Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Building a People’s Economy – Creating Alternatives for Economic and Environmental Change!

The current state of the economy and the economic crisis has raised many questions for PSAC members and other workers in Canada and around the world. Unemployment is rising, public service pensions are on the chopping block and the new federal budget is resulting in critical changes and cutbacks in our members’ jobs and the gutting of much needed public and social services. This is all taking place at a time when our environment is at risk and Canada’s lack of action in addressing climate change at Copenhagen and in the global arena in general is coming under question.

While this is a challenging time for all of us, it is also a unique opportunity to build new alternatives and ask some key questions.

Join us and help build a People’s Economy and create alternatives for economic and environmental change!

What is the Union School?

Union Education at its best! The Union School is open to all members and brings you the most cutting edge analysis in the region regarding current trends and issues facing our members and workers in general while providing you with on the ground, comprehensive education on issues like Health and Safety, Becoming a Steward and much much more.

It’s a unique and incredible opportunity for you to gain more specialized knowledge and skills while networking with other members from across the BC Region so that you can return to your workplaces and locals energized and ready to empower other members!

The school is one of our most popular events, with limited seating. Seats fill up very fast so be sure to register right away!

Click for more information, course descriptions, and online registration.

Register now for PSAC’s first on-line Webinar!

Topic: What does the Federal Budget mean for public services and public service workers

Dates:

• May 17, 2010, 4pm PST (English only) – registration link here
• May 18, 2010, 4pm PST (French only) – registration link here

You are invited to participate in PSAC’s first webinar – an online information session to find out more about the recent federal budget and what PSAC is planning to do about it.

The session will include a presentation by David Macdonald from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives focusing on the fallout from the budget and its impact on the public service. This will be followed by a presentation on PSAC’s campaign to protect public services.

Participants will be given the opportunity to address questions to the presenter.

To participate in this session all you need a telephone and a computer with Internet access. To register, please click on the links above. Note: the session will be recorded for later viewing but registration is still neccessary.

Finally the program is open. For those who are new in applying for a PSAC scholarship – greetings! And for those who have applied before – welcome back!

We have made significant changes to the program this year:

• there is a new deadline – June 30, 2010
• there are more awards for PSAC members who are returning to school
• and there is new way of applying – directly on-line

This year’s scholarship question is a little different – contact your nearest RO for some assistance getting in touch with a PSAC steward, look for one in your workplace, or consider becoming one yourself.

Union stewards are the front-line heroes of the labour movement. In addition to their regular jobs, they also volunteer to represent their union in the workplace. They help members file grievances, they sit on union-management committees, and they share information about PSAC’s campaigns and actions in the workplace.

PSAC will be spending the next year highlighting the amazing – and often unrecognized – work that union stewards do every day.

Applicants to the PSAC Scholarship Program are asked to

• Find a PSAC union steward (call the regional office nearest to you for some suggestions).
• Interview a steward about the work they do.
• Write a profile of no more than 750 words, highlighting the steward’s achievements and the import role they play in the workplace and within PSAC

For more information, and to apply online, visit the national website.

Public Speaking & Effective Lobbying
Wednesdays, April 21 to May 12, 7 to 9 pm
Maritime Labour Centre, 1880 Triumph Street, Vancouver

Registration – $50 for 4 sessions (no one will be turned away)

Contact Keziah at the VDLC office to register – 604-254-0703

Course Outline:
Week 1 (April 21)
Effective Speeches – How to determine key points, prepare your notes, and present your message
Week 2 (April 28)
Successful media work – From message boxes to camera comfort
Week 3 (May 5)
Theatre techniques to assist your presentation – breathing, projection, and other tips
Week 4 (May 12)
Lobbying skills – How to make the most of meetings with politicians of all stripes

Federal Health & Safety Committee Training – delivered by the BC Federation of Labour Health & Safety Centre

• Maritime Labour Centre, 1880 Triumph Street
• June 1 & 2, 2010 – 8:30 am–4:30 pm
• Course Cost: $150.00 for 2 days

This two-day course aims to prepare workers in the Federal jurisdiction to play an active and confident role on their workplace Joint OH&S Committees.

Participants will discuss and develop strategies to improve working conditions through the Joint Committee structure. They will review relevant legislation, principles of control along with processes and strategies for inspections and investigations. The legal requirements for the development and implementation of hazard prevention programs in workplaces under Federal jurisdiction is also reviewed.

To register or for more information contact the BC Fed Health and Safety Centre toll free at 1-888-223-5669, 604-430-1421 in Vancouver, or visit bcfed.ca.

Why is occupational health & safety training essential?

It saves lives. British Columbia workers go to their grave each year as a direct result of workplace hazards. More die annually from cancer and other diseases caused by hazardous workplace exposures.

It prevents injuries and illnesses. Thousands suffer workplace injuries or develop work-related illnesses each year in BC. In 2008 there were 160 accepted fatality claims and 2.8 million total days lost from work due to injury and illness.

It is a sound economic and social investment. Injuries, occupational illnesses and fatalities affect the bottom line of any business – the average lost-time injury in BC costs $98,000 and the social costs associated with pain and suffering experienced by affected workers, their families and their communities can never be adequately gauged.

The BC Federation of Labour has just released their Occupational Health & Safety course schedule for the spring/summer. Visit bcfed.com for  course descriptions and more information.

The Education schedule has been updated with courses scheduled in Abbotsford and Prince Rupert!

Check out the entire schedule for the province and/or  apply for these courses online.

The 2010 weekend course schedule for Vancouver and Vancouver Island has been posted in the education section. We are in the process of scheduling courses in the Valley, North BC and the Interior – check back or sign up for the monthy emailout to be notified when those schedules are available.

A few upcoming courses …

• Talking Union Basics – Jan 22, 23 in Victoria
• Talking Union Basics – Feb 6,7 in Vancouver
• Understanding & Interpreting the Collective Agreement – Feb 27 in Nanaimo
• *Bargaining From Strength – March 20,21 in Vancouver*
• Understanding and Interpreting the CA – April 10 in Vancouver
• Understanding & Interpreting the Collective Agreement – April 10 in Courtenay
• Grievance Handling – May 15, 16 in Vancouver DATE AMENDED
• Understanding & Interpreting the Collective Agreement – May 15 in Victoria

Visit the education page for the entire 2010 schedule and apply on-line here.  Here are the course descriptions.

*We are happy to offer the Bargaining from Strength course for the first time in BC!*

Want to get more information about the Collective Bargaining process and how it affects you? Wondering how it all works and how you can get more involved? Ever pondered the connections between bargaining and the larger political context? Understanding and being involved with the Collective Bargaining Process is essential for all union activists.

This 2 day course will provide an overview of the Collective Bargaining process and how it connects to broader global, economic and political context and more specifically to the union’s work on Political Action.

Please note the CLC Labour College application deadline has been extended to July 24, 2009. Information and application forms are available on the CLC website.

The Union Development Program (UDP) – PSAC BC Region

• Level One: December 1st  December 5th, 2009. Metrotown Hilton, Burnaby
• Level Two: January 31st  February 5th, 2010. CLC Winter School, Harrison Hot Springs
• Level Three: April 26th  May 1st, 2010. Metrotown Hilton, Burnaby

• Deadline for applications has been extended to  October 9th, 2009. Late applications will not be accepted.
• Prerequisite: All UDP applicants must have taken the PSAC Talking Union Basics (TUB) course or equivalent.
• Apply online here or download and mail in an application form (pdf)
• Download the UDP brochure (pdf)

The Union Development Program (UDP) is a sixteen-day intensive education program designed to develop the leadership skills of emerging union activists. The UDP includes three levels of learning events [UDP 1, UDP 2 and UDP 3] with specific leadership assignments in between. The complete program takes place over a 5 month period.

UDP 1:  At the Workplace  focuses on building the union at the Local level. At UDP 1, we explore union principles and we look at how privilege and oppression impacts us, our family, our community, our workplaces and the union. We analyze dynamic models of engaging and organizing members, develop effective communication strategies, practice public speaking, develop strategic planning skills and plan inclusive and strategic workplace actions.

UDP 2: Labours Role in Society deals with labour’s role in the social and economic fabric of our society. At UDP 2, we discuss the roots of racism and its impact. We look at our union’s history and the history of the Canadian labour movement. We explore ways of navigating and participating in the PSAC, discuss the impact of the economy on labour and society, and we look at how labour operates nationally and internationally.

UDP 3: Leadership in Action focuses on building and sustaining activism in the union. We are inspired by the work of other union and social justice activists. We look more closely at how to develop ourselves as union activists: building on leadership skills and looking at healthy ways to sustain our energies. At UDP 3, the participant becomes the facilitator through development and delivery of interactive presentations on current issues requiring action. The course highlights a mock convention where we practice our political skills and model union democracy. UDP 3 is our springboard to increased activism. We will wind up by planning and celebrating our role in building the future of the union.

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PSAC BC and the TB JCTC are co-sponsoring 3 courses to take place during National Public Service Week.

• INTERPRETING THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT
• UBC Robson Square (800 Robson Street, Vancouver)
• Tuesday, June 16 (8:00 – 16:00) Room C215
• Workshop # 90215

• INTERPRETING THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT
• Ramada Inn (36035 North Parallel Road, Abbotsford)
• Tuesday, June 16 (8:00 – 16:00)
• Workshop # 90226

• EMPLOYMENT EQUITY
• UBC Robson Square (800 Robson Street, Vancouver)
• Tuesday, June 16 (8:00 – 16:00) Room C225
• Workshop # 90216

For more details, and to apply online, visit the JLP website.

Wednesday, September 30th – Sunday, October 4th, 2009, Metrotown Hilton

Application Deadline: June 30th, 2009 (late applications will not be accepted).

Please note: The LOAT is open to Stewards and Local Officers.

Prerequisites: Talking Union Basics (TUB) or equivalent

“Strong and effective Locals are the building blocks of our Union. They are essential to having a mobilized membership. Education is critical to the development of strong and effective Locals.”�� National Board of Directors (NBoD)

Are you a Local Officer and/or Steward? Are you interested in finding new ways to make your local executive function more efficiently? Do you want to gain tools and knowledge that will help you develop leadership, problem-solving and mobilization skills? Do you want to meet and network with other members from across the region and share skills and experiences?

Then the Local Officers Advanced Training (LOAT) is the course for you! The LOAT is an Advanced, In-Residence course that is geared specifically towards Local Officers and Stewards. The LOAT will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the tools necessary to run effective locals and provide you with the skills needed to be a successful union activist.

Course content includes the role of the local executive, strategic planning, local activities, local committees and terms of reference, communicating and recruiting, building an inclusive union, representation issues, local meetings, improving the rights and protections of union representatives and many other topics. Participants will also learn about social activism and how to involve members in the broader labour movement!

Expenses:

Loss of Salary – Participants scheduled to work during the course will be reimbursed loss of salary.

In-Residence Courses – The LOAT is an Advanced, In-Residence Course and all participants for this course will be provided accommodation and considered in travel status.

Family Care – The PSAC covers family care expenses for PSAC courses, union schools and other education events.

For further details regarding expense entitlements, please click here.

Apply now.

Please note that the TUB course scheduled for March 27,28 in Courtenay has been postponed until the Fall. The Victoria office will be contacting members who have applied for the course with more details.

Young, Organizing, Unionizing and Resisting!

YOUR course is a participatory, action-oriented course for PSAC members under the age of 30. Come meet other young workers to share experiences, discuss and analyze the issues they face at work, in the union and in society.

Participants will talk about their rights as workers, find out what it means to be in a unionized work environment, and a member of a union like the PSAC. They will also share and learn about global issues and the role of young workers in the dynamic movement for social justice.

The course will take place in Vancouver, March 26-27, 2009. Members under 30 from across British Columbia are encouraged to apply before the deadline of March 5.� Apply on line here.

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Joint JLP Workshops Being Offered by the PSAC and the Pacific Federal Council in Vancouver, Surrey and Abbotsford.

The PSAC and the Pacific Federal Council are working together to offer Joint Learning Program (JLP) workshops during National Public Service Week in the Vancouver and Fraser Valley areas.

We are offering the 1-day respecting Differences/Anti-Discrimination workshop in Vancouver, Surrey, and Abbotsford.

The dates and locations for the workshops are:

• Vancouver: June 17th, Vancouver YWCA, 733 Beatty Street
• Surrey: June 17th, Surrey Days Inn, 9850 King George Hwy
• Abbotsford: June 18th, Best Western, 32110 Marshall Road

This exciting and interactive workshop examines what is meant by diversity and why gaining an understanding of issues of diversity and equity is both an individual and organizational necessity. There will be an exploration on how unconscious biases or assumptions impair our ability to work with others and limit our lives. By using various exercises and case studies, participants will practice skills to deal with the challenges of facing diversity in a reflective, responsible, and proactive manner.

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October 3,4,5: Building Our Union, Building Our Movement! Ensuring Labour’s Relevance in a Changing World

The theme of this year’s union school is “Building Our Union, Building Our Movement! Ensuring Labour’s Relevance in a Changing World.” Our goal is to strengthen our union and ensure the relevancy of the labour movement in a changing world by building solidarity with other workers and communities, both locally and globally.

Can our union and the labour movement remain relevant in an increasingly changing world? How can we mobilize to protect the rights of our members and build solidarity with other workers struggling against exploitation? How can the labour movement organize a collective response to the increasing corporatization of our workplaces and our communities? How can we engage our political system, particularly at a municipal level, to make sure that as trade unionists, our voices are heard in the larger arena?

By working hand-in-hand with other members of our locals, our unions and communities around the world, we can create and build a labour movement that can respond to the many challenges that workers face today. By building solidarity with other workers – particularly those that are working in unorganized workplaces, in temporary jobs and often in precarious working conditions – and exploring creative strategies to protect our collective rights, we can forge a vibrant movement for social change that in will in turn, strengthen our own union.

This theme underscores how critical it is for our survival and growth as trade unionists to identify new strategies for resistance that are rooted in building alliances across unions, communities and borders, particularly with those workers and other members of our society who are the most marginalized.

Plenary sessions and guest speakers will demonstrate the links between strengthening our union, maintaining the relevance of labour movements at both a local and global level and protecting the rights of all workers.

Visit the Union School 2008 page for more information, course descriptions, and application forms.

Bosses and Workers’ Differing Perspectives on Economic Issues

• 4 Week course
• February 20 & 27, March 5 & 12
• Wednesday evenings, 6:30 to 9:00 pm
• CAW Hall, 312 12th Street
• New Westminster

Course Outline:

• Day 1 – Labour Markets – Why do most people need jobs, but some don’t?
• Day 2 – Stock Market and Shop Floors – Where does all the wealth come from?
• Day 3 – Budgets, Deficits, and Taxes – Who’s paying all the bills?
• Day 4 – Privatization – Who owns the world?

Courses will include lecture, discussion, with integrated use of media such as music and video to illustrated the prevalence of hidden economic persuasion in everyday life. A strict distinction between the mainstream view of businesses and alternative views will be made in each class in order to understand how economic issues are
shaped by the social position of the people involved.

Underlying Philosophy:

Workers often share a common sense understanding with other ordinary people; they understand the economy as a mysterious world of financial markets, which is inhabited by investment bankers, stockbrokers, and media pundits. If the workers are unionized, labour law, collective bargaining and organizing professionals complement this world of
finance. The contrast between such perceptions and everyday experience of the individual pursuit of jobs and work place conflicts produces widespread feelings of isolation, alienation, and powerlessness that hamper workers’ individual capacities and collective activism.

One factor to overcome such impediments to strong labour movements is to focus labour education on economic issues. This, however, should not counter neo-liberal mainstream views with an alternative variety of expert knowledge. The starting point should be the experiences of individual workers as job seekers instead. Proceeding from there, it should be explained why working people have to sell their labour power to the bosses’, and also why the latter are on top of the hierarchical power relations at the workplace. Only on this basis can management strategies, economic policies and international economic relations be understood as processes that ultimately depend on workers as the producers of wealth. The ultimate goal of this type of worker education is to build capacities in such a way that enables them to get involved in economical and
political self-representation.

Course Instructor: Ingo Schmidt

Ingo Schmidt teaches Labour Relations at Athabasca University and is developing a course on Economics for Workers. He has written books and articles on economic policies. Collaborating with the Working Group for Alternative Economic Policies and major unions, Ingo worked as a labour educator in Germany before he came to Canada.

Course Fees: $25 (subsidies available)

Please register through the Vancouver & District Labour Council, 604-254-0703, or office@vdlc.ca

Presented by the Vancouver & District Labour Council Education Committee

via Vancouver & District Labour Council

A Chance to Go to School in Cuba

Wouldn’t it be great to have a place to meet other activists, learn something useful and have some fun in the sun at the same time?

Well how about getting together in Havana, Cuba in May, 2008 for a week of global solidarity courses and a program of events designed especially for activists.

That is the idea behind a Global Solidarity School. Its being organized in Cuba by a group of Canadian labour activists and educators. The school will run from May 4 to May 10 and offer five week-long courses designed to interest activists and their spouses.

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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.

71 members from across the BC Region – two thirds of whom were attending their first school – recently came together for the 2007 PSAC BC Union School in Burnaby from November 2nd-4th.

Over 3 days, participants were inspired by guest speakers such as National President John Gordon and CCPA BC Director Seth Klein who spoke on the school theme of “Public and Proud! Building Union Resistance to Privatization” and called upon those present to defend quality public services and ensure that people come before profits.

click on the thumbnails for a larger photo
there are lots more in the Union School 2007 photo gallery.

Keynote speaker Malalai Joya – Afghan Member of Parliament and women’s rights activist – shared her thoughts on the current situation in Afghanistan.

The school was opened and closed by Aboriginal Elder Phillipa Ryan and made history by providing the first course specifically for Aboriginal members in the region called “Our Community, Our Union, Our Rights.”

Defending Our Communities – Resisting Globalization, Duty to Accommodate and Health and Safety Level II were the other courses offered at the school. Participants on these courses developed a plan to resist globalization, started a network of union activists working on Duty to Accommodate issues and identified ways in which to move forward Health and Safety issues in the workplace.

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