Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

We have lots of photos this month! Many from May Day in Vancouver where a good contingent of the PSAC BC members and staff joined migrants, immigrants, undocumented, indigenous and Canadian workers for the May Day Organizing Committee’s annual International Workers’ Day march & rally on May 1st. This years’ theme was “Reclaim May 1st, International Workers’ Day! March for Workers Rights!”. Megan Adam, Alternate-REVP and First Vice-President for the PSAC Vancouver & District Area Council (VAC), spoke as a member organization of the May Day Organizing Committee at Grandview Park in Vancouver.

As well as some from the 2008 BC Regional Triennial Convention (a full convention report and all the photos are coming soon) and from the May Day celebrations in Terrace where Be Gomes, RC Geographic Coordinator for Northwestern BC, distributed “Think Public!” materials with the Kitimat-Terrace and District Labour Council.

Cheers to Jack Seto and the GSU 20008 Executive for sending in some We Support Our Bargaining team photos (the posters have been signed and sent to the TB Bargaining Team) and to Rosemary MacKenzie, James Little and Cindy Little (RC Coordinator for the South Island) who attended the April 28th Day of Mourning event in Victoria.

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Women Behaving Politically: Organizing for Change.

The Western Regional Summer Institute for Union Women offers an intensive week of learning within a supportive environment in which union women can develop their skills as workers, activists and leaders.

Sponsored by the British Columbia Federation of Labour, the Institute will be held at the University of Victoria (UVIC). The Western Regional SIUW brings together union women from BC, Washington State, Oregon and California.

Our theme, Women Behaving Politically: Organizing for Change, reflects labour’s commitment to providing women with both the skills and strategies to understand the key issues for labour and how that understanding can help us participate in the upcoming elections, and develop stronger leadership among women within our unions and political institutions. We need the world to hear more women’s voices speaking out on issues that matter to us like: pay equity, a higher minimum wage, universal childcare, health care, the economy, poverty and the right to join a union.

Read more, and download a brochure and registration form at bcfed.ca.

PSAC National Aboriginal Peoples’ Conference - “Maawangiteeng”: Where The Journey Begins.

Conference Objectives

The objectives of our 2008 PSAC National Aboriginal Peoples’ Conference are to:

• Connect with our Aboriginal Brothers and Sisters
• Educate and build capacity within Aboriginal communities and the Union
• Politicize Aboriginal Rights around the eradication of poverty (clean water, housing, education), for quality public service and a clean environment
• Raise awareness of the Union’s role in advancing Aboriginal Peoples’ Rights in the workplace, community and society as a whole

Delegates

A PSAC member who is a member in good standing and who self-identifies as Aboriginal can apply to be a delegate to this Conference. The selection of delegates will take into account union and equality rights activism, as well as representation criteria (i.e., Region, Component, language and other equity group representation such as gender, disability, etc.).

Delegates will be selected by their respective Regions and Components. The delegates will be entitled to full voice and vote during the conference, including the resolutions and elections processes.

Funding for Delegates:

Delegate costs to the 2008 PSAC National Aboriginal Peoples’ Conference will be fully covered as per the 2003 PSAC Triennial Convention decision and PSAC Travel Directive. Costs covered are as follows:

• travel costs, including ground transportation;
• hotel accommodation costs at the Winnipeg Fairmont Hotel;
• loss of salary;
• per diem for meals;
• incidental costs;
• child care as per the Family Care Policy;
• costs related to accessibility requirements.

Observers

PSAC members who are members in good standing and who self-identify as Aboriginal may also attend the 2008 PSAC National Aboriginal Peoples’ Conference as observers; however, observers will be responsible for all costs associated with their participation, including:

• loss of salary and meals;
• hotel and travel arrangements and costs;
• the conference registration fee of $150.00;
• any additional accessibility needs and childcare arrangements (subject to meeting deadline requirements).

Please note that the number of Observers will be limited to the space available at the Conference. They will have voice only during the discussion period after panel presentations. They can attend the sharing circles, if space permits, but may not be able to select the topic. Observers do not have the right to voice or vote during the resolutions debate and elections processes.

For more information and online registration, visit the Conference & Convention section of the PSAC national website or download the attached package (pdf).

Delegates to the B.C. regional convention have re-elected Kay Sinclair as their Regional Executive Vice-President. Kay is particularly active in human, women’s and LGBT rights, as well as on issues involving health and safety and the environment. She has held the REVP position since May 2006 when she replaced now National Executive Vice-President Patty Ducharme, following elections at the PSAC triennial convention.

Megan Adam, a member of the current PSAC bargaining team for the Program and Administrative Services unit, was elected alternate REVP. Megan, a member of the Union of Environment Workers, is a Communications Advisor at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and community and anti-poverty activist.

Guest speakers PSAC National President John Gordon and Jim Sinclair, President of the B.C. Federation of Labour, were given standing ovations as delegates pledged to renew their commitment to political action federally and provincially in support of quality public services and in opposition to service cuts.

Delegates also acknowledged and thanked Regional Coordinator Janet Routledge for her hard work and commitment to the PSAC. She leaves to join the Federation of Labour later this summer.

The convention was held in Vancouver from April 18 to 20. We will have a full convention report, updated list of regional council members, and photos available on the regional website shortly.

It is a privilege to submit the report of the Regional Executive Vice-President to the delegates, observers, and guests of the 2008 BC Regional Triennial Convention and to the membership of the Public Service Alliance of Canada in BC.

While the REVP-BC is required by the BC Region By-Laws to submit this report to Convention, I do so on behalf of, and thanks to, all members and staff who contribute to PSAC BC. Whether it is as a member of the PSAC BC Regional Council, a Local or Branch Executive member, an activist on a regional committee, a Component national or regional officer, a strike captain, a steward, a rank-and-file member, or a PSAC regional staff member, you make a difference in our Region, and you make our Union strong.

This report highlights some of our main accomplishments over the past three years, and perhaps more specifically since I took office as REVP for B.C. in May 2006.

Download this document as a .pdf: Report of the REVP to the 2008 BC Regional Convention or continue reading below

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Here are the Finance, By-Laws, and General Resolutions Committee reports to Convention … they are all .pdf documents.

• By-Laws Committee report (updated Apr 14 to correct a typo)
  
• Finance Committee report
• General Resolutions Committee report

And here is the Convention agenda

• Regional Convention delegates agenda

Here are the resolutions that have been submitted by Locals, Area Councils & Committees to the 4th BC Regional Triennial Convention. The Finance, Bylaws, and General Resolutions Convention Committees have been working hard on their reports and we plan to have them available to members and delegates by the end of this week.

Download the …

• Resolutions referred to the By-laws Resolutions Committee
• Resolutions referred to the Finance Resolutions Committee
• Resolutions referred to the General Resolutions Committee

Please note they are all .pdf documents.

Also please note the Regional Office will make a list of Convention delegates available to any delegates that require them.

Greetings,

Here are some details regarding the 4th Triennial BC Regional Convention. More information will be available in the near future.

The Convention will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Downtown Vancouver,and begins at 8:45AM on Friday April 18th. Registration will be available from 6:00PM-8:30PM on Thursday April 17th, and from 7:30AM. - 8:45AM on Friday, April 18th. The Convention is scheduled to end at 3PM on Sunday April 20th.

Funding for the Convention will be as follows:

For those delegates living more than 20 kilometres from the Hyatt Regency:

* PSAC will cover the costs of hotel, travel, per diem, parking, and loss of salary for Thursday, if a travel day.
* If on shift on Saturday and/or Sunday, loss of salary will be provided.
* Loss of salary for Friday will not be covered.

For those delegates living 20 kilometres or less from the Hyatt Regency:

* PSAC will cover the cost of travel, meals, and parking.
* Hotel will not be provided.
* If on shift on Saturday and/or Sunday, loss of salary will be provided.
* Loss of salary for Friday will not be covered.

Observers and guests are expected to cover all of their expenses.

A registration fee of $50.00 will be requested from all delegates, as well as observers and guests who will require (and want) an exciting convention kit. Cheques can be mailed to the REVP’s office or presented at registration, and should be made out to PSAC BC.

Travel arrangements are being handled by WE Travel, a unionized travel agent. All delegates, guests, and observers considered to be in travel status, as above, and who will require a hotel room are requested to visit the WE Travel website to book their room. Please note the Hyatt Regency is a fully non-smoking facility.

Delegates, guests, and observers who require flight reservations: please contact WE Travel toll free at 1-800-663-4703 or (604) 253-5585. Please reference the PSAC BC Regional Convention. If you have any questions regarding the Convention please contact the REVP’s office at (604) 430-0191 or 1-866-811-7700

We look forward to seeing you in April, in Solidarity,

Kay Sinclair & Dellie Lidyard
PSAC BC Regional Convention Organizing Committee

Rights, Not Wrongs: The role of unions in creating a better world

A joint conference for human rights activists in the labour movement sponsored by the BC Federation of Labour and the BC Teachers’ Federation. The conference will focus on emerging human rights issues, featuring leading BC human rights specialists in First Nations, peace, anti-poverty, women’s rights, antiracism, international issues and many more.

• Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
• April 3-5 2008
• Keynote Speaker: Stephen Lewis, Friday April 4th @ 7:30PM

Organized by the BCTF Committee for Action on Social Justice and the BC Federation of Labour Human Rights Commitee. For more information, visit www.bctf.ca or www.bcfed.ca. Download the Rights not Wrongs poster (pdf).

All delegates are asked to complete the delegate registration form and return to the REVP’s office by February 25th.

• Download the delegate registration form (.doc)
• Download the delegate registration form (.pdf)

The nominations have been re-opened for the PWD and Aboriginal delegate elections, the deadline for nominations is Wednesday, February 20, 12:00 noon.

•  Download a delegate nomination form (pdf)

And a reminder: the deadline for sumbission of resolutions to the BC Regional Convention is February 15, 2008. Resolutions may be submitted by Locals, Branches, Regional Women’s Committees, Area Councils in good standing, and nationally and regionally recognized committees. We welcome resolutions written in clear language format.

Funding for the B.C. Regional Triennial Convention will be as follows:

For those delegates living more than 20 kilometres from the Hyatt Regency:

• PSAC will cover the costs of hotel, travel, per diem, parking, and loss of salary for Thursday, if a travel day.
• If on shift on Saturday and/or Sunday, loss of salary will be provided.
• Loss of salary for Friday will not be covered.

For those delegates living 20 kilometres or less from the Hyatt Regency:

• PSAC will cover the cost of travel, meals, and parking.
• Hotel will not be provided.
• If on shift on Saturday and/or Sunday, loss of salary will be provided.
• Loss of salary for Friday will not be covered.

A registration fee of $50.00 will be requested from all delegates, and observers.

If you have any questions about funding please contact Regina Brennan or call 604-430-5631/1-800-669-1655.

The deadline for nominations for the racially visible delegate to the B.C. Regional Convention has been extended to Friday, January 25th at 4 p.m. The Convention will be held in Vancouver from April 18-20, 2008.

Nominations for the racially visible delegate are open to racially visible members in good standing who have self-identified. Please ensure you have completed the self-identification form.

Please see the attached nomination form (pdf) which may be faxed to the REVP office at (604) 430-0194.

This is a reminder that the deadline date for PSAC racially visible members to apply to attend the upcoming 2008 PSAC National Conference for Racially Visible members either as a delegate or an observer is next Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 4 p.m. (Ottawa time). The deadline to receive resolutions for this conference is also January 16th, 2008 at 4 p.m. (Ottawa time).

Be The Change: Create A Better World!

The objectives of our 2008 PSAC National Conference for Racially Visible Members are to:

• Educate, politicize and mobilize racialized members by making links between the union, the workplace, the community and equality rights.
• Create and/or strengthen networks within our union and our communities.
• Enhance and support leadership development of racialized members in our union, workplace and beyond.
• Develop an analysis on what is racism, the impact of racism and how to fight against racism.

For more information visit the national website or go directly to the online application form.

This is the official call for nominations for the position of Regional Executive Vice-President and Alternate Regional Executive Vice-President for the BC Region. Elections for these positions will be held at the BC Regional Convention in Vancouver, April 18-20, 2008.

As a result of a decision by delegates at the 2003 PSAC Convention, Regional Executive Vice-Presidents and their Alternates are elected in the regions, at their respective Regional Conventions. Any PSAC member in good standing in BC is entitled to run for these two positions. The nominator and the seconder must be delegates to the BC Convention.

As Regional Coordinator, I have been assigned the responsibility for sending out the call for nominations, receiving the nominations in advance of the Regional Convention, and working with the Nominations Committee at the Convention itself.

Here’s how the procedure will work, and what to do if you want to run for office.

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Call Letter: 4th Triennial British Columbia Regional Convention, April 18-20 2008

The British Columbia Regional Convention of the Public Service Alliance of Canada will be held at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver at 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, from Friday, April 18 to Sunday, April 20.

Delegates to the B.C. Regional Convention will be elected based on Section 9 of the B.C. Regional Council By-Laws and Regulation 1 (below).

Information on funding available to delegates will be provided under separate cover.

The following positions will be elected at the B.C. Regional Convention (subject to any by-law changes)

• The Regional Executive Vice-President (REVP)
• The Alternate REVP

Geographic Coordinators to be elected:

• North Vancouver Island 1 (one)
• South Vancouver Island 2 (two)
• Northern B.C. 2 (two)
• Okanagan/Kootenay 2 (two)
• Fraser Valley 2 (two)
• Metro Vancouver 3 (three)

Constituency coordinators to be elected:

• Women 1 (one)
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered 1 (one)
• Racially Visible 1 (one)
• Aboriginal 1 (one)
• Members with Disabilities 1 (one)
• Directly Chartered Locals/small Separate Employer Units 1 (one)
• National Officers 1 (one)
• Youth (under 30 years of age)
  1 (one)
• Health and Safety 1 (one)

Delegate s/election:

• Equity delegates: One delegate will be elected from each of the following equity groups: Racially visible; aboriginal; lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual; and members with a disability.
• Youth delegates: Three delegates will be elected amongst youth members.
• Directly chartered locals/small separate employers: One delegate will be elected from amongst the applicable locals. (We will contact the affected locals.)
• Mail-out ballots will be sent out once the nominations have been closed.
  To nominate or be nominated you must be a member in good standing.

Timelines:

• Nomination forms for above-mentioned delegates must be received by the REVP Office by January 14th, 2008.
• Ballots for Delegate elections will take place in January/February 2008
• Please note that Local and Component delegates will be s/elected within the Locals and Components, and therefore the nomination forms do not apply. We will be contacting Locals directly to confirm their delegate entitlements.
• Please also note that Area Council, Regional Women’s Committee, and B.C. Human Rights Committee delegates will be s/elected within their respective constituencies.
• We ask that names of delegates be provided to our office by February 15th, 2008.
• Resolutions to the B.C. Regional Convention must be received by the REVP Office by February 15th, 2008. We welcome resolutions written in clear language format.

Attachments:

• Section 9 of the By-laws
• Regulation 1
• Nomination Form

For further information or assistance contact:

Kay Sinclair, BC REVP or Dellie Lidyard, Assistant to the REVP

302 – 5238 Joyce St. 604-430-0191 (phone)
Vancouver, B.C. V5R 6C9 604-430-0194 (fax)
email : revp-bc@psac.com 1-866-811-7700 (toll free)

We look forward to our 4th Triennial B.C. Convention - we see it as a forum for advocating for quality public services, advancing the rights of PSAC members, advocating for and with allies in the community, and perhaps even having some fun.

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.

OTTAWA – Women members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) from across Canada are meeting in Toronto from November 23 to 25 to strategize and hone their political skills.

The setting is the union’s triennial national women’s conference where several hundred delegates will attend workshops and debate resolutions under the theme Public Services…Pave the way to equality.

Recent federal government policies and cutbacks have had a negative impact on women’s equality and human rights. PSAC women are working to build the union’s political capacity and to develop action plans to defend and advance equality rights.

A keynote panel discussion on the state of women’s equality will feature three activist women who are no strangers to the continuing struggle for women’s rights. Michèle Asselin, the President of the Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ), was instrumental in the recent development of a Protocol of Solidarity between the FFQ and the Femmes autochtones du Québec.

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Dear friends,

Once again we are offering our retreat over the Remembrance Day weekend, amid the 400 acres of the North Vancouver Outdoor School and the returning Chum salmon. This is a precious opportunity for reflection and renewal. For cost reasons, it is likely the last time we will offer the retreat in this very special location, so if you have been thinking of coming this is the year! - For the earth, Jackie Larkin

Reconnecting To Life - 6th Annual Residential Retreat
Friday, November 9- Monday, November 12, 2007
Squamish, British Columbia (about 1 1/2 hours north of Vancouver)
with Jackie Larkin and Maggie Ziegler

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The registration deadline for 2007 PSAC National Women’s Conference, which will be held November 23rd – 25th, 2007 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, under the theme Public Services … Pave The Way To Equality! is September 10th

The objectives at our 2007 PSAC National Women’s Conference are to:

1. develop our analysis of the impact of federal government policies and cutbacks on women’s equality and human rights
2. understand the importance of quality public services for women as workers and members of society
3. increase PSAC sisters’ involvement in the campaign to Defend Quality Public Services and in coalitions working to defend and advance equality rights
4. build women’s political capacity and activism in the union, the community and beyond and develop action plans which are effective and easy to implement.

For more information, visit the national website or go directly to the Conference registration form.

The application deadline is Friday, August 24^th.

The theme for our Conference is “Women and the Environment: Our Health, Our Families, Our Communities, Our Jobs”

Are you worried about how environmental degradation is affecting your health? your family? your community? your job? your leisure time? your safety? What’s happening to our environment is a women’s issue and a union issue.

Join with other union women at our upcoming women’s conference to learn more about what is happening to our environment, hear from union sisters who work in the front line federal departments about how government cutbacks are undermining our ability to protect each other, network with others in the union and community who are working together to save our planet, and find out how you can get involved.

The Conference will take place September 28,29,30 2007 at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, Burnaby, BC.

Apply on line here, or download an application form (pdf) and mail or fax it back to the Vancouver Regional Office. Please note the application deadline is Aug 24^th, and the resolution deadline is Aug 17^th. Resolutions may be submitted by PSAC constitutionally-recognized bodies and union structures.