Notice is hereby given, in addition to notices delivered to all sites last week, of a date change related to the December Meeting. This month’s meeting will be help on the 12th of December rather than the normal 19th.
Further notice is provided of elections for several Executive Positions that remain vacant. Please come forward with your intent to fill a position, or to nominate a fellow member for one of the vacant positions.
Finally, NOTICE OF MOTION is also given related to a number of proposed changes to the By-Laws of CUPE Local 439.
Click to read the details on the vacant positions and the Proposed By-Law Changes
See you on the 12th!
The September/October issue of the Messenger is now available for you to read online.
This issue contains important notices and proposed by-law changes, as well as information related to the paramedics, upcoming elections, and much more. Be sure to read it today!
CUPE is fighting the BC Liberal government’s use of legislative force against the province’s 3,500 CUPE 873 striking ambulance paramedics. The government shutdown a legal seven-month strike even though paramedics were working under Essential Services orders and were in the midst of voting on the government’s latest offer. The legislation was demanded by the Olympic Organizing Committee which is now considering using scabs to run ambulance services during the Vancouver 2010 Games. This is a fundamental assault on Canadian workers’ rights to free collective bargaining.
Write today and put the B.C. government on notice: The message you sent will go a long way to let them know that workers’ rights cannot and will not be trampled for the Olympics or any other excuse.
http://cupe.ca/action/bc-paramedics
From Derek Blackadder – CUPE Canada
At the November 21 general meeting elections will be held for the following positions:
- Chief Shop Steward
- EA Shop Steward
- Maintenance Shop Steward
Nominations for these positions can be sent to Janice Wright.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to get involved in your Union!
The BC Ambulance Paramedics in the province have been on strike now for months. As an essential service they do not have the ability to take their cause to the streets but must try to raise the profile of their issues while still performing the life saving duties of their jobs. The public appears to support them but we need to do more to help them to get resolution. BC Paramedics are paid from $2.00 to $10.00 per hour during the time that they are waiting for a call. Yes, you read correctly. It would seem that their skill set has no real value unless they are trying to save our necks. It takes years for a paramedic to move from part time to full time where they can finally make a living that will actually support a family. This, of course, has caused recruitment and retention issues for the BC Ambulance service. In our community alone we have only one 24 hour full time ambulance and one additional full time daytime ambulance. There are two on-call ambulances for both day and evening. The call out volume for Comox Valley ambulances has risen 59.24% from 1996 to now with no increases in ambulances. Each Comox Valley ambulance carries a callout volume of approximately 1,655 calls per year*. In an effort to assist our fellow CUPE workers in the Paramedic sector I would encourage you to talk to your MLA about resolving this issue and to get a yard sign (you’ve seen them around town – the tastefully appointed yellow signs) and display it on your lawn. It is important to keep this issue in the forefront of our community citizen’s minds so that this strike can be settled. Please contact me or any executive member if you would like a sign. (*facts and figures from www.saveourparamedics.com).
Read the full story with images at http://www.cupe.bc.ca/5407
Also be sure to check out the Save Our Paramedics website now listed on our links. Support our Paramedics!
Campbell River, Courtenay & District Labour Council are hosting a Family BBQ at the Halbe Hall in Black Creek on the 7th of September from 11am until 4pm. There will be entertainment, Family BBQ and more! Bring the family and come out to join with our CRCDLC Brothers and Sisters to celebrate Labour Day!
Hello all:
Well, we received a fax at noon today regarding the purchase of the building on 4th Street. The tenant matched our second offer and it was accepted by the Steelworkers. They are not going to entertain any additional offers and so this concludes this project. I know that we are all going to be disappointed but don’t get discouraged, we’ll find something that we like just as much; maybe even more. Thanks for all of the enthusiasm you showed at the opportunity to do this. Although we’re back to the drawing board, everything happens for a reason so don’t despair.
Janice
President
CUPE Local 439
Brother Ed Jones shared this story with us during his CLC report at the general meeting held this morning.
Read the entire article here: http://cupe.ca/clc/clc-old-dutch-boycott
Support our Brothers and Sisters in UFCW Local 401!
URGENT POST – Please read and direct your Member friends to this article to ensure that this notice is distributed as quickly as possible…
Notice of Motion was hereby given at the CUPE 439 General Membership Meeting held may 23, 2009
that:
CUPE 439 purchase 391-4th St., Courtenay BC
AND that
CUPE 439 participate in K-12 President’s Council for bargaining 2010.
A Special Membership is Hereby called to be held at 9:00am on Saturday, May30, 2009 at 1507B McPhee Avenue in Courtenay, BC.