Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Updated @ 2PM: A vote has taken place and the new collective agreement has been ratified.

Limousine company ends strike at Vancouver Airport

Mar, 31 2006 – 8:30 AM – VANCOVUER/CKNW(AM980) – Drivers for the exclusive limousine provider at the Vancouver Airport are no longer on strike.

A picket line that went up yesterday outside the shell road head office of Limo Jet Gold has been taken down because a tentative deal has been reached.

The 30 drivers are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada and Union rep Patti Ducharme says the agreement could be quickly approved. “I expect the agreement will be ratified if not today, some time tomorrow,” said Ducharme.

The limousine service is owned by Herb Dhaliwal, a former Liberal MP and Cabinet Minister.

source: cknw.com

(Vancouver) A major study released today finds that BC’s welfare system is systematically discouraging, delaying and denying assistance to many of the people most in need of help, with harmful consequences for some of the province’s most vulnerable residents.

Denied Assistance: Closing the Front Door on Welfare in BC examines why the number of people receiving welfare has plummeted in the wake of changes to eligibility rules and the application system, and looks at what is happening to people who seek and are denied welfare. It is the first in-depth assessment of the new application system, drawing on data obtained through Freedom of Information requests and extensive interviews with people who have applied for welfare, front-line community advocates and Ministry workers.

“The provincial government says its policies are a success. It claims that more people are leaving welfare for work, and that the new application system is ‘diverting’ people to employment,” says Bruce Wallace, Researcher with the Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group (VIPIRG), which undertook the study with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). “This is true for some people. But our research found that many others are being ‘diverted’ to homelessness, charities, survival sex and other forms of hardship.”

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Update @ 2PM: Unionized FedEx workers refused to make deliveries to the entire complex where LimoJet’s main office is located. Picketing continues as talks have resumed on both sides. Here are some photos from the picket line.

Picket lines went up at 8:30 a.m. this morning in front of the Limojet offices on Shell Road in Richmond. When Principal Herb Dhaliwal decided to leave the Limojet offices, PSAC Members blocked Herb’s exit using Limousines and their bodies. Despite his best efforts, Herb was unable to leave the parking lot. A few minutes later after parking his car Herb was seen leaving the area on foot and was picked up moments later on Shell Road.

Picket at Vancouver Airport not expected to disrupt services

Mar, 30 2006 – 8:10 AM – VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980) – A picket line at Vancouver’s International Airport is not expected to disrupt services this morning, unless you’re planning to take a limousine.

Contract talks between Limo Jet Gold and its unionized drivers have broken off, so the 30-members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada have walked off the job.

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When the city adopted its ethical purchasing policy in February last year, staff estimated that it could add $150,000 to the city’s budget and cost the parks board $185,000. A report Tuesday updating council on the progress of the policy says the costs have been negligible. In one notable instance-the cost of city uniforms-ethical purchasing resulted in a $14,000 saving, thanks to a consolidation of suppliers and a standardization of products. This is not the case in all areas. The introduction of fair trade coffee at the Carnegie Centre and the Gathering Place has tagged $11,000 on to their budgets.

The ethical purchasing policy governs the products city staff buy. Because of industry trends, availability and the nature of civic government, it applies mostly to uniforms and foodstuffs. When most of us hear the term “fair trade,” we think coffee. But the term, which designates that the farmer, producer or supplier has received fair compensation, employs environmental practices, and supports improved social services and investment in local economic infrastructure, also applies to the chocolate, sugar and bananas the city uses.

Read more about the COV’s ethical purchasing policy at the Vancouver Courier’s website.

For Immediate Release: VANCOUVER – Picket lines could be up at Vancouver International Airport Thursday morning at 8:00 am as members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) will be in a legal strike position against their employer Limo Jet Gold Express Ltd.

The PSAC represents drivers at Limo Jet, the exclusive provider of limousine service at the Vancouver International Airport. “Management at Limo Jet, have refused to seriously deal with the issue of dispatch fees and allow its employees to make a decent living” said Patty Ducharme, PSAC’s Regional Executive Vice-President for BC.

“On average PSAC members are paying more in dispatch fees to Limojet then they earn in wages to support their families,” Ducharme added. “Instead of getting serious about bargaining Limojet ownership is threatening to close the operation and put people out of work.”

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The countdown has begun!

In a month’s time, delegates, observers, guests and staff will be gathering in Toronto during the 14^th National Triennial Convention. To find out more about the agenda and what delegates will be debating, visit the national website. The agenda, resolutions book and various committee reports have all been posted.

Stephen Harper has issued a wake-up call to Canadians. He has made clear his government will table a motion to reopen the divisive debate on equal marriage. In his own words, this will happen “sooner rather than later” after Parliament resumes sitting on April 3.

When Mr. Harper became Prime Minister, our opponents went into high gear. When he appointed Vic Toews as Justice Minister, they cheered even more.

Vote Marriage Canada (formerly Defend Marriage Canada) gave ex-MP Pat O’Brien a new permanent job as its Executive Director. A few weeks later, Focus on the Family, the Canadian branch of a powerful American religious right organization, opened an office in Ottawa under the banner of the Institute for Marriage and Family Canada. IMFC is specifically focused on convincing MPs to support their “family values” agenda, starting with turning back the clock on equal marriage.

These are just two examples of how opponents of equal marriage, backed by their powerful American friends, are preparing to unleash a multi-million dollar campaign to take away those precious rights we fought so hard to establish.

With a vote looming and our opponents mobilizing we have no choice but to act. We can’t afford to stand idly by while millions of dollars are mobilized against us. We can’t afford not to answer this wake-up call as a vote in Parliament looms.Read more at equal-marriage.ca

All PSAC health and safety activists should be proud of their achievement over the last few years. Health and safety has been propelled to the forefront of our union’s agenda. Your hard work started with our 2003 PSAC National Convention where a record number of health and safety resolutions were debated and endorsed by the delegates.

The budget was considerably increased and included full funding for 300 delegates attending this conference.

And like the Unity Conference, the Access Conference, the Pride Conference and the National Women’s Conference, the National Health and Safety Conference now also has the right to send resolutions to the next PSAC Convention.

The theme of our 6^th National Health and Safety Conference was Health and Safety: Our Jobs, Our World.

Read the full conference report at the National Capitol Region regional website.

Please visit www.vdlc.ca for links and more info.

Please note some recent additions the PSAC BC education schedule …

Visit the education page to see all the courses scheduled to date. Register for these courses online.

Via email: It was all coming together: a long-awaited national child care program, the first new social program since medicare. Less than six months ago, federal and provincial governments had signed historic agreements that signaled the beginning of a program aimed at meeting the needs of Canadian children and families.

Now, the new Conservative government has cancelled these agreements, cutting $4 billion in federal funds for child care. Without federal funding, many provincial plans to improve and expand child care will barely, if ever, get off the ground.

The dream of a community-based early learning and care program for all children, regardless of whether their parents are at home or in the workforce, has been 30 years in the making. Now, it could all evaporate.

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Gary was an honourable and courageous member of the PSAC team, he fought the fight for his members and our Union, his legacy will live on for the Firefighters of DND, as all those allowances were achieved while he was the member of the Table 2 Bargaining team. For those of us that worked with Gary, he will be long remembered and he will remain an inspiration to all Trade Unionists that knew of him.

-Garry Fraser, UNDE 21013

Mass will held at 12 noon on Friday March 24th at St. Patrick’s RC Church, 2060 Haultain in Victoria.

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The April 4 Speech from the Throne will set out the agenda of Canada’s new Conservative government. This is a crucial moment for the government to commit to more and better aid.

All leaders of opposition parties in the last Parliament (including Stephen Harper) called for a legislative mandate for aid through a new law that would commit foreign aid spending to one goal – ending poverty. So even with a minority government now in power, Members of Parliament from all parties can collaborate to Make Poverty History.

Visit www.makepovertyhistory.ca to send an email to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as well as your own Member of Parliament.

Wear your White Band on April 4! And make your voice heard!

Deregulation, privatization and trade liberalization have increased existing inequalities between and within countries, between men and women, and between women of different races and class conditions. Privatization of services is creating a two-tiered system of for-profit services for those who can afford them and under-resourced service delivery for the poor. Access based on ability to pay transfers to women the responsibility for basic services, while reducing their opportunities for employment in the public sector. Quality public services cannot be achieved on the backs of women.

The Public Service International is committed to promoting the fundamental human rights of women, including equality between men and women at the work place, in the trade unions and in the broader political, social, economic, and cultural context.

Read more at world-psi.org.

Adrian Dix, MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway invites you to attend a Community Childcare Forum:
With the cancellation of the Federal-Provincial child care agreement as of March 2007, child care in our community is in jeopardy once again. Come and express your views.

• Wednesday March 29, 2006 6:15 to 8:00 pm
• Collingwood Neighborhood House 5288 Joyce Street,Multi-purpose room
• Dinner starts at 5:30 pm, child minding available.

For more information about the Canada wide campaign to protect child care, CODE BLUE FOR CHILDCARE, please check out the following web sites www.childcareadvocacy.ca and www.cccabc.bc.ca

In addition to the CCCA’s campaign, the CLC is planning a lobbying campaign on parliament hill in May 2006 to target three priorities

• anti scab legislation
• child care agreements
• healthcare privatization

This information was presented at last nights New Westminster District Labour Council meeting.

The BCGEU Aboriginal Council is supporting this important initiative by distributing “Stop Violence Against Aboriginal Women” buttons, and gathering donations to support the walk.

Highway 16 from Prince Rupert to Prince George has been dubbed the “highway of tears” because of the heartbreak associated with the many cases of young women who have vanished or whose bodies have been found along the road. Most of the women have been Aboriginal.

The walk begins in Prince Rupert on Saturday, March 11, with the first steps taken by Florence Naziel, and other supporters. Florence is a 56-yearold grandmother from the Frog Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. Her cousin’s daughter went missing along Highway 16. Florence is challenging herself to walk 20–30 kilometers a day and she invites anyone who wants to support her in her mission to honor the families of the missing or murdered women.

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PSAC Southern Vancouver Island Area Council meeting minutes, March 21, 2006 – Regular General Meeting, PSAC Victoria Regional Office

Members Present:

• Graeme Goodmanson UEW 20169
• Mandi Schubert NH&WU 20017
• Peter Neelands NRU 20088
• Jack Gale GSU 20001
• Cindy Little UTE 20028
• Gil Hodges UNDE 21013
• Wayne Little UTE 20028
• Louise Richard NAT 20088
• Beverley Johnson NH&WU 20017
• Heather Brooker National Component
• Todd Genereux UNDE 21011

• Rosemary Mackenzie RO/Admin.
• Dave Jackson Regional Rep

Download the March 21st SVI Area Council meeting minutes (pdf), or read below.

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Important changes to the PSHCP!

This issue of the bulletin outlines important changes to the PSHCP that take effect April 1, 2006. These changes to the plan are the result of a two year collaborative effort between the Treasury Board Secretariat, Bargaining Agents and the Federal Superannuates National Association under the auspices of the National Joint Council.

The changes include

• the introduction of some brand new benefits,
• a number of upgrades,
• some changes to plan provisions to increase flexibility, and
• new contribution rates for pensioners.

Contents of the bulletin include

• Introducing new benefits
• Introducing benefit upgrades
• Introducing changes to plan provisions
• A few words on Pay Direct Drug Cards (PDDC)
• Questions and Answers

A copy will be mailed to all members covered by the plan, it is also available for download here .

March 21, 1960 – there must have been excitement and fear that day as the residents of Sharpeville, South Africa gathered to peacefully protest the Apartheid “pass laws.” Imagine the courage each of the equity warriors demonstrated as they peacefully stood together against those that were familiar with using brutal violence to enforce racial injustice. Students and neighbours came together in a common commitment to seek change, to pursue equity, and to demand the elimination of racism within a country that had legitimized inequality.

It must have been an exhilarating dream.

Forty-six years ago, they stood together for this dream. Today, we remember their bravery. That day, sixty-nine black demonstrators were killed and 180 wounded by armed South African police, in what history records as the Sharpeville Massacre.

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The PSAC Scholarship Program is offering the following 15 scholarships to PSAC members and their children:

• one $4,000 Groulx-PSAC National scholarship;
• one $4,000 Coughlin-PSAC National scholarship;
• two $3,000 Groulx-PSAC National scholarships;
• two $3,000 Coughlin-PSAC National scholarships;
• the J.R. (Joe) Power $2,000 Scholarship;
• one $1,000 PSAC National Scholarship;
• one $1,000 scholarship for each region ( Atlantic , Quebec , National Capital Region, Ontario , Prairies, British Columbia and the North).

Awarding of the scholarships is based on an 800-word essay, scholastic achievement, and community and union involvement. The subject of the essay is determined in January of each year. Three out of the eight $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to PSAC members (if applications are received) who are returning to university, college or an institute of higher learning on a full-time basis.

Visit the national website for more information. Note the deadline to apply is July 31st, 2006.