Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

The Vancouver Collective Bargaining Branch (also known as the Satellite Office) has recently been relocated.

Effective immediately, the new address is 300-5238 Joyce Street, Vancouver, BC, V5R6C9 (above the Vancouver Regional Office). The phone number remains the same (604) 430 5761 and fax (604) 431 6727.

Locals and other PSAC groups that had access to the former location should contact Lynn MacDonald regarding keys and access to the new boardroom. Lynn can be reached at (604) 831 5854.

Members wishing to book the new boardroom for meetings or other events are reminded to contact the Regional Office.

Summer Employment Opportunity - one position in Vancouver & one in Victoria

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is looking for students to work on our Think Public campaign over the summer. The successful candidates will work with the political action coordinator to organize public outreach. They will assist in researching specific issues, tailor messages to specific audiences, help set up and staff booths at public events, distribute leaflets in crowds, engage the public in discussion about the value of public services, and attend community group meetings with a regional representative.

Energetic self-starters who are students of Marketing, Communications, Political Science, Economics, Community Development, Education or Women’s Studies who believe in social justice and want to develop their activist skills are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to qualified aboriginal and racialized students. The wage rate is $15/hour. It is a full time 35 hour/week job for a 10 week period between June 15 and Labour Day weekend. Some weekend work is expected.

Please send your resume to Luc Guevremont at guevrel@psac.com. The deadline for receipt of applications is Tuesday June 3, 2008.

The PSAC Vancouver Regional Office recently switched from drinking bottled water to tap water … here’s why.

Our union recently identified Defending Quality Public Services as one of our key priorities.

Water is the most important public service in the world. It is also a fundamental human right and according to the United Nations, “the human right to drinking water is fundamental to life and health.”

Unfortunately, the majority of people in the world do not have access to this fundamental human right. Over 1.7 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and each year, millions of children die of disease caused by unsafe water. The numbers are increasing as multinational companies turn water into a commodity that is being privatized, bottled and sold back to us in the guise of being “purer, healthier and safer,” even though much of this water is re-filtered from our municipal supplies.

We need to defend and keep water as a quality public service that everyone in the world has the right to access without paying for it.

“People from all walks of life are recognizing a deep truth: water, the basic element of life, is under threat. They are looking at their own water use, striving to take steps to conserve water as a public trust and questioning the depletion of water and it’s commodification by corporations.”(KAIROS Canada)

We need to be part of the change – by starting with ourselves and looking at our own water use. That’s why we’ve made a commitment to stop using privatized bottled water in the regional office and “tap” into our public water supply.

“Purer,” “healthier,” “safer” might be some of the reasons why you buy bottled water. But is the water healthier and safer? Take a look at some of the links posted below and see what you think.

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“People count on water for life; corporations count on it for profit”

Greetings. This to let you know that there will be some changes in the PSAC regional offices in BC.

Regional Rep, Jack Rudd, will be retiring in May. Colette Savarie, will be transferring from the Saskatoon Regional Office to replace him. Some of you will remember Colette from her days as the BC/Yukon Regional Vice President for National Component before she came on staff as the regional rep in the Yellowknife RO.

Janelle Ho-Shing, formerly the Regional Organizer, was the successful candidate on the competition to fill the regional rep position vacated by Joanna Schultz.

James Little, Regional Rep - Health and Safety, will be working out of the Victoria Regional Office for the next two years. His assignments remain the same. Please note that the Victoria Regional office now has a toll-free phone number - 1 866 953 1050

Please join me in welcoming them all to their new challenges.

Janet Routledge, Regional Coordinator - BC

Greetings. There are going to be some big chances in the Vancouver Regional Office. Brother Jack Rudd will be retiring in May and Sister Regina Brennan will be going on self-funded leave for six months as of June 2007. Jack’s position has been posted and the deadline for applications is January 29. From that competition we will establish an eligibility list from which to backfill Regina in her absence.

If you are interested in applying in this competition and want to find out more about what qualifications we are looking for and how we assess them, then come to a meeting at the Vancouver Regional Office, 5238 Joyce St., on Wednesday January 24 at 5:45 pm.

Light refreshments will be served so please RSVP to Patrick or Patricia at 604-430-5631 no later than noon on January 23.

Janet Routledge, BC Regional Coordinator

Regional Representative

Duties

Under the general supervision of the Regional Coordinator and as part of a regional team that includes other regional office staff, the Regional Council, and regional union bodies such as Area Councils, the Regional Representative builds the union and fosters membership solidarity by delivering union programs and services in the region.

For more information visit the national website. Note the closing date for PSAC members residing in the BC region is January 29th.

Janelle Ho-Shing will be acting in the position of Regional Representative until the staffing action to replace Joanna Schultz has been completed. She will be assuming responsibility for the locals previously assigned to Joanna. She can be reached at 604-430-5631 extension 234 or by emailing hoshinj@psac.com.

TERM ASSIGNMENT – ASSISTANT TO THE EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT
BAND 8, B.C. REGION, VANCOUVER REGIONAL OFFICE, LANGUAGE: ENGLISH, ASSIGNMENT FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO MARCH 2007

As part of the BC Region, this individual will work closely with the Regional Executive Vice-President (REVP) providing support in the day to day work and assisting the REVP in responding to a wide range of requests. The individual will possess good organizing skills and will be able to work independently, as well as part of a team; will be able to keep informed of issues sensitive to the union and to the office of the REVP, sort the information and bring important issues to the attention of the REVP; will have good research skills and excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing.

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