local voice november 2012

Our Communities | Our Province | Our World

Election Year at COPE 378

Classrooms in Nepal

A Financial Shell Game at BC Hydro

Transit Challenges

Walking the Line at ICBC

ALSO INSIDE

Quarterly publication for members of the Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378

Local VoiceVOlume 7 | Issue #4 Fall 2012

3 President’s OPening Message by David Black

4 transLatiOns

7 COPe 378 eLeCtiOn OutLine

8 We’re PrOud tO suPPPOrt the united Way

9 COPe 378’s WOMen’s COMMittee

10 2013 Matters

12 COMMOn ChaLLenges in COMbined units

13 buiLding CLassrOOMs fOr nePaLese girLs

14 POLitiCaL aCtiOn COMMittee

15 COntraCting in – a finanCiaL sheLL gaMe

16 yOur benefit PLan: dOn’t abuse it, dO use it

17 WaLking the Line at iCbC

18 nOMinatiOns – ardeLL brOPhy aWard

19 green JObs COnferenCe

20 bargaining unit briefs

22 reCOnCiLiatiOn tOur bridges Past and Present

23 bargaining unit briefs

24 Organized Laughter

A life-Altering experience in Nepal

Speaking For the Rights of Women

One Woman’s Journey into Politics

9

13

14

in this issueCOntents

President’s Opening Message

This is an election year for COPE 378 and, now that the nomination dead-line for candidates is closed, I’m pleased to have been chosen by the members of my union as president, along with Secretary-Treasurer Lori

Mayhew. I look forward to serving you for another three years. But the process isn’t finished. Our Executive Board is divided into con-

stituencies which represent different sections of our membership. There were three elections at the Board level: for the BC Hydro, Accenture and Fortis-Hydro positions. These elections took place between September 21 and Oc-tober 11 by mail-in ballot.

Then, at our November 15 – 17 convention, delegates will elect COPE 378’s three Vice Presidents from the Executive Board Members. The Vice Presidents will represent the ICBC, Utilities, and Combined Units respectively. For more in-formation about the elections and convention visit www.cope378.ca.

Over the seventeen years that I’ve been involved with COPE there have been widely contested elections and at least one in which each position was acclaimed. More engagement is better—like our democratic process at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, the union benefits when our mem-bers are engaged in the discussions and decisions prompted by the ballot box.

To that end, one of the commitments I made last year was to develop a new Member Orientation Package. This package, process, and web presence will be rolled out for our November convention. Doing a better job of intro-ducing ourselves as a union to new members is the first step toward increased member engagement.

This is only one step. A more comprehensive fix is to empower workplace leadership. I believe COPE developed a culture that disengaged the members from the union when the authority of job stewards to negotiate local solutions to grievances was transferred to the union’s staff. This was done to answer some legitimate concerns and to standardize the union’s responses. However, an unintended side-effect was to reduce the authority of job stewards. The idea of “union” amongst our members was moved from their job stewards to distant, unknown individuals at the union office. Our challenge is to reverse that culture and raise the profile of local job stewards while making sure that union reps and elected officials are more present in the workplace. It won’t be easy but it is necessary. We will do it by training job stewards and giving them the tools and skills to act with authority in their worksites.

Our November conven-tion is a part of this—we will have workshops, discussions and, of course, elections. I look forward to continuing this con-versation with our delegates to convention.

USW 2009

the Canadian Office and Professional employees union, Local 378, is affiliated with the Canadian Office and Professional employees union, the british Columbia federation of Labour, the Canadian Labour Congress, uni global union and industriaLL.

Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378, Executive Board Members:President: david blacksecretary-treasurer: Lori MayhewVice Presidents: Jeff gillies (iCbC), gwenne farrell (utilities), heather Lee (Combined units)accenture business services executive board Members: Melanie greenlaw, nancy de VriesbC hydro executive board Members: Calvin Jonas, rysa kronebuschiCbC executive board Members: yasmin Carroll, karin Cirez, Mike ferguson, Joyce galuska, trevor hansenutilities executive board Member (fortis, terasen): tim bouzovetsky Combined units executive board Members: Colleen finn, Laurie kirk, keith Parkinson, stephanie smith, stephen Von sychowski, tim Weigelt, ian Whittington

COPE 378 Communications & Campaigns:Communications director: sage aaronCommunications representative: Jarrah hodge

COPE 378 Senior Union Representatives:brad bastien, Jaime zygmunt

COPE 378 Union Representatives:Jackie brown, Carrol edwards, Vic foth, Jack gerow, barry hodson, barbara Junker, Pat Junnila, sarah Melsness, glen Macinnes, bonnie Merriman, brian nelson, kevin Payne, kelly Quinn, karen rockwell, kevin smyth

COPE 378 Union Rep Trainee Program:ingrid ericson, Cathy hirani, angela Malkowski, stephen Von sychowski, trevor hansen

COPE 378 Administrative & Office Staff:Joanne banfield, karen Caston, elaine Chilman, Lise Cluff, adele earwaker, yudon garie, Valerie Leblanc, shelley Lockhart, Carol McLuskie, karen Mcrae, kim smith, Miriam spinner

COPE 378 Financial Staff: sandi Malhame, donna Morris, barbara Liang, amandeep sandhu

BC Utilities Commission Liaison and Legal Director:Jim Quail

Occupational Health & Safety & WCB Appeals:steve Milne

Organizing:dave McPherson, glen Macinnes (acting), georgi bates

Job Evaluation:teresa davie

LTD Trust Administrator:Jim Moynham

COPe 378 Local Voice is the official quarterly magazine published for the members of the Canadian Office and Professional employees union, Local 378.isbn 1918-9753 COPe Local 378 VoiceLetters to the editor are welcome but may be edited for brevity and clarity. Please contact COPe Local 378 for permission to reprint articles, graphics, or photographs.

address all correspondence to: COPe 378 Communications2nd floor, 4595 Canada Way, burnaby, b.C. V5g 1J9Phone: 604-299-0378 toll free: 1-800-664-6838fax: 604-299-8211

Visit COPe 378’s website at www.cope378.caOr contact us via email at [email protected]: sage aaron David Black

President, COPE 378

COPE 378 Local Voice VOLuMe 7 issue #4 fall 2012 | 3

4 | VOLuMe 7 issue #4 fall 2012 COPE 378 Local Voice

COPe 378eLeCtiOnConvention and Vice President elections

by MariLyn Werden, COPe 378 returning OffiCer

eLeCtiOn resuLtsAll of the members of the new Executive Board were declared elected on October 12,

2012. Where there were elections for Board positions (BC Hydro, ABSU and Fortis-Hydro), the elections were held by mail-in ballot between September 21 and October 11.

Congratulations to all the new and returning Board members, and heartfelt thanks to all the members who put their names forward as candidates. Your participation makes our union strong.

What’s next?This is one step of a multi-step process. Now that the Executive Board has been elected,

the Vice Presidents will be elected from the Board members. The COPE 378 Vice Presidents will be elected by the delegates to the 2012 COPE 378 Convention, November 15 – 17. Three Vice Presidents will be elected to represent the following membership constituen-cies: ICBC, Utilities (made up of BC Hydro, ABSU, FortisEnergy and Fortis-Hydro) and the Combined Units (which is made up of the Finance-Insurance group, the Transport-Shipping group, the Labour worksites, Coast Mountain Bus, the Transit group, and the Miscellaneous group). The membership constituencies were determined by gathering together similar workplaces and industries in groups of roughly equal numbers.

the 2012 COPe 378 COnVentiOnIn addition to voting in the Vice President elections, the convention delegates will hear

reports from COPE 378’s various committees, listen to speeches by special guests including BC NDP leader Adrian Dix, vote on resolutions put forward by the membership and take part in workshops such as Organizing and New Member Orientations. If you have any questions about the 2012 Convention, ask your steward or get in touch with the union office.

President: david blackSecretary-Treasurer: Lori Mayhew

Executive Board – ICBC yasmin Carrollkarin CirezMike fergusonJoyce galuskaJeff gilliestrevor hansen

Executive Board – BC Hydro gwenne farrellCalvin Jonasrysa kronebusch

Executive Board – ABSU nancy de VriesMelanie greenlaw

Executive Board – Utilities FortisEnergytim bouzovetsky

Executive Board – Utilities Fortis-Hydro stephanie smith

Executive Board – Combined Finance-InsuranceColleen finnLaurie kirk

Executive Board – Combined Transport-Shipping tim Weigelt

Executive Board – Combined Labourheather Lee

Executive Board – Combined Coast Mountain Bus stephen Von sychowski

Executive Board – Combined Transit ian Whittington

Executive Board – Combined Miscellaneous keith Parkinson

2012 eLeCtiOn resuLts


We’re Proud to suppport the united Wayunited Way

Throughout the fall COPE 378 staff and many COPE 378 bargaining units will be taking part in United Way fundraising campaigns at their work-

places. If you’ve been involved in a United Way Cam-paign before you’ll know that it’s a chance to have fun and build relationships with your coworkers while sup-porting work on key social issues.

For those who aren’t familiar with the United Way, it’s a more than 90-year-old charitable organiza-tion which is the largest non-governmental Canadian funder of social services and the volunteer sector. I’m active on the United Way of the Lower Mainland Board and I’m proud of the work the United Way is doing in our communities on three key areas. The funding we receive through the fall workplace campaigns will be focused on these three areas:

• POvErty:

One in five children in B.C. under the age of six lives

in poverty. Funding from the United Way helps break

the cycle by ensuring children get the best start in

life through early learning, skilled parenting and

childcare services.

• BUllying:

Every month more than one third of children in

grades four to seven are bullied or bully others.

the seriousness of bullying and the urgent need

for programs to fight it have become even more

apparent to the public in recent years. the United

Way helps children make the right choices by

funding safe spaces and supportive spaces where

children feel they belong and can find great role

models to help grow their confidence and end

destructive behaviours.

• SOCial iSOlatiOn:

Social isolation affects at least 10% of seniors living

in the lower Mainland. the United Way supports

seniors aging with dignity through funding services

that reach out to seniors and help them engage with

their community while continuing to live in their own

homes, surrounded by friends, family and neighbours.

Money that you donate to the United Way helps make a difference in all of these areas and benefits the communities where we live.

I’m looking forward to seeing the unique ways you’re fundraising in your workplace. I know here at the COPE 378 office our staff United Way Committee (Joanne, Bonnie and Val) has already held a success-ful kick-off BBQ and is planning a series of fundraising events for the coming months, including the COPE 378 Olympics and bingo.

if COPe 378 members at your workplace are do-ing something interesting and fun as part of your cam-paign, we’d love to hear about it. email [email protected] and if possible, send along pictures! Time and again COPE 378 members at various work-sites have set ambitious fundraising goals and surpassed them. That’s something to be proud of.

If your workplace does not currently run a United Way campaign and you’re interested in getting more in-formation, you can visit www.uwlm.ca to find out more about what’s involved.

by gWenne farreLL, ViCe President

United Way is a more than 90-year-old

charitable organization which is the largest

non-governmental Canadian funder of social

services and the volunteer sector.

www.uwlm.caVOluNTeeR YOuR WORKPlACe

If you’re interested in getting more information to run a workplace campaign, visit:


COPE 378’s Women’s Rights Committee cam-paigns for women’s issues in the work-place and in their union, lobbies union of-

ficials and politicians, and encourages women in the various bargaining units to press for favourable contract clauses and review existing clauses for gender discrimination.

But who are these COPE 378 members working on these issues? We interviewed a few of the committee members about why they felt the need to get involved.

korleen Carerras, bCgeu. Korleen is a COPE 378 Job Steward, Executive Councillor, and Co-Chair of the Po-litical Action Committee. She and her husband live in Pitt Meadows with their two sons.

I joined the Women’s Committee in 2007. I grew up in the dance world and later owned a dance studio so it was a natural transition for me to continue speaking for the rights of women. I had first-hand knowledge of the difficulties facing young women and their families in our communities and have watched my grandmoth-ers deal with aging and the difficulties they faced find-ing seniors care.

The best experience so far would be the work we do for sisters in the labour movement and in our communi-ties – looking at ways to make life easier for women to be more vocal in their communities.

Women’s issues are important to all of us in the la-bour movement. I believe that we need to protect our rights and not be content with the lack of equality in our province. As unionized sisters we need to continue to fight for our movement but also for those who do not have a unionized job.

ingrid ericson, bC federation of Labour: Ingrid has been a COPE 378 member since she started working in the Accounting Department at the BC Federation of La-bour almost four years ago. She is a BC Fed Job Steward, and since this past May has been working in the COPE 378 office as a temporary union representative.

I joined the Women’s Committee about three years ago around the time I became a steward in my work-place. I wanted to find out what issues my union sisters faced both in the workplace and in their lives, and to see what we could do about them. Some of the prevalent concerns raised were child care, elder care, retirement security, pay equity, political representation, and violence against women.

The Women’s Committee presents resolutions on these issues at the triennial convention, and we also work to raise money for organizations that provide services to women in need. We want to provide a safe and respectful forum for our members to discuss their challenges and

victories, and we also want to provide support to our sis-ters and brothers in the larger labour movement who are struggling for their collective bargaining rights.

When I hear the comment, “There’s really no need for women’s committees anymore...” I know we need to work even harder.

Caitlin gilroy, bCgeu: Caitlin has been a member of COPE 378 for almost three years. In addition to serv-ing on the Women’s Committee she is a job steward for COPE members at the BCGEU.

I got involved because my mentor within the union kept asking me to join her at a women’s committee meeting, so I finally did and loved it. I’ve been on the committee ever since! The best thing about the com-mittee is the combined diversity of experiences. Each woman has a very interesting story and perspective on issues and I am always impressed by topics of conversa-tion at each meeting.

The Women’s Committee is an integral part of COPE 378 because it is actively keeping women engaged in the labour movement and politics. Through the com-mittee I have had an opportunity to attend events, repre-sent my union at conferences, and generally grow into a well-rounded activist. My activism has been greatly ac-celerated by my activism on the Women’s Committee.

bilbeer sandhu, teamsters Local 213 Member ben-efit Plan: Bilbeer is a COPE 378 Executive Councillor.

I have been involved with the Women’s Committee for approximately six years. Our committee encourages women to speak out, and provides strong support both verbally and emotionally. Sisters on our committee are open to discuss all women’s issues with pride and respect.

The committee is extremely important as it informs women in COPE 378 of very important issues related to child care and elderly care. I have found great strength attending the meetings and I would like to thank the chairs for arranging and following up on our meetings.

a Proud tradition and a bright futureWOMen’s

COMMittee

Top Photo:

The Women’s

Committe as

Suffragettes

middle Photo:

Ingrid ericson

“the best experience so far would be the work we do for

sisters in the labour movement and in our communities...”

COPE 378’s Women’s Committee

VOluNTeeR YOuR WORKPlACe


2013 MattersLOOkingahead

For so many reasons 2013 matters. At COPE 378 we will hopefully be wrapping up many rounds of col-lective bargaining and directing our energy to the

May 2013 provincial election. We all have high hopes that the BC NDP will be elected—it’s time a party fo-cused on fairness and the public interest took charge to reverse the damage done over the last decade of BC Liberal mismanagement.

Most of our members will remember the union’s Take Back the Power campaign prior to the 2009 pro-vincial election. Our most successful public campaign to date joined tens of thousands of British Columbians and other organizations together to shed light on the BC Liberal government’s damaging energy policies and the incremental privatization of BC Hydro. We were suc-cessful in raising public awareness of the problems im-posed on BC Hydro, and to this day opposition to the BC Liberals’ energy plan has taken root throughout the province and in diverse sectors such as industry and en-vironmental groups.

The BC Liberal government has taken steps over the past ten years that have interfered with the operations and management of BC Hydro on an unprecedented scale. The government has reduced the role and effec-tiveness of our public utility and threatened its financial stability. BC Hydro is critically important to the economic and environmental sustainability of British Columbians. Its role, finances and effectiveness must be restored.

In 2003 BC Liberal policy forced BC Hydro to out-source one-third of its workforce to Accenture, affecting the provision of customer service, shared and network services, purchasing and procurement, IT, finance and payroll, human resources and building and office ser-vices. Wholesale outsourcing of this magnitude clearly contributed to the destabilization of BC Hydro opera-tions and, as a result of extra billings and contract man-agement costs, has added to, not reduced BC Hydro operating costs.

Contracting-in is the growing practice of hiring con-tractors to work inside Hydro in place of employees. It has been used by BC Hydro to get around the cap on the provincial government arbitrarily put on the total number of employees. The practice is detrimental to employee morale and, like outsourcing, is saddling BC Hydro’s with further inefficiencies and costs. The practice is especially egregious when BC Hydro is laying off union members.

Let’s fix itHaving a stable, productive workforce and efficient

operations is critical for restoring the role of BC Hydro and providing a solid base for the development of new energy policy in B.C.

Looking to the future and the very real possibility of a new government, COPE 378 has been working for the past several months on developing sound policies to help direct BC Hydro and restore the crown corporation to its former role operating in the best interests of all British Columbians including its workers. COPE believes the first step to re-stabilizing BC Hydro is to bring out-sourced services back in-house.

COPE 378 will be active in the May, 2013 election promoting not only good policies for public power but also for public auto insurance, for our ICBC members, and public transit, for our members at TransLink, Coast Mountain Bus at BC Transit.

Our members are integral to the way this union un-derstands, analyses and prescribes policy. COPE 378 members have participated in developing our policy recommendations in our areas of interest. Read on for Executive Board Member Stephen Von Sychowski’s con-tribution to TransLink policy.

2013 matters to us all! Let’s work together for a bet-ter future for all british Columbians.

WhiCh Way fOrWard fOr transLink?COPE 378 members who work for TransLink or its

subsidiaries in the lower mainland will likely be aware that all is not well in the world of public transportation. The transit authority’s broken system of governance has produced a funding crisis which has resulted in the cancelation of service improvements which would have benefited transit users and the environment. This fund-ing crisis, combined with calls for “efficiencies” coming most recently from a review of TransLink and the subse-quent Crilly Report, have also led to cutbacks and layoffs which have had a negative impact on our members and our sisters and brothers who are members of Canadian Auto Workers and Canadian Union of Public Employees.

In 2011, COPE 378 joined other unions represent-ing workers in public transportation to support Trans-Link’s 2012 Moving Forward Supplemental Plan and Outlook. Our support was on the basis of the need for expansion of our current public transit system which will benefit transit riders, the environment, as well as our members. We also called on the Mayors’ Council to work with the provincial government to find sustain-able sources of funding.

Moving Forward aimed to add $70 million in addi-tional annual revenue to the system. The revenue would come in part from a 2 cent per litre fuel tax increase. The rest of the revenue was slated to come from an un-

by Jeff giLLies, kOrLeen Carreras and stePhen VOn syChOWski

Our most successful

public campaign

to date - take

Back the Power


known funding source to be agreed upon by the mayors and the government. If no such funding source could be found, the funding would come from a time limited property tax increase of $3.48 per year per $100,000 of assessment value. This would work out to $23 per av-erage household. The property tax increase was to be implemented for the years of 2013 and 2014 if no alter-native was found in 2012.

The additional revenue was intended to pay for sub-stantial improvements to the public transit system. These included the long awaited Evergreen Line, several station upgrades, the creation of a King George Boulevard B-Line service, the creation of a Highway 1 rapid bus service, and the restoration of previously reduced funding for roads and bridges as well as the Bike Capital program.

These improvements were projected to bring a 7 per cent increase in annual bus service by 2013 and a 9 per cent increase in total transit hours by 2016/2017. It was also expected to lead to an 8 per cent increase in transit ridership by 2016/2017 and a drop in person vehicle ki-lometers traveled by 2015.

The goals of the Moving Forward plan were stalled this spring, however, when the Mayors’ Council voted down the planned property tax increase. This came as a reaction to the government’s refusal to approve any of the three proposals presented by the mayors which included a vehicle levy, a gas-tax increase, or a regional carbon tax. Other ideas floated at the Mayors’ Council included the tolling of roads, and additional gas taxes. Some of these potential funding solutions may be better than others, and there are many other sources of fund-ing that could be explored, but ultimately it is clear that new funding sources will eventually need to be identi-fied and adopted.

The financial blow of the impasse between the may-ors and the government was intensified the review of TransLink operations released this year by Commission-er Martin Crilly which directed the organization to find funds from within its existing budget through “efficien-cies” in order to address a $30 million budget shortfall.

The question of efficiencies is now a hot topic. Many of these so-called efficiencies are of great concern to unionized employees in the transit system. Transit work-ers are now facing layoffs and concession bargaining under the efficiencies banner. While we remain open to exploring opportunities to identify efficiencies, this must not come at the expense of our hard won and well de-served wages, working conditions, benefits or rights.

The most obvious source of efficiencies remains the streamlining of operations through the integration of Trans-Link and its wholly owned subsidiaries into a single entity.

Cuts to public transit, cancelled improvements, and the search for “efficiencies” are unsustainable solutions to the problems facing the public transit system. These meth-

ods hurt transit riders, the environment, and workers, and provide no real fix for the underlying causes.

TransLink needs a governance model that allows it to establish re-liable funding sources for itself, allowing it es-tablish long term plans effectively and with confidence. This means significant reforms to the existing governance model. These reforms should be done with the principles of accountability, transparency, openness, and sustain-ability at the forefront and should take place through a process of public input and stakeholder consultation.

Such a process will take time. This means that the provincial government needs to work with the Mayors’ Council in order to establish funding that will get tran-sit moving again in the meantime. The government can work with communities and stakeholders to find solu-tions or it can ignore these problems, leaving one more mess for a new government to deal with in the spring, and leaving transit riders, transit workers, and the envi-ronment in the lurch. The longer the delay, the greater the long term damage.

Unfortunately, the government appears to be con-tinuing down a path of inaction on this issue in the run up to next year’s elections. Hopefully transit users will remember this when they cast their ballot.

2013 MattersLOOking

ahead

2013 matters not just for

COPE 378 members,

but for those who depend on the services

we provide—from translink to iCBC,

Capilano University to BC Hydro—it’s

time for our members and the people

of B.C. to take the province back

and put it on the right course.

Moving Forwardaimed to add

$70 million in additional

revenue to the system

2012 translink

annual general Meeting


Common Challenges in Combined units CaPiLanO uniVersity

by heather Lee, ViCe President

As we enter collective bargaining and attempt to decipher what exactly the Post-Secondary Sec-tor Administrative Service Delivery Transformation

Project will mean to members at Capilano University, I can’t help but recall B.C.’s former Minister of Advanced Education Naomi Yamamoto’s words: “British Colum-bians can take pride in our post-secondary education system. Our universities, colleges and specialized insti-tutes enjoy a well-deserved reputation for excellence, both here at home and around the world.”

I couldn’t agree more. Perhaps we need to remind current Advanced Education Minister John Yap that this level of excellence could not be achieved at Capilano University without dedicated members of COPE 378 working throughout the school.

We know COPE 378 members follow the best pos-sible practices and excellence in service delivery in an effective, efficient and professional manner under in-creasingly challenging circumstances. The provincial government’s 2012 budget includes targeted reduction in post-secondary non-academic administrative servic-es in the realm of $20 million in 2013/14 and a further $30 million in 2014/15.

The province admits that post-secondary institutions have already achieved costs savings but while exploring other savings, all service delivery models will be considered.

It’s an interesting game of chess that the province has engaged in over the last two years with public sector unions and crown corporations. On several occasions, government has attempted to circumvent the terms of collective agreements only to be directed by court de-cision and order to reverse actions that were contrary to binding legal collective agreements and, in some cases, violation of our chartered rights and freedoms.

While we won’t know how it will roll out until af-ter press time for the Local Voice, COPE 378 is closely following and monitoring all available information tied to the Service Delivery Project while working in consul-tation with other public sector unions, the BC Federa-tion of Labour and our legal counsel to protect the hard earned rights of our members.

Our collective agreement with Capilano University provides strong technological change and contracting out language protection. We believe in a sound green jobs initiative; and the work performed by COPE 378 members at CapU certainly fits into that definition.

Government must learn this isn’t a game: they can’t create jobs by moving employment from one sector to another. The shell game needs to stop and our members are entitled to the terms and conditions of work negoti-ated in good faith on their behalf since 1974. COPE 378 will continue to defend the jobs of members at CapU, and all other certifications within our jurisdiction.

Members in each sector and occupation through-out our COPE family have been touched one way or another by shortsighted irrational policy implementa-tion. The dismantling of BC Hydro is one prime example of this. The failure of elected officials and highly paid bureaucrats to reach an accord in areas of governance and funding models around transit is another.

It’s a shame COPE 378 members are caught in the cross-fire as these decision makers attempt to navigate through a minefield of their own creation. Cuts hurt. And they hurt working families the most.

The serious issues faced by our members are clearly pronounced in an assortment of government legisla-tion. Yet, the halls of the legislature will be empty this fall. The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia will be without a voice. There will be no reasoned discussion, no debate and no possibility of sober second thought. The voices of British Columbians will be unheard in the chamber designed for that very purpose.

Without that discussion and debate, highly reputa-ble institutions and organizations, rooted deeply within our communities, will continue to be targeted as an av-enue to balance budgets off the backs of hard-working COPE 378 members; members who built these bastions of excellence throughout their working lives.

Our voices need to be heard. Our combined strengths and resolve at the bargaining table to reach a fair and reasonable collective agreement gives us that voice. Our collective voices can, and will be heard.

Heather lee

“We believe in a

sound green jobs

initiative; and the

work performed

by COPE 378

members at

CapU certainly

fits into that

definition.”

– Heather lee


by Jarrah hOdge

building Classrooms for nepalese girlsMeMber PrOfiLe

“It was an

incredible and

life altering

experience,”

she recalls.

”I left a piece

of my heart

there for sure.”

– Lorraine Ens

Few people would consider the idea of laying bricks in the hot sun an ideal way to spend two weeks’ va-cation, but that’s exactly what COPE 378 member

Lorraine Ens did in Nepal earlier this year.Ens, who is the Service Contracts administrator for

BC Hydro’s Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, travelled to Nepal this past April with the Kelowna-based organization Intercultural Women’s Educational Network (IWEN).

“I thought this would be a great opportunity to gain some perspective,” she said. “You go out there because you want the experience and you want people to know that somebody’s interested in them.”

In Nepal, she and the other volunteers worked with a northern tribe called the Tharu.

“The Tharu have always been subsistence farmers working the land that they were born on. In the 1950s, the Nepalese government wanted everyone to regis-ter their land. Not being politically savvy, the land that the Tharu had been living on for hundreds of years was somehow registered out from under them and they ended up in a sort of a feudal system where they had to pay the landlord to work the land,” explained Ens.

As in this type of situation in other developing countries, poor families sometimes have to send their children off to work for the landlord if they can’t pay the rent or want to reduce the number of mouths to feed. Some children are sent away as young as five or six years old.

“They traditionally send girls away because girls are less valued. One of IWEN’s missions is to get these girls back out of their bonded labour contracts and return

them to their families so that they can go to school,” Ens outlines. “Often IWEN will buy the families a goat to help make up for the fact that now they have another mouth to feed. IWEN also provides the much-needed sponsorship for these girls to go to school.”

The success of IWEN’s work – getting over 200 girls out of bonded labour and into school – meant that the Tharu community needed more classrooms, and those are what Lorraine went there to build.

“This was the first time IWEN organized volunteers to help build a school. On the first day, the whole village came out to meet us. It was a very special and emo-tional experience. They held a welcoming ceremony where they touch your forehead with the tika paint as a form of blessing. Your whole face turns pink. The mothers of the girls in the village came out every day and made us lunch as well,” Ens recounted.

IWEN also does work empowering Nepalese mothers.“IWEN has organized the mothers into mothers

groups. These groups have been able to save up small amounts of money…and then a sort of microfinance develops. It allows them to lend one of the women money so that she is able to start a business or make a living on her own…,” Ens stated. “One lady borrowed money for materials to bake bricks. She then sold the bricks and earned enough profit to bake more bricks - enough to build herself a house.”

Ens doesn’t have firm plans to go back but she said she knows there will be other trips and there may be an opportunity for her to try some different volunteering, such as working in the school or help-ing to teach English.


how i Learned to stop Worrying and Love Politics

POLitiCaLaCtiOnCOMMittee

by kOrLeen Carreras

As I sit here looking at the calendar, I realize that we only have seven months until Election Day. This might seem like lots of time but believe it or not,

there’s a lot to do before then. There are many ques-tions and more work: how can we make sure our issues are being discussed, which of our members will be get-ting involved again this time around, and how can we find new activists?

When I started to think about encouraging new ac-tivists it led me to reflect on my own political history and where it all started, which is not too long ago at all.

When I got a call from a co-worker, a fellow union member, asking me to volunteer on my first campaign in 2008, I said yes, but I have to admit I felt very nervous walking into the campaign office that first time. I didn’t know the first thing about canvassing for a political par-ty. I had volunteered briefly during a municipal election many years ago but this was much different and much bigger – a full-fledged federal campaign. What was I going to be doing? What did I need to know? Would voters yell at me?

Despite my worries, I ripped off the proverbial Band-Aid and walked into the campaign office. What I found was much less intimidating than what I had imagined. The staff and volunteers were very friendly and I was trained on the job and given all the information I needed. I sat down, took a deep breath, and made that first phone call. To my relief, my fear of being yelled at did not mate-rialize. In fact I had a very enjoyable evening talking with my neighbours about the issues in our country.

As someone very new to the neighborhood it was a wonderful way to learn the area and meet lots of like-minded people in my community. I still have great friends

and connections from that 2008 campaign and it gave me a sense of accomplishment to be really working on the ground to make things better in my community.

Four years after that first election, with the support of my union, I now sit on the local NDP executives for my provincial constituency and federal riding. I’ve been elected twice at the BC NDP’s convention to the Pro-vincial Executive as my region’s representative, I’m co-chair the political action committee at COPE 378, and most recently I took a leap and ran as a candidate for the BC NDP nomination in my home constituency.

The overall experience has been challenging, ex-hilarating, educational and, above all, very rewarding. And it all started with just taking a leap of faith because someone in the union asked me.

Now as the Political Action Committee co-chair I look forward to continuing on with our union’s history of bringing in and supporting new and experienced ac-tivists leading up to the 2013 provincial election.

2013 Matters. It matters to the everyday work-ing people of our province. It matters to our families. And it matters to COPE 378 members. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how many of the problems we’ve faced over the past eleven years have been a direct result of provincial government policy – whether it was around private power or Smart Meters or dealing with a union-unfriendly labour board.

This is our chance to get involved and make a difference to our lives, our children’s lives, the lives of union brothers and sisters. This is our chance to create a legacy for future generations. I look forward to embracing new friendships as we work together over the next seven months towards a change in government on May 14, 2013.

Four years after that first election, with the support of

my union, i now sit on the local nDP executives for my

provincial constituency and federal riding.

Korleen Carreras is Co-Chair of the Political action Committee

Korleen Carerras

2013 Matters...


it’s not at all a coincidence that

contracting in ramped up soon

after the provincial government’s

disastrous and politically

motivated review of BC Hydro...

by brad bastien and gWenne farreLL

Contracting in – a financial shell game bC hydrO

A big part of our work at COPE 378 is protecting your jobs. Sometimes we fight for your jobs on an individual basis, but we work also work on a

broader level that most members don’t see, to keep your jobs from disappearing and to protect the value and scope of your work.

We’ve fought contracting out in many of our work-sites, including BC Hydro. But recently we’ve seen a trend increasing at Hydro – contracting in.

We first learned about this new practice from our members. Employees at BC Hydro started bringing ex-amples to us of the employer hiring contractors to come into the worksite to do work that was exactly the same or very similar to what our members do on a daily basis.

It’s not at all a coincidence that contracting in ramped up soon after the provincial government’s di-sastrous and politically motivated review of BC Hydro. The province imposed an arbitrary cap on full-time employees and ordered layoffs but, not surprisingly, the work didn’t go away. The employer is playing a shell game with contracting in; they are finding ways to boost their workforce under the cap with temporary, expensive contractors.

In the fall of 2011 we sent our BC Hydro members a questionnaire which asked questions about the duties of the contractors and where they fell within the work-place hierarchies. The response from the membership was extensive. They clearly saw this practice to be as dangerous as we at the union office did.

Armed with this information, COPE 378 filed a griev-

ance on Feb 3, 2012 and we have continued to investi-gate and gather information throughout the spring and into the summer of 2012. The grievance is, without a doubt, one of the more difficult and wide ranging policy grievances we filed in recent memory.

Much of the information we needed could only be obtained through the employer. After several discus-sions with the employer we agreed that we would de-fine our request to a set number of specific cases and deal with those cases. The union retains the right and ability to advance other cases at a later date.

In July we sent a formal request to the employer for a third stage grievance meeting, the final stage before a grievance proceeds to arbitration. At that meeting we asked for information about five specific locations and types of work.

Disappointingly, BC Hydro has not yet provided the information. For several weeks we have been trying to communicate with the employer but we are meeting resistance. While we would much prefer to resolve the issue without further expense and time we have no choice but to proceed to arbitration with the grievance before the end of the year.

This hasn’t been an easy case to build, but we’ve done it with the help of the members at BC Hydro. They know that contracting in only adds to our public utility’s financial woes. The cost of a contractor is, in average, three times higher that a unionized employee. By fighting to re-sta-bilize BC Hydro’s financial footing we are protecting our members’ jobs and the future of our crown corporation.

left Photo: gwenne Farrell,

vice President

right Photo: Brad Bastien,

Senior Union representative


your benefit Plan: don’t abuse it, do use itbenefits

For us, we know having strong benefits coverage im-proves your quality of life, takes strain off you and your family, and can speed recovery and prevent

sickness, which also benefits your workplace. For them, paying or supplementing your benefits can be one of the costliest parts of the agreement.

Unfortunately, what this means is that benefits are more and more often coming under attack during bargaining. Your benefits come from part of a pool of money allocated by your employer to you and your co-

workers. You should absolutely use your benefits when they’re needed – that’s your right won through collec-tive bargaining. But if people at your site excessively use benefits that aren’t needed, it makes it harder to protect the pool for everyone. Overusing benefits also runs into the danger of a worker hitting the lifetime maximum, after which all claims will be denied.

Luckily, there are simple things you can do to make sure you’re using your benefits effectively while ensur-ing longer-lasting, more comprehensive coverage.

1 access your benefits informa-tion online. Most of the major benefit providers offer services for you to monitor your benefits online. This lets you see how much you’ve used and what’s left. Some services also have health tools you can use to mon-itor exercise, diet, etc.

2 Make sure you’re registered for fair Pharmacare. Many plans are start-ing to require that enrollees are registered for the B.C. government program Fair Pharmacare. If your prescription is partially covered by Pharmacare, it saves your benefit plan money and prevents you from maxing out your coverage.

3 if you’re travelling outside Can-ada, get travel insurance. If you require medical attention outside Canada the bills can be astronom-ical. A short hospital stay in the United States can eat through your entire lifetime maximum benefit. If you get travel insurance, that cov-erage can be accessed first. You can find affordable travel cover-

age through BCAA, and some ex-tended health providers like Blue Cross provide discounted travel insurance if you’re already insured through them.

4 if you need a special author-ity drug, get your doctor to ap-ply for provincial coverage. A special authority drug is one that your doctor prescribes that is necessary for you not usu-ally covered by Fair Pharmacare. However, your doctor can fill out a form to send to Pharmacare to request special authority cover-age. If they are successful, it will help prevent using up your ben-efits allowance.

5 ask your doctor about generic drugs. When you get prescribed a new medication, check with your doctor to see if there’s a generic or older version that might have better Pharmacare coverage.

6 use your employee family as-sistance Program for counsel-ing first. Many plans only cover a few counseling appointments

per year from a Registered Clini-cal Counsellor or Psychologist. If you have access to an Employ-ee Family Assistance Program through work, you can usually get at least a few appointments for free before having to dip into your benefits.

7 ask about dispensing fees when you submit the prescription.

8 finally, read up on your plan. Whether you get the information on your plan online or in booklet format, do read through it. Many plans have benefits you might not have considered that can never-theless be very helpful in specific situations. For example, some plans provide what’s known as a “Disease Management Support Program”, which funds support groups, education, and specific plans for people who have just been diagnosed with certain long-term, chronic, or terminal illnesses. Other plans will fund you to seek a second opinion if you are diag-nosed with a serious condition.

if you know

your plan inside

and out, you’ll

have access to

what you need

when you need

it and help your

coworkers and

union protect

the plan for

years to come.

KNOW

YOuR

PlAN

Benefit plans

are one of

the most

important

things that

both the union

and employers

look at when

bargaining.


Walking the Line at iCbC iCbC

Late April 2012, the ICBC membership gave its bar-gaining committee an 87 per cent strike vote – the highest ICBC’s history. Throughout the spring and

summer we took targeted job action to place pressure on ICBC and the provincial government to negotiate a fair and reasonable agreement with our members. The Job Action Committee placed a ban on overtime, em-ployee performance reviews and training, and meetings related to the Transformation Program.

In addition, we started the We Work. You Drive. We Both Deserve Better e-mail, button and leafleting cam-paign to highlight the fact ICBC has given significant raises to its executives and business partners, while let-ting COPE 378 members fall further behind. Our cam-paign also pointed out the province is taking $1.74 bil-lion from ICBC despite drivers not having received any significant reductions in their insurance premiums over the last five years. Our goal was to place maximum pres-sure on ICBC and the province while leaving B.C. drivers out of our dispute. Unfortunately, towards the end of August it became clear despite our best efforts, ICBC was unable or unwilling to negotiate a fair solution.

On September 5, for the first time in 32 years, COPE 378 members at ICBC walked off the job. That day, almost 800 members walked out at two of our largest offices, 910 Government Street in Victoria and Guildford Corporate Centre in Surrey. There were also walkouts at locations where COPE 378 members work alongside members of the BC Government Employ-ees Union and the Professional Employees Associa-tion. Close to 30,000 people took part in the one day walkout in protest of the BC Liberal government’s un-reasonable treatment of public sector workers. I was on the picket line for thirteen hours that day and the mood among our members was incredible. They were upbeat and stoical, buoyed by the support of honking cars and the kindness of local businesses that dropped off dough-nuts and coffee. In terms of raising awareness about our dispute it was an incredibly successful day.

But the September 5 strike didn’t translate into im-

mediate bar-gaining table progress. ICBC continued to delay the pro-cess and dodge bargaining dates. It became necessary to escalate ac-tion. On September 18, we took approximately 1,600 members off the job in 55 claims locations. When I met members on the picket line I was encouraged by their continued support. I had several good, detailed conver-sations about our efforts to get a fair contract. We did well with the media too; many of our members outside of the lower mainland spoke with reporters and did a spectacular job.

We met with the employer to bargain later in Sep-tember. For the first time they acknowledged workload as an issue but their solution, quite frankly, wasn’t one that would work, or one we could accept. On Octo-ber 3, over 1,300 members at the North Vancouver Head Office, various Driver License Offices and other select locations walked off the job.

Bargaining dates are scheduled in the third week of October and, as of press time for Local Voice, we are trying to get dates for the week of October 16.

On behalf of the bargaining committee, I want to thank the members at ICBC for their strong support over the last month on the picket line. Standing up for fairness can be difficult but we be-lieve the escalated action is necessary to get you a contract that recognizes your efforts in making ICBC one of the most successful insurance companies in Canada.

by Jeff giLLies, ViCe President

left Photo: Job Steward tracy Diver and vice President Jeff gillies

Middle Photo: Picketers at Head Office

Picketers at

5th and Cambie

Claims Centre

President David

Black speaking

with CBC news

On September 5, for the first time in 32 years, COPE 378 members

at iCBC walked off the job.


Nominations are open for the 2013 Ardell Brophy award. This annual award is presented to COPE 378 stewards who demonstrate fierce dedication and commitment to their union, and who provide mentorship to new union activists.

Ardell Brophy donates her talents as a standup comedian to raise money for count-less causes and has mentored many up-and-coming female comics. She served COPE 378 first as an Executive Board member before becoming a Union Representative for over 18 years. Ardell lives with pulmonary fibrosis.

The COPE 378 Council created the award in Ardell’s honour in 2010. The past recipients of the award are Lori Watt (2011) and Stephen Von Sychowski (2012).

This award will be presented to the applicant with an outstanding record of union activism, and one who has mentored new activists.

The award will be presented at the Job Stew-ard Seminar in Spring 2013.

no

min

een

om

inat

or

Det

ails

Deadline to receive

nominations:

dec.7

I am nominating: q Myself q Someone Else

Nominee Name:

Nominee Bargaining Unit:

Length of time with COPE 378:

Briefly describe the nominee’s union activism:

Briefly describe the nominee’s mentoring activities:

Nominator Name:

Nominator Phone:

Nominator Email:

Official award Entry Form

to submit nominations: DEADLINE: deCeMber 7, 2012 5:00PM

By mail COPe 378 2nd floor

4595 Canada Way, burnaby, b.C.

V5g 1J9

By fax 604-299-8211

By email scan and send attachment to [email protected]

2013 ardell brophy award

Please send your

completed form to the

union office by mail, fax,

or email.

Official award

Entry Form


LOWCarbOn

WOrkgreen Jobs Conference

On September 21 and 22, COPE 378 staff and elected representatives attended the third an-nual Green Jobs BC Conference hosted by the

Columbia Institute.The conference brought over 200 British Columbians

from across the labour and environmental movements together with business leaders, First Nations, community groups and government representatives, all interested in building a strong green economy. Through a combina-tion of panel discussions, educational seminars, and ple-nary speakers, the participants learned about B.C.’s bur-geoning green jobs sector and the pressing need to grow high-value jobs protected or created by policy measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

On Friday, September 21 delegates attended case studies which ranged from a green delivery service or-ganized as a workers co-operative, to the City of Nel-son’s Ecosave program, which subsidizes energy effi-cient retrofits and adds the cost to the hydro bill. The case studies were both practical how-to guides and inspiring examples of low-carbon work.

The keynote presentation on the Friday night fea-tured Anabella Rosemberg, the Policy Officer on En-vironment and Occupational Health and Safety of the International Trade Union Confederation. Rosemburg spoke about the danger inherent in the idea that we can progress on social issues now and leave the pro-tection of the environment for the future. Green jobs, she said, provide a positive solution to both problems. When asked what she thought the labour movement could teach the environmental movement, as the two work together for the regulation and policies needed to support green jobs, Rosemberg said, “We’re (labour) not afraid to lose. Sometimes we lose more than we win. But we always get back up again to push our ideas for-ward and that is how we make change.”

On Saturday morning COPE 378 President David Black spoke on a panel with Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives economist Marc Lee and Tides Foundation Director Merran Smith, discussing energy, conservation and green jobs in B.C. “The research makes it clear that, in B.C., programs that encourage energy conservation and efficiency are not only needed, but they will employ the most people,” said Black during the panel presenta-tion. “We have a unique public hydro system that caused environmental damage when it was first built. We must caretake and manage the demands on this resource as much as we are able.” The panel set the stage for policy discussions which were reported back to the conference later in the day. During the report back it was clear there was a strong desire from all attending to get BC Hydro back into the driver’s seat of a clean energy and conservation strategy for the province.

The last sessions were workshops including ideas on collective agree-ment language for green initiatives, broad campaign and movement build-ing (a need identified by several people at the confer-ence to create the public will necessary in order to en-act any of the policy ideas discussed), and greening the construction trades.

Not all of the conversations at the conference were easy. Despite most delegates and presenters recogniz-ing BC Hydro’s advantages, some misconceptions per-sist about private power’s benefits—or lack thereof—to B.C’s energy system. However, hard conversations are necessary and the Green Jobs Conference provided a helpful space for dialogue and co-operative work.

left to right:

David Black,

Merran Smith,

Marc lee

September 21 and 22

third annual green

Jobs conference

“the research makes it clear that, in B.C., programs that

encourage energy conservation and efficiency are not only

needed, but will they will employ the most people.” – David Black

anabella

rosemberg,

Policy Officer on

Environment and

Occupational

Health and Safety

of the international

trade Union

Confederation


bargaining unit briefs: faLL 2012 editiOnbargaining unit briefs

by CarOL MCLuskie and kiM sMith

More info at cope378.ca

aMs seCurity This is a newly organized bargaining unit. The parties have been in bargaining for ap-proximately one year and are in the process of getting the first contract settled. They returned to the bargaining table in late September at which time they discussed mon-etary items. Both parties hope to have an agreement soon or the members at this unit will be on strike.The bargaining committee consists of Daniel Wood, Walid Abed El Hadi and Senior Union Representative Brad Bastien.

aVisThe collective agreement will expire May 31, 2012. Ratification meetings were held late July/early August at which time the members at this bargaining unit voted in favour of ratifying their collective agreement for a term of three years. Some of the highlights include three per cent wage increase in each year, a $15.00 per month cleaning allow-ance for employees required to wash uniforms, $75.00 reimbursed every 24 months to members requiring an eye exam, language regarding electronic surveillance in the workplace and job descriptions included in the collective agreement. The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

bCaa ersThe bargaining committee continues to meet with the employer. Progress is being made on the important issues identified by the members at this unit.The bargaining committee consists of Justyna Edwards, Garry Payne and Union Rep-resentative Pat Junnila.

bCaa sCBargaining is ongoing. Progress has been made on a number of issues identified by the members.The bargaining committee consists of Paul Bachin, Maureen Skibo and Union Repre-sentative Pat Junnila.

bCgeuThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2012. Members at the BCGEU have voted in favour of accepting the Memorandum of Agreement presented by the bargain-ing committee. Once the new collective agreement is signed, it will be posted to www.cope378.ca.The bargaining committee consists of Sherry Baker, Karon Hardy, Lorrie Burnell and Union Representative Bonnie Merriman.

bC federatiOn Of LabOurThe collective agreement for this unit expired on April 30, 2012. The parties have met and have exchanged proposals. Non-monetary items have been discussed. Dates are set for late September and early October to continue bargaining.The bargaining committee consists of Susan Orr, Ingrid Ericson and Union Representa-tive Kevin Smyth.

bCfMWuThe bargaining committee has met and drafted proposals based on the results of the survey. The parties have scheduled dates to meet in late September.The bargaining committee consists of Jenny Rouse, Job Steward Vicki Barta and Union Representative Kevin Smyth.

bC hydrOThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2012. The parties met on May 24, at which time the employer did not provide detailed proposals. The union temporarily sus-pended bargaining until the employer provides detailed proposals. The employer’s chief spokesperson has changed and, as of press time for the Local Voice, we are currently waiting dates for dates from BC Hydro to return to the bargaining table.The bargaining committee consists of Bojan Bucic, Andrea Foster, Calvin Jonas, Rysa Kronebusch, Sharon Thomas, COPE 378 Vice President Gwenne Farrell and Senior Union Representative Brad Bastien.

beaCh PLaCe Ventures (bLaCktOP taxi)The collective agreement expired June 30, 2011. The new collective agreement has been ratified and we are currently proofreading the new agreement. Retroactive pay for 2011 has been paid. The bargaining committee consists of Sean Behjatnejad, Laurie Farbatuk and Union Representative Dave Park.

berLitzThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. The committee is hoping to set bargaining dates for early this fall to exchange proposals with the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Jennifer Williams, Collin Patterson and Union Representative Sarah Melsness.

bOnny’s taxiThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. The company has no proposals so the union met with their committee to present the union’s proposals. We are arranging dates in November and December to continue bargaining. The bargaining committee consists of Cyndi Nilssen-Frigstad and Union Representative Dave Park.

CaPiLanO uniVersityNotice to commence bargaining has been sent to the employer and the parties met in late September to exchange initial proposals. The bargaining committee consists of Clay Little, Brenda Rovner, Darin Feist, Brenda Myers, and Union Representative Sarah Melsness.

COast MOuntain bus COThe collective agreement for the COPE 378 members at Coast Mountain Bus Co. ex-pired on March 31, 2011. The parties have set dates for mid-October to deal with re-maining housekeeping items, non-monetary items.The bargaining committee consists of Stephen Von Sychowski, Ray Manning, Ron Wil-liams, Doug Fergus and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

COraL Cabs The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2011. Bargaining proposals will be presented to the employer in November. The bargaining committee consists of Ernie Baliss and Union Representative Dave Park.

da tOWnLey & assOCiatesThe collective agreement for this unit expired on December 31, 2010. The parties have held many rounds of bargaining and have reached an impasse. They are currently scheduling dates with the Labour Relations Board for mediation.The bargaining committee consists of Colleen Finn, Lina Johal and Union Representa-tive Glen MacInnes.

dOLLar thriftyThe collective agreement for the members at this unit expires on December 31, 2012. Notice to commence collective bargaining has been sent to the employer.The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

fOrtisbCThe union has exchanged a proposed Memorandum of Agreement back and forth with the employer for a short term extension of the collective agreement. In August, the par-ties started monetary discussions shortly after which the union broke off negotiations. The union conducted a strike vote on September 11 and 12. The votes were counted on September 21 and the members voted 88 per cent in favour of strike action. The union expects to return to the bargaining table on October 2, 3 and 4.The bargaining committee consists of Kari Campbell, Richard Gaylard, Kate Koczor, Rick Meakes and Union Representative Kevin Smyth.

fOrtis energy inC.The parties are scheduled to meet in late September. The company has hired a consul-tant to act as their spokesperson.The bargaining committee consists of Tim Bouzovetsky, Darlene Freeman, Norm Stick-elmann and Senior Union Representative Brad Bastien.

iCbCThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2010. As of press time for Local Voice the job actions continue with a ban on overtime, prohibition against participation in Employee Performance Management Reviews (EPM) and training, wearing strike sup-port buttons, conducting selective informational leafleting at various work locations, and targeted one-day strike action. The first day of action was on September 5 when members at ICBC locations sharing a common site with BC Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU) and Professional Employee Association (PEA) members. The second day was on September 18, when ICBC members at Claims Centres across the province went out on strike. As of press time for Local Voice ICBC has not moved on the issues important to the members including workload, wages, job security and ben-efits. Further job action may be required to conclude a collective agreement. Bargaining dates were held September 20 and 21. The bargaining committee consists of Yasmin Carroll, Karin Cirez, Mike Ferguson, Joyce Galuska, Trevor Hansen, COPE 378 Vice President Jeff Gillies and Senior Union Repre-sentative Jaime Zygmunt.

kekinOW natiVe hOusing sOCietyThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2010. The letter to commence bargain-ing has been sent to the employer and the bargaining survey has now been sent to our members and is presently being tabulated. A meeting with the job steward has been ar-ranged to review the bargaining survey tabulation and to compile the union’s proposals. We expect that we will be commencing the Kekinow negotiations shortly. The bargaining committee consists of Terry Frank and Union Representative Scott Watson.


bargaining unit briefs

kOniCa MinOLtaThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2012. The letter to commence bargaining has been sent to the employer. The bargaining survey has also been issued to our mem-bers and is presently being tabulated. Konica Minolta will not be conducting the bargaining with their local management, as in the past, but will now be utilizing their Labour Relations management from Toronto to do their bargaining. Presently some of Konica Minolta’s op-erations in B.C. are non-union and we are also working to address this situation. The bargaining committee consists of Dal Dosanjh, Clinton Neal and Scott Watson, Union Representative Jackie Brown.

LadysMith and distriCt Credit uniOnThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2012. Negotiations began September 12, 2012 and continued for two days. A membership survey has been completed and bar-gaining proposals based upon the survey results have been prepared by the bargaining committee for presentation to the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Shelly Ricketts, Shelley Jones and Union Repre-sentative Jack Gerow.

Lu’Ma natiVe hOusing sOCietyThe collective agreement expired on December 31, 2011. We are about to begin collec-tive bargaining with Lu’Ma. The union’s proposals are in the final stages of preparation for presentation to the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Doreen Mayer, Lorrie Sandell and Union Repre-sentative Scott Watson.

sChneider eLeCtriCThe collective agreement for the members at this bargaining unit expired on March 31, 2012. The bargaining committee met with the employer in mid-September to exchange proposals. The bargaining committee consists of Rupi Ahluwalia, Richard Por, Graham Frith and Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

seasPan Marine COrPOratiOnThe collective agreement expired on February 28, 2011. The union’s committee pre-sented the employer with an offer to resolve all outstanding proposals, including term and wage increases, which was rejected. The employer is still proposing assignment of some bargaining unit work to non-bargaining unit personnel, and is refusing to offer the same wage settlement agreed to with the Trades Unions. A strike vote conducted on August 28, 2012 resulted in 100 per cent of members voting in favour of strike. An application for Request for Conciliation Assistance was submitted by the union to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The bargaining committee consists of Dale Gibson and Union Representative Jack-ie Brown.

seiu The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2010. The proposals were signed and returned by the employer. The ratification vote has failed. Correspondence has been sent to the employer with a request to return to the bargaining table. Revamped proposals have been forwarded to the employer for review. We would like to sign off in the near future, and feel there will be a positive reception from the members. The bargaining committee consists of Cathy Conley and Union Representative Bonnie Merriman.

teLetheatre bCSurveys have been sent out to the members at TBC and responses will be tallied in Octo-ber. The union will be serving notice to commence bargaining at the beginning of October.As of press time for Local Voice a bargaining committee has not yet been struck. The spokesperson for bargaining is Union Representative Karen Rockwell.

teaMsters 31The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. The parties are seeking dates to commence bargaining.The bargaining committee consists of Stephanie Pike and Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

teaMsters 213The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. The parties met to exchange pro-posals on October 2 and 3, 2012.The bargaining committee consists of Sheila Hogan, Jenny Herb and Union Represen-tative Glen MacInnes.

teaMsters 213 MeMbers benefit PLanThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. The parties are scheduled to meet to exchange proposals on November 5, 2012.The bargaining committee consists of Dianne Cecchin, Carol Cumming and Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

thunderbird Winter sPOrtsThe committee anticipates bargaining dates will be set for November.The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Sarah Melsness.

transit POLiCeA survey was sent and two focus groups have been held. The bargaining committee will meet to go over proposals and draft proposals.The bargaining committee consists of Ian Whittington, Rob Gladwin, Dan Dickhout, Renata Clements and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

transLinkThe members were surveyed for their input and the bargaining committee is currently preparing proposals from the survey results. The parties have yet to schedule dates to meet and exchange proposals.The bargaining committee consists of Pat Keeping, Safar Alakani and Union Represen-tative Kevin Payne.

tree isLandThe collective agreement expired on September 30, 2012. The members were surveyed and proposals for bargaining were drafted in early October.As of press time for Local Voice a bargaining committee has not yet been struck. The spokesperson for bargaining is Union Representative Kevin.

tWuThe collective agreement expired on July 31, 2011. The bargaining committee met and finalized proposals. Dates have yet to be scheduled to meet with the employer.The bargaining committee consists of Linda Lund, Bill Nielsen and Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

VanCOuVer taxi (adba CentraL taxi disPatCh)The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. The bargaining committee met to review the member’s surveys and is preparing the union’s proposals for a new collective agreement. Dave Park will be gone at the end of August but has agreed to return in November and December to continue negotiations. The company has no proposals so we have provided them with the union proposals to review until November. The bargaining committee consists of Bernie Stroh and Union Representative Dave Park.

VantageOne Credit uniOn The collective agreement expires on November 30, 2012. Bargaining is set for Octo-ber 9, for three days. A membership survey has been prepared and issued. Bargaining proposals based upon the survey will be prepared by the bargaining committee for presentation to the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Debbie Mihalcea, Jocelyn Jenkins, Darlene Jae-ger and Union Representative Jack Gerow.

WestMinster saVings Credit uniOnThe collective agreement expires December 31, 2012. Negotiations have not been scheduled to commence. A membership survey will be prepared and issued to the membership. Bargaining proposals based upon the survey results will be prepared by the bargaining committee for presentation to the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Rosie Tzortzatos, Shannon McRae and Union Representative Jack Gerow.

yeLLOW PagesThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2012. Negotiations began on August 15. The employer tabled a demand to extend the collective agreement for twelve months without any changes. A membership survey has been completed. Bargaining proposals based upon the survey results will be prepared by the bargaining committee for pre-sentation to the employer.The bargaining committee consists of Traian Moldovan, Tim Nemeth, Patrick Evange-lista, Ken Simms and Union Representative Jack Gerow.

is PubLished by

Phone: 604-299-0378fax: 604-299-8211e-mail: [email protected] 1918-9753 COPe Local 378 Voice

COPe 378: President david black Secretary-Treasurer Lori Mayhew

LOCaL VOiCe editor: sage aaron usW 2009designed by: dansk design groupdanskdesigngroup.comPrinted at: Mitchell Press, burnaby, b.C.

Canadian Office and Professional employees union, Local 378,2nd floor, 4595 Canada Way, burnaby, b.C. V5g 1J9POstaL agreeMent #41267023


visiting an

old Canadian

Pacific railway

tunnel built

around 1885;

and an

abandoned

Chinese

mining

site; and an

aboriginal

experience.

reconciliation tour bridges Past and PresentsOCiaLJustiCe

by Jarrah hOdge, JOyCe gaLuska and MiCheLLe yu

At the crack of dawn on Saturday, September 8, COPE 378 members Joyce Galuska and Michelle Yu met up with the rest of the participants in the

Canadians for Reconciliation bus tour. Simultaneously sleepy and excited, the group boarded the bus bound for Chinese and Aboriginal historical sites around the Fraser Canyon.

Leading the tour was Canadians for Reconciliation founder Bill Chu, who started the group and the tour in order to raise awareness of the important contributions early Chinese-Canadians and Aboriginal people made to British Columbia. The group works with all levels of government, community groups, unions, and First Na-tions in a process of reconciliation and dialogue so we can better understand our past and move forward to-ward a more equal future.

One of the first locations the group visited was an old Canadian Pacific Railway tunnel, built around 1885 by Chinese labourers. Clambering over the big rocks, Chu explained the tunnel was abandoned because of the number of Chinese workers who were killed during the blasting.

“The Caucasians would bet on wheth-er the worker would make it out alive be-cause the explosives were so unstable,” said COPE 378 Executive Board Member Joyce Galuska, who attended the tour.

“This was such common knowledge that it led to the phrase: ‘Not a Chinaman’s chance’ to refer to something very unlikely,” Galuska continued. “It really brings it home to stand there and think about that history.”

The next stop was Seabird Island, or Sq’ewqelawt, where they met up with ar-chaeologist Jay Hope, who gave a talk on the seven different cultures that influenced the island.

After that, the group got on the bus again, heading toward Lytton and a nearby abandoned Chinese min-ing site.

“These gold mines were huge and there was just so much rich history there. There were literally thou-sands of Chinese workers laboring there, piling stones by hand, sifting dirt to find the gold,” said Galuska.

The bus then wound its way along steep and nar-row roads toward Lillooet, where the group stopped at a Chinese cemetery. The local First Nation had erected a fence around the cemetery to preserve the dignity of the graves by protecting them from vandalism by local whites, which happened at Chinese and Japanese cem-eteries around B.C. in the 1890s and early 1900s.

The Lillooet band provided breakfast and lunch for the tour members on the Sunday and the location of their hall near the river provided the perfect opportunity to learn about the role Aboriginal people and Chinese-Canadians played in the provincial fishery.

Back at the Julianne Hall after exploring more Ab-original historic sites, the group was blessed with a dance, drumming and singing. To continue the truly cross-cultural exchange, a tour member gave a Tai Chi presentation and taught some basic moves to those in attendance.

On the way home the group stopped at the less-prosperous Mt. Currie Reserve, where the group made donations to the on-reserve food bank. The stop was meant to show that many Aboriginal people still strug-gle with poverty as a legacy of colonialism.

Michelle Yu, a job steward at Capilano University who attended on behalf of the Multicultural Commit-tee summed it up: “This was a great opportunity to in-vestigate some interesting sites. Bill Chu and the other experts gave us lots of information on the history and more recent research around early Chinese immigrants to B.C. as well as First Nations.”

“...the group was blessed with a dance, drumming and singing.”


COPe 378 members work at the following properties

accenture business servicesUnion Reps: Barry Hodson, Pat Junnila, Sarah Melsness, Karen Rockwell

alma Mater societyUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

avis CarUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

bCaa sC & ersUnion Rep: Pat Junnila

bC Computerized dispatch (yellow Cab)Union Rep: Jackie Brown

bC federation of LabourUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

bC ferry & Marine Workers unionUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

bCgeuUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

bC hydro (including. Powertech Construction. services)Union Reps: Barry Hodson, Pat Junnila, Barbara Junker, Glen MacInnes, Sarah Melsness

bC nurses’ union Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

bC transitUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

beach Place VenturesUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

berlitz CanadaUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

bonny’s taxiUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

burvic holdingsUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Canadian freightways Ltd.Union Rep: Kevin Payne

Canadian northern shield/rsaUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Capilano universityUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Carpenters Local 1928Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Catalyst PaperUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

CiatuUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Coast Mountain busUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Coastal Community Credit unionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Coastal Community insuranceUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

College of Pharmacists of bCUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

College of registered nursesUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Columbia hydroUnion Rep: Brad Bastien

Columbia Valley Credit unionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Community savings Credit unionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Coral Cabs (richmond taxi)Union Rep: Jackie Brown

CuPe 3338Union Rep: Barbara Junker




CuPe bC & LocalsUnion Rep: Barbara Junker

da townley & associatesUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

dollar thriftyUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

ecoJusticeUnion Rep: Carrol Edwards

electrical industry training instituteUnion Rep: Brian Nelson

enterprise rent-a-CarUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

fortisbC energy inc.Union Rep: Kevin Smyth

fortisbC inc.Union Rep: Kevin Smyth

greyhoundUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

gulf & fraser fishermen’s Credit unionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

handy PackUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

hastings entertainment inc.Union Rep: Karen Rockwell

hertzUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

iCbCUnion Reps: Carrol Edwards, Vic Foth, Brian Nelson, Kelly Quinn

island savings Credit union and insuranceUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

zylem (formerly itt flygt)Union Rep: Barry Hodson

iWa forest industry PPUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

kekinow native housing societyUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

kelowna Cabs Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

konica MinoltaUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

kruger Products (scott Paper)Union Rep: Karen Rockwell

Ladysmith & district CuUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Lake City CasinosUnion Rep: Karen Rockwell

Lu’Ma native housing societyUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

MacLure’s Cabs Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

Marine Workers & boilermakersUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Master trade OfficeUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

new democratic PartyUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Open solutionsUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Pacific Vehicle testingUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

schneiderUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

seaspan international Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

seiu 244Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

southern railwayUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

teamsters Local 31Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

teamsters Local 155Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

teamsters Local 213 & 213 Member benefit PlanUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

telecommunications Workers union (tWu)Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

telecommunications Workers Pension PlanUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

teletheatre bCUnion Rep: Karen Rockwell

trade union research bureauUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

transLinkUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

tree islandUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

united fishermen & allied Worker unionUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Vancouver shipyards Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

Vancouver taxi Ltd. (Central taxi dispatch)Union Rep: Jackie Brown

VantageOne Credit unionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Victoria shipyards Ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

Victoria trade unionUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Westminster savings Credit unionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Working enterprisesUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

yellow PagesUnion Rep: Jack Gerow


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