Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Here is the upcoming education and meeting schedule for June …

For the full schedules, visit the education page or the calendar pages. Apply online for these courses.

Descendants of passengers on ill-fated ship call on Ottawa

VANCOUVER - Descendants of passengers aboard the ill-fated Komagata Maru want to open discussions with the federal government about a formal apology and possible compensation over Canada’s racist immigration laws early this century.

Three grandsons and a great-grandson of some of those aboard the infamous ship that tried to land in Vancouver in 1914 gathered in Richmond Monday to address community leaders and the media about a coordinated strategy on the issue.

Jas Toor said his grandfather was arrested as an independence leader after he was forced back to India with the other 375 on the chartered vessel.

“My grandfather and other passengers on that ship were jailed for at least two years,” Toor said. “We are looking for the help of all our politicians…. An official apology we expect from the government.”

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Ottawa - The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) welcomes into its ranks all commissionnaires working in Health Canada buildings in the National Capital Region. For PSAC, this union victory is part of an extensive recruiting campaign aimed at better defending the rights of these workers.“We had to put in a lot of hard work to unionize this group of commissionnaires” , declared PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President, Ed Cashman. “Although they are spread out geographically which makes it difficult to organize them, these workers have the same rights as all Canadians, and it is our role as a union to ensure that these rights are protected.”

During the recruiting campaign, the union ran into opposition from the employer and was confronted by attempts to intimidate the employees.

“It is totally unacceptable that, in this day and age, an employer is so fiercely opposed to organizing a group of workers,” Cashman said. “The rights to associate and have union representation are recognized everywhere in Canada, and we should not have to fight to exercise them.

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Minutes of the Vancouver Regional Women’s Committee May 25, 2006

In attendance:

• Angela Marafon
• Alethea Boire
• Stephanie Oostrander
• Patricia Ganczar
• Cheryl Oenema
• Kay Sinclair
• Deanna Wilson
• Regina Brennan

Continue reading below, or download the Vancouver RWC minutes May 25, 2006 (pdf).

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Public Service Alliance of Canada and BHP Billiton to resume negotiations for first contract at strike-bound Ekati diamond mine May 25-26 in Edmonton; PSAC picket lines will stay up until ratified agreement reached

YELLOWKNIFE, May 23 /CNW/ - The Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union representing striking Ekati diamond mine workers, and mine owner BHP Billiton have agreed to resume negotiations for a first collective agreement, with talks scheduled for May 25-26 in Edmonton.

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Minutes April 25, 2006

In Attendance:

• Bruce Clark A/C President CEIU 20947
• Darlene Stevens A/C Secretary CEIU 20947
• Christine Walker CEIU 20947
• Cindy Little SVIDAC President UTE 20028
• Dave Jackson PSAC RUO
• Gord Miller A/C Treasurer UEW 20090
• Nicole Gibson USGE 20074
• Chas Thompson light keepers 20232
• Gail Jewsbury A/C Vice Pres UEW 20090
• Elizabeth McCormick GSU 20001
• Paul Ring GSU 20001

Regrets:

• Kathy Spencer CEIU 20947
• Michael Bob CEIU 20947

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BC Human Rights Committee Minutes of May 10, 2006 meeting

In attendance:

• Vancouver RO: Tracy Shudo (chair), Sanda Turner, Rex Go, Deanna Wilson, Parveen Deepak, Monica Urrutia (PSAC staff – minutes)
• via teleconference: Floyd Knelsen, Todd Harding, Craig Langston, Carolyn McGillivray

Regrets: Sargy Chima (there were telephone difficulties), Mandi Schubert, Katie Kassam, Carol Pegura, Ravinder Kunar

Download the May 10th BC Human Rights Committee meeings minutes, or continue reading below.

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Yellowknife — By using scabs at its Ekati diamond mine and by refusing to bargain in good faith with its 400 unionized workers, BHP Billiton is showing its contempt for Canadian workers.

According to the National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) John Gordon, “if BHP Billiton wants to stay in Canada and continue to do business, it has to respect Canadian workers.”

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Via Canadians for Equal Marriage: The equal marriage issue is heating up on Parliament Hill, and we need your help.

Although we’re ahead in the vote count, equal marriage opponents are asking Mr. Harper to delay the motion to re-open the debate. They want this delay so they have more time to mobilize against us.

Stephen Harper has confirmed he’ll hold a vote on re-opening equal marriage. So the only issue is when. How long will he delay that vote? Until he thinks he has the votes to win? Until after the next election?

THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS DELAY IS TO CONTACT YOUR MP!! Do it now so they know we won’t tolerate a delay. Do it now so they know it’s not okay to pander to the religious right. Go to www.equal-marriage.ca/election.php to e-mail your MP in just a few clicks.

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PSAC National Convention report by Carol Pegura, observer, PSAC BC Human Rights Committee - May 1 to May 5, 2006

It is my pleasure, as the observer sent from the BC PSAC Human Rights Committee to have attended the 2006 National Convention of the PSAC. It was an exciting, interesting and tiring week. A week filled with caucus meetings, equity caucus meetings, lunch meetings, lunch rallies, convention work, and social get-togethers, where the talk from morning until night was all Convention.

My participation began on Sunday April 30, 2006 when I attended the PSAC BC Caucus. Members in attendance discussed what was coming up beginning the next day, which included:

• privatization policy
• student hiring
• resolution 41A (cost or no cost - depended on budget passing) (costing in process)
• Joy indicated her component was not in favour of resolution 41A and was voting against
• discussion regarding credentials committee
• decision to wear out wonderful caucus shirts on Wednesday

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Kathleen Kassam shared this information via email to the BC Human Rights Committee at their last meeting on May 10th. We are posting it for your information.

National Council of Visible Minorities

History

• Founded in 1999
• National organization of Visible Minority employees in the federal government Departments and Agencies across Canada

Vision

• To be a catalyst for the advancement of Visible Minorities in a representative in the Public Service

Mission

• The Council is the voice and face of Visible Minorities in the federal public service who wish to enter into a dialogue around decision making tables on how to build a representative federal Public Service that enhances service to the Canadian Public.

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To: all PSAC-BC self-identified youth members

At the PSAC Triennial Convention (May 1 - 5, 2006) the delegates passed a policy on student employment that includes a PSAC action plan to ensure that “Student Employment Programs provide students with opportunities and income without being exploited and without undermining the employment security of PSAC members”. This is an important outcome from the convention and I hope you take the time to review it at the national website.

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Via Labourstart.org: Nothing stays fresh forever. Not food, not news, and not online campaigns.

Online campaigns have their own typical life spans. In the first few days, they often succeed in mobilizing large numbers of people to send off messages of protest. After that, support steadily diminishes. After a few weeks, only a trickle of messages — if even that — reaches the target employer or government. This sends the wrong message, we think.

That’s why at LabourStart we tend to suspend campaigns that haven’t reached a satisfactory end after 90 days. We don’t want employers and governments to think that people have forgotten.

But this week, we’re making an exception to our rule — and we have a very special request to all of you.

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On behalf of the staff in the BC Region, I am pleased to announce that James Little is the new Regional Representative, Health and Safety.

James is a former UTE activist from Victoria. He temporarily joined the staff of the Vancouver Regional Office in September 2004 to backfill Joanna Schultz who was acting Regional Coordinator. His brother and sisters on staff and in the membership welcome him as part of the permanent PSAC workforce in BC. Jim will be replacing Jack Rudd who has transferred into the position of Regional Representative.

Please see below the reassignment of staff responsibilities.

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The 4th edition of the National Day Against Homophobia will take place on May 17th, 2006.

Its objective is to fight homophobia in the job world and in the sport. The job world is not spared from homophobia. It is an extremely difficult environment for gays and lesbians, even if some environments may be more tolerant than others. As is often the case for other forms of discrimination, the workplace needs to make it a point to offer a homophobia-free environment.

Discrimination in the workplace is the concern of all those involved, workers, unions, employees, the Minister of Labour and the Commission des normes du travail. Client-worker relations, employer-employee relations and relations between employees themselves must be through respect. Homophobia needs to be listed on anti-discrimination programmes; it should also go hand in hand with an implementation policy and include any necessary corrective measures.

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Hello,

We are pleased to invite youth to attend Camp fYrefly, which is our 3rd annual lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, and queer (LGBTQ) youth leadership retreat. Youth from across Canada will join us for four days of learning, fun, and making new friends. Camp fYrefly is an adult-facilitated and peer-led leadership camp for youth ages 14 to 24, and it is held in Edmonton, Alberta. Registration for Camp fYrefly is now open. The registration deadline is June 15, 2006.

The registration fee is $25.00, which reflects a greatly subsidized rate which we hope will allow many youth to attend the camp. Space is limited to 55 youth participants and we expect a full camp this year! Please register early!

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Preamble

A significant number of employers, including many, that count unionized PSAC members amongst their employees, routinely hire students.

The PSAC believes that employers, including the PSAC itself, have an obligation to future generations of workers, and that this obligation can be partially met by hiring students.

The PSAC is equally clear that students should be hired into carefully crafted and monitored programs that are designed to assist them in advancing their academic skills and acquiring social and workplace knowledge and skills – including an understanding of the role of Unions in workplaces and society and not into determinate and indeterminate positions. Under no circumstances should students be hired as a form of cheap labour for employers, or in any way to undermine the employment security of the employers’ regular workforce.

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - Shareholder Association for Research and Education - Director Of Law and Policy

Closing Date: June 30, 2006, Full time permanent position

SHARE
The Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE) is a national non-profit organization working with institutional investors to promote responsible investment practices. Share engages in research, educational activities, and advocacy and is governed by a board of senior Canadian labour leaders. For more information visit: www.share.ca.

POSITION
SHARE seeks a Director of Law and Policy to lead its programme on law reform, research and policy advocacy related to responsible investment and governance. The Director of Law and Policy reports to the Executive Director. The position is located in Vancouver, BC. Some travel is required.

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Defending Quality Public Services

The PSAC supports strong public services and service delivery and remains unalterably opposed to privatization of public infrastructure and public services.

Quality public services are essential in building strong economies and inclusive societies. Privatization undermines the ability of public sector workers to provide the kind of services to the public that they would like to provide. The PSAC’s People behind the Services Campaign in 2004 highlighted this commitment.

After 20 years of pro-privatization policies, neither Canada nor the world are better or fairer places to live. The gap between rich and poor has widened.

Continue reading the PSAC Defending Quality Public Services policy at the national website.

Student Employment

A significant number of employers, including many, that count unionized PSAC members amongst their employees, routinely hire students.

The PSAC believes that employers, including the PSAC itself, have an obligation to future generations of workers, and that this obligation can be partially met by hiring students.

The PSAC is equally clear that students should be hired into carefully crafted and monitored programs that are designed to assist them in advancing their academic skills and acquiring social and workplace knowledge and skills – including an understanding of the role of Unions in workplaces and society and not into determinate and indeterminate positions. Under no circumstances should students be hired as a form of cheap labour for employers, or in any way to undermine the employment security of the employers’ regular workforce.

Continue reading the PSAC Student Employment policy at the national website.

Diamonds produced in the North West Territories at the BHP Billiton Ekati Diamond Mine are “dirty”. BHP Billiton has been promoting its signature “Aurias” diamond as “conflict free” rather than “blood diamonds” produced in war-torn countries like Sierra Leone and the Congo. But Ekati is now the site of a major labour conflict.

Why should this concern you?

As one of the largest multi-national corporations doing business in Canada, BHP has chosen to force its employees into a strike by failing to negotiate a fair and reasonable first collective agreement.

Canadians appreciate employers who respect our tradition of bargaining in good faith…especially when the employer’s profits were $7.5 billion in 2005!

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