Emergency meeting called to develop spending recommendations for $65 million in federal funding for opioid crisis

VANCOUVER – The BC Government & Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) has called an emergency meeting to discuss the federal government’s February 17 announcement of $65 million dollars to address the opioid crisis and the lack of a strategy attached to this funding.

B.C. is at the epicentre of the overdose crisis in Canada. The purpose of the meeting is to hear from experts and care providers working on the front lines in order to develop specific recommendations to address the crisis. Both union and non-union workers are invited to attend.

Findings from the meeting will be communicated to the B.C. and federal health ministers.

WHAT: Stories from the Front Lines – A Workers’ Forum on the Fentanyl Crisis
WHEN: Monday February 27, 2017
TIME: 6:00 pm
WHERE: Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia Street

For more information:

Go to our event page or contact Bronwen Barnett, Communications Officer, BC Government & Service Employees' Union (BCGEU)
T: 604-719-4713
E: [email protected]

Local 467/MoveUP

"2 Day Joint OHS Committee Training" will be held on Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22, 2017. "Ergonomics" will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2017. These courses will be held at the Burnaby Head Office– 4911 Canada Way, Burnaby from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.

In the Joint OHS Committee Training course you will learn:

• Worker OHS rights, including the refusal of unsafe work procedure
• OHS legislation
• Roles and responsibilities of employers, workers, supervisors and committees
• Hazard identification and control measures
• How to conduct effective workplace inspections and incident investigations
• Resources available to the committee

In the Ergonomics course you will learn:

• Requirements of the ergonomics regulation
• How to identify ergonomic hazards, to assess the risk factors of tasks and to recommend appropriate solutions
• Strategies for implementing an effective workplace ergonomics program
• How to conduct a workstation assessment

These courses are limited to 22 seats so register early at https://gww.gov.bc.ca/ to avoid disappointment.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your ability to advocate for workers' health and safety rights - register today.

Note: If you have not taken your annual education leave, as mandated by the Workers' Compensation Act and your Collective Agreement - apply for this employer paid leave through your employer.

"2 Day Joint OHS Committee Training" will be held on Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15, 2017. "Prevention of Workplace Violence" will be held on Thursday, March 16, 2017. These courses will be held at the Northern Grand Hotel, 9830 – 100 Ave, Fort. St. John from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.

In the Joint OHS Committee Training course you will learn:

• Worker OHS rights, including the refusal of unsafe work procedure
• OHS legislation
• Roles and responsibilities of employers, workers, supervisors and committees
• Hazard identification and control measures
• How to conduct effective workplace inspections and incident investigations
• Resources available to the committee

In the Prevention of Workplace Violence you will learn:

• The legislative requirements for a violence prevention program
• The definition of workplace violence
• How to identify the hazards
• The factors that contribute to the increased risk of workplace violence
• The strategies for recommending corrective measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of violence

These courses are limited to 22 seats so register early at https://gww.gov.bc.ca/ to avoid disappointment.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your ability to advocate for workers' health and safety rights - register today.

Note: If you have not taken your annual education leave, as mandated by the Workers' Compensation Act and your Collective Agreement - apply for this employer paid leave through your employer.

"2 Day Joint OHS Committee Training" will be held on Tuesday, March 7 and Wednesday, March 8, 2017. "Incident Investigations" will be held on Thursday, March 9, 2017. These courses will be held at the BCGEU area office, 158 Oriole Road, Kamloops from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.

In the Joint OHS Committee Training course you will learn:

• Worker OHS rights, including the refusal of unsafe work procedure
• OHS legislation
• Roles and responsibilities of employers, workers, supervisors and committees
• Hazard identification and control measures
• How to conduct effective workplace inspections and incident investigations
• Resources available to the committee

In the Incident Investigations you will learn:

• The legislative requirements for conducting accident/incident investigations
• How to get to the contributing factors by conducting effective witness interviews and examining physical evidence
• How to assess the evidence in order to recommend effective corrective measures

These courses are limited to 22 seats so register early at https://gww.gov.bc.ca/ to avoid disappointment.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your ability to advocate for workers' health and safety rights - register today.

Note: If you have not taken your annual education leave, as mandated by the Workers' Compensation Act and your Collective Agreement - apply for this employer paid leave through your employer.

"Ergonomics" will be held on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 and "Prevention of Workplace Violence" will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2017. These courses will be held at the Learning Centre, 716 Courtney Street, Victoria from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.]

In the Ergonomics course you will learn:

•    Requirements of the ergonomics regulation
•    How to identify ergonomic hazards, to assess the risk factors of tasks and to recommend appropriate solutions
•    Strategies for implementing an effective workplace ergonomics program
•    How to conduct a workstation assessment

In the Prevention of Workplace Violence you will learn:    

•    The legislative requirements for a violence prevention program
•    The definition of workplace violence
•    How to identify the hazards
•    The factors that contribute to the increased risk of workplace violence
•    The strategies for recommending corrective measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of violence

These courses are limited to 22 seats so register early at https://gww.gov.bc.ca/ to avoid disappointment.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your ability to advocate for workers' health and safety rights - register today.

Note: If you have not taken your annual education leave, as mandated by the Workers' Compensation Act and your Collective Agreement - apply for this employer paid leave through your employer.

COMPONENT:    Social, Information and Health

          LOCAL:    604

           DATE:    Thursday, February 23, 2017

           TIME:    Executive – 6:00 pm; General – 7:00 pm

         PLACE:    BCGEU Fraser Valley Union Centre
                        8555 – 198A Street, Langley Twp – Fraser Room

 
UPDATE - REMINDER

*CALL FOR RESOLUTIONS AND NOMINATIONS FOR THE 50TH BCGEU TRIENNIAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION being held June 14 – 17, 2017, in Vancouver*

Further to the meeting notice sent on January 19, 2017:
Election of delegates and alternates to convention

If you are interested in being a delegate to Convention, all nomination forms previously sent must be received at the Fraser Valley Area Office no later than 5:00  p.m. February 23, 2017. If there are more nominations received than positions available, the delegate election will be conducted at the local meeting. If you require additional nomination forms, please feel free to copy the form. Please note: only one nomination form is required per person.

If you are unable to attend, but wish to hear the proceedings, you may call in. Please note you will not be eligible to participate in the delegate selection, only those in attendance are able to vote.

Conference call-in tollfree:        1.866.562.0090
Access:                                       171249#

In solidarity

Chad Blackey
Local Chair

Download PDF of notice here.

Land Value Capture, a mechanism that taxes development speculation along proposed transit routes and puts those dollars into transit development is a solution the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) has been advocating for since 2015 to address the Lower Mainland’s transit crisis. Now, BC TransLink Minister Peter Fassbender is proposing a provincial development tax which the BCGEU welcomes. However, the union would look forward to engaging with TransLink on the development of the tax to contribute its expertise on the mechanism, as well as to provide input on issues that affect union members such as having a broad transit system and protecting affordable housing.

The BCGEU was critical of the Metro Vancouver sales tax proposed as a transit funding option during the 2015 transit referendum. The union perceived the tax as a wealth transfer from working people to real estate developers and instead put forward Land Value Capture as an alternative solution. “We believe that existing transit projects are used as a subsidy for real estate speculators, and we want to see that value put back into developing a broad transit system,” said BCGEU Treasurer Paul Finch. “If done right, housing affordability is not negatively impacted, consumers aren’t overcharged for everyday items, businesses aren’t subjected to more downward pressure on their sales, and municipal governments don’t lose revenue.”

The BCGEU represents over 73,000 workers, many of whom rely on public transit, and some of whom work on the Canada Line. Through Land Value Capture, funding is made available for transit improvements that reduce congestion, create more housing options along transit routes, and ensure environmental sustainability, all without placing a regressive sales tax burden on British Columbians.

Read Paul Finch’s 2015 Vancouver Sun op-ed: Fund transit by taxing land speculators

For more information or to arrange an interview with BCGEU Treasurer Paul Finch, please contact Bronwen Barnett, BCGEU Communications, 604-719-4713

MPP

Dear Municipal employer,

We are excited to get the improved member education season under way. Please encourage your newer employees and those with optional enrolment in the plan to take the eLearning course Getting to Know Your Pension and your employees who are plan members to register for Making the Most of Your Pension and Approaching Retirement workshops.

How you benefit

Investing in your employees shows you’re dedicated to helping them plan for their future. From this support, you might notice:

• More engaged employees who understand the advantages of opting into the plan
• Educated employees who know the benefits of being in the plan and, in turn, an increase in staff retention

How your employees benefit

The eLearning course and workshops provide your employees with key pension information they need to make decisions for their future, wherever they are on their pension journey.

Please promote the eLearning course and workshops

1. Distribute the attached posters to your employees
2. Encourage new employees to take the eLearning course
3. Encourage mid-career and approaching retirement employees to register for a workshop

Hosting a workshop

Did you know we can come to you? There’s no cost to host a workshop—you will just need to provide a suitable workshop room with a projection screen.

To host a workshop, submit the Pension Workshop Request form available in the Forms section of the secure Employer site.

If you have questions, please contact us.

Client Education Program

Tel 250 356-2199 Fax 250 953-0439
Toll Free (BC) 1 877 558-5572
email [email protected]  
web www.pspp.pensionsbc.ca

PSPP

Dear Public Service employer,

We are excited to get the improved member education season under way. Please encourage your newer employees and those with optional enrolment in the plan to take the eLearning course Getting to Know Your Pension and your employees who are plan members to register for Making the Most of Your Pension and Approaching Retirement workshops.

How you benefit

Investing in your employees shows you’re dedicated to helping them plan for their future. From this support, you might notice:

• More engaged employees who understand the advantages of opting into the plan
• Educated employees who know the benefits of being in the plan and, in turn, an increase in staff retention

How your employees benefit

The eLearning course and workshops provide your employees with key pension information they need to make decisions for their future, wherever they are on their pension journey.

Please promote the eLearning course and workshops

1. Distribute the attached posters to your employees
2. Encourage new employees to take the eLearning course
3. Encourage mid-career and approaching retirement employees to register for a workshop

Hosting a workshop

Did you know we can come to you? There’s no cost to host a workshop—you will just need to provide a suitable workshop room with a projection screen.

To host a workshop, submit the Pension Workshop Request form available in the Forms section of the secure Employer site.

If you have questions, please contact us.

Thank you,

Client Education Program

Tel 250 356-2199 Fax 250 953-0439
Toll Free (BC) 1 877 558-5572
email [email protected]  
web www.pspp.pensionsbc.ca

Today the BCGEU provided its submission to the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth, an all-party committee of the Legislative Assembly, in response to its regular statutory review of the Representative for Children and Youth Act (SBC, 2006, c. 29).

The Office of the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) provides an essential point of oversight and review for our province’s child and family welfare system. Our comments and suggestions to continue this work include retaining and protecting the RCY’s independence as an officer of the legislature, as well as two recommendations: that the Act provide improved protection and oversight for those transitioning out of government care, including the expansion of the age definition for “young adults;” and that the Act be amended to place an obligation on care facilities to inform children and youth placed with them of the role of the representative, and their right to have private contact with the representative without delay.

Click here to view the full submission (PDF)