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Education, Activism and Communications Committee

The committee has a broad mandate to promote awareness of union education programs and to make recommendations to the Education Officer and Provincial Executive on union education programs and communications.

Each member of the committee is elected by their cross component committee as the Area Education Liaison. Their role is to report on activities in their area and provide feedback to area Locals on courses and training needs of activists in their area. The liaison is the connection between the activists and locals in the area and the Education Officer. Educatoin for the area is a standing agenda item at all cross component meetings.

Education, Activism and Communication Committee members: Dan Bradford (chair), Carla Dempsey (vice-chair), CJ Conroy (101), Stu Seifert (702), Tina Pederson (403), Orlando Bokor (404), Gregory Fjeltand (707), Doris Erikson (408), Ian McAlpine (709), Kathy Thorbergson (410), Trudi Versteeg (411), Roberta Pettett (412), Gary Hall (Asst. Secretary), Lynda Morrice (Secretary).
 

Lynda Morrice - Education Officer

LYNDA MORRICE is the union's Education Officer. Her role is to develop education programs for members, facilitate within the BCGEU and other labour groups, and work with the education liaisons and area office staff to meet the educational needs of Locals and Components. Lynda is located at BCGEU headquarters in the Research, Campaigns and communications department.

COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE

  • promotes awareness of BCGEU education programs at all levels of the Union;
  • recommends to the Provincial Executive policy development on union education;
  • recommends actions to ensure that the goals and objectives of the Union's education policy are being achieved in the delivery of BCGEU education courses;
  • recommends the revision of existing courses and/or development of new courses as and when required, pursuant to the BCGEU education policy;
  • evaluates the Canadian Labour Congress and the B.C. Federation of Labour sponsored education programs to determine their suitability for BCGEU participants;
  • recommends actions to the Provincial Executive to assist stewards, activists and local officers to meet the needs of BCGEU members;
  • recommends to the Provincial Executive, policy development on Union communications;
  • recommends to the Provincial Executive development of programs to promote increased activism among our members;
  • liaises with all Provincial Executive Committees for input into education programs.
     

Other labour bodies

The BCGEU continues to play a very active role on both the B.C. Federation of Labour and National Union Education Committees. BCGEU members also attend courses and workshops offered through the Canadian Labour Congress weekend schools and Harrison Winter School, with financial support from their components.

The committee recently initiated a new project that will provide an overview of the educational opportunities and courses offered by other private and public sector unions in B.C. This will involve an assessment of the various methods of delivery, program development and policies used by other labour organizations.

Communications

The committee is continually looking for new ways to expand the union's ability to communicate with our members. Our challenge is to ensure our members receive information in a timely manner, and have the ability to provide feedback to the union.

The union now uses nearly every communications vehicle to communicate to our members, including telephone (phone trees, 1-800 hotline), teleconferencing and videoconferencing, email, world wide web, fax and mail. We encourage members to email us their ideas and suggestions, and we periodically conduct membership polls to determine where there is need for improvement.

Committee membership list