Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 29/08, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Knight & Day Restaurant located at 9677 King George Highway.  On the Agenda is choosing the delegate to the Regional PSAC Convention.

The next Vancouver Regional Women’s Committee meeting will be held on
Tuesday, January 22 @ 5:30PM
At the PSAC Satellite Office, 5128 Joyce Street
½ block south of the Joyce Street Skytrain Station (note different venue).

The agenda includes holding an election to send a delegate to the 2008 BC PSAC Regional Convention.
More agenda items to follow…

Please RSVP to the Vancouver RO - 604 430 5631 - if you plan on attending.

Date:
Tuesday, January 22, 2008.
Time:
Dinner at 5:30, Meeting to Start at 6 pm
Location:
Vancouver RO Boardroom, #200 – 5238 Joyce Street, Vancouver, (1 ½ blocks south of the Joyce Street Skytrain Station)
Agenda:
- election of VAC delegate to the BC Regional Convention
- discussion on resolutions to be submitted to BC Regional Convention

If your local/branch has not yet paid its 2008 dues, please ensure it does so at this meeting, in order to have full voice and vote during the election and discussions on resolutions. Dues are .50 per member, per year, and calculated only for the number of members who are in the area of Vancouver & District catchment area.

For more information: www.psacbc.com or call 604-430-5631. Please RSVP to urrutim@psac-afpc.com as a light dinner will be served!

See Meeting Notice.

PAKISTAN UNDER THE GUN
Perspectives on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law
Public Forum, Film Screening and Discussion

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007, 6:30 pm
Alma Van Dusen Room, Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia - between Homer and Hamilton(lower level -take elevator/stairs by main library entrance)
From Granville Skytrain Station: 2 blocks east on Dunsmuir, 1 block south on Homer

FREE EVENT:

Join us for a public forum and interactive discussion on human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan. Support the resistance of the Pakistani people!

Co-sponsored by the Vancouver and District Labour Council, India Pakistan Peace Network (IPPN), South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD), Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada. Endorsed by the PSAC International Solidarity Committee.

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The next Vancouver Regional Women’s Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 4th @ 5:30PM at the PSAC Satellite Office  - 5128 Joyce Steet, ½ block south of the SkyTrain  (note different venue)

The agenda includes:

• Discussion on where to keep the books and records for the Vancouver RWC
• Decision on next meeting date to vote on a delegate to the PSAC BC Regional Convention
• Discussion on December 6th activities
• A look ahead to 2008

Please RSVP to the Vancouver RO - 604 430 5631 - if you plan on attending.

PSAC BC Education Forum - Dinner and Workshop on Writing Effective Resolutions

• December 12th
• Dinner @ 5:30 pm, workshop @ 6pm
• Vancouver RO - 200-5238 Joyce, 1 1/2 blocks south of the Skytrain

Regional and component conventions are coming up quickly and the deadlines for submitting resolutions are fast approaching! Are you interested in finding out what makes a good resolution? Want to find out how to write resolutions more effectively and get support for them? If there is enough interest, we would like to hold an evening workshop on Wednesday, December 12th on how to write resolutions as part of our education forum series.

All members from Vancouver and the surrounding areas are invited -please RSVP by December 5th to Amal Rana, 604.430.5631 or ranaa@psac.com, a catered dinner will be served.

Here are two events upcoming in Vancouver, check back as more will be posted closer to the date …

• December 5th - Vigil and march to honour women
• Starts at 6 pm
• DTES Women’s Centre, 302 Columbia Street, near Main and Cordova
• Proceed to Thornton Park (Main Skytrain)
• For more information: For more information, contact DEWC at 604-681-8480 x 234 or email project@dewc.ca

• December 6th - Women Against Violence Against Women DTES Smudge
• 10:30 AM, December 6th
• All are welcome - join us in prayer to honour women as sacred life givers, clan mothers and leaders of our communities
• Details in the poster (pdf)

VAC AGM 16 October 2007

Present: Tom Gallagher, Megan Adam, Sam Wiese, Sharon Tieman, Deanna Wilson, Colbey Peters, David Saba, Kay Sinclair, Rhonda Johns, Terri Lee, Monica Urrutia (staff)

Continue reading below, or download the  Vancouver Area Council AGM minutes - October 16 2007 (pdf)

1. Meeting called to order at 6:07 pm

2. Intros

• 3 guests, Dave & Colbey and Deanna
• rest in attendance are delegates or officers

3. REVP‘s message (Kay)

• BC Regional Council coming up April 18-20. Each Area Council (AC) is entitled to 1 delegate and can submit resolutions.
• Suggest election should be at next AC meeting and identify draft resolutions
• Might have workshops at Convention – e.g. get AC’s involved in municipal elections; via District Labour Council affiliation
• Kay distributed some recent resolutions passed at NBoD – land claims, PSAC funding national women’s groups (both pdf); on support and solidarity with Colombia and the Philippines (see attached)
• there was some discussion on the resolutions
• Terri gave a back ground of the Equal Opportunities committee which raised the resolutions on Colombia and the Philippines – largest standing committee, 1 from each component (17), 2 from each group (8), 2 co-chair, Ed & Robyn. Meets twice a year to discuss equity issues. Terri reviewed/explained the report. Download the EOC report to the NBoD (pdf)
  
• NBoD still needs to implement the 2nd & 3rd Be it resolved on the Philippines issues – it has been passed by the board
• Discussed Discipline Review Committee at the Board – how PSAC deals with disciplining people who cross picket lines – looking at making recommendations

4. President’s Report (Sam)

• Sam provided a verbal report which highlighted the following:
• Nov ’06 – attended BC Fed Convention
• Dec – participated in action against religious & political persecution of the Falun Gong; also participated in the PSAC Human Rights dinner
• Feb – attended IAMAW rally, supported BC Fed Youth Group on the $10 minimum wage campaign
• March: at the BC Fed Community and Social Action meeting – recommended the Temporary Foreign Workers Working Group come under this committee
• April – presentation about April 28 Day of Mourning to Burnaby City Council who unanimously voted to officially recognize April 28 as an official day in Burnaby. ; attended Empty Bowls Gala – Burnaby – fundraiser for schools which no longer have hot lunch programs
• May – attended the May Day Rally – well attended, made a presentation to Burnaby City Council to recognize May Day as an important day in the history of labour and human rights
• June – elected on to exec of Burnaby Citizens Association, this is the association that supports union endorsed Burnaby civic candidates
• July – participated in Defending Quality Public Services (DQPS) Campaign kick-off various sites in Burnaby, New Westminster and Port Moody
• Aug – attend BC Day NDP picnic, distributed DQPS stuff; Merritt Mountain Music Festival – outside the gates distributed DQPS info
• September – Labour Day Picnic – happy with turn-out from AC; Thanks to all who supported; Highest # of PSAC members probably in last 10 years.
• Talked about needing to get involved Political Action Committee

5. Treasurer’s Report (Sharon)

• Sharon presented her Treasurers report (pdf).
• Community Savings, the new bank of the VAC is a unionized credit union that is endorsed by the BC Fed
• Report was m/s/CARRIED (Sharon, Rhonda)

6. TB – Bargaining (Megan)

• PA (Table I) – have been meeting with the employer since the spring. One meeting so far this Fall.
• Basic, sign-offs (changes under new legislation; housekeeping and untouched clauses)
• changes to grievance procedure, union leave, official language training
• $ is at the end so majority of demands are $
• delays because of pay studies, Dec round called off because of (Essential Service Agreements) ESAs & Pay studies are incomplete
• Nov = finish all non-monetary = Dec no bargaining to keep coordinating with all tables
• Discussion – suggest pressuring local management at UMCCs or components regarding ESAs – put something on web

5. Youth Report

• Sam gave on behalf of Jamey
• A –$10 Now campaign is still underway. Some municipalities have supported voted to support, while prior to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) meeting some had not supported notably Vancouver, Pitt Meadows and Port Coquitlam. While Pitt Meadows and Vancouver were not too much of a shock, we were very saddened by the result of the initial vote by Port Coquitlam City Council as there is a high number of Union endorsed members on that city council. The resolution to Port Coquitlam failed by one vote, interestingly, a union endorsed city councilor was not in attendance at the meeting the night NWDLC gave the $10 Now presentation. Thankfully, the majority of delegates at the UBCM passed the $10 Now resolution at the conference last month.
• B –“ Grant’s” Law – working alone law, was passed by WCB after much work and support from the De Patie family and the labour community
• C – Youth Committee within PSAC faces some challenges; encourages locals to get youth in touch with Jamey

6. Motion

• For the VAC to pay $180 towards dues for the New West District Labour Council for CEIU 20949 – which pays the other 50%. Rationale: This is done annually as the VAC receives a subsidy from the PSAC to help it affiliate to District Labour Councils within its jurisdiction. If anyone is interested, Sam sits as a delegate but we are entitled to two. Rhonda may be interested. m/s/CARRIED (Sam, Megan)
• The VAC is also affiliated to the Vancouver District Labour Council via AGR 20044 but we believe that VAC does not contribute towards the dues because AGR 20044 gets its dues reimbursed to them already. CEUDA 20040 is also affiliated and UEW 20147 may soon be affiliated and will be requesting funds from the VAC to assist.

7. Elections

• Kay Sinclair conducted the elections with the following results:
• President – Sam Wiese (Rhonda nominated, Megan seconded)
• 1st VP – Megan Adam (Sam/Sharon)
• 2nd VP – Rhonda Johns (Sam/Sharon)
• Sec - VACANT
• Treasurer – Sharon Tieman (Megan/Sam)
• Members at large
• (1) Tom Gallagher (Sam/Megan)
• (2) Terri Lee (Rhonda, Sharon)
• (3) VACANT
• Kay conducted the oath.

8. Other

• Oct 27 – Bring Our Troops Home Rally
• Nov 2-3 BC Law Teach-in on Afghanistan
• Nov 3 – Chili Cook Off
• Pivot Calendars are available to fundraise for Pivot Legal Society, they will also be having a Christmas Auction Dec 8th
• Sam made a special mention about the passing of trade unionist Tom Kozar. There will be a United Way Labour Appreciation Dinner on December 3rd where Tom will be posthumously given an award.

9. Stand Up/Speak Out

• The following people took part in the Stand Up/Speak out pledge against world poverty. (Monica, Megan, Deanna, Terri, Tom, Rhonda, Sharon, Dave, Colbey, Sam)

10. Meeting adjourned 7:55 pm.

11. Addendum: Addendum to Financial Statement for Vancouver Area Council (pdf).

UNITE HERE Local 40 members at 3 Vancouver area hotels are currently bargaining new contracts. These hotels are the Hilton Metrotown, the Holiday Inn Broadway and the Delta Vancouver Airport. UNITE HERE is committed to fighting for the same standards at these 3 hotels that workers in the downtown hotels achieved in their recent contract campaign and need our support.

Please take a moment to fill out the attached Unite HERE pledge (pdf), which reads:

I/We Publicly Endorse UNITE HERE members and their struggle for justice in the following hotels: Delta Vancouver Airport, Hilton Metrotown, Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre. I/We will not Eat, Sleep, or Meet at the Delta Vancouver Airport, Hilton Metrotown, or Holiday Inn Vancouver centre in the event of a labour dispute.

And mail or fax back to the UNITE HERE office at: UNITE HERE! Local 40,4853 Hastings Street, Burnaby BC V5C 2L1 -fax: 604-291-2676

In addition if your Component, Local, or other group is planning on holding an event at any of these hotels, we ask that you contact the hotel directly (sample letters: hilton, delta - both MS Word .doc) and let them know you support UNITE HERE members in their fight for a fair collective agreement.

For more information, visit www.local40union.com or www.hotelworkersrising.org

To: All Lower Mainland Locals, Area Councils and Committees

Greetings Sisters and Brothers!

Our 2007 Union School is fast approaching and I am very excited and pleased to extend an invitation to all PSAC members in the Lower Mainland who are not attending the school to join us this year to hear two incredible speakers who will be speaking on November 2nd and November 3rd at the Metrotown Hilton in Burnaby (6083 McKay Avenue).

November 2nd, 2007 : We are greatly honoured to present Malalai Joya, member of the Afghan Parliament and world renowned activist as our keynote speaker at the school. She will open our school at on Friday, November 2nd at 12:30 pm.

Malalai’s upcoming visit to Vancouver and to our school represents a rare opportunity for us to hear directly about conditions in Afghanistan. Malalai is one of Afghanistan’s most courageous politicians and a dedicated defender of the rights of the Afghan people and women in particular. She has survived four assassination attempts and was recently suspended from the country’s parliament to which she was democratically elected in 2005. Despite this, she continues to speak out both in her own country and around the world.

• The week prior to the school, Malalai Joya will also be speaking at several engagements in Vancouver & Victoria - visit bclabouragainstwar.ca for details.
• Malalai Joya will be speaking at the stopwar.ca rally in Vancouver, Saturday October 27th - visit stopwar.ca for details.

November 3rd, 2007: Malalai’s key note speech at the school on Friday will be followed by a panel discussion on defending public services with PSAC National President John Gordon and Seth Klein - BC Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) - on Saturday, November 3rd at 9AM. We are very pleased that John will be joining us - please take advantage of this great opportunity to hear him speak about defending quality public services, collective bargaining, and other important issues in our union. John, along with Seth, will also be pleased to answer questions after the panel presentations.

John Gordon was elected as the PSAC’s National President in May 2006 at the PSAC’s Triennial Convention. John had been the Union’s National Vice-President since 2000. Prior to 2000, he was the National President of the former Union of Public Works Employees component (now Government Services Union). He has also been a union activist in the broader labour movement with extensive involvement in the Labour Council of Metro Toronto and the Ontario Federation of Labour.

Seth Klein is the BC Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), a public policy research institute committed to social, economic and environmental justice. He is a frequent media commentator and public speaker on public policy issues. He has authored numerous studies and newspaper articles.

We very much hope that you are able to join us to hear these amazing speakers. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like more information. Hope to see you there!

In solidarity, Amal Rana, Regional Education Officer

To: PSAC-BC Locals/Branches with members in the Metro Vancouver Region

You are invited to the Vancouver Area Council’s ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on Tuesday, October 16 at the PSAC Vancouver Regional Office (#200-5238 Joyce Street). Dinner at 5:30 pm, meeting at 6 pm.

All locals/branches with members in New Westminster, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Squamish are welcome to attend!

Tentative agenda:

• Message from Regional Executive Vice-President, Kay Sinclair
• Executive Reports (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, etc.)
• Youth Representative Report
• TB Bargaining update - PA unit, member-negotiator Megan Adam
• Area Council Executive Officer Elections
• Other Business

Please note, only member locals/branches who have paid Area Council dues in full will have the right to vote in the election of officers or other business which may arise. Please RSVP to Monica Urrutia by October 12th as dinner will be served

Meeting Of The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance

• Thursday, September 27, 7 PM
• BCGEU HQ Auditorium
• 4911 Canada Way, Burnaby (half block west of Norland, entrance at Iris Crescent)

Join other Asian Canadian union members at a meeting of the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance to discuss plans for upcoming events. Also, hear about the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Convention that took place in July and the recent Anniversaries of Change conference and reconciliation dinner. Light refreshments will be provided.

The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance provides a forum for Asian Canadian Union members to connect, encourages the increased participation of Asian Canadian union members in the labour movement, and works to strengthen the relationship between labour and our Asian Canadian communities.

For more information about the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance, or for more directions to the meeting please contact: Lorene Oikawa at 604-291-9611 or lorene.oikawa@bcgeu.ca

This Labour Day PSAC members took part in the “Public Services Are Cool” blitzes at the labour picnics at Confederation Park in Burnaby and Esquimalt Gorge Park in Victoria.

• Visit the photo gallery for lots of pictures.

We’re proud to report PSAC had excellent representation! In Victoria, PSAC staff and members of the Southern Vancouver Island Area Council set up a tent and spoke with the picnic-goers about the value of a strong public service as well as the save our fisheries campaign. Members from many components stopped by throughout the day and an excellent time was had by all.

In Burnaby, staff and members active with the Vancouver Area Council came out and helped with the table. They distributed PSAC materials and asked the public to sign letters to their MPs regarding the second phase of the federal building sell-off. National Vice-President Patty Ducharme was in town and visited the table for a while and REVP Kay Sinclair also joined in in the afternoon. Several PSAC members who were attending the picnic and weren’t aware of the table were there and very pleased to see PSAC out with the whole labour family.

<small>via BC Federation of Labour</small>

John Graham faces extradition to the United States without any evidence having been presented to a Canadian judge - find out why at a public forum:

• Thursday August 23rd, 7:00 pm
• YWCA Hotel, 733 Beatty St. (two blocks south of Stadium Sky Train)

For more information visit GrahamDefense.org

Ottawa – The federal government has sold nine government buildings for more than $600 million less than their actual value to Larco Investments Ltd., according to an analysis conducted by the economic research firm Informetrica Ltd.

Prior to the government announcing the sale, PSAC members leafleted Sinclair Centre while REVP Kay Sinclair held a joint press conference with President of the BC Federation of Labour, Jim Sinclair and Janet Sinclair, daughter of the buildings namesake - read more at globeandmail.com and canada.com.

Informetrica values the prime federal properties at almost $2.3 billion, yet Public Works and Government Services Canada announced today the sale of the buildings for only $1.64 billion.

“This is a give-away of colossal proportion. In addition to ceding ownership of nine premium properties, the federal government has, in effect, written a $630 million cheque signed by Canadian taxpayers,” said Patty Ducharme, National Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada which commissioned the Informetrica report.

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Daughter of former federal cabinet minister James Sinclair joins public service union, BC Fed to urge federal government to drop sale of historic Sinclair Centre named after her father

Vancouver – Janet Sinclair, the daughter of former federal Liberal government cabinet minister James Sinclair, has joined the union for public service workers and the BC Federation of Labour in urging the Conservative government to drop plans to sell the historic Sinclair Centre that is named after her father.

• Send an email to your MP: Stop The Sale!

The federal government has requested bids for nine buildings across Canada, including the Sinclair Centre, located at 757 West Hastings Street, and is expected to announce its decision today to sell them and lease them back, says Kay Sinclair, Public Service Alliance of Canada BC Vice President.

“We are urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper to not sell the Sinclair Centre or the other buildings and keep these public assets that benefits all taxpayers, Sinclair said. “Why would the government want to be a renter when it’s already an owner?”

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SPP Montebello Summit August 20-21, 2007

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will meet with US President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at Montebello on August 20-21 2007, to discuss the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). What will be on the agenda? We can only guess at this point, because all of the meetings to review the progress of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) have taken place in secret so far.

• Join protests across Canada against the SPP …
• Rally in Vancouver - Monday Aug 20th, 5:30 PM, Vancouver Art Gallery (south side).

The SPP – which is being implemented without any public discussion or parliamentary debate – is about eliminating Canada’s ability to set its own independent regulatory standards, environmental protection measures, energy security, foreign, military, immigration and a frighteningly wide range of other policies.

• What is the SPP? Security and Prosperity for whom? A series of fact sheets at the national website.
• Read John Gordon’s letter to Stephen Harper regarding the SPP (pdf).

The summit brings together a US president whose policies are backed by hardly a quarter of his own people, a Mexican president whose election is highly disputed, and a Canadian Prime Minister heading a minority government. The decisions they make will have no legitimacy and will affect the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the human rights and civil liberties we enjoy.

Cheers to Alistair Crawford, NAT 20088, for these photos of the Multi-Union Pride float taken at the parade last weekend. REVPs Kay Sinclair (BC) and Jeannie Baldwin (Atlantic) marched alongside dozens of other union members. Click the thumbnails for larger versions - there are more photos at the BC Federation of Labour website.

Workers in Toronto to join global protests against the abduction and imprisonment of Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi

OTTAWA - Canadian workers will mark an International Day of Action this Thursday, August 9 to protest the Iranian government’s arrest and imprisonment of two of that country’s prominent labour leaders.

Trade unionists and activists around the world are worried about the safety and
well-being of Mansour Osanloo, President of the ITF affiliated bus workers’ union Sandikaye Kargarane Sherkate Vahed (Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company). Mansour was reported as kidnapped on July 10th as he was getting off of a bus.

• Rally in Vancouver - join BC Federation of Labour, BC Teachers Federation, VDLC, CAW Local 111 & 333, Hospital Employees Union and other unions
• Time: 17:00 to 19:00 , Thursday, August 9, 2007, Vancouver Art Gallery, Howe & Robson

On July 12th it was confirmed that Osanloo has been imprisoned. Just days before his abduction, Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti had the pleasure of meeting Mansour as he addressed the ITUC General Council in Brussels. This was the first time that the ITUC - or for that matter its predecessor, the ICFTU welcomed an independent Iranian trade union leader from inside the country to its meetings.

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Vancouver Prison Justice Day, Friday, August 10th

Speakers and Performers

Join us at 7 p.m. at Trout Lake Park (E. 15th and Victoria) at the Claire Culhane Memorial Bench (in the southeast corner) to hear ex-prisoners and prisoners’ rights activists speak on justice issues such as the danger of passing the Conservative government’s U.S. style crime bills into law.

This is a memorial rally in honour of Harriet Nahanee, Dec. 7, 1935 - Feb 24, 2007

Vancouver Workers are Rising - UNITE HERE Local 40

• Rally & March - Friday, August 10, 4:15 pm
• Vancouver Art Gallery, Downtown Vancouver

Rally at the Art Gallery and march to the Downtown Hotels to hear workers speak on and about the working conditions in the service industry. Join them in their struggle for respect and justice on the job.