Local Voice May 2014

ALSO INSIDE
Health & Safety ESL

Are We Ready To Rumble?
QUILTBAG Members
Transit Night Riders
Safer Workplaces at BC Hydro
Quarterly publication for members of the Canadian Ofce & Professional Employees Union, Local 378
Local Voice
VOLUME 9 | Issue #2 Spring 2014
Safety | Security | Protection
Film Collaboration
QUILTBAG Members
ESL through Health and Saftey
In This Issue CONTENTS
19
17
15
3 PRESIDENTS OPENING MESSAGE
by David Black
4 TRANSLATIONS
6 PRESIDENT'S WORD
7 NIGHT RIDERS: TRANSIT SECURITY
8 COAST MOUNTAIN BUS MEMBERS
AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS
9 LIBERAL MISMANAGEMENT:
SAFETY OF B.C. WORKERS
By Harry Bains
10 PROFILE OF ARDELL BROPHY
AWARD WINNER LAURIE KIRK
11 SUPPORTING SAFER
WORKPLACES AT BC HYDRO
By Linda Mott
12 ONLINE MEMBER PORTAL
13 ICBC OH&S COMMITTEES:
TRAINING AND UNION RIGHTS
By Annette Toth
14 PARTICIPATING IN DEMOCRACY
By Korleen Carreras and Lori Mayhew
15 LEARNING ENGLISH THROUGH
HEALTH AND SAFETY
16 ARE WE READY TO RUMBLE?
By Steve Milne
17 WORKSAFEBC AND LABOUR
HERITAGE CENTRE
FILM COLLABORATION
By Robin Folvik
18 CELEBRATING 10 YEARS AS
INDEPENDENT CANADIAN UNION
19 QUILTBAG MEMBERS
20 BARGAINING BRIEFS
22 BC FORUM
23 REP ASSIGNMENTS
24 ORGANIZED LAUGHTER
Presidents Opening Message
USW 2009
David Black
President, COPE 378
I
remember the rst person I helped after I became a COPE 378 job
steward at ICBC. She was called into a disciplinary meeting with her
supervisor and a manager and was told she could have a job stew-
ard present. She came and found me. We quickly spoke about the
issue, and she gave me her point of view. She had been having some
personality clashes with her supervisor and thought that was the cat-
alyst for the meeting, not any real problems with her performance.
We pulled out my copy of the collective agreement and ipped
through it, focusing on the sections outlining her rights in the areas
we thought might come up in the meeting. When she went into that
meeting, I was at her side, taking notes and keeping the conversation
glued to the real or perceived problems as they should have been
dealt with by the collective agreement.
I still think of that combination member, steward and collective
agreement as the foundation of everything we do today to ensure
the safety, security and protection of our members. Our advocacy
takes other forms, of course. We work towards government policy
and legislation that will better protect our members. We partner with
community groups working for a healthier, more inclusive and just
society. And we work with other unions, provincially, nationally and
globally, to continue to ght for higher standards for all workers so
that we can move forward, not get dragged backwards into settling
for less. The work we do ensures you are able to do the work you do
safely and with the knowledge you are covered by a framework that
protects you in several diferent ways.
And that member I mentioned? Her or perhaps I should say her
supervisors issues were resolved before anything got too serious,
through a combination of conict resolution and education about
the rights of members as outlined in the collective agreement. What
can I say? COPE 378 has some pretty great job stewards.
The Canadian Ofce and Professional Employees Union, Local
378, is afliated with the Canadian Ofce and Professional
Employees Union, the British Columbia Federation of Labour, the
Canadian Labour Congress, UNI Global Union and IndustriALL.
Canadian Ofce and Professional Employees Union, Local 378,
Executive Board Members:
President: David Black
Secretary-Treasurer: Lori Mayhew
Vice Presidents: Annette Toth (ICBC), Gwenne Farrell (Utilities),
Heather Lee (Combined Units)
Accenture Business Services:
Melanie Greenlaw, Nancy de Vries
BC Hydro:
Calvin Jonas, Rysa Kronebusch
ICBC: Yasmin Carroll, Karin Cirez, Mike Ferguson, Joyce
Galuska, Trevor Hansen
FortisBC Energy: Tim Bouzovetsky
FortisBC Inc. and FortisBC Customer Service Centres:
Stephanie Smith
Combined Units: Colleen Finn, Laurie Kirk, Petro Koromvokis,
Don Mace, Keith Parkinson, Tim Weigelt
COPE 378 Communications & Campaigns:
Communications Director: Sage Aaron
Communications Ofcer: Jarrah Hodge
COPE 378 Senior Union Representatives:
Brad Bastien, Glen MacInnes
COPE 378 Union Representatives:
Carrol Edwards, Tony Geluch, Cathy Hirani, Barry Hodson,
Ken Howie, Barbara Junker, Pat Junnila, Cindy Lee,
Sarah Melsness, Bonnie Merriman, Brian Nelson, Kevin Payne,
Cheryl Popeniuk, Kelly Quinn, Karen Rockwell,
Stephen Von Sychowski
COPE 378 Administrative & Ofce Staf:
Joanne Baneld, Karen Caston, Elaine Chilman, Lise Cluf,
Adele Earwaker, Yudon Garie, Lisa Jefery, Shelley Lockhart,
Carol McLuskie, Karen McRae, Kim Smith
COPE 378 Financial Staf:
Sandi Malhame, Donna Morris, Barbara Liang, Amandeep Nijjar
Occupational Health & Safety & WCB Appeals:
Steve Milne
Organizing:
Georgi Bates, Caitlin Gilroy
Job Evaluation:
Teresa Davie
LTD Trust Administrator:
Jim Moynham
COPE 378 Local Voice is the ofcial quarterly magazine
published for the members of the Canadian Ofce and
Professional Employees Union, Local 378.
ISBN 1918-9753 COPE Local 378 Voice
Letters to the editor are welcome but may be edited for brevity
and clarity. Please contact COPE 378 for permission to reprint
articles, graphics, or photographs.
Address all correspondence to: COPE 378 Communications
2nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1J9
Phone: 604-299-0378 Toll Free: 1-800-664-6838
Fax: 604-299-8211
Visit COPE 378s website at www.cope378.ca
Or contact us via email at editor@cope378.ca
Editor: Sage Aaron
COPE 378 Local Voice VOLUME 9 Issue #2 Spring 2014 | 3
4 | VOLUME 9 Issue #2 Spring 2014 COPE 378 Local Voice
Top 9 Ways COPE 378 Ensures Your Safety,
Security and Protection
PRESIDENT'S
WORD
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E
ver wonder what your union does to ensure your
safety, security and protection? Its a good question
because most of our members wont ever inter-
act with us directly. But weve got your back and were
working on your behalf just the same.
Heres a quick list of some of the things we do to
keep you covered.
1. Your collective agreement: Youre protected by
a collective agreement which lays out the terms
and conditions of your employment. From wag-
es to benets to hours of work, its all in there.
The agreement says what the employer can and
cant do and best of all, you get to help shape
this agreement in bargaining.
2. The grievance procedure: Each collective agree-
ment outlines a grievance procedure, which is
a list of steps to resolve disputes between your
union and the employer. If your boss doesnt
obey the collective agreement by, for instance,
failing to provide a respectful and harassment-
free workplace, we can le a grievance to x the
problem. But often the rst step is for your job
steward or union representative to talk it out with
the employer.
3. Your stewards: In almost every COPE 378 work-
place there are people whove been trained by
the union to defend your rights. These folks are
trouble-shooters and issue-solvers. They have
a direct line to the union of ce to access the
information needed to help you out. They can
tell you what is and isnt a grievance, help you
understand your benets and make sure your
workplace is safe.
4. WCB Appeals/OH&S Coordinator: COPE 378
has a full-time Workers Compensation Board/
Occupational Health and Safety coordinator
who works with employers to make job sites safe
and defends members rights when they are in-
jured on the job.
5. Your union representatives: These highly trained
union stafers are the big guns. They know your
agreement and labour law very, very well. They
can interpret complicated language and, if your
boss wont x problems through the grievance
process, they can take the issue the Labour
Board. They also help bargain your collective
agreements.
6. Your council and executive board: In between
conventions, these folks are the government of
your union. Led by your president, secretary-
treasurer and vice-presidents, they set the direc-
tion of the union, keep the union's nancials (in-
cluding the $20 million defence fund) steady and
make sure the union of ce runs at optimal ef-
ciency. Best of all: you elect them from among
your coworkers.
7. Political advocacy: Sometimes the threats to our
members dont come from their managers; they
come from government decisions. COPE 378
campaigns and lobbies government on your behalf
for the best possible outcome.
8. Community initiatives: We partner with com-
munity groups, most notably the United Way, in
communities across B.C. The United Way raises
funds and runs programs that help strengthen
communities by taking care of those most vul-
nerable.
9. The labour movement: Were part of some-
thing bigger, something that keeps the ideas
of fairness and equality xed in the public dis-
course. From advocating for a stronger Canada
Pension Plan here at home to pressuring cloth-
ing brands to take responsibility for the loss of
life when a textile factory collapsed in Bangla-
desh and to make sure it never, ever happens
again, we support and share the work of insti-
tutions who are making a tangible diference
for the better.
BY DAVID BLACK, PRESIDENT
Night Riders:
Riding Along with the Transit Security Night Shift TRANSIT
BY JARRAH HODGE, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
C
OPE 378 represents Transit Police, the sworn of-
cers who work for TransLink, and Coast Moun-
tain Bus transit security. Last June President David
Black and I rode along with transit security members on
a morning shift. We recently joined them for a graveyard
shift in order to get a full picture of their work.
7 p.m.
We meet at the Coast Mountain Bus of ce in New
Westminster and get a picture of their day-to-day jobs.
We do fare inspections, ride the coaches and ensure
everythings safe and sound on transit properties. We also
eld customer inquiries. We help explain how the fares
and upgrades work, explains one member, Tom*.
We can run into fare-evaders, irate passengers, drunk
passengers. Were trained to de-escalate these situations.
Its for the passengers and the operators [bus drivers] who
are out there. We see them and their families and we want
them to go home safe at night, adds Tom.
One of the most signicant challenges for our mem-
bers is understaf ng. On a full shift, like tonight, only eight
people cover the entire bus system.
I join Phil, Craig and Jeremy in a car to respond to a
call. Phil gives me a heavy bullet-proof vest to wear, and a
pair of what look like tacky sunglasses; theyre to protect
my eyes in case someone spits at them.
On the way over, I ask Craig why he works in transit
security. He says, I like dealing with the public and help-
ing people if I can, keeping everyone safe.
Craig tells me about one of his worst experiences on
the job: the time he was riding a bus in the Downtown
Eastside and got poked with a needle.
I got rushed to the hospital to get checked out and
it was a stressful ten months waiting to nd out if I had
anything, he says.
10 p.m.
Phil, Jeremy and I ride the 106 to New Westminster
Station. Phil asks the bus driver how he is.
Im good great now you guys are here, he replies.
He hopes we can stick around a bit at New Westmin-
ster Station because there is a regular passenger whos
a problem.
You know, the one who threatened to shoot me, he
reminds them.
2 to 4 a.m.
After the SkyTrain shuts down, Transit Police go
of-shift, so transit security are the main ones keeping
things safe on transit property and the crowded night
buses. David goes downtown to ride the night buses
with our members.
Riding the N19 back along Kingsway at one point a
passenger gets stressed and a little belligerent at being
asked to move to the back of the bus to make room for
more people. Hes clearly intoxicated. Our members and
another passenger nally calm him down and get him to
the back of the bus so others can board.
Then a bit later I see that hes passed out. This guy
was lying on the oor and he had vomited everywhere.
We stopped the bus and our members were really
good. They tried to revive him but he was really
out of it so they got him onto the sidewalk and
covered him with a blanket until an ambulance
could get there, David explained.
The ride-along showed you just dont
know whats going to happen when youre in
their job, and you dont have a lot of other peo-
ple or resources if things go sideways. I was really
impressed with how our members remained calm
and focused on protecting and assisting drivers and
passengers.
*Names have been changed to
protect members privacy.
7:00
10:00
2:00
4:00
Coast Mountain Bus Members Fend Of
Attack on Retirement Benets SUCCESS
BY JARRAH HODGE, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
T
he quote What we wish for ourselves, we desire
for all is a core principle in the labour movement,
and it was demonstrated clearly by COPE 378
members in their latest round of bargaining at Coast
Mountain Bus Company (CMBC).
Coast Mountain Bus tried to outright buy our re-
tirement benets, but it wasnt a good deal, said Petro
Koromvokis, COPE 378 board member for CMBC.
With already two years gone since the last collec-
tive agreement expired, Coast Mountain Bus forced
over 400 COPE 378 employees to vote on a nal ofer
that included demands for signicant concessions on
retirement benets. Under CMBCs package, all mem-
bers who currently have over 10 years of service would
have had a choice upon retirement of whether to keep
their post-retirement benets plan or whether to ac-
cept a payout of $500 per year of service: not enough
to even cover the current basic MSP premiums for an
individual, much less extended benets for dependent
family members.
CMBC wanted to force current members with less
than 10 years of service to take the payout rather than
benets. The nal result would be a two-tier agreement
where any new hires would get no retirement benets
or payout, regardless of length of service.
This was a mean-spirited and unfair attack that tried
to divide members against each other, said COPE378
Vice-President Heather Lee. Our members sent that
message to the employer loud and clear. They voted 91
per cent against taking CMBCs ofer and 91 per cent in
favour of job action.
We organized a group of job stewards to engage
with the members and answer their questions during
this process. They went out from property to property
and they did a really good job, said Union Representa-
tive Kevin Payne.
It said that we cared enough to go to them. While
management and the Labour Board conducted their -
nal ofer vote we stayed outside in the cold and the rain
and conducted our strike vote, Koromvokis explained.
A few weeks after the overwhelming strike vote,
without having to take any job action, COPE 378 signed
a tentative agreement after CMBC backed down on the
issue. The issue will now go to a committee made up of
both union and management representatives to review
the benet plans and determine how to protect and
continue to ofer retirement benets in a more cost-
efective way.
This is a win for us, and it also means now we have
the opportunity to work together to nd a solution that
works for everyone, said Payne.
Im very proud of our members. They didnt ac-
cept CMBCs two-tier agreement. Instead, they came
together to support each other and stand up for future
union members. And they were successful, Lee said.
What we wish for ourselves, we desire for all
Coast Mountain Bus tried to
outright buy our retirement
benets, but it wasnt a good deal.
Petro Koromvokis,
COPE 378 board member for CMBC
Heather Lee
Liberal Mismanagement Putting Safety of
B.C. Workers at Risk B.C. POLITICS
BY HARRY BAINS, BC NEW DEMOCRAT JOBS AND LABOUR CRITIC
W
orker safety cannot be guaranteed by this Lib-
eral government. Recent worker deaths, a fail-
ure to ensure those responsible are held to ac-
count, and the ongoing failure by companies to comply
with safety regulations have left workers around British
Columbia, particularly in sawmills, uneasy and angry.
Thats why New Democrats believe it is imperative to
hold an independent investigation into the tragedies at
Babine Forest Products in Burns Lake and Lakeland Mill
in Prince George.
The Liberal government has refused to hold such an
investigation, and instead has said an internal review by
the premiers own top staf is good enough.
We believe that is simply unacceptable. Only a tru-
ly independent investigation will get to the bottom of
what happened. Only an independent investigation will
get to the bottom of who is criminally responsible for
the deaths of four workers and the injuries of many oth-
ers, and ensure they are held accountable.
In 2010, two years before the explosions, Work-
SafeBC identied wood dust as a major combustion
hazard at a workshop. But the government agency
failed to cite sawdust as an explosive hazard at mills,
despite inspections that identied buildup on site.
After the explosions, instead of conducting a prop-
er investigation, WorkSafeBC went into damage control
mode, working overtime to try to politically subdue the
injured workers and families of those who died.
While the Crown and WorkSafeBC continue to
point ngers at each other, workers and their families
want to know why the Liberal government failed to en-
sure that these two government agencies were work-
ing together and fullling their responsibilities. The Lib-
eral government should have been working with these
agencies long before the explosions happened.
Whats even more dis-
turbing is that two years af-
ter the sawmill explosions,
nearly half of the mills in B.C.
still failed safety audits with
unacceptable levels of wood
dust the same factor that
caused the tragedies in Burns
Lake and Prince George. The
Liberal governments re-
sponse was to hold some meetings with company
CEOs, something that should have happened before
the explosions. That isnt good enough.
A federal law passed in 2003 allowed for criminal
charges to be laid against managers and owners to ad-
dress unsafe workplace conditions. Since the Westray
law came into efect in 2004, there have been 1,350
worker deaths and not a single criminal charge has
been laid.
New Democrats have written to the premier, add-
ing our voice to those of the injured workers and the
families of those who died, and asked her to launch a
fully independent investigation.
We have also raised this issue countless times dur-
ing question period and in the media, asking the pre-
mier why she refuses to allow an independent investi-
gation to happen.
British Columbians want to know how many
more workers must be killed or injured before the
government takes its responsibility for the safety of
workers seriously.
Workers in B.C. deserve better.
Harry Bains
BC New Democrat
jobs and
labour critic
"...the ongoing failure by companies to comply with
safety regulations have left workers around British
Columbia, particularly in sawmills, uneasy and angry."
HONOURING
ACTIVISTS
I
t wasnt long after Laurie Kirk started working at the
Discovery Harbour branch of Coastal Community
Credit Union that she noticed the important role her
unions job steward was playing.
She was a very calming inuence, Kirk said.
Two years later when her steward left the branch for
another job, Kirk was ready to step into the role herself.
One of the rst things my steward had taught me
was to always be nice, until its time not to be nice. I
asked her, How will I know when that time is? and she
said, Youll know. It was great advice, Kirk said.
Now, 15 years later, Kirk serves on the unions ex-
ecutive board and is the most recent recipient of the
unions Ardell Brophy Award, which recognizes a job
steward with an outstanding record of union activism
and mentoring new activists.
One of the reasons she was recognized was her
commitment to helping organize other credit union
branches to join the union.
What got me and sister Wanda [Neil] involved to
start with was we took an organizing class with Dave
McPherson at the spring Job Steward Seminar. It got us
interested because, at that time, only about half of our
branches were organized and we could see the dispari-
ties with the ones that werent, Kirk said.
Kirk explained the non-union branches had de-
veloped a culture that wasnt healthy or respectful of
the employees:
There was pressure and a lot of people would work
through their breaks and not take lunch. Sometimes
they were expected to drive to peoples houses at night
to get people to sign papers. That could be dangerous.
Another big issue Kirk found in non-union credit union
branches was lack of job security and job opportunity.
If youre not in the union they can just give you two
weeks severance and youre out the door. Thats really
a problem when there are so many changes in tech-
nology in our sector and things move fast. Our union
helps because we negotiated guidelines that stipulate
the employer has to work with us when they want to
cut jobs because of technological changes. Employees
have more rights and are treated more fairly.
When asked what advice she has for new job stew-
ards, Kirk says, I would say follow your heart and your
instincts because theyre usually right. If something
seems wrong, it probably is.
Kirk still works at the Discovery Harbour branch of
CCCU in Campbell River, as a senior member service
representative. She lives with her husband and they
have two adult daughters.
"... follow
your heart
and your
instincts
because
they're
usually
right."
Laurie Kirk
Laurie Kirk with
COPE 378 President
David Black
Laurie Kirk accepting the Ardell Brophy award
Ardell Brophy Award Winner Laurie Kirk
Supporting Safer Workplaces at BC Hydro BC HYDRO
BY LINDA MOTT, BC HYDRO EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
T
he BC Hydro Safety Task Force (STF) was estab-
lished in 2010 to determine why BC Hydro had
an alarming frequency of safety incidents, and
to nd solutions so no employee would be seriously
injured or wounded again. The STF made 19 recom-
mendations and COPE 378 supported these recom-
mendations, along with the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and BC Hydro's Board of
Directors and Executive.
The Senior Safety Leadership Team (SSLT) was
created to support the ongoing implementation of
the recommendations. Soon the SSLT was meeting
monthly because of the sheer volume of issues that
needed to be addressed
COPE 378 Utilities Vice-President Gwenne Farrell
said: The creation of the SSLT has been a tremendous
step in the right direction. There has been improved col-
laboration and all parties have been more proactive in
dealing with safety issues. We still have a ways to go, but
were making the workplace safer for all our members.
Another recommendation made by the task force
was to create the Life Saving Rules.
The Life Saving Rules are the result of a collabora-
tive efort amongst COPE, BC Hydro, and IBEW employ-
ees, said Life Saving Rules Team member and COPE 378
member, Construction Of cer Todd Ewing. While its
our expectation that workers follow all safety rules, the
Life Saving Rules focus on the high-risk work activities
that carry the greatest threat of serious injury or death.
David Stevenson, COPE 378 member and occu-
pational safety and health specialist, has worked in
various sawmills and has seen the risks workers were
expected to take. The injuries they sustained made
him realize the importance of changing safety cul-
ture in the workplace.
As a rst aid attendant Ive seen some devastating
injuries happen to some of my closest friends. I cant
explain the feeling of sitting in the emergency room
with your friend while he cries in pain. I cant explain the
feeling of hopelessness as I shut the ambulance door,
watch it speed away and hope that my friend is going to
survive. Many employees, especially those who work in
the of ces may feel the nine Life Saving Rules just apply
to those in the eld, but they dont. They apply to all of
us at home and at work, Stevenson said.
Also a COPE 378 member, Kim Symington has
been an occupational safety and health specialist for
over 20 years.
I take it personally when someone gets hurt or in-
jured, I feel I let them down, she said. Maybe I didnt
speak up enough, ght the politics enough or plow
through the road blocksIve been in jobs where safety
wasnt even discussed. There was an attitude of accept
the way it is or move on. That wasnt good enough for
me. I wasnt willing to accept that attitude and it led me
into a career that has never let me down. To this day,
I still enjoy what I do, working with the frontline em-
ployees and managers speaking up, providing guid-
ance and support, and at the end of the day seeing
everyone go home safe.
Im very proud of the Life Saving Rules teams ac-
complishments and their dedication to improving safety
at BC Hydro. I also appreciate how many of the mem-
bers have stepped up to take on roles in the new safety
committees that have been established, says Farrell.
Employees across BC Hydro are working hard to
make a diference in safety and in implementing the
Safety Task Force vision and its recommendations. Fo-
cused committees are now leading the change and will
continue to improve on what has been implemented.
Ive been in jobs where safety wasnt
even discussed. There was an attitude
of accept the way it is or move on.
That wasnt good enough for me.
Kim Symington, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist
Left photo: Kim Symington. Right photo: David Stevenson
BC Hydro
Safety
Task Force
(STF) was
established
Recommendations
were made to
improve safety
2010
19
Gwenne Farrell
Member Portal COPE378.CA
GET THE CARD TO GET ONLINE
To access the member portal members will need
their Member ID number. Each COPE 378 member has
a unique identication number assigned only to them.
This ID number is printed on member cards, which were
sent to all COPE 378 members by mail either in March
of 2011 or, if a member joined COPE 378 after this date,
within two months of starting work and becoming a
COPE 378 member.
The Member ID number is in the middle of the card
below the bar code.
If a COPE 378 member has lost or misplaced their
member card, they must call the union of ce at 604-
299-0378 or 1-800-665-6838 for a replacement. That
replacement card will be sent to the member by mail.
LOGGING IN FOR THE FIRST TIME
Follow these instructions for accessing the
www.cope378.ca online member portal
for the rst time.
With member cards in hand, COPE 378 members
go to www.cope378.ca in their web browsers and fol-
low these steps:
1. Click on COPE 378 Member Portal in the upper
right hand corner of the screen.
2. Click on the red Sign Up Now button underneath
First Time Here?
3. Fill out all the elds, starting with Member ID.
Member ID numbers are number found on
COPE 378 member cards. Chose a username
and a password. When choosing a username,
members should consider something easy to re-
member, like email addresses.
Following these steps will give members access to
the member portal.
To login after registering for the rst time, members
can follow the member portal link at www.cope378.ca
and enter the user name and password they picked
upon registration.
If the information entered matches the informa-
tion COPE 378 has on le for that member, they will
be registered.
In late April COPE 378 unveiled its new member portal, which will better enable
all members to access the information they need from the union.
This portal, which is securely protected by unique individual passwords, will allow members to:
Verify their personal contact information on le with the union and make any changes
or updates if necessary
Check on the status of any active personal grievances
Check on the status of any workplace-wide grievances (also called policy grievances,
so named because they grieve a workplace policy)
Find sensitive communications that cannot be shared on the public website
If you have
any questions
about training of
the joint OH&S
committees,
please get in
touch via email at
atoth@cope378.ca
ICBC OH&S Committees: Training and Union Rights ICBC
BY ANNETTE TOTH, VICE-PRESIDENT
Annette Toth
O
ver the past few months its become clear ICBC
hasnt been holding up its end of a very impor-
tant deal regarding our joint occupational health
and safety committees.
Since becoming vice-president, Ive been hard at
work making sure all of the committees including
the OH&S commitees are current and up-to-date. Its
been a challenge.
The OH&S joint committees are, according to our
collective agreement, made up of employer represen-
tatives and union representatives. By Workers Com-
pensation Board (WCB or WorkSafe) law, all committee
members are entitled to eight hours of training each
year. This training is ofered by the Health & Safety Cen-
tre at the BC Federation of Labour (BCFED).
When I started updating COPE 378s very out-of-
date information as to who was on these committees, we
didnt know who was supposed to be there, and neither
did ICBC. And then I learned ICBC was appointing the
unions representatives to joint OH&S committee without
telling the union. And no one was getting trained.
Lets start with the training rst. The Health & Safety
Centre ofers a wide array of courses, starting with ba-
sic OH&S training, to courses that cover Improving Re-
turn to Work Outcomes, Understanding and Preventing
Stress in the Workplace and Emergency Preparedness.
The courses are interesting and useful and can help the
committees function more efectively. And, Health &
Safety Centre trainers will travel. COPE 378 can coordi-
nate with the centre to put on group sessions outside of
the Lower Mainland, wherever we have enough OH&S
committee members. We want committee members to
be trained and will help them get that information.
As for the corporation appointing the unions rep-
resentatives wow. Thats pretty far over the line. Our
committee members are the eyes and ears of the union
at your workplaces on safety-related issues. In addition
to the fact members werent getting training, the lines of
responsibility are fundamentally diferent. If managers
are appointing members to the committee, job stew-
ards need to remind those managers they don't have
that right. It is the role and right of the union.
I know that not all worksites have this problem. But
many do, or did. Ive written to everyone I think is on a
joint OH&S committee and have asked them to sign a
conrmation letter that they want to stay on the com-
mittee, that they understand that they are there on be-
half of the union not the employer and to outline
their rights to education: eight hours of OH&S training
each year.
Many of these committee members care about their
responsibilities and are very conscientious, but had no
idea they were there on behalf of the union. And I was
absolutely shocked at how many wrote back to say they
were never ofered any OH&S training at all.
The good news is that were xing the problem.
Were working on making sure everyone has the train-
ing and support they need. If you have any questions
about training of the joint OH&S committees, please get
in touch via email at atoth@cope378.ca
"Our [OH&S] committee
members are the eyes and ears
of the union at your workplaces
on safety-related issues."
POLITICAL
ACTION
REPORT Participating in Democracy
Federal politics
The federal budget was introduced early in February
and, not surprisingly, nothing was set aside for bargain-
ing with public sector workers, and no money given for
expanding the Canada Pension Plan.
In somewhat happier news, the anti-union Bill C-377,
which would force punishing nancial disclosure on
unions, is currently on hold. If or when its back the ap-
proval process will continue in the Senate.
Through a series of lobbying eforts Bill C-525, which
impacts federal public service union certications, was
amended. The original bill would have changed the law
so that any employee who didn't vote yes or no to join-
ing a union would have been deemed to have voted no.
The bill was changed so that only the votes in the ballot
box will be counted. Its a small success because there
are still many terrible aspects to this bill and our work is
not done yet.
The most damaging bill introduced this session is
Bill C-23, the Fair Elections Act. There is nothing fair
about it. The act will drastically limit the powers of
Elections Canadaa non-partisan entityand put the
power in the hands of the party in government. The act
would eliminate vouching for voters without ID and re-
fuse voter information cards as proof of address, which
will stop many young and low-income or homeless Ca-
nadians from voting. Training for nancial agents, politi-
cal party volunteers responsible to ling election nan-
cial reports, would stop. And the political party elected
in each riding would be responsible for appointing key
local election of cials.
Academics, the labour movement, opposition par-
ties and community groups have lined up against this
act. Hopefully, together we can bring it down. Update
as Local Voice goes to press 45 sections of the act have
been amended due to overwhelming criticism.
British Columbia
After 300 days away from the legislature, members
of the legislative assembly went back on February 11
with the speech from the throne. The budget presented
on February 18 did nothing to address straining public
services and British Columbians' concerns about jobs
and afordability.
The BC Teachers Federation won another court vic-
tory but the government appealed the decision, once
again refusing to reverse their cuts and bring back prop-
er class size and composition.
A capable and ery BC NDP caucus continue to
hold the BC Liberals to account in question period.
As of press time for the Local Voice, it seems as
though John Horgan has been declared the unity can-
didate by the party. If there are no other declared candi-
dates Horgan, familiar to COPE 378 members through
his work on the energy le, will be declared leader in
early May.
Municipal
Local government elections are approaching and
will be held in November of this year. This is the level of
government we see day-to-day: garbage pickup, snow
removal, city bylaws (our favorite, especially when it
comes to parking regulations), police and re services.
Ironically these elections have the lowest voter turn-
outusually around 25-30 per cent.
COPE 378 members will be running as candidates
and we applaud their participation. If you are thinking
of running as a candidate or volunteering please let us
know. Email Korleen at kcarreras@cope378.ca and Lori
at lmayhew@cope378.ca
BY KORLEEN CARRERAS AND LORI MAYHEW, POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
C-377
BILL
C-525
BILL
C-23
BILL
Left photo:
Korleen Carreras
Right photo:
Lori Mayhew
Learning English through Health and Safety
WORKER
EDUCATION
BY SAGE AARON, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
I can use this [knowledge] if a friend has a problem
at work. I can say something that will help.
Monika Mendoza
W
hen asked why she wanted to take a course
that combines English as a second language
teaching with workplace health and safety,
Monika Mendoza laughed and said: Well, I have to
learn English! Also, [because we are new immigrants]
we dont know our rights and all the rules at our jobs.
Its important to learn.
The Colombian-born new Canadian trained as a ge-
ologist in her country of origin. Here, in Canada, she cur-
rently works at The Gap. Shes keen to nd work in her
eld and English skills are essential. So when friends told
her about a free ESL program, she quickly signed up.
The BC Federation of Labours (BCFED) Health &
Safety Centre ofers a variety of classes to workers and
their representatives, all aimed increasing understand-
ing of British Columbias health and safety law while el-
evating workplace safety for everyone. At least twice a
year the centre ofers people who are working or who
are looking for work a unique and popular 12 week
course: Developing Communication and Health and
Safety Skills Using English as a Second Language (ESL).
We promote the course through afliates [unions
that are a part of the BCFED], said Brian Campbell, the
centres Employment Program Coordinator. The centre
also runs SkyTrain ads about the course but most of the
centres ESL students learn about the program through
word of mouth. People talk about it to their friends and
family members, said Campbell. Were almost always
full. Weve had to do double sessions.
The classes run in Vancouver on Tuesdays and
Thursdays for two hours each day. Class sizes runs
from 20 to 30 people and are focused on teaching stu-
dents about workplace health and safety using an ESL
curriculum model. Students improve their language
skills while learning about their rights and responsibili-
ties when it comes to worksite health and safety. They
study topics like workplace violence, how to prevent
back injuries, how to identify workplace chemicals (the
workplace hazardous materials information system
WHMIS) and how to spot health and safety hazards.
Mendoza (whose background in geology led to
peppering her instructor with questions about B.C.s
Mines Act) is keen to use what she learned at the Cen-
tre to be a resource for her community. I can use this
[knowledge] if a friend has a problem at work. I can say
something that will help.
This desire to help and be a resource is common. A
lot of our students become shop stewards and activists
and workplace leaders in other forms, said Campbell.
Our students form quite a bond, and these rela-
tionships continue outside of the class, said Campbell.
Our last graduation ceremony had ballroom dancing,
singing and a feast as well as diplomas. The class of-
ten becomes an important social space for immigrants,
many of whom feel isolated in a new country where
they have difculties with the language.
The spring class began on April 8. The next classes
will be held in the winter. For more information about start
times or registration, visit www.healthandsafetybc.ca
Are We Ready to Rumble?
EMERGENCY
READINESS
BY STEVE MILNE, WCB APPEALS AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COORDINATOR
T
he 6.6 Richter magnitude quake that hit coastal
British Columbia late this April has everyone ask-
ing: are we ready to rumble?
Weve had quakes in B.C. before. A quake with a
Richter magnitude of 8.1 hit the Queen Charlotte Fault
in 1949; it was the largest earthquake recorded in Can-
ada, larger than the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Another 7.4 magnitude quake struck the same area in
1970. In October of 2012 a 7.7 magnitude earthquake
near Haida Gwaii shook most of the north-central area
of the province.
But are we ready for a big one? B.C.s Auditor General
Russ Jones says no. In his report issued in March 2014 not
much has changed since his ofce rst warned the prov-
ince isnt prepared for a massive earthquake17 years ago.
To x the problem Jones recommended Emer-
gency Management BC regularly conduct earthquake
exercises with stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive
response.
Jones cited experts who estimated there is a 12 per
cent probability of a catastrophic earthquake afecting
B.C. in the next 50 years. Such an earthquake of the
south coast of B.C. would be dangerous to lives and
could see damages and losses of $75 billion.
This quake could hit while were at work. The Work-
ers Compensation Board of BC (WCBalso known as
WorkSafeBC) outlines what employers need to do to
prepare. The WCB Occupational Health & Safety Regu-
lation (OHSR) says:
4.14 Emergency procedures
(1) Emergency means of escape must be provided
from any work area in which the malfunctioning of
equipment or a work process could create an imme-
diate danger to workers and the regular means of exit
could become dangerous or unusable.
(2) Emergency exit routes must be designed and
marked to provide quick and unimpeded exit.
(3) At least once each year emergency drills must be
held to ensure awareness and efectiveness of emer-
gency exit routes and procedures, and a record of the
drills must be kept.
4.16 Training
(1) All workers must be given adequate instruction in
the re prevention and emergency evacuation proce-
dures applicable to their workplace.
WCB provides a guideline within the OHSR that
states, in part:
Section 4.16(2) provides for "adequate training...ap-
plicable to their workplace". This provides for ex-
ibility to adapt to the level of risk in the workplace.
For example, in an ofce, workers would be ex-
pected to know the area re/evacuation alarm sig-
nal and the response to be made when the signal is
activated. In an industrial setting with a higher level
of risk, for example where workers must use a res-
pirator or other specialized equipment to evacuate,
more instruction is required, along with the avail-
ability of the necessary equipment. If a worker is
expected to be part of the "workplace response" to
contain a re or other emergency, then training and
instruction should be more detailed, and clearly de-
ne the limits for response due to available equip-
ment and training.
Make sure your workplace occupational health and
safety committee is looking at the emergency pre-
paredness training, plans and policy and the annual
evacuation drill outlined in these regulations.
To prepare families and homes visit the Provincial
Emergency Program website at www.pep.bc.ca.
It is important to prepare for the next shake up,
whenever it comes. For questions and help contact
Steve Milne, WCB Appeals/OH&S Coordinator at 604-
299-0378, 1-800-665-6838 or smilne@cope378.ca.
Taken from:
The WCB
Occupational
Health & Safety
Regulation
(OHSR)
8.5 9.0 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5
RICHTER SCALE for EARTHQUAKES
Port Alice (near)
2014 6.6 Richter
Haida Gwaii (near)
2012 7.7 Richter
San Fransisco
1970 7.4 Richter
Queen Charlotte Fault
1949 8.1 Richter
8.0
WorkSafeBC and Labour Heritage Centre
Film Collaboration
WORKING
HISTORY
BY ROBIN FOLVIK, LABOUR HERITAGE CENTRE RESEARCHER
B
efore 1974, provincial ambulance services did not
exist. For those in rural or isolated communities,
the absence of an organized emergency response
system meant valuable time was often lost before the
injured or ill received necessary medical attention. Even
in urban areas, where private ambulance services might
exist, companies were only equipped to handle a cer-
tain number of cases. Volunteers across the province
worked to ll in the gaps, often self-trained and with
few resources.
The story of one of those volunteers, Lloyd OBrien,
is the subject of the rst short lm released by Work-
SafeBC and the Labour Heritage Centre as part of a se-
ries on the history of health and safety in British Colum-
bia. To date, ve lms are available while another two
are in production.
In addition to the history of the BC Ambulance Ser-
vice, three lms highlight diferent individuals eforts to
improve health and safety in the forest sector: Al Lund-
gren; Verna Ledger; and Jack Munro, founding chair of
the Labour Heritage Centre. The fth and most recent
lm remembers the four construction workers killed in
1981 during the building of Bentall IV in downtown Van-
couver. This lm was part of this years annual memorial
service and has recently been made available online.
Each of these stories, told through interviews, his-
torical photographs and moving images, help us all re-
member the importance of advocating for healthy and
safe work environments for all British Columbia ns.
Sadly, both Lloyd OBrien and Jack Munro are no
longer with us but their contributions continue to ben-
et the lives of British Columbians every day.
"History of health and safety pioneers in British Columbia"
www.labourheritagecentre.ca www.youtube.com/LabourHeritageCentre
TO WATCH THE FILMS ONLINE VISIT:
Celebrating 10 Years as
An Independent Canadian union COPE 378
O
n June 20, 2004, several Canadian members of
the Of ce and Professional Employees Interna-
tional Union (OPEIU), led by former Local 378
President Jerri New, walked into a Florida hotel room
and handed a stunned and speechless group of Ameri-
can labour leaders a divorce letter.
74 per cent of the OPEIUs Canadian membership
24,410 people from provinces and territories from
coast to coast to coast decided it was time to form
an independent union, as Canadian as maple syrup. The
Canadian Of ce and Professional Employees Union (le
syndicat canadien des employes et employs professi-
onnels et de bureau, in French, or COPE SEPB) was born.
The catalyst for this dramatic move came in
March of 2004 in a meeting when the president of
the OPEIU, Michael Goodwin, defended a controver-
sial decision to raise Canadian dues by two dollars per
member per month. To demonstrate the low relative
value of the Canadian dollar, Goodwin pulled out Mo-
nopoly money in the meeting to represent Canadian
currency. The Canadians were shocked at the lack of
tact and understanding.
The Canadians argued that their members would be
paying a higher percentage of dues to
their wages than their American coun-
terparts. In B.C., members of public sec-
tor unions were facing the pressure of
wage controls and would balk against a
dues increase. And while the Americans
claimed the low value of the Canadian
dollar meant the international union was
subsidizing the services they gave Canadian members,
Canadians felt they saw little in the way of services from
the international union at all; no international staf rep-
resentatives, no lobbying of Ottawa.
There were so many locals across Canada who
couldnt aford that large a per-capita increase, said
New. We knew we had to stick together.
The Canadians quickly pulled together a campaign
plan to exercise a clause in the international constitution
that would allow them to break away from the OPEIU
and launched into high gear. To leave, they would have
to get a majority of their members across the country
to af rm they wanted a Canadian-only union. They only
had a handful of months before the June 2004 OPEIU
convention where the international union would try to
bind the Canadians by removing that clause from the
constitution.
Former COPE 378 President Andy Ross headed up
the eforts in B.C. We treated it like an election cam-
paign, said Ross. We identied all our members, got
in touch with them, sent them our message. And our
message resonated well.
For Local 378, Canadian independence ended a re-
lationship with the OPEIU that had begun some 49 years
before. All who were involved in the decision agreed it
was a dif cult choice, but ultimately, the right one.
Ten years on, COPE 378 salutes all members of
COPE SEPB who took part in that move for Canadian
independence. Through their eforts and determination,
unionized of ce workers in Canada gained stewardship
over their own destiny.
2004
2014
The name
game...
BY SAGE AARON, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
PRIDE
Petro
Koromvokis
Q
UILTBAG is a sub-committee of the COPE 378
Human Rights Committee. QUILTBAG stands
for Queer/Questioning, Undecided, Intersex,
Lesbian, Transgender/Transsexual, Bisexual, Allied/
Asexual, Gay/Genderqueer.
VIVIAN HO
Growing up in a diverse community in the city of
Toronto, Ontario gave me a diferent outlook on life and
observations of my surroundings. In the educational
system we were taught to treat everyone equally, and
those are the values I still live by. I've met many people,
made many friends and acquaintances with individuals
of many religions, cultures, ethnicities, ages and sexual
orientations. Im an advocate for the QUILTBAG Com-
mittee; I believe in equality for all people.
Over the years, Ive encountered many unjust situa-
tions where students at my university were taunted and
teased about their sexual orientation. The students were
outnumbered and timid; they refused to ght back and
take a stance. My professor and I sought justice on the
students behalf by confronting those who were throw-
ing discriminatory jokes at my classmates. The ofend-
ers didnt think their actions could cause such distress.
Acknowledging there is a problem and speaking up are
the rst steps to making situations like this stop at the
very beginning.
Come join our QUILTBAG Committee and help us
nd unity and equality for all.
PETRO KOROMVOKIS,
QUILTBAG chair and COPE 378
executive board member
TRIGGER WARNING PETROS STORY CONTAINS
HOMOPHOBIC LANGUAGE USED AGAINST HIM.
Im a gay man in my late 40s and a COPE 378 mem-
ber. Im the child of immigrants, a Canadian with rights
under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a law-abid-
ing member of society, who pays taxes, votes and yet
doesnt receive equal treatment from our society.
Decorator, hairdresser, waiter, orist and dancer are
the traditional roles set out for gay men, not the role
of athlete, policeman, Boy Scout or reghter; yet we
are those as well. In reality, Im one of the invisible and
disposable. Harsh words but so true.
In 1998 I became a depot clerk at the bus company,
and it wasnt long before there were incidents. Some-
one wrote DIE FAGGOT and obscene drawings with
paint on my car. I was asked by fellow clerks if I was
gay, because they wanted to make sure I was not going
to hit on them. My employer ignored derogatory bath-
room graf ti; instead of painting over it I was told to
man up and not let it upset me when I drew the line
and complained. It was only changed when the man-
ager found out he was the subject of the comments,
not me.
I have to say even in the union I feel invisible and I
am sure there are others who feel the same way. But I
know COPE 378 is trying.
Even though weve come a long way in Canada
theres still a long way to go. Urban centres mostly al-
low for gay men and women to be themselves but were
still invisible in rural areas. Gay rights around the world
arent universal. Our neighbor to the south has a lot to
explain when it comes to sexual minority rights. And
what about the repressive governments in the Middle
East, former soviet bloc, and Africa?
My hope is for QUILTBAG to help COPE 378 mem-
bers learn about issues that have afected me and others
as a gay person. They really afect all of us, because no
one is truly free until we all are free to be ourselves.
COPE 378 QUILTBAG Members
Talk About Why They Got Involved
Im an advocate for the QUILTBAG Committee;
I believe in equality for all people.
COME JOIN
OUR QUILTBAG
COMMITTEE
AND HELP US
FIND UNITY
AND EQUALITY
FOR ALL.
SPRING 2014 EDITION
BARGAINING
BRIEFS
BY SHELLEY LOCKHART, CAROL MCLUSKIE AND KIM SMITH
ABS
The collective agreement expired on August 31, 2013. The members voted
in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement, bringing bargaining to an
end. The members received a signing bonus of $1,500 for full-time regular
employees and $1,000 for part-time regular and casual employees.
Nancy DeVries, Melanie Greenlaw, Mike Novak, Jane Tighe and Union
Representative Karen Rockwell served on the unions bargaining com-
mittee.
BCAA SERVICE CENTRES
The collective agreement expires on September 30, 2014. COPE 378 has
sent out the bargaining survey for members to complete.
The bargaining committee is being determined and will be led by Union
Representative Carrol Edwards.
BCAA EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE
The collective agreement expires on September 30, 2014. COPE 378 has
sent out the bargaining survey for members to complete.
Representative Carrol Edwards.
BCGEU
The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2014. Notice to begin
bargaining will be served and the bargaining survey sent out to members
soon.
Representative Bonnie Merriman.
BC HYDRO
This collective agreement expired on March 31, 2014. The parties met to
exchange proposals in March. Further dates were scheduled for the parties
to meet in April, May and June.
Andrea Foster, April Young, Bojan Bucic, Calvin Jonas, Rysa Kronebusch
and Union Representative Barbara Junker serve on the unions bargain-
ing committee.
BC TRANSIT
As of press time for the Local Voice, the committee met for bargaining for
three days. Small housekeeping items were signed of. Both parties have
small agendas and should be into monetary items soon.
Ann Marie Gregory, Debbie Yablonski, Don Showers, Alison MacDonald
and Union Representative Kevin Payne serve on the unions bargaining
committee.
BERLITZ CANADA
The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. A tentative agreement
was reached and membership voted to accept the agreement, which pro-
vides for a four year term and the addition of Family Day as a paid holiday.
Bargaining was conducted by Union Representative Sarah Melsness.
CANADIAN FREIGHTWAYS LTD.
The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2013. The bargaining
committee met with the employer on April 14 and 15 and signed of on a
number of proposals but came to an impasse over job security and wages.
The bargaining team hopes to overcome these diferences and get back
to the table soon.
Sue Heidinger, Lisa Main, Wesley Rickards and Union Representative Ken
Howie serve on the unions bargaining committee.
COAST MOUNTAIN BUS CO.
The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. The members voted
in favour of accepting the proposed terms of settlement in March of 2014.
Presently the collective agreement is with the employer for copy editing.
Stephen Von Sychowski, Ray Manning, Ron Williams, Doug Fergus and
Union Representative Kevin Payne served on the unions bargaining
committee.
CIATU
The collective agreement expires on April 30, 2014. Notice to begin bar-
gaining will be served and the bargaining survey sent out to members
soon.
COLUMBIA VALLEY CREDIT UNION
The collective agreement expires June 30, 2014. COPE 378 conducted a
bargaining survey, tallied results and reviewed bargaining proposals. On
March 5, the union has served notice to bargain and has set dates to meet
with the employer in May. A membership meeting will be held in Golden
on April 23.
Bonny MacLeod, Neva Essery and Union Representative Sarah Melsness
serve on the unions bargaining committee.
COMMUNITY SAVINGS CREDIT UNION
The collective agreement expires June 30, 2014. COPE 378 has conducted
the bargaining survey and tallied results. The bargaining committee served
notice to bargain on March 5 and met on March 11 to review draft bargain-
ing proposals.
Loralee Dallas, Graeme Hutchison and Union Representative Sarah Mel-
sness serve on the unions bargaining committee.
CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND ALLIED WORKERS
BARGAINING COUNCIL
This is a new bargaining unit. Notice to begin bargaining will be served and
the bargaining survey will be sent out to members soon.
CORAL CABS (RICHMOND TAXI)
The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2011. A tentative
agreement was reached and on February 7, 2014, members voted to ac-
cept the agreement. The agreement is for a ve year term with wage in-
creases of 1 per cent in the rst year, 1 per cent in the second year, 1 per
cent in the third year, 1 per cent in the fourth year and 2 per cent in the
fth year; as well as a signing bonus of $400 for full-time and part-time
employees and implementation of direct deposit.
Ernie Baliss and Union Representative Cathy Hirani served on the unions
bargaining committee.
CUPE BC & LOCALS
The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2013. Notice to begin
bargaining will be served soon. The bargaining committee met on April 15,
2014 to complete preparation of proposals.
Lori Watt, Nadine Ford and Union Representative Cheryl Popeniuk serve
on the unions bargaining committee.
DW SERVICES
This is a newly organized bargaining unit. A tentative agreement was
reached and ratied by membership and employer. We are in process of
producing this rst collective agreement for distribution.
Bargaining was conducted by Union Representative Carrol Edwards.
FORTIS ENERGY-CSC
The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2014. The members have
been surveyed and proposals have been developed. The parties met in
February to begin bargaining. A tentative agreement was reached but was
rejected by the membership. Meetings have been held with members to
identify why the agreement was not ratied.
Frederick Boudrias, Kathryn Prinz, Kelly Barret, Lea McNaughton and
Senior Union Representative Brad Bastien serve on the bargaining com-
mittee.
HANDY PACK
The collective agreement for the members at this bargaining unit expired
on May 31 2013. The parties are close to coming to a tentative agreement
to take back to the membership.
Bargaining is being conducted by Union Representative Mike Novak.
HERTZ
The collective agreement expired on October 31, 2013. A tentative agree-
ment was reached and on February 25, 2014, members voted to accept
the agreement. The agreement provides for a three year term; wage in-
creases of 2 per cent, 3 per cent and 3 per cent; increases in safety boot
allowance, vision care and bereavement leave.
Jim Fu, Shelly Keilbart, Praveen Kumar, Shahzad Mansoory and Union
Representative Cathy Hirani served on the unions bargaining committee.
IAMAW (CANADIAN AIRWAYS) LOCAL LODGE NO 764
This is a new bargaining unit. Notice to begin bargaining will be served
and the bargaining survey will be sent out to the membership soon for
their input.
IAMAW TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT LODGE NO 140
their input.
IS PUBLISHED BY
Phone: 604-299-0378
Fax: 604-299-8211
E-mail: editor@cope378.ca
ISSN 1918-9753 COPE Local 378 Voice
COPE 378: President David Black
Secretary-Treasurer Lori Mayhew
LOCAL VOICE Editor: Sage Aaron USW 2009
DESIGNED BY: Dansk Design Group
danskdesigngroup.com
PRINTED AT: Mitchell Press, Burnaby, B.C.
Canadian Ofce and Professional Employees Union, Local 378,
2nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1J9
POSTAL AGREEMENT #41267023
BARGAINING
BRIEFS
IAMAW DISTRICT LODGE NO 250
their input.
ICBC
The collective agreement expires on June 30, 2014. Notice to begin bar-
gaining has been served and the bargaining survey has been sent out to
the membership for their input.
Yasmin Carroll, Karin Cirez, Mike Ferguson, Joyce Galuska, Trevor Han-
sen, Annette Toth and a senior union representative will serve on the
unions bargaining committee.
KELOWNA CABS
The collective agreement expired on May 31, 2013. Bargaining started on
October 21 with a second meeting on December 17. The union had re-
quested the assistance of a mediator to conclude bargaining, but media-
tion has been put on hold pending an interpretation of the prior negotiated
settlement. Mark Atkinson remains the mediator for that prior agreement.
Al Lewis and Union Representative Barry Hodson serve on the unions
KEKINOW NATIVE HOUSING SOCIETY
The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2010. Bargaining was set
to resume in February, 2014 but has been delayed due to unforeseen cir-
cumstances. The parties are committed to rescheduling as soon as pos-
sible.
Terry Frank and Union Representative Cheryl Popeniuk serve on the
MACLURES CABS
The collective agreement expired on March 14, 2014. COPE 378s propos-
als have been drafted, but the union has been unsuccessful in getting the
employer to agree to meet and has asked for assistance from the Labour
Relations Board to set bargaining dates.
David Clancy and Union Representative Barry Hodson serve on the
MASTER TRADE UNION
bargaining was served on December 5, 2013 and the bargaining survey
was sent out to the membership for their input. Due to employers exiting
the collective agreement we have waited to see who the employer unit
will be made up of.
NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY
The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2013. The parties met in
March, 2014 to discuss the bargaining framework and plans to proceed
with bargaining. Proposals were exchanged during the week of April 14
and additional bargaining dates were set at that time.
Karl Riley and Union Representative Stephen Von Sychowski serve on
the unions bargaining committee.
SEIU LOCAL 2
bargaining will be served and the members input has been received in the
union ofce.
Bargaining will be conducted by Union Representative Bonnie Merri-
man.
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 155
The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2014. Notice to begin
bargaining will be served and the bargaining survey will be sent out to
members soon.
THUNDERBIRD WS
The collective agreement for this bargaining unit expired on March 31,
2014. The bargaining committee is in the process of compiling proposals.
Bargaining will be conducted by Union Representative Barbara Junker.
TSML (TRANSIT POLICE)
The parties met at mediation on April 22 and 23 with Grant McArthur. Par-
ties have been able to sign of on minor housekeeping items.
Aaron Chan, Dan Dickhout, Dan McLacklan, Don Mace, Renata Cle-
ments, Robert Gladwin and Union Representative Kevin Payne serve on
TWU
The collective agreement expired on July 31, 2011. The unions bargaining
committee has met and nalized proposals. Negotiations were held on
March 26, 2014 and further dates are set for June 5, 6 and 7.
Linda Lund, Bill Nielsen and Union Representative Cheryl Popeniuk
serve on the unions bargaining committee.
UNIFOR 1928
The collective agreement expired in December of 2005. The parties are
close to a tentative agreement and are working on nding dates to nalize
the contract.
Bargaining is being conducted by Union Representative Bonnie Mer-
riman.
VANCOUVER TAXI (CENTRAL TAXI DISPATCH)
The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. The union held a rati-
cation vote on March 21, 2014 and the membership rejected the tentative
agreement. The unions bargaining committee is meeting to discuss next
steps.
Bernie Stroh and Union Representative Dave Park serve on the unions
VICTORIA TRADE UNION
The collective agreement expires on July 31, 2014. Notice to begin bar-
gaining will be served and the bargaining survey will be sent out to mem-
bers soon.
WORKING ENTERPRISES
The collective agreement expires on May 31, 2014. Notice to begin bargain-
ing has been served. Bargaining dates were set for April 24, May 1 and 2.
Dana Richmond and Union Representative Cheryl Popeniuk serve on
More info at cope378.ca
12 The Advocate, May2011
1. Helps to build solidarity across the generations, strengthens the labour movement, and supports the ght
for a civil society and social justice for retired workers, active workers who are 50 or older, and our families.
2. Includes free $2,500 coverage in BC FORUMs Group Accident Insurance Plan with world-wide death and
disability coverage to age 86 (the maximum we were able to negotiate).
3. Entitles you to special negotiated group rates on many products and services, including:
Home and tenant insurance
Extended health and dental coverage
Travel package discounts and insurance
Professional nancial planning and advice
Income tax services
4. Includes a free subscription to the BC FORUM newsletter, The Advocate, keeping you in touch with issues that
affect retired workers and our families.
Keep building the movement join or renew today!
of group negotiations.
Membership dues are $20 a year
or $49 for three years. Your mem-
bership includes free coverage under
BC FORUMs $2,500 group accident
insurance plan. Optional benets in-
clude homeowner, tenant, extended
health, dental, and travel insurance.
Members also have access to -
nancial advice and planning, dis-
BC
FORUM is a registered
non-prot society for
retired union members,
and active members age 50 and over.
We are dedicated to representing the
interests and well-being of members,
their families and spouses.
Membership in BC FORUM allows
you to realize the kind of savings on
programs, services and products that
are only possible through the power
counts on selected travel packages
and income tax services. Our news-
letter, The Advocate, will inform you
about current initiatives.
There are more than 100,000 re-
tired union members in B.C. Togeth-
er, we can be a powerful voice for the
well-being of our families.
Join or renew by sending in the form
below, or online at www.bcforum.ca.
Membership Application or Renewal
B.C. Federation of Retired Union Members #200 - 5118 Joyce St., Vancouver, V5R 4H1
604 688-4565 1 800 896-5678 Fax: 604 430-5917 bcforum@bcfed.ca www.bcforum.ca
Name: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
Address: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
Phone: |__|__|__| |__|__|__|__|__|__|__| E-mail: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
Union: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__| Date of birth:
*
|__|__| |__|__| |__|__|__|__|
Spouses name: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__| Spouses birth date:
*
|__|__| |__|__| |__|__|__|__|
DAY MONTH YEAR
q New
q Renewal
I am enclosing a cheque for q $20 - 1 year q $49 - 3 years, or
Please charge my q Visa or q MasterCard:
Card number: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
Expiry date: |__|__| / |__|__| Automatic renewal?** q Yes q No
SIGNATURE
LAST FIRST INITIAL
STREET ADDRESS CITY POSTAL CODE
DAY MONTH YEAR
* Required for your free group insurance coverage ** Only available via credit card
Date of application: |__|__| |__|__| |__|__|__|__|
DAY MONTH YEAR
#
YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN BC FORUM:
BC FORUM
RETIRED OR
APPROACHING
RETIREMENT
It is COPE 378 policy
to pay for the rst
years BC FORUM
membership for
retired COPE 378
members with
at least 20 years
service. Retired
members wishing to
have their rst years
membership paid
by the local should
forward a completed
membership
application form
to the COPE 378
Burnaby ofce with
their request for
processing.
You can also renew
online at bcforum.ca
1. Helps to build solidarity across the generations, strengthens the labour movement, and sup-
ports the fght for a civil society and social justice for retired workers, active workers who are 50
or older, and our families.
2. Includes free $2,500 coverage in BC FORUMs Group Accident Insurance Plan with world-
wide death and disability coverage to age 86 (the maximum we were able to negotiate).
3. Entitles you to special negotiated group rates on many products and services, including:
Home and tenant insurance
Extended health and dental coverage
Travel package discounts and insurance
4. Includes a free subscription to the BC FORUM newsletter, Te Advocate, keeping you in touch
with issues that afect retired workers and our families.
FORUM is a regis-
tered nonproft soci-
ety for retired union
members, and active members age 50
and over. We are dedicated to repre-
senting the interests and well-being of
members, their families and spouses.
Membership in BC FORUM allows
you to realize the kind of savings on
programs, services and products that
are only possible through the power of
group negotiations.
Membership dues are $20 a year
or $49 for three years. Your mem-
bership includes free coverage un-
der BC FORUMs $2,500 group
accident insurance plan. Optional
benefits include homeowner, ten-
ant, extended health, dental, and
travel insurance.
Members also have access to dis-
counts on selected travel packages.
Our newsletter, Te Advocate, will
inform you about current initiatives.
Tere are more than 100,000 retired
union members in B.C. Together, we
can be a powerful voice for the well-
being of our families.
Join or renew by sending in the form be-
low, or online at www.bcforum.ca.
BC
COPE 378 members work at the following properties
Accenture Business Services
Union Rep: Tony Geluch
Alma Mater Society
Union Rep: Carrol Edwards
Alma Mater Society Security
Aviscar
Union Rep: Cathy Hirani
BCAA SC & ERS
BC Computerized Dispatch (Yellow Cab)
Union Rep: Barry Hodson
BC Federation of Labour
Union Rep: Cheryl Popeniuk
BC Ferry & Marine Workers Union
BCGEU
Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman
BC Hydro (including Powertech Construction Services)
Union Reps: Barbara Junker,
Karen Rockwell
BC Nurses Union
BC Transit
Union Rep: Kevin Payne
Beach Place Ventures
Berlitz Canada
Union Rep: Trevor Hansen
Bonnys Taxi
Canadian Freightways Ltd.
Canadian Northern Shield/RSA
Capilano University
Union Rep: Karen Rockwell
Carpenters Local 1928
Catalyst Paper
CIATU
Coast Mountain Bus
Coastal Community Credit Union
Union Rep: Sarah Melsness
Coastal Community Financial Management
Coastal Community Insurance
College of Pharmacists of BC
College of Registered Nurses
Columbia Hydro
Union Rep: Brad Bastien
Columbia Valley Credit Union
Community Savings Credit Union
Coral Cabs (Richmond Taxi)
CUPE 374
CUPE 454
CUPE 1978
CUPE 3338
CUPE BC & Locals
DA Townley & Associates
Dollar Thrifty
DW Services
Ecojustice
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
FortisBC Customer Service Centres
Union Rep: Cindy Lee
FortisBC Energy Inc.
FortisBC Inc.
Gulf & Fraser Fishermens Credit Union
Handy Pack
Hastings Entertainment Inc.
Hertz
ICBC
Union Reps: Ken Howie, Kelly Quinn,
Stephen Von Sychowski
Island Savings Credit Union and Insurance
IWA Forest Industry PP
Kekinow Native Housing Society
Kelowna Cabs Ltd.
Konica Minolta
Kruger Products (Scott Paper)
Union Rep: Karen Rockwell
Ladysmith & District CU
Lake City Casinos
LuMa Native Housing Society
MacLures Cabs Ltd.
Marine Workers & Boilermakers
Master Trade Ofce
New Democratic Party
Pacic Vehicle Testing
Schneider
Seaspan International Ltd.
SEIU 244
Southern Railway
Teamsters Local 31
Teamsters Local 155
Teamsters Local 213 & 213 Member Benet Plan
Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU)
Telecommunication Workers Pension Plan
Teletheatre BC
Union Rep: Doug Jefs
Thunderbird Winter Sports
Union Rep: Barbara Junker
TransLink
Transit Police
Tree Island
United Fishermen & Allied Worker Union
Vancouver Musicians Association
Vancouver Shipyards Ltd.
Vancouver Taxi Ltd. (Central Taxi Dispatch)
VantageOne Credit Union
Victoria Shipyards Ltd.
Victoria Trade Union
Westminster Savings Credit Union
Working Enterprises
Xylem Water Solutions
Yellow Pages
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE
CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:
#200 - 4595 CANADA WAY,
BURNABY, B.C. V5G 1J9
PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 41267023
CUSTOM CARTOONS FOR
COPE 378 MEMBERS

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