Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

We would like to draw your attention to the latest Campaign of the Canadian Federation of Students-BC. They have a website that is raising awareness of the growing debt load that students are undertaking just to get an education.

It has some good interactive exercises, such as a debt calculator, campaign facts and action suggestions, so please pass this along to anyone you know who has a student debt, or is still amassing their student debt.

The on-line petition makes some concrete demands on the BC Government. Any person can sign on to the petition, as long as you are concerned about student debt, tuition fees, and equal access to post-secondary education.

Take some action today!

Next budget must stress good jobs – Georgetti says unemployment, low wages hurting younger workers

OTTAWA – When the federal government introduces a new budget in March, it must make the creation of good jobs a priority, says Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Georgetti was commenting on the release by Statistics Canada of labour force figures for December 2009. The unemployment rate remains at 8.5% and 1.57 million Canadian men and women are out of work.“Workers have had a dismal year and we’re not out of the woods yet,” he says.

Georgetti says that both the number and quality of jobs available are big issues for workers. “The income of most Canadian workers has dropped in the past decade, even while corporate executives saw their pay outpace inflation by 70%. Too many other Canadians are surviving on poorly paid and part-time jobs. The middle class is taking a beating and we have to turn that around.”

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The Surrey Urban Youth Project is an arts-based, youth-driven, empowerment program providing training in anti-oppression, facilitation, peer-support, conflict transformation, nonviolent communication, public speaking, and community organizing for youth 14 and older; with a particular focus on engaging (im)migrant, refugee, Indigenous and “at-risk” communities in Surrey. We support participants in developing whole and healthy lives to become active leaders in their communities.

Job Description: We will be hiring two arts-based, anti-oppression youth empowerment Facilitators who will work in a team environment with SUYP Co-Coordinators and Youth Mentors to plan and deliver the 2010 Surrey Urban Youth Project. The contract will run from November 30th 2009 – September 2010.

For more information, see the attached job posting (pdf)

• Have you been hired through a student hiring program within the federal public service?
• Do you want to know more about your working conditions?
• Do you want the right to join the union?

If you answered “Yes” to one or more of these questions, you are invited to join us for a pizza lunch, on us.

• When: Friday August 21st, 1 – 2 PM
• Where: 350 West Georgia Street, Library Square, Peter Kaye Room on the lower level

For more information or to RSVP contact Alison Timmons at (604) 430-5631 x 228 or timmona@psac.com.

On behalf of the Youth Caucus we are happy to share a tool recently developed from the results of the young worker course held last March 2009.

One of the exercises in the course gave us the opportunity as young workers to talk about some of our suggested “do’s and don’ts” and transformed it into checklist form (pdf). We hope that you will find it helpful to make young workers feel welcome in the workplace and in the union.

Please continue outreaching to young workers and encouraging them to self-identify so that we can contact them and also encourage their involvement.

In Solidarity,

James Painter, Regional Council Youth Representative and Nicole Jacobson, Regional Council Youth Representative – Alternate

Facing the Challenges of Youth Engagement in the Public Service

Speakers will discuss different challenges they face in engaging young workers and what we can do about it.

Lisa Banxachai is an Avant Garde Rep from PWGSC.

Matthew Miyagawa is the Western Area Youth Network Rep for CFIA.

James Painter is the PSAC-BC Regional Council Youth Rep.

Speakers will share their insights and lead into an open forum around strategies to further engage youth in the Public Service and beyond.

Register here!

Organized by Governexx, National Public Services Week, and Public Service Alliance of Canada.

On March 26-27, 2009 15 young workers came together for Young, Organizing, Unionizing and Resisting (YOUR). It was a great and diverse group and for many it was their first union event ever. James Painter and Nicole Jacobsen, as BC Regional Council Youth Representatives, helped organize the course and Kay Sinclair, REVP-BC came and spoke to the young workers as well.

Lots of ideas, new energy, and most importantly new faces to work with! Stay tuned to the Youth webpage for upcoming info.

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The Pacific Aboriginal Network (PAN) would like to invite you to our Learning Day Event and Annual General Meeting March 5th. This event is free.

Develop Your Learning Plan – Unleash Your Brain’s Potential

The brain is different than other organs of the body. Many organs wear out with repeated and sustained use. However, the brain actually thrives on challenge. Use it or lose it is something that all cognitive scientists agree on.

In this workshop we will look at how we can use learning plans to increase our intelligence, learning skills and advance our careers. Not only will you learn how to fill them out, how to prepare for the learning plan interview with your supervisor, you will learn how to use them to keep your brain functioning very well for the rest of your life. There are practical things that all of us can use to exercise our brains.

We will also discuss options – courses, volunteering, portfolios, job shadowing, mentoring, transferrable skills, etc. that will be helpful in your career.

The workshop will be followed by a network lunch.

• Time: 8am – 2pm (lunch included)
• Location: Blue Horizon Hotel, Downtown Vancouver
• Cost: Free
• Who: Open to Metis and Aboriginal Federal Public Service Employees
• Registration: Send an email to vanessa.schols@inac-ainc.gc.ca

Workshop Facilitator Bio

Bob Aitken is with the School of Instructional Development at Vancouver Community College. He teaches in the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program and the Diploma in Adult Education Program offered by Vancouver Community College. He has a MEd in Curriculum and Instruction. He travels extensively working with faculty in schools and colleges, leaders in corporations, government and non-profit organizations to help them realize the value of brain research to working, leading, training and living. His practical approach and sense of humour have made him a popular speaker at national and international conferences.

Space is limited so rsvp soon.

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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via the Canadian Labour Congress

Today, IGLYO and ILGA launch the LGBT Youth World List – the first international network of its kind.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer young people from all over the world can sign up to send and receive messages with other activists.

• Visit iglyo.com for more information.

Members will be encouraged to share their experiences, ideas and expertise, and to work together to solve problems and run projects. The working languages of the list are English, Spanish and French.

Nanna Moe, IGLYO Board Member and Communication Officer, said: “This will create a global conversation about LGBT rights, allowing young people to make contact and work together in an international fight for respect. This project is just part of IGLYO’s venture beyond Europe.” And she continues, “The list is very much in line with IGLYO activities this year, since it is the 25th anniversary of IGLYO, which we are going to celebrate with a reunion and huge conference with international guest in Amsterdam in July”.

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The winners of the $150 gift certificates to Mountain Equipment Co-op are:

• Jamey Guerrero
• Danielle Meloche
• Jessica Shum

Special thanks to Charlie Lin, PSAC member at UTE local 20027 for conducting the draw!

We hope that all of you had an excellent holiday season and are looking forward to new and exciting things in 2009. Now that you are self-identified as part of the Young worker caucus, we certainly hope you check out some of the upcoming events and make sure other young workers in your workplace self-identify as well.

Stay tuned for information about our Young Worker course and other events coming soon!

In Solidarity,

James Painter
BC Regional Council – Youth Representative

by Samantha Sinanan, Steward, CIU (CEUDA) Local 20040

The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) held their 25th Constitutional Convention this May in Toronto. The Convention was well attended by over 1700 delegates as well as guests and observers. One unsettling statistic, however, was the fact that out of the 1700 plus delegates, only about 60 were aged thirty and under. One can look at the bright side, and congratulate unions for doubling youth representation from the last Convention, yet the fact remains that in 10-15 years when the bulk of current activists retire, the movement will look much different.

If this chronic under-representation continues, there won�t be much of a movement left. In an era of increasing corporate globalization, privatization and contracting out, it is more important than ever to ensure that the labour movement in this country stays strong. Furthermore, young workers face some of the poorest working conditions in Canada and across the world. Youth involvement in labour activism is mutually beneficial; young people and unions need each other.

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James & Nicole, our newly elected Youth Coordinator & Alternate, attended a rousing BCFed Youth convention this spring at Camp Jubilee.

They emerged keen to strengthen the ranks of our youth members. The Youth BBQ, held Friday, August 22nd, was their first event to promote this. This fall they are hosting a contest to encourage all youth throughout the province to identify themselves. All those aged under 30 in BC who identify as youth online or via mail before December 12, 2008, will be entered to win one of three $150 gift certificates to Mountain Equipment Co-op.

You can register to self identify online or call the PSAC office for a form at: (604) 430-5631 or toll free at 1-800-663-1655.

Our generation has the power to change the country. By choosing to not endorse dirty energy sources like the tar sands and instead working towards a just transition to a clean energy future, we will create millions of jobs, improve our health and reclaim Canada’s position as a global leader. We need political leaders who will join with the international community in setting and reaching national emissions reductions targets based on science. This means a 20-40% emission reduction below 1990 levels by 2020 in order to give our planet a chance.

I pledge to vote and make climate change a top priority in this election. Sign the pledge here.

Power Vote Canada is a non-partisan voter’s pledge, aimed at encouraging 10,000 young people to make the climate a top priority in their vote. We are not seeking and will not give the endorsement of any party or candidate– so please don’t go get candidates signatures. This pledge is about the power of us as young people to take express ourselves to our leaders and be part of determining our country’s future!

How can you be involved?

First: Sign the pledge! Add your voice to the community of climate voters.

Then: Share it with your friends online. In addition to this email, you can also find us on Facebook. (You can also cheer for us getting to our goal of 10000 signatures online. Yay!)

Taking it offline

It’s going to take more than email forwards to reach our goal of 10,000 signatures! Kick it up a notch by bringing pledge sheets to your next event, or incorporate them into your info table. Poster, pledge sheets and (coming soon!) toolkit are available from ourclimate.ca. (Don’t forget to let us know how many signatures you got at powervote@ourclimate.ca!)

Be a community point person: help us reach the maximum number of people possible by organizing pledge drives in your community. To get started, contact powervote@ourclimate.ca

PLUS: Mark the date for our Green Jobs Day of Action on Sept 27. Wear green and come out to events in your community to show your support for the new, sustainable economy.

PowerVote is a project of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.

With the summer drawing to an end PSAC members in BC were busy keeping bargaining front and centre while enjoying the weather … here are some photos & brief reports.

Throughout the summer members of CEIU Local 20961 are holding payday actions. They plan to continue until a collective agreement is reached.

On August 21, just before the Canada Post bargaining team returned to the table, members of UPCE Local 20101 working at the Main Post Office in Vancouver held a Day of Action barbecue – the day started out with cloudy skies but the blue sky and sun arrived at nooon. Members passed out “Stamp Out Deregulaton” leaflets to the public while members from CUPW, APOC and CUPE all showed their support.

On August 22 a small but spirited group of PSAC Young workers and their supporters came out to Trout Lake Park for some fun and barbeque.

Scroll down or click ‘continue reading’ for more, click on the thumbnails for a larger version, and click the photos to advance the slideshow.

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• Thursday, August 28, 7 pm
• BC Fed Office, 200 – 2118 Joyce St Vancouver (across from Joyce St. skytrain station)

Unions mean better pay, benefits for you and your family, dignity, and respect in your workplace – join a union, it’s your right!

Find out how – hear from young workers who have organized unions and won. Meet organizers from unions in your field of work who can help you make it happen.

Panel of young organizers including – Jason Mann (Int’l Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’), Katherine Shea (UNITE HERE), Darren Miller (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), and more.

Re: Waves of Resistance – Pan-Canadian Gathering of Young Feminists in Montr�al, October 11-13, 2008 – www.rebelles2008.org

The PSAC Alliance Executive Committee has approved funding for one young woman member per Region to attend this Conference. To be eligible to apply you should support feminist and equality issues, be a member of the PSAC, and be 30 years of age or younger.

This Gathering will unite young women and young feminists who wish to:

• Share analysis of feminist issues and take action
• Consider priorities as young feminists
• Combine efforts
• Discuss how to resist and to fight against right-winged influences
• Create links of solidarity and reinforce the movement of young feminists across Canada.

This is an opportunity for young women from PSAC to engage in the overall young feminist movement.

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Posted on behalf of James Painter, Youth Coordinator, BC Region

Hello,

Earlier this year I was elected the new Youth Representative, with Nicole Jacobson as Alternate. As part of the goal of the youth caucus within PSAC, and the goals outlined to the convention floor, we want to greatly increase young members’ involvement within the PSAC and labour movement.

We are having a barbeque this Friday, August 22nd to allow young members to mix and mingle and find out more information on how they can get involved with the Public Service Alliance and their Local.

The barbeque will be held at Trout Lake Park in Vancouver, which is easily accessibly from Commercial Skytrain Station and will be going from 5 pm until 10 pm.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything with me, feel free to call me at 604-495-5565 during work hours or at 604-616-3710 outside of working hours, alternatively you can e-mail me at james.painter@cra-arc.gc.ca

In Solidarity, James Painter, Youth Coordinator BC Region

PSAC-BC Young Workers support the BCFED $10 NOW minimum wage campaign. View the latest video and find out why more than 50,000 people have joined this campaign.

Visit bcfed.com for more information on the $10 NOW! campaign, and to send an email to your MLA.