On behalf of 80,000+ members across the province, the BCGEU offers our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Local 104 member Bikramdeep Randhawa as they grieve his sudden and senseless death on Saturday, May 1^st.

While the loss of any member under any circumstance is a tragedy, Bikramdeep's youth and the violent, and public nature of his death make this loss harder to bear especially for the close-knit members at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre who knew him as a colleague and a friend.

In the coming days and weeks our union will be focused on ensuring our members have everything they need to get through this difficult time and that their mental, emotional, and physical health and safety are protected going forward.

In solidarity,

Stephanie Smith, President, BCGEU
Dean Purdy, Vice President, Component 1 (Corrections and Sheriff Services)

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BC Budget Analysis 2021/22
Moving in the right direction, but at the wrong speed.
 
On April 20, the BC NDP delivered its first budget and fiscal plan since winning a new majority mandate in the October 2020 general election. More importantly, this was the government's first official budget since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
 
Budget 2021 includes significant funds for emergency relief and ongoing pandemic response measures. While these measures create large deficits, they are critical investments needed to support British Columbians in this difficult time.
 
It is reassuring to see government continuing to spend what is necessary to fund important programs and services for workers, families, and communities.
 
Click here to read our full analysis of Budget 2021/22 
 
However, apart from making some improvements to commitments that were made in Budget 2020, this budget is unimaginative in areas where real transformation is still needed for working British Columbians. 
 
It fails to address areas where extreme social, economic, and health-related vulnerabilities have been brought to public light though the ongoing pandemic.
 
Budget 2021 does offer an array of valuable new social investments and supports and it certainly provides resources in places where there is an urgent need, especially throughout B.C.'s health sector, but there are several missed opportunities in this plan as well.
 
Our union has carefully reviewed the provincial budget, ministry by ministry, to help understand how the government's choices will affect the work members do and the services our province relies on, as well as identifying areas where new progress has been made and where significantly more improvement is still needed.
 
Click here to read our full analysis of Budget 2021/22 

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Check out the latest issue of The Provincial

This issue has convention candidate statements, updates on the Fight for Essential Pay for BC Liquor Distribution Branch workers, COVID and Women a call for a just recovery, and a big win for the members in the Community Living Sector.

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The B.C. Government & Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) is appalled to learn that Chartwell Retirement Residences, where the union represents 125 members at two of its long-term care facilities in B.C., provided executive bonuses for "100% customer satisfaction during the pandemic" while at the same time rejecting a proposal to provide frontline workers a living wage despite their tireless efforts to care for residents during the pandemic.

"It's unconscionable – but it's how the for-profit system works and why our union has been advocating for an end to for-profit seniors' care in B.C.," said Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU. "This is an egregious example of an inequitable distribution of profits at the expense of those doing the hard work on the ground, especially when you consider the billions in taxpayer dollars paid to for-profit companies to pay these worker's wages for care delivery."

Despite Chartwell's recommendation to reject the wage proposal, unitholders will still have a chance to vote on it at the company's annual meeting to be held on May 20, 2021. As a unitholder in Chartwell, the BCGEU has actively engaged with the company on board oversight of risk management and intends to vote in favour of the proposal to provide frontline workers a minimum living wage. The BCGEU became a unitholder in Chartwell in 2020 as part of its shareholder advocacy program to fight for workers' rights beyond the bargaining table.

Now in the third wave of the pandemic, Canada continues to hold the worst record among wealthy nations for COVID-19-related deaths in long-term care facilities.[1] With thousands of those deaths occurring in for-profit facilities including at Chartwell, calls across Canada to abolish for-profit long-term care continue.

"Chartwell's actions prove once again that the profit motive is directly at odds with supporting the kind of care system that workers and seniors' deserve," Smith continued. "It's time for government to take action by building a non-profit, publicly delivered system in our province and across Canada."

Sign our petition to end for-profit seniors' care in B.C. here: www.seniorsdeservebetter.ca

[1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/canada-record-covid-19-deaths-wealthy-countries-cihi-1.5968749

UWU/MoveUP

Victoria, B.C. – The BCGEU is applauding Budget 2021's support for the critical public services needed to get B.C. through the pandemic. But the union representing tens of thousands of members direct government and throughout the province's broader public sector is highlighting that more needs to be done to support workers as we move towards recovery.

"Our members' top priority for Budget 2021 was to see government unequivocally supporting public services as a path out of the pandemic and we got what we were looking for," said Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU. "The big news is childcare-especially with the federal government's commitment announced yesterday-and we're also happy to see ongoing and some impressive new investments in seniors care, mental health and addictions, BC Parks, and poverty reduction. Overall, this budget shows that the government is committed to supporting British Columbians and leveraging the lessons of the pandemic."

The BCGEU consulted with members across the province to inform their submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. That submission urged government to deliver a budget that protected the province's most vulnerable, preserved existing public services, and presented a bold plan to provide the services and supports British Columbians will need to get through the pandemic and build a just recovery.

"There is a lot to celebrate in this budget, particularly compared to what is happening in other provinces," said Smith. "Frankly, what's missing are critical supports for the frontline workers that have gotten our province this far-like paid sick leave and mental health supports. Those are gaps that need to be filled for our province to come out of this pandemic."

The BCGEU is one of the largest and fastest growing unions in B.C. with more than 80,000 members working in almost every community and economic sector in the province.

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For more information, contact our BCGEU communications department at [email protected]

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Once every three years members from across the province elect their representatives to convention. They're called delegates.

The next BCGEU convention will take place June 9-12, 2021.

These delegates attend BCGEU convention and vote on important resolutions, and in the election of the President, Treasurer, and Executive Vice-Presidents. For more information on convention, check out the latest issue of the Provincial magazine.

The majority of delegates to our convention are elected at meetings of their union local – regional groups of members in the same industry – and that process is currently going on. This year's meetings are happening online.

If you would like to be a delegate or participate in choosing your local's delegates, check your email or the BCGEU Member Portal for details about your local's meeting.

If you are unable to find details on your meeting, please contact your area office.

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 13, 2021

B.C. liquor and cannabis workers rally for essential pay at Finance Minister's offices 

BURNABY, COAST SALISH TERRITORIES – After more than a year of serving the public safely and peacefully at publicly-owned liquor and cannabis stores and warehouses without financial acknowledgement of their pandemic working conditions, B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) members working for the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) will be safely and peacefully rallying at the offices of the Finance Minister to have her authorize essential pay for their government-deemed essential work.
 
"These rallies aren't just about financial acknowledgement of the risky conditions we've endured and record revenues we've helped generate during this pandemic," said BCLDB employee and BCGEU steward Erica Cardarelli. "This is about our need to be treated fairly now and into the future, better than we have been treated long before COVID-19."
 
BCLDB workers were among thousands who the B.C. government declared essential during the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring. Liquor and cannabis retail stores have remained open to the public throughout the pandemic-with prevention measures like plexiglass barriers and mandatory masks introduced long after members called for them. The warehouses have also remained fully operational to support increased demand from stores as well as pubs, bars and restaurants.
 
At a recent employee town hall, the BCLDB reported record retail sales and Christmas-level wholesale orders throughout the pandemic, as well as increased spending on advertising and opening or renovating stores. At the same event, when asked if the BCLDB would provide workers with essential pay, CEO and General Manager Blain Lawson claimed it was government, not him, who had the power to authorize that particular item.
 
"In calling on Minister Robinson, we're simply acting on our employer's message," said BCGEU vice president Kusam Doal. "We're not asking for funds from the provincial budget. We're asking Minister Robinson, the minister who oversees the BCLDB, to validate our employer's claim and authorize our employer to use a fraction of the public-supporting revenue we help generate during this pandemic to appropriately acknowledge our risk and efforts. This seems like a simple administrative matter, one we believe Minister Robinson can resolve."
 
BCGEU members working for the BCLDB will rally outside Selina Robinson's constituency office on Austin Avenue in Coquitlam and outside the B.C. Legislative Assembly buildings in Victoria at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14 – two weeks since workers and their supporters began emailing Minister Robinson with the same message. Workers will also be active on social media using the hashtag #essentialBCLDB.
 
The BCGEU is one of the largest, most diverse and fastest growing unions in B.C. with more than 80,000 members working in almost every community and economic sector in the province, including about 4,600 members at the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch.

For more information contact BCGEU Communications, [email protected]

Additional quotes: 
"Being deemed essential but not recognized as such is a blow to our pride – which I think all front line workers can say is vital, given the devastating impacts to our physical and mental health." – Erica Cardarelli, BCLDB employee and BCGEU steward
 
"Our employer and the government are one in the same. We're just being passed back and forth between our direct employer and government, and neither is taking responsibility nor accountability for the relationship with us workers. We've had enough of being messed around and gaslit." – Erica Cardarelli, BCLDB employee and BCGEU steward
 
"Not only are we government employees, we are tax-paying, voting stakeholders of the government. And we have a say in how the public-supporting revenue that we generate gets used." – Erica Cardarelli, BCLDB employee and BCGEU steward
 
"Neither our meeting with Robinson's ministerial assistant or yesterday's Throne Speech offered us any reassurance that our call is being heard." – Kusam Doal, BCGEU vice president Kusam Doal and BCLDB employee
 
Background:
 
On March 26, 2020, the provincial government declared BCLDB workers in retail stores and warehouses to be essential.
 
Despite their status as essential workers, these workers were not included in the provincial government's Temporary Pandemic Pay program (TPP), which was announced in May.
 
On May 29, after the TPP was announced, the BCGEU launched a petition and letter-writing campaign calling on the public to tell their MLAs to provide pandemic pay to all frontline workers. The campaign produced 2,100 letters.
 
BCLDB members also wrote to then Finance Minister, Carole James, asking to include them. James did not include BCLDB workers in the TPP but publicly encouraged "all businesses who've seen an increase in revenue to ensure that their workers are being properly compensated at this difficult time."
 
In September, workers then asked their employer, BCLDB General Manager and CEO Blain Lawson, to allocate just 20 per cent of excess revenue generated during Q4 of 2019/2020 to pandemic pay for all BCLDB employees. Lawson ultimately declined, claiming he was an advocate of employees but ultimately didn't have the power to authorize use of BCLDB revenue.
 
In December, as the second wave of the pandemic intensified and British Columbians headed into the holiday season, workers at BCLDB stores and warehouses ramped up their campaign to be recognized and compensated as essential workers by wearing Essential Pay for Essential Work buttons on the job. Over 3,500 buttons have been distributed and worn. Workers also requested meetings with Lawson and Robinson, neither of which were fulfilled. Workers then initiated an action survey and launched bcldb.bcgeu.ca.
 
On March 16, 2021, at the BCLDB's virtual employee town hall, over 600 BCLDB workers across the province asked Lawson to provide essential pay. Many workers were removed or denied access to the town hall when expressing their call for essential pay. Lawson ultimately deferred to government to authorize use of BCLDB funds for essential pay.
 
On March 30, workers and supporters began emailing the Finance Minister, calling on her to authorize Lawson and the BCLDB to provide financial compensation to workers in recognition of their essential work during the pandemic. Over 1,700 emails have been sent.
 
On April 9, BCGEU Component 5 Vice President and BCLDB employee Kusam Doal met with the Finance Minister's ministerial assistant to discuss the request for essential pay, however no concrete assurance was offered. On April 12, the Throne Speech made no indication that BCLDB workers would receive essential pay from the B.C. Budget.

UWU/MoveUP

COVID-19 unpaid vaccination leave

Our union welcomed government's announcement today to provide better protections for workers requiring leave to get vaccinated for COVID-19. As part of B.C.'s Immunization Plan, part-time and full-time workers are now entitled to take unpaid leave from work to get the vaccine. This is a result of changes to the Employment Standards Act that also include taking time off work to take a dependant family member to get vaccinated. Click here to read the full details of the announcement. 

Along with taking this step to protect workers, we also look forward to government making good on their promise to explore options to provide workers with paid leave while getting their vaccine – something our union continues to fight for. 

Also announced are changes to allow a worker to take job-protected leave if they need to care for other family members because of COVID-19, and not only a child or dependent adult as previously defined. Changes also allow workers with underlying conditions, who are undergoing treatment or who have contracted another illness that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19, to take the leave.
 
And remember, as a unionized worker you may already be entitled to paid leave from work to get vaccinated. Please check your collective agreement for details on leave entitlement or contact your steward if you have questions.

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2021

BCGEU members ratify collective agreement with Vancouver Island seniors' care facility

After several months of unsuccessful negotiations, as well as a unanimous vote to strike if a deal could not be reached, B.C. Government & Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) members at Nanaimo Seniors Village have voted by a strong majority to ratify their new collective agreement.

"For too long, low wages and precarious working conditions in for-profit seniors' care have taken a toll on workers, and created care deficiencies for seniors," says Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU. "If the pandemic has a silver lining, it added new urgency around recognizing and correcting these chronic issues, and this new collective agreement takes a step in this direction." 

The agreement is for a 27-month term from July 20, 2019 to October 31, 2021 and includes: significant wage increases; a process to address workload concerns; improved sick leave, vacation and retirement savings; improved human rights, harassment and bullying protections and more.

Nanaimo Seniors Village is one of nine Retirement Concepts worksites represented by the BCGEU – all of which have long-standing problems such as chronic under-staffing, high rates of staff burnout and injury and a crisis in recruitment and retention. For this reason, the union pursued and achieved a declaration from the Labour Relations Board that these nine sites are under a common employer. In future the sites will bargain together at a common table which will better position members and their union to address these issues.

"Of the Retirement Concepts worksites the BCGEU represents, Nanaimo Seniors Village has lagged behind the others in terms of wages, health and welfare benefits and even with the stability of their management," Smith continued. "While we are pleased with where this new contract landed, we look forward to achieving more in the next round of bargaining at a common table with the other sites."

The BCGEU represents 84 members at Nanaimo Seniors Village who work as home support workers, activity aides, cooks, food service attendants, housekeepers, receptionists, and nurses.

The BCGEU is one of the largest and fastest growing unions in B.C. with over 80,000 members working in virtually every community and economic sector in the province.

For more information contact: BCGEU Communications, [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

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