NEW DELEGATES’ REPORT ON THE
CUPE BRITISH COLUMBIA CONVENTION 2009
Lorraine Gilbert, Jarret Larson
The CUPE British Columbia Convention 2009 convened on the evening of Wednesday, April 22.
Delegates were welcomed to the shared territories of the Songhees Nation by Songhees elder Elmer George, and by Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin.
The Delegation was then addressed by the Presidents of the Hospital Employees’ Union, BC Teachers’ Federation, Victoria Labour Council and of course CUPE BC, Barry O’Neill.
Daily proceedings consisted mainly of discussion and voting on reports from CUPE BC’s many committees, and convention resolutions. Aside from that ‘business as usual’ the following are some highlights of the convention.
(To give a sense of scale for the convention, on Saturday morning the Credentials Committee reported 478 delegates, 5 alternates, 120 locals, 6 district councils, 94 guests and 54 staff.)
Thursday, April 23
Report of the Executive Board
Strong Communities Task Force is currently focusing efforts in 2 main areas: elections (local, provincial and federal); and defending public services against privatization.
Pay Equity Task Force: As CUPE 1767 members we are very fortunate indeed to have implemented Pay Equity and put in place a Job Evaluation Plan when we did. Universal Pay Equity is far from a reality in BC, or even within CUPE BC, and opportunities for implementation are steadily eroding.
Stephen Lewis, former UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa
Mr. Lewis addressed the convention with his usual eloquence. He described BC politics as “the most lunatic political culture in Canada”.
He spoke about the pretense of Corporate Social Responsibility in the absense of its application.
He asserted that compulsive privatization of community social services isolates, stigmatizes and discriminates against the most vulnerable members of a human population.
He urged BC voters to be motivated on May 12 by their personal values regarding social justice, rather than by ideological dogma.
Carole James, Leader of the BC New Democratic Party
Ms. James received an enthusiastic welcome from the delegation.
She addressed the issue of her lack of experience compared with Gordon Campbell: “I don’t have any experience going $400M over budget building a convention center. I’m not experienced at tearing up legally negotiated contracts. And I wouldn’t know where to start at doubling BC’s homelessness.”
Paul Moist, President of CUPE
Brother Moist pledged the unity of the nearly 600,000 CUPE members across Canada.
Praised the solidarity of CUPE Local 2254, Grand Forks Civic Employees. (Their 5 library workers were locked out when they refused to accept the “package” drafted by the Library Board’s consultant which gutted their collective agreement. The “Kootenay Five” are now back to work, and back to the bargaining table.)
Friday, April 24
Claude Generoux, Secretary-Treasurer of CUPE
Brother Generoux assured the delegation that CUPE is well positioned to weather the financial crisis thanks to its sustainable investment policies.
Noon-hour Rally in support of CUPE 873, Ambulance Paramedics of BC
500+ delegates and guests of the Convention joined our brothers and sisters of Local 873 in a march from the Convention Center, past the legislature to the “temporary” ambulance station in the Best Western Hotel in James Bay.
873’s 3,500 members are seeking a collective agreement that will improve working conditions, and move them toward eventual wage parity with other emergency first-responders.
Minister of Health Services refuses to bargain or even to appoint a mediator until after May 12.
Saturday, April 25
Delegates from Local 1767 elected to skip the morning’s “regional caucuses” mainly because we are a provincial local.
Jim Sinclair, President of the BC Federation of Labour
Brother Sinclair delivered a frighteningly empassioned message focusing on the loss of jobs and public resources resulting from privatization and the deregulation of the forest industry in BC.
Elections:
Regional Vice Presidents, Diversity VP (Workers of Colour) and Diversity VP (Aboriginal Workers) were elected in caucus.
President Barry O’Neill and Secretary-Treasurer Mark Hancock were acclaimed.
The convention re-elected 2 General Vice Presidents and elected 2 new ones.
2 Trustee vacancies were filled.
3 things I learned at the convention that surprised me … (Lorraine)
1. BC has the highest child poverty rate in Canada: it’s estimated that between 175,000 and 190,000 of our children live in poverty.
Why? Over 300,000 workers in BC work for less than $10/hour. Many are single parents.
BC’s minimum wage is one of the 3 lowest in Canada, along with New Brunswick and PEI. [Post script: Both New Brunswick and PEI are scheduled to increase their minimum wage in 2009. BC’s 2-tiered minimum wage rates currently sit at $6/hr and $8/hr. Nova Scotia is the only other province with a separate “inexperienced workers” rate, and theirs is higher than BC’s standard minimum wage.]
2. The 6 flight attendants on board during the recent hijacking in Jamaica were responsible for negotiating the safe release of all passengers while the attendants themselves remained on board with the hijacker. Those flight attendants are members of CUPE, one of whom was on a third shift.
3. About $230/month of CUPE’s membership dues go to the Colleen Jordan Humanitarian Fund, much of which goes to support the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
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