NEWS & UPDATES
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
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 28, 2016
Forensic Psychiatric Hospital - Join the BCGEU for a winter barbecue!
What: BCGEU Winter Barbecue
When: Friday February 5, 11am – 3pm
Where: Forensic Psychiatric Hospital parking lot
A bit of summer in February - BCGEU members at Forensic Psychiatric Hospital are invited to join us for a hot dog or a grilled hamburger/ veggie burger and all the fixings on Friday, February 5. Look for the BCGEU RV in the parking lot at Forensic Psychiatric Hospital from ...
January 27, 2016
Well-Being Services (Renfrew Care Centre) bargaining committee election results
We are pleased to announce that the following members have been elected as your Bargaining Committee:
Vince Lu, CHAIR
Ymelda Castillo
Carmelita Harnum
Your Committee will be convening shortly to develop proposals prior to meeting with the Employer.
We will continue to communicate with you as developments arise. Please feel free to direct any comments or questions to any member of the Ba...
January 27, 2016
BCGEU applauds Senior's Advocate Monitoring Seniors' Services report: the sys...
The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) welcomes the first exhaustive examination of the state of seniors' care in our province by the Seniors' Advocate of B.C. - Monitoring Seniors' Services. The report paints a picture of a system that is headed in the wrong direction.
In general, the report shows that for our province's many seniors, services are barely keeping pace with th...
January 25, 2016
Local 403 executive/general meeting - February 22, 2016
TIME: Executive meeting 6:00pm; Local 403 member meeting begins at 6:30 pm
PLACE: Lower Mainland Area Office – Auditorium A, Suite 130 – 2920 Virtual Way, Vancouver (corner of Renfrew and Broadway)
Agenda
Swearing in of New Member-At-Large
M2M / Member To Member Review
NUPGE Convention Resolutions
Download PDF of meeting notice and parking instructions here.
UNIFOR467/MoveUP
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
Marrion Village – Baptist Housing ratification results
The union is pleased to advise that your first collective agreement was accepted by a large majority.
The union would like to thank the committee for their hard work and dedication. We feel confident that this collective agreement will set the tone to move the workplace forward in a positive direction.
If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with your committee members Jeff McNa...
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
Well Being Services (CVSV) Ltd. bargaining update
Your bargaining committee met with the Employer again on January 20th and 21st, 2016. No progress was made and the parties have adjourned negotiations at this time. We will be applying for mediation assistance from the Labour Relations Board and will send another update once we have met with the mediator assigned. We anticipate this will happen over the next two weeks.
In solidarity
Salli Rye...
January 21, 2016
Broadmead Care Society benefits redesign
We would like to remind members that Broadmead Care Society's Participation Agreement with the BC Public Service Agency concerning the provision of benefits will be coming to an end in the coming months. Accordingly, pursuant to the attached Memorandum of Understanding, the parties will be entering into discussions regarding the benefit redesign, subject to the current cost of benefits as at Ma...
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
Marrion Village – Baptist Housing bargaining update and ratification meetings
Your bargaining committee is very pleased that we have reached a tentative agreement.
The highlights of the deal are:
Job security
General wage increase
Posting and selection language
Hours of work language
Grievance procedure
Formalized committees in place to deal with ongoing workplace issues.
The tone of negotiations was positive. Your bargaining committee recommends acceptance of...
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
Rosemary Heights Seniors Village ratification of collective agreement
Your bargaining committee is pleased to announce the ratification of the tentative collective agreement with members voting 96 per cent in favour.
The committee would like to thank you for your support and assistance during this set of negotiations.
In solidarity
Muntaz Ali, Bargaining Committee Chair
Samriti Khanna, Bargaining Committee Member
Barbara Crowley – BCGEU Staff Representative,...
January 20, 2016
Well-Being Services (Auburn) mediation scheduled
Following the strike vote on November 12, 2015, the union applied to the Labour Relations Board for the assistance of a mediator to attempt to reach a first collective agreement. Mediation is scheduled to begin on February 2, 9 and 10, 2016 at the Labour Relations Board’s offices in downtown Vancouver.
Your bargaining committee met today in order to prepare for mediation.
We would like to tak...
January 19, 2016
Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing Society -bargaining committee nominations
Your current Collective Agreement expires on April 30, 2016 and it is time to prepare for your next round of bargaining. You should all begin thinking about bargaining proposal suggestions and, of course, a new Bargaining Committee must be elected.
• Call for Bargaining Committee Nominations: Nominations are now open for one Bargaining Committee Chairperson, one Bargaining Committee Memb...
January 18, 2016
Send your message to the health ministers at their Vancouver meeting
On January 20 and 21, the provincial and territorial health ministers will be meeting in Vancouver, and for the first time in several years, the federal minister of health with be there. This is a great opportunity for us to get a message to them about our priorities for our public health system. Along with our partner, the BC Health Coalition, we urge you to help us Put the Heart Back in Hea...
January 18, 2016
Local 402 general meeting - February 11, 2016
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
PLACE: Holiday Inn Express & Suites – The Great Room, 2200 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay, BC V9N 2L4
AGENDA
Comox Valley Seniors Village Strike Talks
OH&S Concerns
Upcoming Events
Download PDF of notice here.
UNIFOR467/MoveUP
January 14, 2016
Salvation Army Southview Heights & Terrace (Local 403) nominations of bargain...
In preparation for negotiations, a new bargaining committee must be elected to participate in the bargaining process.
Nominations are now open for one Chairperson and two Bargaining Committee Members on the Bargaining Committee. If more than three candidates are nominated, there will be an election.
Each candidate who is nominated, may complete and send back with their nomination form a bio...
January 14, 2016
Local 406 chairperson election results
Please be advised that the following are the results of the Local 406 Chairperson election
Thomas Christen – Chairperson
The other members of Local 406 Executive remain the same as follows:
Cindy Taulu –1st Vice Chairperson
Tammy Buchan – 2nd Vice Chairperson
Tracy Hilts– Treasurer
Tina Kirkham – Secretary
Elizabeth Onciul– Member-at-large (1)
Gail Reis – Member-at-Large (2)
VAC...
January 14, 2016
Just Film Festival coming up in February
The Just Film Festival features social justice and environmental documentaries that go to the heart of issues confronting communities here and around the planet. The focus of the festival is to motivate audiences to action by spotlighting issues both local and global. It will also include a Social Justice Bazaar, on Saturday February 13th.
Visit the festival website for more information about ...
January 13, 2016
LifeLabs (Local 405) steward list
Here is the list of your stewards for Area 5 LifeLabs members:
Cathy Suttill, LifeLabs' St. Paul Street location
Jessica Hutchinson, LifeLabs' Tranquille Road location
Debbie Wargovcsik, LifeLabs' Nicola Street location
Please feel free to contact them with any union-related questions or concerns that you have
Download PDF of notice here.
UNIFOr467/Moveup
January 12, 2016
Bargaining Committee Election Results Well-Being Services
We are pleased to announce that the following members have been elected as your Bargaining Committee:
• Vince Lu, CHAIR
• Ymelda Castillo
• Carmelita Harnum
Your Committee will be convening shortly to develop proposals prior to meeting with the Employer.
We will continue to communicate with you as developments arise. Please feel free to direct any comments or questions to any me...