NEWS & UPDATES
February 04, 2016
Update – Recognition of prior vacation year upon re-employment
Following negotiations between the BCGEU and the BC Public Service Agency, we are happy to report that an agreement has been reached on the application of the Memorandum of Agreement – Recognition of Prior Vacation Year Upon Re-Employment.
In the future the MOA will be applied in all cases where a qualified former regular employee initially re-employed as an auxiliary employee subsequently att...
February 04, 2016
Join us on February 14 for the 26th annual Women's Memorial March – "Their Sp...
The annual February 14 Women's Memorial March was started in 1991 in Vancouver in response to the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street. Since then, marches have been held every year to honour the lives of missing and murdered women. Please join BCGEU president Stephanie Smith and fellow activists in supporting this women-organized, women-led event, to come together to grieve, to rem...
February 04, 2016
BCGEU signs First Nations Solidarity Accord opposing oil sands pipelines and...
First Nations/union alliance emerges in wake of Supreme Court ruling requiring BC government to make a decision on Northern Gateway pipeline and to consult with First Nations.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, COAST SALISH TERRITORY – (February 4, 2016) – The BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) signed a Solidarity Accord today, affirming its support of the Save the Fraser Declaratio...
February 04, 2016
BCGEU wishes members a happy Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year starts on Monday February 8. This marks the start of a fifteen day festival and holiday. Celebrations have started around the world as we say goodbye to the Year of the Sheep and hello to the year of the Fire Monkey.
"We wish our members and their families a very happy and prosperous Lunar New Year," says BCGEU President Stephanie Smith. "We wish you luck, good health and g...
February 04, 2016
BCGEU celebrates the 20th anniversary of Black History Month in Canada
The BCGEU joins Canadians to celebrate Black History Month this February, which marks the event’s 20th anniversary. Our federal government officially recognized Black History Month after passing a parliamentary motion introduced by the Honourable Jean Augustine, the first black Canadian woman elected to Parliament.
"This February, take some time to learn about black Canadians’ tremendous cont...
February 03, 2016
Submission to the Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and ...
On January 27 our union presented a submission to the Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
The foundation of public trust in government is transparency, accountability, and a consistently demonstrated respect for the rights of individuals. FIPPA is designed to protect and uphold these values; yet, public practice in information managemen...
January 29, 2016
To all Direct Government OHS Committee Members in the Victoria Area
"Incident Investigations" will be held on Wednesday, March 2 and "Ergonomics" will be held on Thursday, March 3. The Incident Investigations course will be held at the BCGEU area office, 2994 Douglas St., Victoria and the Ergonomics course will be held at Harbour Towers, 345 Quebec St, Victoria.
In the Incident Investigations course you will learn:
The legislative requirements for conductin...
January 29, 2016
Labour Code OHS Committee Members in the Langley Area
"Ergonomics" will be held on Tuesday, March 1 and "Incident Investigations" will be held on Thursday, March 3. These courses will be held at the BCGEU office at 8555 198A Street, Langley from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
In the Ergonomics you will learn:
Requirements of the ergonomics regulation
How to identify ergonomic hazards, to assess the risk factors of tasks and to recommend appropriate soluti...
January 28, 2016
Component 20 update on refusal of unsafe work
The BCGEU Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) department is assisting the Environmental, Technical & Operational (Component 20) with the appeal process of the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work.
Recently, two Natural Resource Officers (NRO) refused unsafe work due to the lack of adequate training, tools, policies and procedures. Prior to these latest two unsafe work refusals, two other NRO's had...
January 28, 2016
National Survey on Seniors' Care - Work/Life Balance
The issue of elder care received next to no attention during the 2015 federal election. This is alarming as the fastest growing segment of the Canadian population is older Canadians (people 85 and older), most of whom are women. In 1900, the average life expectancy was 47 years of age; by 2000 that had increased to 76 years of age. The end result is the expansion of our population of older adul...
January 28, 2016
BCGEU Signs on to Petition to Free Chinese Labour Activists
On Thursday, January 28, the BCGEU signed on to a petition calling for the release of Chinese labour activists who were detained by the government.
Advanced by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, the petition has now been signed by over 175 organizations.
Read more about the petition and sign as an individual
China Kidnappings in Spotlight as Canada Mulls New Trade Deal - The Tyee...
January 28, 2016
Liberal government right to repeal anti-union Bill-377
The BCGEU is welcoming news the federal government has introduced legislation to reverse anti-union laws introduced by the Stephen Harper government last year. In the House of Commons today, the Liberals introduced legislation that would reverse changes to laws under Bill-377, which placed vastly expanded requirements on unions to disclose how members’ dues are spent.
“This legislation had not...
January 25, 2016
BCGEU’s Occupational Health and Safety Networkers
The creation of the OHS Networking team comes from the BCGEU 2014 convention. Convention delegates were loud and clear with their OHS resolutions: they wanted an expansion in the OHS department. They wanted BCGEU OHS activists to play a larger role, and to see the creation of an OHS Task Force. The OHS Task Force, released their report in April of 2015, with strong and practical recommendations...
January 22, 2016
UNITE HERE! Local 40 Hilton Metrotown and Coast Hotels Bargaining Update
A message from Unite Here! Local 40
Thanks to all of you from BCFED Staff, CUPE, FPSE, GEU, HEU, HSA, MoveUp, TWU/SWA and Unifor who came out to support our members at the Hilton Metrotown on January 20. Management took notice of your support.
Many of you have asked for updates on the status of bargaining at both the Hilton and with Coast Hotels in Kelowna, Victoria, Nanaimo and Prince George...
January 21, 2016
Statement on First Nations Supreme Court ruling
The BCGEU enthusiastically supports the January 13 B.C. Supreme Court decision in favour of the Gitga’at First Nation and Coastal First Nations. This decision ruled that the B.C. government has completely failed in its duty to consult with First Nations on the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project.
The court said it was not “reasonable or correct” for the province to sign over the enviro...
January 20, 2016
OHS Training in Kelowna Area
To all Labour Code OHS Committee Members in the Kelowna Area
"Joint OHS Committee Training" will be held on Wednesday, February 24 and "Incident Investigations" will be held on Thursday, February 25. These courses will be held at the BCGEU office at 1064 Borden Ave, Kelowna from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
In the Joint OHS Committee Training course you will learn:
Worker OHS rights, including the re...
January 20, 2016
OHS Committee Training in Vancouver
To all Direct Government OHS Committee Members in the Lower Mainland
"Ergonomics" will be held on Tueday, February 16 and "Joint OHS Committee Course" will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb 23-24. These courses will be held at the BCGEU office at #130-2920 Virtual Way, Vancouver from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
In the Ergonomics course you will learn:
Requirements of the ergonomics regulation
H...
January 20, 2016
WPM– Kootenay Lake Ferry bargaining committee election results
**PLEASE POST THIS AT YOUR WORKSITE**
As a result of the recent election for one (1) bargaining committee member and one (1) alternate, I am pleased to advise that Sean Murphy has been elected as a committee member and Kerry Greenley will be the alternate. The bargaining committee now consists of:
Jason Ward
Gary Postnikoff
Sean Murphy
We hope you will join us in congratul...