NEWS & UPDATES
November 13, 2018
Hard Rock Casino Shift Pick and Start Times - BCGEU
Stewards and members of the Bargaining Committee have met with the Employer several times to discuss worker concerns about shift pick. Some improvements to the process were achieved through those meetings but not everything has been resolved.The Employer's current plan is to have workers pick bid lines that include defined days of rest and their block (days, mids, graves) but not start times. T...
November 13, 2018
Casino workers go back to work after achieving wage increases, improved benef...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2018Casino workers go back to work after achieving wage increases, improved benefits (Thompson-Okanagan) Nearly 700 members of the BCGEU working in Gateway Casinos in the Thompson-Okanagan voted to ratify a new contract with their employer ending a 19-week strike."I am so impressed by the solidarity and courage of our members" said Stephanie Smith, president of...
November 13, 2018
New Steward at Vancity Branch 53 - BCGEU
Nominations closed for 1 steward position on Friday, November 9, 2018. We are pleased to announce that Angela Kulis is the new steward at Branch 53. Please join us in wishing Angela well in her new position.In Solidarity, Megan McKinneyStaff RepresentativeDownload PDF of notice UWU/MoveUP
November 09, 2018
Money Laundering Training Pay Issue at Starlight Casino (Gateway) - BCGEU
Members who complete the Money Laundering Training on their own time can claim the actual length of time it takes to complete the training, to a maximum of 90 minutes.
Please be sure to accurately report the time it took you to complete the course, and if you notice any discrepancy between your claim and your pay, please submit a payroll discrepancy form.
If your payroll discrepancy claim does ...
November 08, 2018
BCGEU welcomes new legislation aimed at improving working conditions for heal...
The BC Government & Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) welcomes the B.C. government's announcement today that it will repeal both the Health and Social Services Delivery Improvement Act (Bill 29) and the Health Sector Partnerships Agreement Act (Bill 94). Enacted in 2002 and 2003, the bills led to the deterioration of working conditions for health and social-sector workers by stripping workpl...
November 06, 2018
Come get the facts – not rumours! - Starlight Casinos - BCGEU
We're in the process of compiling a complete ratification package that will fully explain all the changes to the agreement and how they will affect you.
The package will be available at ratification meetings next week along with a series of presentations and question and answer sessions. You'll have an opportunity at these sessions to look over all the changes and speak with bargaining committe...
November 06, 2018
Come get the facts! See the whole deal - Grand Villa Casino - BCGEU
We're in the process of compiling a complete ratification package that will fully explain all the changes to the agreement and how they will affect you.
The package will be available at ratification meetings next week along with a series of presentations and question and answer sessions. You'll have an opportunity at these sessions to look over all the changes and speak with bargaining committe...
November 06, 2018
Visa Service Centre & Member Service Centre (Vancouver) Steward Nominations ...
Nominations are now open for 1 steward position at Visa Service Centre and 1 steward position at Member Service Centre at your worksite and will close on Wednesday, November 21st, 2018.
Stewards are the primary representatives of members and have an important role within the Union.Some of the roles of a steward are:
Helping co-workers interpret and understand their collective agreement.
Sup...
November 02, 2018
Members at Northern Savings Credit Union – Masset and Queen Charlotte - Ten...
Your Bargaining Committee met with the Employer from October 29 to November 1 to bargain a new Collective Agreement and is pleased to announce that a Tentative Agreement has been reached!
Full details of the Tentative Agreement will be provided at the ratification meeting next week and voting will occur at these meetings.
The ratification meetings will occur as follows:
Wednesday, November 7,...
November 02, 2018
BCGEU welcomes action plan to mitigate wildfire and flood risks in B.C. - BCGEU
The BCGEU welcomes this week's release of Government's Action Plan: Responding to wildfire and flood risks ('The Action Plan') by the provincial government, and applauds the actions outlined in the report to better prepare British Columbians for extreme wildfires and floods. At the same time, more will need to be done to mitigate the effects of what now appears to be the new normal in our provi...
November 01, 2018
Local 1705 & 1707 Members at Gateway Lake City Casinos - Tentative Agreement ...
After many days of extensive and vigorous bargaining we reached a tentative agreement with the employer.
We'll be releasing full details of the agreement next week at ratification meetings. At those meetings, you'll have a chance to view the tentative agreement in full, ask questions and vote.
You've all done a great job building strength and solidarity these past months. Thank you for your p...
November 01, 2018
Local 1703 Members at Grand Villa Casino - Tentative Agreement Reached - BCGEU
After many days of extensive and vigorous bargaining we reached a tentative agreement with the employer.
We'll be releasing full details of the agreement next week at ratification meetings. At those meetings, you'll have a chance to view the tentative agreement in full, ask questions and vote.
You've all done a great job building strength and solidarity these past months. Thank you for your p...
November 01, 2018
Local 1703 Members at Starlight Casino - Tentative Agreement Reached - BCGEU
After many days of extensive and vigorous bargaining we reached a tentative agreement with the employer.
We'll be releasing full details of the agreement next week at ratification meetings. At those meetings, you'll have a chance to view the tentative agreement in full, ask questions and vote.
You've all done a great job building strength and solidarity these past months. Thank you for your p...
October 31, 2018
Local 1707 Executive - update - BCGEU
Please be advised nominations have been received for the local 1707 executive. Your local executive is as follows:
Local chairperson: Gayle Furgala
1st Vice chair: Tawni Duhamel
2nd Vice chair: Kamila Vejvoda
Treasurer: Marisa Lavoie
Recording secretary: Vacant
Member-at-large: Vacant
Member-at-large: Vacant
Member-at-large: Vacant
Member-at-large (young worker): Kelly Hutchinson
...
October 30, 2018
Steward Nominations for Vancity – Branch 53 - BCGEU
Nominations are now open for 1 steward position at your worksite and will close on Friday, November 9, 2018.
Stewards are the primary representatives of members and have an important role within the Union. Some of the roles of a steward are:
Helping co-workers interpret and understand their collective agreement.
Supporting co-workers in meetings with management.
Listening to co-workers abou...
October 26, 2018
Members at River Rock Casino Resort Table Games Schedule and Vacation Selecti...
It is the Union's position that the way the Employer is doing the schedule and vacation selection process for Table Games includes many violations of the Collective Agreement.
The Union has tried to work with the Employer on these issues since September, but without luck.
A union grievance was filed on behalf of all members today, but all members have the right to file an individual grievance t...
October 26, 2018
Recommended Changes To Provincial Labour Code A Good Start – But Don’t Go Far...
The BCGEU supports many of the recommendations put forward yesterday by the independent, three-person Labour Relations Code Review Panel appointed by Labour Minister Harry Bains earlier this year. "Our submission to the panel asked that balance and fairness be restored to the B.C. Labour Relations Code and Labour Relations Board," said BCGEU president Stephanie Smith. "We believe the recommenda...
October 26, 2018
Component 17 Stewards & Mail Contacts At Credit Union Worksites Financial Ins...
The BCGEU Financial Institution Bargaining Council is (from left to right): Jennifer Keenan (Union Bay CU), Megan McKinney (BCGEU Staff), Kimberley Wallace (First CU), Zahra Damjanovic (Vancity CU), Dani Noble (Interior Savings Thompson), Ria Webster (Vancity CU), Tracy Noseworthy (Grand Forks District CU), Jennifer Sipma (Lakeview CU).
The BCGEU Financial Institution Bargaining Council (FIBC) ...
October 25, 2018
Hard Rock Casino Members Grievance Filed on Discipline Issued Prior to Ratifi...
The Union has filed a grievance on behalf of all impacted members regarding discipline.
It has come to our attention that discipline issued prior to ratification is being made subject to the terms of Article 9.2 and being held on file for 17 months. It is the Union's position that any discipline issued prior to ratification should be removed according to the terms under which it was issued. D...
October 25, 2018
280 transition housing units to be built for women fleeing violence - BCGEU
The BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) welcomed today’s announcement by the provincial government to initiate the first steps towards establishing 1,500 new supportive housing units for women and children fleeing violence. As part of government’s Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund, 280 transition housing units will be built province-wide.
This news follows their commit...
October 23, 2018
President Irene Lanzinger won't seek re-election as BC's top labour leader - ...
Sister Irene Lanzinger has announced that she will not be running for re-election next month at the 58th Convention of the BC Federation of Labour. As the largest affiliate union of the BC Fed, the BCGEU would like to thank Irene for her contributions to the labour movement in British Columbia during her time as president.
As the first woman president of the Federation, Irene redefined what is ...
October 22, 2018
Proposed legislation will lay foundation for improved professional reliance s...
The BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) is pleased with the provincial government's introduction today of the Professional Governance Act aimed at improving B.C.'s professional reliance system in the natural resource sector. If passed, the new legislation will lay the foundation for a series of much-needed changes to better protect and manage the province's natural resources for ...
October 22, 2018
Hard Rock Casino Members Health Eligibility Grievance Resolved - BCGEU
Shortly after returning to work after the strike, most workers received a letter from the Employer informing them that they were ineligible for Long Term Disability benefits. A much smaller number of workers were informed they were ineligible for all health benefits. This happened as a result of the Employer including the weeks of the strike in the 6-month averaging period for health benefit el...
October 22, 2018
River Rock Casino Table Games Schedule and Vacation Selection - BCGEU
The Union has advised the Employer that its intended schedule and vacation selection process for table games employees presents numerous gross violations of the Collective Agreement and therefore must not proceed.
The Union says that such Collective Agreement violations include, but are not limited to:
effectively laying employees off without proper process by (a) forcing them to accept down...
October 18, 2018
How To Grieve Discipline - Hard Rock Casino - BCGEU
With your collective agreement, there is now a formal process to solve problems or disagreements about discipline. This is called the grievance procedure and you can find it in Article 7 of the collective agreement.
You have the right to have a steward present whenever you are receiving discipline of any kind from the Employer (as per Article 9.1)If you receive discipline that you believe is u...
October 17, 2018
British Columbia turns over a new leaf - BCGEU
Vancouver –
With cannabis prohibition finally over in Canada, British Columbia is bracing itself for a new era of economic potential.
“Legal, recreational cannabis has the potential to be a major driver of economic growth and direct monetary benefit to the province” noted BCGEU President Stephanie Smith. “Wise investments in the regulation, sale, and distribution of alcohol provide billions in ...
October 16, 2018
BCGEU members in employment assistance meet with minister - BCGEU
Six BCGEU members who work for the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction met with minister Shane Simpson late last week.
The members are from BCGEU Component 6 - Social, Information and Health and Component 12 – Administrative Services.
The meeting was organized by the union so that the minister could hear firsthand the issues facing workers on the front-lines in the hope they ca...
October 12, 2018
Provincial magazine – Autumn 2018 - BCGEU
The latest issue of The Provincial magazine is available for download. In this month's issue:
• Casino workers stand strong
• Violence at Forensics Hospital
• Protection from online harassment
• Sectoral Bargaining updates
• Referendum on proportional representation
• Ginger Goodwin memorial, and much more.
• Download PDF file of Provincial
UWU/MoveUP
October 11, 2018
BCGEU submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government S...
Every fall your union participates in the public consultation for the next provincial budget. The consultation is led by the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services—an all-party committee of the Legislative Assembly—and involves public hearings across the province as well as written, audio and video submissions and online surveys. The Committee reviews all input received fr...