Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

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).

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).

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.

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.

To: PSAC Regional Women’s Committees

We are pleased to be sending you this Registration package for the 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!

• More information & registration package at the national website.

This registration package is available upon request in Braille and/or on diskette (MS Word) through the PSAC Programs Section by contacting Sue Courchaine at 613-560-5457 or by email at courchs@psac.com

Conference Objectives

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.

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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.

“Transforming Our World: Moving Forward”

The 2007 PSAC National Access Conference will be held September 7 to 9, 2007 at the Westin Ottawa Hotel in Ottawa under the theme “Transforming Our World: Moving Forward”.

The objectives of the 2007 PSAC National Access Conference are:

• To defend quality public services for persons with disabilities
• To empower and engage persons with disabilities to take action and move the disability agenda forward
• To better connect and to include persons with disabilities in our communities, our workplaces and our union
• To lobby in order to transform and to advance the disability rights agenda
• To provide tools to advocate for disability rights in our communities, our workplaces and our union.

For more information and to apply online, visit the national website. Note that the registration deadline is May 10, 2007 and the resolutions submission deadline is May 24, 2007.

To: PSAC-BC self identified members with a disability,

Sent on behalf of Carol Pegura, B.C. Regional Council District Coordinator for Fraser Valley West and Floyd Knelsen, B.C. Regional Council Equity Coordinator for Members with Disabilities

On September 7, 2007 the 2007 PSAC National Access Conference will be held in Ottawa. Sister Carol Pegura has been fortunate to be chosen to sit on the steering committee for this important conference. The Access Conference provides an essential opportunity for members to meet, network and identify strategies and solutions for advancing human rights and equity issues. Clear conference objectives and a focused mandate are needed to insure this conference benefits participants and the Union as a whole. Workers with disabilities represent the best source of information on how to eradicate disabilities-based discrimination.

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There are still some spaces for LGBT self-identified PSAC members to attend the Pride Conference as observers.

• PSAC members in good standing and who also identify as being from the GLBT communities may apply to attend the Conference as observers; however, observers will be responsible for all costs associated with their participation, including a conference registration fee of $150.00.
• Also note that observers will have voice only during the discussion period after the panel presentations. Observers may attend workshops. Observers do not have the right to vote during the resolutions debate and the election process.

If you are interested, please fill out the observers portion of the registration application (pdf) and return via mail or fax (details on the application) as soon as possible. Observers are responsible for their own expenses including a registration of $150.00.

Update: The CLC has informed us the conference has been postponed. We will provide the new dates as soon as we receive them.

“Building our Power – Building our Presence”: CLC 3rd Aboriginal Forum and 3rd Aboriginal/Workers of Colour Conference

The face of Canada and our workplaces is changing like never before.Over the next twelve years, the canvas of Canada will undergo an unprecedented change, particularly for Aboriginal and communities of colour. The demographic projections are powerful.

The Aboriginal population is growing more than twice as fast as the rest of the population in Canada. Among First Nations and the Métis, 50 percent of the population is younger than 18. Among the Inuit, 50 percent of the population is younger than 15. No other Canadian source of labour can begin to meet the rising needs of numerous trades and professions over the long term.

For communities of colour, the next dozen years will also see a dramatic rise in numbers. By the time Canada celebrates its 150th birthday, one in five persons will be a person of colour. Similarly, the new Canadian labour force will see more young people of colour than ever before. Consider that Generation X (18-34 year olds) is a cohort of 20 million persons and 20 percent are of colour. Generation Y (5-15 year olds) is the most racially diverse cohort in Canadian history, with one in three a person of colour.

Now is the time to build on our growing numbers, power and political potential.

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PSAC members want better health, safety and environmental regulations and more rigorous enforcement

PSAC members must make use of every forum available to speak out against deregulation and the implementation of measures that weaken their health and safety protection and their environment.

This was one of the messages heard at the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) National Health and Safety Conference held in Ottawa from January 19 to 21, 2007. PSAC National President, John Gordon, told delegates that “Canadians need a government that responds to the public’s needs, not to the desires of large corporations. We all need quality public services provided by our unionized members, who enjoy good health and safety protection. It’s our challenge, but it’s also our right,” he added.

• You can also read John Gordon’s speech at the Conference.
• See some pictures of the Conference.

More than 300 PSAC members attended the Conference, the theme of which was “Regulation Works”. Together union members devised strategies to: counter the federal government’s push to scale down occupational health and safety and environmental regulations; improve enforcement of health and safety legislation to better protect workers; and, dispel the myth of the careless employee. Members also debated resolutions some of which will be forwarded to the Alliance Executive Committee for action and the rest will be forwarded to the next PSAC Triennial Convention.

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The application deadline for the Pride Conference is January 11^th and the deadline for submission of resolutions is January 19^th.
The 2007 Pride Conference will take place March 30^th to April 1^st. The theme of the conference is “Include and be Included” and the objectives of conference are:

• To educate, politicize and mobilize PSAC GLBT members by making the links between union, workplace and GLBT rights within a safe space;
• To strengthen solidarity and build coalitions;
• To enhance, support and promote inclusive GLBT self-organizing strategies in our Union and our workplaces.

A PSAC member who is a member in good standing and who self-identifies as belonging to the GLBT communities can apply to be a delegate to this Conference. The selection of delegates will take into account union and GLBT rights activism, as well as representation (Region, Component, language, gender and additional equity group representation).

Visit the national website for more information about the 2007 PSAC National Pride Conference, as well as an online registration form.

The 2007 Pride Conference will take place March 30^th to April 1^st. The theme of the conference is “Include and be Included” and the objectives of conference are:

• To educate, politicize and mobilize PSAC GLBT members by making the links between union, workplace and GLBT rights within a safe space;
• To strengthen solidarity and build coalitions;
• To enhance, support and promote inclusive GLBT self-organizing strategies in our Union and our workplaces.

A PSAC member who is a member in good standing and who self-identifies as belonging to the GLBT communities can apply to be a delegate to this Conference. The selection of delegates will take into account union and GLBT rights activism, as well as representation (Region, Component, language, gender and additional equity group representation). The application deadline is January 11^th, 2007.

Visit the national website for more information about the 2007 PSAC National Pride Conference, as well as an online registration form.

The PSAC will be holding a Pride Conference in Vancouver from March 29 - April 1, 2007 for members who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or who otherwise self identify as a member of the Pride community.

To start planning for the Conference, we are seeking names of PSAC members who are prepared to serve on either the:

• Steering Committee
• Resolutions Committee

Interested PSAC members should complete the attached one page form and return to it me by e-mail (preferable) or fax by no later than midnight Tuesday, October 24th. The B.C. Region is entitled to one committee member who will sit on either the Steering or Resolutions Committee.

• Conference Committee form (doc)
• Conference Committee form (pdf)

I apologize for the tight deadlines, in Solidarity, Kay Sinclair.

2007 PSAC National Health and Safety Conference - “Regulation Works!”

Conference objectives

• The objectives of the 2007 PSAC National Health and Safety Conference are:
• To outline the current government and employer agenda which includes deregulation and to demonstrate how it will affect our health, safety and environmental rights.
• To develop a union agenda to counter the move towards deregulation of health, safety and environmental protections and employer voluntary compliance.
• To expose the misrepresentation behind the current “behavioural-based safety programs” being promoted by employers which rework the classic “blame the worker” theory.
• To develop union tactics to counter the “myth of the careless worker”.
• To examine the current state of enforcement of health and safety legislation in order to develop union-based strategies that will better protect workers.

The conference will take place January 19-21, 2007 in Ottawa. The registration deadline is October 5^th and the resolutions submission deadline is October 20^th.

Visit the national website for more information, and to register online.

As per the AEC decision with respect to the Steering and Resolutions Committees for the 2007 National Health and Safety Conference, this serves as the call for proposed names to sit on the above-mentioned committees.

Members interested in participating on these National H&S Conference committees should forward their application c/o the REVP BC Office, #302-5238 Joyce Street, Vancouver, V5R 6C9. Fax 604 430 0194.

The deadline for receipt by that office is May 11, 2006.

The annual CALM Conference, where union members gather to learn more about union communications, will be held from May 12 to 14 at the Red River College in Winnipeg. If you want to create a Local newsletter or website, or to learn how to improve communicating with your members, this conference is for you.

PSAC Locals can attend the conference even if they are not member of CALM. If you register before April 25, registration fees are $320 per person ($295 for members). You can choose up to four different workshops at the conference.

Visit www.calm.ca for more details on the conference. Register now for a great opportunity to meet union members who want to improve their communication skills.

Pierre Lebel, PSAC Communications Officer, CALM President