kevin Falcon to admit Bill 21 error, get back to bargaining table

VANCOUVER—Not surprisingly, the guest of honour avoided the scene by arriving through an underground entrance.

PRINCE GEORGE – More than 150 workers and community supporters marched through downtown Prince George today protesting the B.C. government’s repressive Bill 21.

The march ended in a rally outside Prince George - Valemount MLA Shirley Bond’s Office at lunchtime. The marchers were cheered by car drivers honking their support.

Participants came from as far away as Prince Rupert, Fort St.

VERNON—The BC Assessment Authority has announced plans to close our Vernon and Penticton offices and send our work to Kelowna. The members of CUPE 1767 believe that the services we offer through these public Vernon and Penticton offices are vital to the community.

CUPE 1767 president Kevin McPhail will be addressing Vernon City Council on Monday, Nov. 23 at 1:30 pm and will be in Penticton Tuesday.

VANCOUVER – Child care activists and experts will share information and plan for action at the B.C. stop on a cross-country tour promoting public delivery of child care through school boards or local governments.

Across Canada, parents struggle to find good child care in a patchwork of services that is privatized, fragmented and expensive. And the tour comes to B.C.

VANCOUVER—Vancouver Park Board voted on Tuesday night (Nov. 17) to defer a vote on service cuts to allow for more public input.

Bill 21 Protest Rally Nov. 20

PRINCE GEORGE—CUPE is holding a march and rally Friday, Nov. 20 to protest repressive Bill 21 “back-to-work” legislation passed by the provincial government. The rally will take place outside Liberal MLA Shirley Bond’s Prince George - Valemont constituency office.

WHERE: 1350 5th Avenue, Prince George

WHEN: 11:30 am - Meet at Days Inn (600 Quebec at 7th Ave)

WHAT: Bill 21 protest march and rally with speakers Steve Storch (CUPE BC GVP) and Dan Weiman (CUPE Northern Area District President).

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VANCOUVER – CUPE 873 president John Strohmaier has told the provincial government that ambulance paramedics will not be taking part in a “sham” industrial inquiry commission.

The Liberal government announced the commission as part of its Bill 21, which forced the province’s 3,500 paramedics to end their seven-month legal strike on Nov. 7. The government’s version of a commission is to check into bargaining structure and possibly look at rural issues, with a final report deadline of Dec. 15.

VANCOUVER – The BC Ambulance Service has withdrawn its “illegal strike” claims against ambulance paramedics and their union, CUPE 873.

After three days of BCAS chief Lee Doney loudly proclaiming that paramedics acted irresponsibly and that patients were put at risk, the BCAS quietly withdrew its application before the LRB late this afternoon.

CUPE 873, Ambulance Paramedics of BC spokesman BJ Chute said “Lee Doney owes every paramedic in the province an apology for his unsubstantiated claims.”

VANCOUVER - Despite repeated union warnings that staffing levels are critically low, the BC Ambulance Service has tried to blame its employees for ambulance shortages.

The employer applied late Friday night to the B.C. Labour Relations Board claiming that CUPE 873 and some of its members were engaged in an “illegal strike”.