"Joint OHS Committee Training" will be held on Tuesday, May 2 and Wednesday, May 3. This courses will be held at the Best Western Terrace Inn, 4553 Greig Avenue, Terrace 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

This course is 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.

The BCGEU expresses its condemnation of the bomb threat made to a Vancouver Jewish Community Centre last night. This kind of violence and anti-Semitism must not be tolerated. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish Community, and the families affected by this event.

We are also heartened by expressions of support British Columbians are extending to the Jewish Community as we stand against hate and a culture of intolerance in B.C.

Today, we?re proud to celebrate International Women?s Day 2017 ? Be Bold for Change. International Women?s Day is a day to celebrate the valuable achievements women have made across the world and a time to reflect on the progress made to advance equality for women. Despite these successes, we recognize that there are still many barriers and challenges that remain in working towards gender parity. Working together we can be agents for change, fighting for equality, justice and women?s rights.

?I am proud to say that 67 per cent of BCGEU members are women,? said Stephanie Smith, BCGEU president. ?They work in every community, in every sector, making valuable contributions to our province. Today, and every day, let?s celebrate the social, cultural and political achievements of women, but also stand together in solidarity with women's struggles all over the world.?

Take the pledge on how YOU will BE BOLD at the International Women?s Day site www.internationalwomensday.com/BeBold

Share your message of support and activism through social media using #beboldforchange and help create a more inclusive, gender equal world.

We?re also excited to share with you a number of ways in which women in our union and with our allies are bold in their work for change:

Creating a Vision for Change
To coincide with International Women?s Day, this Friday and Saturday, BCGEU Component 3 ? Community Social Services ? is hosting an event called Creating a Vision for Change. This will be the first time our union has brought together front-line workers in women?s services, and we will be joined by 60 members from across the province.  The purpose of the event is to discuss the issues they face in providing services to women in our province.

Canadian Labour Congress: Why Wait for Equity?
The Canadian Labour Congress is inviting union members to challenge the federal government to make real progress toward women?s economic justice. They are calling on them to take three, simple actions in 2017: table pay equity legislation, sign a new deal on child care with the provinces and territories, and put paid domestic violence leave in the Canada Labour Code.
Check out whywait2017.ca for more information.

We are the Union: Women?s Work

Have you seen the BCGEU?s documentary We are the Union: Women?s Work yet?

BCGEU?s female members have been a powerful voice since before they were able to hold elected positions. Through the passionate work of hundreds of women, the union has achieved incredible strides towards gender equity both within the organization and for its members. This film, launched last fall, celebrates some of their stories. The video was produced by the BCGEU Provincial Executive Women's Committee.

VIDEO: We are the union: Women's Work

International Women?s Day events:

Victoria

• International Women's Day ? Victoria: https://www.facebook.com/events/108738986319968/?ti=icl

Vancouver

• Vancouver and District Labour Council Women's Day Dinner, Evening of March 8 at Fraserview Hall: http://vdlc.ca/mc-events/2017-iwd-dinner/
• Glamoramas 'Rant on Sister' event, Evening of March 8 at Columbia Theatre: http://www.grandmotherscampaign.org/event/glamoramas-rant-on-sister

Want to spread the work on social media? Here are the International Women?s Day hashtags:

#BeBoldForChange 

#IWD2017

#IWD

#EqualityMatters

#InternationalWomensDay

"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.

Local 467/MoveUP

To all Labour Code OHS Committee Members in the Vancouver Area

"Prevention of Workplace Violence" will be held on Wednesday, April 19. This course will be held at the BCGEU office at #130-2920 Virtual Way, Vancouver from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

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

This course is limited to 22 seats so register early at [email protected] 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.

Local 467/ MoveUP

Supported through CoDevelopment Canada, APSIES is a grassroots organization that works in five rural municipalities in southeastern El Salvador to mobilize citizens to protect and enhance publicly-funded healthcare and other social services. APSIES takes a comprehensive approach to health as a human right, with a special emphasis on women?s empowerment primarily through education and capacity-building with both citizens? health committees and women?s associations.

This video does a great job of explaining the work on the women's committees, in the sisters' own words. 

Mildred ?Millie? Irene Canessa
July 20, 1927 - February 19, 2017

Long-time trade unionist and social activist Millie Canessa passed away Sunday morning.

An ardent defender of human rights and social justice causes including gender equality and workers' rights, Millie dedicated most of her life to bettering her community.

Millie joined the Government Employees' Association in 1967, prior to the certification of the BCGEU in 1974. She was active in the Woodlands Branch of what was then called the Mental Health Branch of the Association, and she served as an officer and steward of her local and of BCGEU?s Administrative Services Component until her retirement in 1985. 

Millie was granted BCGEU?s Life Membership ? the union?s highest honour ? in 1987, and through her involvement with BC FORUM (BC Federation of Retired Union Members), COSCO (Council of Senior Citizens? Organization) and the BCGEU Active Retired Members Committee, she championed the rights of working people long after she retired.

Millie was featured in the recent BCGEU documentary: We are the Union: Women's Work where she spoke about her experiences striving towards gender equality both in the workplace and within the labour movement.

We all send our heartfelt condolences to Millie?s family.

"Joint OHS Committee Training" will be held on Tuesday, April 25 and Wednesday, April 26, 2017 and "Mitigating Workplace Violence" will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2017. These courses will be held at the Fraser Valley BCGEU office, 8555 ? 198A Avenue, Langley 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 Mitigating 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.

Local 467/MoveUP

"Joint OHS Committee Training" will be held on Wednesday, April 19 and Thursday, April 20, 2017. This course will be held at the Prestige Lakeside Resort, 701 Lakeside Drive, Nelson, BC 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

This course is 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.

Local 467/MoveUP