Union of Environment Workers Local 20147

Although a full convention report will be posted at http://www.psac.com/environment shortly, Local 20147 delegates would like to take this opportunity to give a brief report on our participation in the Triennial National Convention of the Environment Component, PSAC in the second week of August.

Overall, the convention went well – for the component as a whole and for our local. Delegates passed several resolutions, the most notable being one changing the name of the component to the Union of Environment Workers, which took effect at convention close. A new logo for the component was also unveiled at the convention and is included at the top of this report.

A new three-year budget was passed, and several resolutions were referred up to the PSAC Triennial convention in May 2006 dealing with amendments to the hardship fund, a new vote for Table 3 dispute resolution in the next round of collective bargaining, and democratic dispute resolution between components within the PSAC. Tom Hopkins and Murray McPherson were active during the debates on the floor on many issues and raised many good points on convention motions. Although it was difficult for convention participants to agree to, there was a dues increase voted on in the new budget which will take effect in 2006. This was seen as necessary to offset the losses incurred due to recent decreases in membership and a projected increase in representation needs under Public Service Modernization. You will receive more information on this increase in an upcoming bulletin.

Our incumbent Regional Vice-President Nick Humphreys was re-elected unanimously by the BC Caucus, with George McElwee from Local 20147 elected as the new Alternate RVP. From the convention floor, Megan Adam was elected one of four delegates (on top of the National Executive and Equal Opportunities representative) to the PSAC Triennial Convention in 2006.

The DFO Funding Campaign (nicknamed “Save the Salmon”) initiated by a committee inside Local 20147 was well-received by fellow union members across the country, and many postcards and petitions were signed during the course of the convention. More information about this campaign may be found here – http://www.psacbc.com/fisheries and postcards may be obtained from any member of your local executive (you should see them posted in your worksite soon).

A special thanks must also go to the observers from 20147 – Stephen Stewart, Monique Bakker, and Perry Powers who all provided support staffing the salmon campaign table, organizing the BC hospitality room, and making contributions to the delegates debate in between sessions. Their support during the convention was not just invaluable to our delegates but to the BC Caucus as a whole.

Again, we thank you the members for supporting our work, and supporting us as delegates to the convention this year. Please feel free to email any one of us with questions about the proceedings and we will endeavour to answer them.

In Solidarity,
Murray McPherson, Tom Hopkins, George McElwee & Megan Adam
Delegates – 05 Environment Component Convention