Local Voice & Financial Report August 2013

Bangladesh Tragedy

Campaign Trail Experiences

ICBC Workplace Safety

Dragon Boat Races

Young Workers and Ecuador

ALSO INSIDE

Quarterly publication for members of the Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378

Local VoiceVolume 8 | Issue #3 Summer 2013

members Tapping into a movement

CoPe 378 Dragon Boat Win

National Convention

Bangladesh

6

10

12

In This IssueconTenTs

3 PresIdenTs oPenInG MessaGe by David Black

4 TransLaTIons

6 coPe sePB naTIonaL convenTIon

7 PresIdenTs Word

8 on The sysTeM WITh TransIT securITy

9 accenTure raMPs uP To BarGaInInG

10 coPe 378 TeaMWork earns Bronze In The draGon BoaT races

11 MakInG IcBc WorkPLaces safer By Annette Toth

12 72 hours In dhaka

14 reorGanIzaTIon To serve you BeTTer

15 younG Workers PrePare To JoIn 20,000 In ecuador By Stephen Von Sychowski

16 MournInG our dead, fIGhTInG for The LIvInG

17 LearnInG Lessons; MovInG forWard By Korleen Carreras

18 coPe 378 on The caMPaIGn TraIL

19 hoLdInG GovernMenT To accounT By Adrian Dix, Leader, BC NDP

20 BarGaInInG BrIefs

22 canadas enerGy sTraTeGy By Charley Beresford, Executive Director, Columbia Institute

23 BarGaInInG unITs

24 orGanIzed LauGhTer

Presidents opening Message

It will surprise few people to learn I had dearly hoped to be writing a mes-sage about a new progressive, fair and practical provincial government in this edition of the Local Voice. At print time of the Spring 2013 issue of Local Voice most indications were a BC New Democrat win in the May election was not only a real possibility it was a probability. But the polls were wrong, or at least they were incorrectly read. Theres no doubt the BC Liberals ran a very good campaign, if more than a little disingenuous, as it was underpinned by Christy Clarks claim of a debt-free B.C. And, perhaps more importantly, Adrian Dix and the BC NDP failed to make the case to the majority of people who cast their ballots that the New Democrats were the right choice to shepherd in the change this province so clearly needs. COPE 378s Political Action Co-Chair Korleen Carreras writes more about the election on page 17 of this magazine.

Im concerned for our members in the provincial public service. The BC Liberal government has not been good for our members at BC Hydro, Ac-centure, ICBC, TransLink, Capilano University and other worksites. I am also concerned for our members in the private sector. The record shows the BC Liberals are not the strong stewards of the economy they claim to be.

But while we may be facing an uncertain future I do know we have the skills and resources to face what challenges may come together. The elec-tion gave several COPE 378 members a chance to hone valuable campaign skills. Weve added another skilled lawyer, Leigha Worth, to our advocacy department. Leigha brings a wealth of regulatory and human rights knowl-edge to the union. Were rethinking how we serve our members to increase your power in the workplace and to increase our efficiency and effective-ness. Our mandate remains unchanged: we are your advocates and we will work hard for fairness, no matter who sits in government.

USW 2009

David Black

President, COPE 378

The canadian office and Professional employees union, Local 378, is affiliated with the canadian office and Professional employees union, the British columbia federation of Labour, the canadian Labour congress, unI Global union and IndustriaLL.

Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378, Executive Board Members:President: david BlackSecretary-Treasurer: Lori MayhewVice Presidents: annette Toth (IcBc), Gwenne farrell (utilities), heather Lee (combined units)Accenture Business Services Executive Board Members: Melanie Greenlaw, nancy de vriesBC Hydro Executive Board Members: calvin Jonas, rysa kronebuschICBC Executive Board Members: yasmin carroll, karin cirez, Mike ferguson, Joyce Galuska, Trevor hansenFortisBC Energy Board Member: Tim BouzovetskyFortisBC Inc. and FortisBC Customer Service Centres: stephanie smithCombined Units Executive Board Members: colleen finn, Laurie kirk, keith Parkinson, stephen von sychowski, Tim Weigelt, Ian Whittington

Communications & Campaigns:communications director: sage aaroncommunications officer: Jarrah hodge

Senior Union Representatives:Brad Bastien, Glen MacInnes, Jaime zygmunt

Union Representatives:carrol edwards, Jack Gerow, cathy hirani, Barry hodson, Barbara Junker, Pat Junnila, sarah Melsness, dwaine Martin, Bonnie Merriman, Brian nelson, kevin Payne, cheryl Popeniuk, kelly Quinn, karen rockwell

Administrative & Office Staff:Joanne Banfield, karen caston, elaine chilman, Lise cluff, adele earwaker, yudon Garie, shelley Lockhart, carol McLuskie, karen Mcrae, kim smith, Miriam spinner

Financial Staff: sandi Malhame, donna Morris, Barbara Liang, amandeep sandhu

Advocacy Department:Jim Quail, Leigha Worth

Occupational Health & Safety & WCB Appeals:steve Milne

Organizing:caitlin Gilroy

Job Evaluation:Teresa davie

LTD Trust Administrator:Jim Moynham

coPe 378 Local voice is the official quarterly magazine published for the members of the canadian office and Professional employees union, Local 378.IsBn 1918-9753 coPe Local 378 voiceLetters to the editor are welcome but may be edited for brevity and clarity. Please contact coPe Local 378 for permission to reprint articles, graphics, or photographs.

address all correspondence to: coPe 378 communications2nd floor, 4595 canada Way, Burnaby, B.c. v5G 1J9Phone: 604-299-0378 Toll free: 1-800-664-6838fax: 604-299-8211

visit coPe 378s website at www.cope378.caor contact us via email at [email protected]: sage aaron

COPE 378 Local Voice voLuMe 8 Issue #3 summer 2013 | 3

4 | voLuMe 8 Issue #3 summer 2013 COPE 378 Local Voice

coPe sePB national convention, June 7 9 Lets Make a difference

naTIonaL unIon

The president of the Winnipeg Labour Council, Dave Sauer, set the tone as one of the first speakers to address the fourth National Convention of the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union/le syndicat cana-dien des employes et employs professionnels et de bureau (COPE SEPB). In reference to the fa-mous Main and Portage intersection outside the convention hotel Sauer said, Mere meters from this spot began one of the most important events [in the history] of the labour movement. Youre in the home of the Winnipeg General Strike.

Sauer was one of several convention speakers who touched on themes of fairness and equality, and the need to fight for a just society.

National President Serge Cadieux gave his re-port later on the opening Friday. He detailed the major events and initiatives of the national union in last three years since the last convention, in-cluding subsidizing organizing initiatives across Canada and the continuing work with the Cana-dian Labour Congress (CLC) to protect Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan.

Much recent energy has been devoted to fighting back against Bill C-377, the bill that tried to force labour organizations to file intrusive fi-nancial reports which would have been posted on a public website for every employer to see.

Union financial statements are already avail-able to all members and the vast majority of pro-vincial labour codes, as well as the Canada Labour Code, recognize the right of union members to have access to financial information upon request. This bill is trying to solve a problem that does not exist, said Cadieux. (C-377 was amended and sent back to the House by the Senate in late June.)

On Friday afternoon Niki Ashton, NDP MP for Churchill, Manitoba, joined delegates to talk about womens issues. Ashton blasted the Conservative government for double speak despite Ste-phen Harpers promises in several elections he would not reopen the debate on womens right to control their bodies, members of his govern-ment have done just that.

Ashton asked for delegates help pushing back on the Conservative agenda, noting the la-bour movement plays a key role not just in gain-ing ground for women but standing ground and not losing gains already made.

On Saturday morning CLC President Ken Georgetti talked about solutions for a big prob-lem facing unions: public perception. We have to learn how to communicate differently but our message is simple: its about fairness, he said. In monetary terms the union advantage means an average of $5.11 more per hour. But in societal terms it means greater equality. What we desire for ourselves, we wish for all. When we talk about the public interest people think better of us, he explained.

Alexandre Boulerice, the NDP MP for Rose-montLa Petite-Patrie, Quebec, was blunt and honest with delegates in his speech later Satur-day afternoon: We are facing tough times But its never been an easy time for any labour move-ment in any country. He told a story about meet-ing trade unionists in South America: In Colom-bia they face assassination. I asked, what we can do to help you? They said, win your battles in your own home. If you lower the bar you put pressure on us.

In Colombia they face assassination. I asked, what we can do to help you? They said,

win your battles in your own home. If you lower the bar you put pressure on us.

Alexandre Boulerice, NDP MP for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie, Quebec

Photos (top to bottom):

Serge Cadieux

Dave Sauer

Ken Georgetti

Niki Ashton

Alexandre Boulerice

2013


Ive never made it a secret that I think British Colum-bians deserve a better government than the BC Liber-als. I believe government is an expression of our col-lective desire to take care of each other and order our world in a way that serves the best interest of all. Many COPE378 members work in sectors and industries that are an expression of this collective action: the work they do in energy, insurance, transportation and education makes a positive contribution to peoples lives.

I believedand believe stillour members would have better support to do these jobs and perform these services for British Columbians under a BC NDP gov-ernment. A practical government focused on progres-sive change would be the best thing for our members jobs, for their families and for our economy. And, as the BC NDP entered the election period with a substan-tial lead in the polls, I believed we would get this long awaited change.

It was not to be. If ever we doubted that election campaigns do mat-

ter, here was proof positive they do. The BC Liberals came from behind thanks to a very well executed cam-paign. Furthermore, the BC NDP did not carry its mes-sage to voters in a way that resonated and motivated them. On election night the results were nearly identical to the 2009 campaign.

It was a tough few weeks as I wrestled with the out-come of the election and what the BC NDP loss meant for our members and all British Columbians. But my turning point came in late July when the Conserva-tive dominated Senate amended the union-busting Bill C-377 (which you will read more about later in the finan-cial report) and sent it back to the House of Commons. The decision by the Senate was surprising but it didnt come out of the sky. The Canadian Labour Congress and its affiliates worked hard to lobby the Senate against C-377. We gathered validators for our position from amongst civil society, we mobilized our members and we started moving public opinion. When C-377 was sent back to the House I was reminded that we are not with-out recourse, even when facing opponents in positions of great power. We can launch issue campaigns and af-fect public opinion. We can work with community part-

ners and academics to develop progressive policy in the best interest of all. We can use the law to our advantage. We can continue to improve the way we service our members and we can work hard to negotiate the best collective agreements possible. We can lobby politicians and leaders of all stripesthere are good ideas and win-win scenarios that make sense to everyone. And we can stick our oars in at all levels of governmentmunicipal, provincial and federal.

In essence, democracy is an ongoing project.

Its not one day in a four year election cycle or just

one slip of paper in a ballot box. Change can be

made at any time. We canand willparticipate in

this ongoing dialogue about how we build a better

world together. You can count on it.

David Black

davId BLackPresidents WordBy davId BLack, PresIdenT


on the system with Transit securityTransIT

It is an unusually grey and rainy morning in late June and commuters are streaming through Broadway-Commercial Drive SkyTrain Station in Vancouver. Some of those coming off the street are caught off-guard when they run into a fare check being run by COPE 378 members working for Transit Security.

The morning audit is a part of the officers daily routine and important for gathering statistics for Trans-Link. The officers have to check the passengers tickets quickly enough to not inconvenience them, but thor-oughly enough to spot a fraudulent pass.

Today, the officers are joined by COPE 378 President David Black and Communica-tions Officer Jarrah Hodge, to observe part of their shift.

Checking fares is a big and important part of these officers jobs this shift has already is-sued 1,400 tickets this month but Security officers also play an important role in passenger safety, in conjunction with Tran-sit Police and jurisdictional po-lice forces.

We can enforce the crimi-nal code and we can make ar-rests if we see someone in the midst of a criminal act, explains *Tyler, Or if a passenger makes a citizens arrest we can assist. The officers also do investiga-tions and plainclothes work on everything from sex offenses to theft, fraudulent passes to bel-ligerent passengers.

By the time the two 30-minute audits are done, the group has checked about 250 people for valid fares. Next, the officers head to one of the 99 B-Line bus stops. They say the bus is nicknamed the 99 Free Line because theres so much fare evasion, which theyre trying to stop.

Theyre remarkably fast, checking tickets as people get off the bus and then stepping on the bus and pulling off people who cant produce their fares. Most of the fare evaders who come from all different demograph-ics are co-operative. A lot of officers go on these jobs so the buses dont get delayed for too long, but staffing cuts make that difficult at times.

As they wait for another bus to check, a man on a bicycle screams, Transit pigs! at the group. The officers say its not uncommon but they brush it off and remain calm. They know there are also those who appreciate the work they do and the importance of their presence to deter transit crime.

You get a lot of seniors coming up saying, I paid for my pass for the last twenty years, so thank you, says *Greg. This shift a British woman came up to say about the fare checks: Its nice In London they check all the time.

*Lee says what he likes most about working Transit Security is getting to work with people every day:

In reality most of it is customer service. Even if we give people a ticket were trying to help. Its also some-thing new every day. It takes us everywhere. One day we could be in Lions Bay and the next in Maple Ridge, he says.

Before they head back to the SkyTrain station for afternoon audits, they check their stats. Theyve just is-sued 49 tickets in less than two hours at the bus stop.

*Names changed to protect members privacy.

They say the bus

is nicknamed the

99 Free Line

because theres so

much fare evasion,

which theyre

trying to stop.


accenTureaccenture ramps up to Bargaining

a short history of accenture in B.c.

Multinational outsourcing company Accentures history in B.C. begins shortly after the BC Liberals won the 2001 provincial election. Accenture won the $1.5 billion outsourcing proposal to take over one third of BC Hydros workforce. COPE 378 fought against the deal to the point of mounting a class action lawsuit with several community partners. The government changed the rel-evant legislation and the suit was eventually dropped.

COPE 378 began the first round of negotiations with this new employer in 2005. Bargaining stretched 13 long months. Then, and in each round of bargaining since then, COPE 378 and its members have managed to fend off the worst of the concessions employer proposals that would lower pay and benefits. The pat-tern has been set and the union expects similar de-mands in the upcoming round of bargaining.

Tiered agreementsEmployers have been pushing two-tiered agree-

ments on workers for several years now and its ex-tremely damaging, said COPE 378 Vice-President Gwenne Farrell, when asked what she expects from the upcoming round of bargaining with Accenture. Basi-cally, two-tiered means employees hired after you get lower pay and fewer benefits.

Two-tiered agreements can be attractive to mem-bers embroiled in tough negotiations because they appear to preserve wages and benefits for the people currently working. But what often happens is em-ployers try to speed up worksite turn-over, explained Farrell. Its a pattern weve seen before - once a two-tiered agreement is in place, they try to bring in as many new low-wage workers as possible to squeeze out the longer-term employees who negotiated the agreement.

The Bargaining Process The collective agreement between COPE 378 and

Accenture expires on August 31, 2013. But when the agreement expires, it still remains in effect until a new agreement is agreed to by both parties.

The unions bargaining committee automatically includes the COPE 378 Board Members for Accenture: Nancy de Vries and Melanie Greenlaw. After the Local Voice goes to press two more bargaining committee members will be elected from the Accenture stewards. Also on the committee will be seasoned Union Repre-sentative Jack Gerow.

Gerow is an experienced negotiator who has bar-gained many difficult agreements. Once the bargaining committee is elected, our next job is to meet and create a survey for the membership, he said. I would also like to meet with all the stewards to discuss the survey and give them the information they need to answer ques-tions from the membership.

Gerow is also planning on holding membership meetings as part of bargaining preparations. This is a hard employer. We need to really understand the mem-bers priorities in order to go toe-to-toe with Accenture and get the best agreement possible. Well need their feedback and support, he finished.

To keep up to date with all new events related

to bargaining, frequently check

KEEP UPDATED ON BARGAINAING

www.cope378.ca

Jack Gerow


In mid-May, a group of COPE 378 members from many different workplaces got together to try their hand at dragon boating. Most of them had never picked up a dragon boat paddle and they would only have four coached practices before it was time to compete in the Dragon Boat Festival in June.

In 1989 the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival was created to show off Vancouvers growing cultural diversity and to promote racial harmony among

Canadians. Vancouverites were invited to the festival to experience spectacular food, entertainment, arts and childrens programming reflecting Vancouvers cultural diversity. At the same time, interest in paddling was tak-ing off and more and more teams formed and registered each year.

COPE 378 first entered the festival last year, in 2012, and had a great time even though they were up against far more experienced teams. Helen, an ICBC member who joined the team again this year, said, It was nice to meet people from the other companies that COPE represents: our union brothers and sisters.

The 2013 team set a goal of improving their time race by race, and they succeeded. Their race time going into the festival was over three minutes and by their second race Saturday they were down to two minutes, 57 seconds.

They shaved another four seconds off their time on Saturday morning, enough to make it into the medal race for Recreational Division F. In the final race on Saturday afternoon, the team really hit their stride. They made it across the finish line in two minutes, 42 seconds, claiming a bronze medal in the division.

It was exhilarating, an adrenalin rush, said Heather, a BC Hydro member who was racing with the team for the first time.

Most of the team members said what they liked most was the chance to meet other COPE 378 members from different workplaces.

It was such an awesome experience, said Andrea, who works at Sheet Metal Workers local 280, It's was a great way to meet other members outside our own offices, and in only four Thursdays and one weekend I managed to make many new friends.

Ivan from BC Hydro agreed: It was a great team-building experience for me.

Maureen from Capilano University said for her, the highlight was meeting a whole bunch of people from the other organizations, and also all the swag at the festival. It was positive to get outside.

Andrea added, When you throw a bunch of strangers in a boat and tell them to row together it can be a disaster. But I think the COPE team this year really proved what teamwork truly means.

When you throw a

bunch of strangers

in a boat and tell

them to row together

it can be a disaster.

But I think the

COPE team this

year really proved

what teamwork truly

means. Andrea

coPe 378 Teamwork earns Bronze in the dragon Boat races

By Jarrah hodGe, coMMunIcaTIons offIcer

TeaMWork


have a say and Make IcBc Workplaces safer IcBcBy anneTTe ToTh, vIce-PresIdenT, IcBc

When a fire broke out in the bus loop underneath ICBC head office last month, the Corporation was caught off-guard. They had to evacuate the building but there was no clear procedure.

Luckily, the fire wasnt serious but ICBCs lack of planning was. What makes it totally inexcusable is that emergency preparedness was something the union members on the head office Health and Safety Committee had been concerned about for some time.

The only way we can make progress is to do it ourselves, said COPE 378 Occupational Health and Safety Director Steve Milne. The Corporation doesnt seem to care.

What happened at head office is exactly the kind of incident that shows why we need to make a real effort to rejuvenate our work-place health and safety committees and get them running as they should be. ICBC isnt making health and safety a priority, so we have to take charge.

Getting involved on a health and safety committee is a great ex-perience, says executive board member Karin Cirez, who works at head office. You attend monthly meetings and carry out monthly in-spections. That and any other duties determined by the committee are done on paid work time.

Its about getting in the drivers seat; you have a say and you get to help your coworkers, Milne added.

If you join a health and safety committee you can address dif-ferent issues depending on what is going on in your worksite. For example, they might look at how to reduce the risk of violence for customer-facing staff, or ensure that workstations are set up to pre-vent repetitive strain injuries. In Victoria, the committee successfully worked to get rid of dangerous, poorly-secured file shelves and made sure paths to exits were unobstructed in case of emergency.

Under B.C.s Workers Compensation Act, workplaces like ICBC are required to have Joint Occupational Health and Safety Commit-tees for all worksites with over 20 employees. At least half the com-mittee needs to be appointed by the union from the union mem-bership. Worksites between nine and 20 employees are to have one union-appointed member to act as a health and safety representative for their coworkers.

While a few sites have very effective committees, there are gaps at many workplaces and managers arent always getting the support they need from head office to carry out their responsibilities.

After the fire incident at head office, four new people volun-teered to join the Health and Safety Committee. Its a fantastic start but we can do even more with more members having a real say in making their workplace safe and healthy. Please contact me at [email protected] if youre interested in getting involved.

Have a real say in making your

workplace safe and healthy.

GET INvOLvED!

EMAIL [email protected]

Annette Toth


Recent tragedies in Bangladeshs garment sec-tor have thrust this country into the internation-al spotlight, setting off a wave of activity around labour rights and worker safety. From the Parliament building to the fortress-like headquarters of the manu-facturers association (BGMEA) and from daily protests on the streets of Dhaka all the way to corporate board-rooms of the worlds most powerful retailers, you can feel the winds of change blowing. The atmosphere is both encouraging and overwhelming.

We arrived in Bangladesh just as a one-day Har-tal (general strike) began, giving our joint delegation a proper introduction to the tempo of daily life in Dha-ka. Our mission was to meet with all the key players in Bangladeshi society including garment unions, western brands, garment manufacturers, the United Nations In-ternational Labour Organization and the countrys La-bour Minister. The goal was to try and get a handle on the rapidly-changing situation and voice concern over the direction labour and safety reforms may be headed. We also took the opportunity to answer questions on the recent ground-breaking Accord on Fire and Build-ing Safety in Bangladesh, which has been signed by more than 60 global retailers, UNI Global Union and IndustriALL.

Our first visit was to the Rana Plaza building col-lapse site, where we had the chance to absorb the full weight of the disaster and to speak to local residents and family members who continue to hold vigil. The deadliest garment factory accident in history caused 1,127 deaths, injured over 2,500 and has left hundreds of unaccounted bodies entombed within the debris at the disaster site.

Its not possible to stand amidst the rubble of Rana Plaza with the acrid dust of building debris burning your throat, seeing the traumatized faces of local residents

and breathing in the unmistakeable smell of rotting flesh without reflecting on the human cost of cheap clothes. This is where the global race to the bottom leads: lives lost in preventable tragedies.

The site brought back painful memories of being at the World Trade Center site after 9/11: the scale of inju-ries and deaths, building debris everywhere, the smell of death, and relatives wandering the area still in search of missing loved ones.

It was clear from speaking to residents and various officials that after Rana Plaza, both Bangladesh and the garment industry will never be the same.

The prospect of change is causing both fear and optimism at all levels of Bangladeshi society. There is fear that Bangladesh will lose its garment industry and the millions of jobs it provides to a country that has struggled with poverty - a serious concern considering the garment sector is 80 per cent of the countrys gross domestic product. The optimism is that maybe this time will be different with the international focus and atten-tion pushing the global industry to clean up its act, rath-er than abandoning the Bangladeshi people.

The optimism has been buoyed by the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. The accord is not just a first for the garment industry but the first such type of agreement between multinationals and global unions that addresses supply chain issues.

The representatives from government, trade unions and the manufacturing sector we met with were most interested in the novel features of the accord that rep-resent a new approach to dealing with fire and building safety issues in Bangladesh. First, global brands recog-nize that labour rights and worker empowerment are integral features of any safety program. Second, global brands are ultimately responsible for what happens in their supply chain. Third, global brands need to co-op-

Field report by Mathias Bolton, UNI Global Union and member of interim

secretariat of the Bangladesh Accord, to the World Executive Board of UNI Global

Union on the ITUC, UNI and IndustriALL mission to Dhaka, Bangladesh.

72 hours in dhakaBanGLadesh


BanGLadesh

erate with global unions through a legally-enforceable agreement to make this happen. Further, the accord offers workers protection: the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions and guaranteed pay if a factory is temporarily closed for needed repairs.

While many global brands have chosen to take this high road approach and sign on to the Accord other powerful Western brands, primarily based in the United States, are doubling down on old methods that would ultimately destroy Bangladeshs garment sector and take the race to the bottom to another country.

All roads lead to the powerful manufacturers associ-ation in Bangladesh, the BGMEA. They sit at the juncture between all global retail brands, the government, gar-ment unions, manufacturers and global labour institu-tions. The weight of the choices and challenges before them are generating a considerable amount of tension within their association. Based on our meetings with them it is not clear they will have the strength to stand

up to Wal-Mart and other low road retailers and make history the hard way by forging ahead on a new path.

These are the men and women who built the Ban-gladesh garment industry from nothing in the late 1980s to the global powerhouse that it is today. Our most im-portant message to them at this stage is that what got them here is not going to get them there - there being a safe, sustainable industry that provides decent work to the Bangladeshi people and quality garments to the worlds retailers.

This time, however, we have a window of opportu-nity and a tool in the Accord to push history in the right direction.

Reflecting on the visit during the long flight home, the enormous challenges ahead were racing through my mind but they were quickly dispelled by one revela-tion: If we succeed in Bangladesh we set the stage to transform the nature of precarious work and the gar-ment sector globally.

Re

ce

nt tra

ge

dy

in

Ban

gla

de

sh's g

arme

nt se

cto

r

COPE 378 is a member of UNI Global Union and IndustriALL, two of the key global labour organizations involved in the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. COPE 378 also signed on to a Canadian Investor Statement on Bangladesh, along with 51 other

institutions representing $44 billion in assets under management, urging all apparel brands, retailers and manufacturers that source from Bangladesh to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and participate fully in its implementation.

It was clear from speaking to

residents and various officials

that after Rana Plaza, both

Bangladesh and the garment

industry will never be the same.


reorganization to serve you BettercoPe 378

This spring the COPE 378 office and reporting structure was reorganized to reflect the changing needs and make-up of our membership.Since 2005 COPE 378 operated with a bisected of-

fice structure, organized around BC Hydro and ICBC. Two senior union representatives each looked after one half of the unions membership.

For years this structure was logical and orderly. But over time, as employers changed and work moved around, the split became less tidy. In 2010 COPE 378 merged with its sister union, COPE 15, which represent-ed quite a few smaller private sector workplaces. The model, which worked well to service larger institutions, began to show strain.

This is the reality of bringing in new members to COPE 378 they too will likely be from smaller work-places, not large, unified corporations.

The organizing department, responsible for signing up new members and bringing them under the protec-tive umbrella of the union, sat separate from the servic-ing departments. It was staffed by a senior union rep-resentative and an organizer. Growing the COPE 378 membership is of utmost importance for many reasons; foremost of which is that greater size gives the union more leverage when dealing with employers. The strat-egy that had evolved to bring in new members was to reach further into the financial sector and to move to new branch offices of companies where employees had already opted to join COPE 378.

After much analysis it was decided the bisected model with a separate organizing department was not the most effective or efficient way of delivering services

to our members, or to grow the membership. The recent addition of in-house legal counsel to the union further made the old BC Hydro-side, ICBC-side model obsolete.

In early spring the office was reorganized to reflect the newly restructured departments. Senior Represen-tative Brad Bastien oversees five union reps who largely service the Utilities Group BC Hydro, Accenture and FortisBC, and the unions job evaluation officer. Senior Rep Jaime Zygmunt has three union reps dedicated to ICBC and two more reps who look after union offices, First Nations housing, benefit administrators and more. Glen MacInnes stepped into the third senior rep po-sition, which once focussed only on organizing. This position has been expanded to include five union reps who have responsibility for the car rental worksites, the credit unions, the union offices and the taxi dispatches among others. The fourth department is the new advo-cacy department, which has grown to two lawyers, and now includes the reassigned arbitration representa-tive, the WCB appeals and the occupational health and safety coordinator. Legal Director Jim Quail leads the advocacy department.

The finance and communications departments re-main unchanged.

Most members wont notice an immediate change in their interactions with the union. But the reorganiza-tion allows COPE 378 to increase information sharing across departments while allowing reps to develop and use specialized skills, and create new opportunities for growth. Its hoped that over time members will notice the union is stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to provide the best service to its members.

The reorganization

allows COPE378

to increase

information

sharing across

departments while

allowing reps to

develop and use

specialized skills,

and create new

opportunities

for growth.


young Workers Prepare to Join 20,000 at festival in ecuador

younG Workers

In December of this year a Canadian delegation, in-cluding young workers from COPE 378 and other unions, will join approximately 20,000 youth and stu-dent activists from across the globe at the World Festival of Youth & Students in Quito, Ecuador.

The World Festival of Youth and Students is an initia-tive of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, a fed-eration of youth organizations around the world which enjoys consultative status with the United Nations and operational relations with UNESCO. It was founded in 1945 by the World Youth Council, which was made up of anti-fascist youth from Allied countries in World War II. Its membership included more than 30 million young people of different political ideologies and religious be-liefs from 63 nations.

The overarching themes of the festival are peace, international solidarity, and equality within societies and across nations. Attending the conference gives us the chance to learn about struggles of young workers, stu-dents, Aboriginal youth, young women and queer youth in other countries. The festival includes workshops, fo-rums, cultural performances and displays, and numer-ous opportunities to share stories with young activists from around the world. Many participants have found it to be an inspiring, life-changing experience.

The first World Festival of Youth and Students was held in 1947 in Prague, with 17,000 participants. The most recent festival was in held in 2010 in Tswane, South Africa, with over 15,000 participants from 126 dif-ferent countries.

The COPE 378 Youth Action Committee became involved in the lead up to the 2010 Festival. I attend-ed along with then co-chair Georgi Bates, and several other members of the Committee also participated in fundraising and organizing efforts.

Work is already underway across Canada to send a sizeable delegation to this years festival. In the Van-couver area a committee has been formed with Youth Action Committee Co-Chair Erin Searle and I acting as chair and treasurer respectively. The committee is made up of young union members and other peace and social justice activists committed to building a strong local delegation.

One way you can help is by supporting our fun-draising efforts, which include a young worker raffle with the prize being one day of work by five young workers: perfect if you have a campaign that needs some work, or a garage that really needs cleaning. The committee is also carrying out a bottle drive, an Aero-plan points donation drive, and numerous individual fundraising events.

For raffle tickets or information on how you can help with any of these initiatives please con-tact me at the COPE 378 office or by email at [email protected]

By sTePhen von sychoWskI, youTh acTIon coMMITTee co-chaIr

ecuadordeceMBer 2013

Youth and

students gather

in Tswane, South

Africa to celebrate

peace, solidarity

and equality


Mourning our dead, fighting for the LivingIn The WorkPLace

By Jarrah hodGe, coMMunIcaTIons offIcer

Last year in B.C. sixty-three people woke up one day like they always did, took a shower and brushed their teeth, got dressed and ate breakfast. Some

kissed their kids goodbye and said theyd see them later. But they never did: sometime during that day they were killed in a workplace accident.

Another eighty-six people died of diseases related to their work. Looking at past trends we can assume most of these individuals suffered from cancers related to asbestos exposure.

No one should have to risk being injured or killed when they go to work. No one should have to worry that years down the road theyll suffer a serious illness because they were exposed to dangerous substances in the course of doing their job. And even non-fatal work-place illnesses or injuries can have lasting, quality of life-impairing effects.

At the end of April, people around the world held gatherings and took moments of silence in recognition of the Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job. On Sunday, April 28, COPE 378 representa-tives attended the annual ceremony hosted by the BC Federation of Labour, the New Westminster and Dis-trict Labour Council and the Vancouver District Labour Council. The solemn event was held at the Fishermens Memorial in Garry Point Park, Steveston.

Each year COPE 378 writes to all its employers ask-ing them to join us in recognizing the day and commit-ting to build safer workplaces. Many do not respond, but the union recognizes those who do. This year we thank the Telecommunication Worker Pension Plan, Piledriv-ers Local 2404, BCAA, Accenture, BC Hydro, FortisBC and TransLink for taking a moment to mourn along with

our members. COPE 378 would like to particularly acknowledge

BC Hydro this year for installing memorial plaques in recognition of those who have been injured or killed in service to our public utility. The plaques have been unveiled at the new Trades Training Centre, as well as Edmonds, Dunsmuir, and LMS in Surrey. They will serve as a needed reminder to all about the importance of workplace safety.

Our union was honoured to participate in the un-veilings at Edmonds and Dunsmuir on April 26. Vice-President Gwenne Farrell spoke at the Dunsmuir cer-emony. As well, our Occupational Health and Safety Representative, Steve Milne, spoke at the Edmonds cer-emony and reminded those attending about the scale of the problem.

Even in Canada approximately 1,000 workers die each year, almost three per day. Another 250,000 work-ers suffer a work-related injury, illness or occupational disease, he noted.

Turning back to BC Hydro specifically, Milne recog-nized the improvements that have been made by the Safety Task Force as well as the work that still needs to be done:

Let us all work together: union, management, of-fice staff, field staff as you are the ones who know your jobs and the hazards that are present in your work. Please be part of the solution in making BC Hydro a healthy and safe place to work so everyone goes home each night.

Let us all work together: union, management, office staff,

field staff as you are the ones who know your jobs

and the hazards that are present in your work.


Learning Lessons; Moving forward

PoLITIcaLacTIon

coMMITTee

By korLeen carreras, PoLITIcaL acTIon coMMITTee co-chaIr

Iremember waking up on May 15, the day after the provincial election, and the first thought that crossed my mind was, Is it because I didnt wear the orange dress? Next thoughts were ballot boxes had been stuffed or that we were in a Groundhog Day-like movie and we would get another chance to change the election outcome. I was deep into the denial and bargaining stages of grief. I still regret not wearing the orange dress.

As results came the night before I was thinking, This cant be right someone is playing a joke on us. But Adrian Dix took the stage for his concession speech and reality started to set in. It was a devastating loss for our members, working people of B.C., and for families with small children like mine. The hope we all felt for a new B.C. soon dissipated as another four years under the BC Liberals became a reality.

In the weeks since the election Ive participated in many debriefs and discussions about what went wrong. Journalists and pundits have pored over the mistakes and missteps in just about every newspaper and media outlet possible. Why didnt the BC NDP connect with the peo-ple? Was it the Kinder Morgan announcement? Did they fail to define our opponents and themselves? Were they just plain out-campaigned? All these questions and more will be looked at when the BC NDP undertakes its internal review of the campaign.

But I think the list of what went wrong is short. I am confident the BC NDP got more right during this cam-paign than ever before. Dont get me wrong, the missteps cost the BC NDP the election, but I think its important to talk about what was done right.

The campaign team that was built around this prov-ince, both in the central and local campaigns, was the most talented group Ive ever seen. There was a balance between experience and fresh ideas, and COPE 378 activ-ists played a major role. Our members were in campaign offices around this provinceveteran activists passing on their knowledge side by side with our eager first-time vol-unteers. They were there because of our unions politi-cal action education over the last four years which gave them the skills to contribute. The photos in my Facebook feed were the inspiration that kept me going through long hours each week.

Its important to keep moving forward and not let defeat hold us back. Our need to keep our issues in the forefront didnt end on May 14 and it is a 365-day-a-year job. Now, more than ever, is the time to get involved in your local constituency associations, join committees or boards in your community, and get ready for the munici-pal elections that are only 18 months away. In a four year cycle, year one is just as important as the election year. This is where we lay the ground work for the next four years and start building a winning team for 2017.

Superstition aside, I know my wardrobe choice on election night wasnt to blame. I also know this union is up to the task of fighting for a better and more equal B.C.

Korleen

Carreras

worked on

the central

BC NDP

campaign

for the

duration of

the election

period.

"The campaign team that was built around this province, both in

the central and local campaigns, was the most talented group

Ive ever seen. There was a balance between experience and

fresh ideas, and COPE 378 activists played a major role."


GeTTInGInvoLved coPe 378 on the campaign Trail

During the

recent provincial

election, several

COPE 378

members and

staff took time to

work or volunteer

on BC NDP

campaigns. We

contacted a few

to talk about their

experience.

Lucky Bhullar, IcBcI helped out in the campaign office in Surrey-Pan-

orama. That meant doing phone and foot canvassing of voters, attending rallies, helping pull the vote on Elec-tion Day, and counting ballots that night. It was a great atmosphere: high energy and everyone was enthusias-tic from morning until night for a common goal of mak-ing real, positive change. I worked long hours but it was very enjoyable.

It is very satisfying that, despite our loss, I contrib-uted to a process where change could have taken place for the better. I can proudly say I did my best and I appre-ciate my rights as a voter. I would definitely do it again.

kelly Quinn, coPe 378 staffI started out helping to fundraise in Burnaby-North

before the election and then when the election started I got involved in Burnaby-Lougheed for Jane Shin. I did phoning, foot canvassing, fundraising and Election Day volunteering. I really enjoyed the fact that there were so many young people coming into the campaign. It was great to work with them and see their energy and that, after 28 days, this was something theyd want to do again.

I also helped out by making food for the office staff and volunteers. Soon everyone started pitching in and bringing food when they could. You really got this sense of connection and community.

evelyn Bolton, Bc hydroI worked on Jane Shins campaign in Burnaby-

Lougheed as the Volunteer Outreach Organizer. On an average day Id start by taking a look at our

volunteer board to make sure the office would be hum-ming with people over the next few days. Id start con-firmation calls to the people who were scheduled to come in, then turn my attention to our Master Contact Books, a list of all potential volunteers. Then Id call and call and call to get people in to the office. Sometimes there would be a special event, like a rally, and we would have to recruit even more people than normal. We also had occasional guest stars stop by the office, like Burn-aby Mayor Derek Corrigan, or Trinity-Spadina NDP MP Olivia Chow.

I learned a lot about what its like for organizations that depend on volunteers its tough! People are busy. You have to be patient, upbeat and hard to discourage.

I would absolutely do it again. It was a challenge balancing being a mom at the same time as working on the campaign. But I brought my daughter to the campaign office quite a bit. She loves politics and was a huge Jack Layton fan.

Theres a really special energy to election cam-paigns theres just so much enthusiasm and effort. No matter the outcome you feel as though youve contrib-uted to something bigger than yourself. And my candi-date won! That was a great feeling.

"Theres a really special energy to

election campaigns theres just

so much enthusiasm and effort. No

matter the outcome you feel as though

youve contributed to something

bigger than yourself." - Evelyn Bolton


adrIan dIxholding Government to account

Throughout the 2013 election campaign, the BC Liberals trumpeted their commitment to fiscal restraint. Yet within a month of their re-election, they seemed to forget their key priority and had to be reminded by New Democrats and the public.

Just days after the election, British Columbians learned that the government had awarded hefty raises to political operatives. Top pay for key political staff was slated to increase from $94,500 to $102,000, while the top salary for the premiers chief of staff would increase from $195,000 to $230,000.

But the most egregious raise would go to Premier Christy Clarks new deputy chief of staff, who would re-ceive a starting salary of $195,000, while her predecessor topped out at $144,000.

Thanks to a public outcry and intense pressure from the New Democrats, the government finally reversed its self-congratulatory pay hikes just in time to avoid de-fending them in the legislature. Of course the deputy chief of staff and Premier Clarks deputy campaign director was mostly spared, still getting a $30,000 increase.

This is only the latest chapter in the governments long history of managing the provinces finances with a philosophy of say one thing, do another. While her campaign bus boasted a promise of a debt-free B.C., the premier failed to mention she had presided over the fastest accumulation of debt of any premier in B.C. his-tory. Nor did she mention the gross mismanagement at BC Hydro that has hit a critical point on her watch, with deferral accounts hiding billions in expenditures.

After years of negligent fiscal management and reck-less spending on taxpayer-funded partisan promotion including an $11 million pre-election pageant and nearly $17 million in pre-election advertising now the govern-ment is pinching pennies at the expense of vulnerable British Columbians to help finesse their so-called bal-anced budget.

Soon after the election, seniors in many B.C. care homes were told they would soon have to pay a fee to use a wheelchair. While the Liberals quietly changed the policy back in 2010 to allow such fees, they had not been implemented until now, when health authorities are struggling to find ways to cover their costs because of hundreds of millions of dollars in shortfalls in the 2013 provincial budget.

The government has also announced a large-scale review of government services, but promised that it will not bring the devastating cuts that the Liberal govern-ment made in its first core review in 2001. We intend to hold the government to this commitment, and remind them of their promise to balance the books while pro-tecting key areas like health care, education, and supports for seniors and children.

As a strong and principled Opposition, New Demo-crats will continue to hold the government to account for its promises of controlled spending, and make sure political favours are never a higher priority than critical public services.

By adrIan dIx, Leader, neW deMocraT offIcIaL oPPosITIon

Adrian Dix


suMMer 2013 edITIonBarGaInInG BrIefs

By sheLLey LockharT, caroL McLuskIe and kIM sMITh

accenTure BusIness servIcesThe collective agreement for the members at this unit will expire on Au-gust 31, 2013. A vote will be held to select the bargaining committee. The committee will then meet to prepare a survey for the membership and then develop proposals for bargaining.The bargaining committee has not yet been struck. Union Representative Jack Gerow will be conducting bargaining for the union.

aLMa MaTer socIeTyThe collective agreement expired on May 31, 2013. The bargaining committee met in May to review survey results and finalize union pro-posals. Bargaining took place on June 12 to 14 and both parties ex-changed proposals. There was some discussion between the parties. We will continue bargaining on July 22 and 23. The bargaining committee consists of Sterling Aurel, Angela Geib and Union Representative Carrol Edwards.

Bc federaTIon of LaBourThe collective agreement expired on April 30, 2012. The new agree-ment has been ratified and is in the process of being proofread. The new term is from May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2015. Highlights include wage increases of 2.1 per cent, 0.5 per cent and two per cent over three years plus a $400 settlement bonus per member, improvement to the ex-tended health and dental plans, improvement in permanent employee language, a new severance pay provision and protection of the current work week hours. The bargaining committee consists of Susan Orr, Ingrid Ericson and Union Representative Kevin Smyth.

BerLITz canadaThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. Berlitz has pro-posed a rollover agreement and has stated they are not in the position to discuss any monetary issues. We have requested Berlitz open up their financial records for viewing. There have been conflicts with their coun-sels calendar. They have advised a date will be set in July. If this does not occur the union will be taking this matter to the Labour Board. The bargaining committee consists of Collin Patterson and Union Rep-resentative Sarah Melsness.

Bonnys TaxIThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. A tentative agree-ment was reached and ratified by members in April. The agreement pro-vides for wage increases of 12 cents per hour in year one, 30 cents per hour in year two, 35 cents per hour in year three and 45 cents per hour in year four, along with an increase to pension contributions. The bargaining committee consists of Cyndi-Nilssen-Frigstad and Union Representative Dave Park.

caPILano PeT hosPITaLThis newly organized bargaining unit reached a tentative Memorandum of Settlement for a first collective agreement on May 2, 2013. The new collective agreement was ratified by members on May 15. Highlights include a four-year term, step increases, shift and vacation schedule system, job protection and sick time. Unfortunately, on June 11 the em-ployer served Section 54 Notice of closure of the facility. A meeting with the employer in regards to the Section 54 Notice was held in early July. The bargaining committee consists of Anna Stewart, Chere Croteau and Senior Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

coLuMBIa hydro The bargaining between Columbia Hydro Council and Allied Hydro Council is going to interest arbitration as per the collective agreement on June 14, 17 and 24, 2013. The decision of the arbitrator will be final.The bargaining committee consists of Senior Union Representative Brad Bastien.

coasT MounTaIn Bus coThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. The parties have almost completed bargaining, with just a few items remaining. Bargain-ing has stalled at this point, awaiting CMBCs response to the unions last monetary package. However, CMBC is trying to remove retiree benefits from the agreement. Depending on the outcome of their response, the members could be facing a final offer vote or a strike vote.The bargaining committee consists of Stephen Von Sychowski, Ray Manning, Ron Williams, Doug Fergus and Union Representative Kev-in Payne.

coasTaL coMMunITy credIT unIonThe collective agreement expired June 30, 2013. Members have com-pleted surveys. Results have been reviewed by bargaining committee and proposals drafted. Bargaining dates are set for July. The bargaining committee consists of Laurie Kirk, Wanda Neil, Emma OSullivan, Donna Hedley, Colleen Berge and Union Representative Jack Gerow.

coasTaL coMMunITy InsuranceThe collective agreement expires December 31, 2013. Results have been reviewed by bargaining committee and proposals drafted. Bargaining dates are set for July. The unions bargaining committee consists of Laura White, Myra Charl-ton, Sunshine Defrane and Union Representative Jack Gerow.

coraL caBs (rIchMond TaxI)The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2011. The bargaining committee is finalizing proposals to begin bargaining. The bargaining committee consists of Ernie Baliss and Union Representa-tive Dave Park.

coLLeGe of PharMacIsTs of Bc The collective agreement expired on February 28, 2013. Notice to com-mence bargaining was given to the College in January and the members have been surveyed. Bargaining is set to commence in July 2013.The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Jack Gerow.

doLLar ThrIfTyThe collective agreement expired on December 31, 2012. The parties have met three days without any major union proposals being signed off. Dollar Thrifty is asking for concessions in addition to not agreeing to address industry wage lift. Strike action began on July 5. The bargaining committee consists of Jim Fleck, Steve Gill, Raj Muni, Union Representative Cathy Hirani and Senior Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

dW servIcesThis is a newly organized bargaining unit. The bargaining committee met in May to review union proposals. Bargaining took place on May 21 to 23 and June 17 to 18. As this is a first collective agreement, the union carefully went over each of the proposed articles. The bargaining com-mittee has made some progress with signing off of articles, however, due to vacations and other commitments we will not be returning to the bargaining table until August. Dates to be announced. The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Carrol Edwards.

enTerPrIse renT-a-carThe collective agreement expires on July 31, 2013. The bargaining com-mittee met in March to review surveys and draft proposals. Notice to bargain was sent on April 2, 2013. When Enterprise would not confirm meeting dates to bargain, the union filed an unfair labour practice com-plaint. We withdrew the complaint on May 6 after the parties had com-municated and set dates to bargain. The parties met June 10 to 13 and have set dates to meet again on June 23 and 24. The bargaining committee consists of Osman Halane, Paul McDon-nell, Amar Sandhu, Val Salgado, Union Representative Cathy Hirani and Senior Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

forTIs eLecTrIc The collective agreement will expire on December 31, 2013. The bar-gaining committee has been struck and a survey was sent out to the members in June. The earliest date to start bargaining is August 31, 2013 and the bargaining committee is eager to start as soon as possible.The bargaining committee consists of Stephanie Smith, Janet Maloff, Richard Gaylard and Union Representative Pat Junnila.

hasTInGs enTerTaInMenT Inc.The collective agreement for the members at Hastings Entertainment expired on July 31, 2012. The parties attended mediation on May 10. They were not able to come to a resolve. On Monday, June 10, the union served 72 hours strike notice. Hastings reciprocated by serving the union with 72 hour lockout notice. Following that, Hastings submitted a final offer vote through the Labour Relations Board and offered a $350 signing bonus. The final offer vote was held on June 21 and 22. The members narrowly voted to accept the offer. The bargaining committee consists of Greg Goulding, Keith Parkinson, Margaret Sykes and Union Representative Karen Rockwell.

kekInoW naTIve housInG socIeTyThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2010.Due to many un-foreseen circumstances bargaining has been delayed. The parties met once in late June, exchanged proposals and began discussions. More dates will be set once vacations are over. The bargaining committee consists of Terry Frank and Union Represen-tative Bonnie Merriman.

keLoWna caBsThe collective agreement expired on May 31, 2013. Notice to commence bar-gaining was sent to Kelowna Cabs and bargaining surveys were completed by members in April. Proposals will be drafted from survey results and meeting dates need to be confirmed with the employer. The bargaining committee consists of Al Lewis and Union Representative Barry Hodson.

More info at

cope378.ca


kruGer ProducTsThe collective agreement expired on May 31, 2012. The new collective agreement has been ratified and is in the process of being edited. The new term is from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2016. Highlights include a signing bonus of $250, a lump sum payment of $2,500, wage increases of 0 per cent, 0 per cent, 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent and a new vacation supplement of one week after the 5th and 10th year of employment and two weeks after the 15th, 20th, and 25th years of employment.The bargaining committee consists of Barb Duncan, Bev Woods and Union Representative Karen Rockwell.

LadysMITh & dIsTrIcT credIT unIonThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2012. A tentative agree-ment was reached with the assistance of a mediator and was approved by the membership on May 29. Highlights include a three-year term, signing bonus for first year with two per cent raise in each of the second and third years. Family responsibility leave has been increased up to a maximum of 18 days. The bargaining committee consists of Shelly Ricketts, Shelley Jones and Union Representative Jack Gerow.

MarIne Workers & BoILerMakersThe collective agreement expired on December 31, 2012. The bar-gaining committee has recommended waiting to start bargaining until after the conclusion of Vancouver Shipyard and/or Seaspan bar-gaining. The bargaining committee consists of Nancy Batchelor and Union Rep-resentative Bonnie Merriman.

neW deMocraTIc ParTyThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2013. Notice to com-mence bargaining has been served and the bargaining survey will soon be sent out to the membership for their input. The bargaining committee consists of Karl Riley and Union Representative Dwaine Martin.

PvTTThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2010. A survey will be sent out to the members in the near future. The bargaining committee consists of Ron Leavitt, Adrian Yee, and Union Representative Stephen Von Sychowski.

TeaMsTers LocaL 213 MeMBer BenefIT PLanThe collective agreement expired on April 30, 2011. The bargaining committee has met to review the input received into proposals mem-bers would like negotiated at the bargaining table. The committee is in the process of turning proposals into collective agreement language in preparation for bargaining.The bargaining committee consists of Dianne Cecchin, Carol Cumming and Union Representative Dwaine Martin.

TeLecoMMunIcaTIon Workers unIon (TWu)The collective agreement expired on July 31, 2011. The bargain-ing committee has met and finalized proposals. Dates have yet to be scheduled to meet with TWU. The bargaining committee consists of Linda Lund, Bill Nielsen and Union Representative Dwaine Martin.

TeLeTheaTre BcThe collective agreement expired January 15, 2012. Notice to commence bargaining has been sent to Teletheatre BC and the members have been surveyed. Bargaining started in July.The bargaining committee consists of Harry Judge and Union Representative Karen Rockwell.

ThunderBIrd WInTer sPorTsThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2010. The bargaining committee is currently working on proposals and tentative dates have been set to begin collective bargaining in July or October 2013.The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Bar-bara Junker.

TransIT PoLIce (TsML)A survey was sent and two focus groups have been held. The bar-gaining committee is currently preparing proposals.The bargaining committee consists of Ian Whittington, Rob Glad-win, Dan Dickhout, Renata Clements and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

TransLInk The collective agreement expired on March 31, 2012. The new collective agreement has been ratified. The new term is from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2015. Highlights include wage increases of 2 per cent in the third year and 2 per cent in the fourth year. The bargaining committee consisted of Pat Keeping, Safar Alikhani and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

Tree IsLandThe collective agreement expired on September 30, 2012. Tree Island presented the employees with a final offer to vote on May 20. Thirty-nine of forty members at Tree Island showed up to vote. The offer was turned down by 84 per cent. There was another membership meeting in late June.The bargaining committee consists of Doug Howard, Hani Dakkak and Union Representative Pat Junnila.

unITed fIsherMan & aLLIed Worker unIonThe collective agreement expired on December 31, 2012. Bargaining has started with proposals exchanged. Further bargaining will take place after mid-July. The bargaining committee consists of Joanne Demmery and Union Rep-resentative Bonnie Merriman.

vancouver shIPyards LTd.The collective agreement expired on February 28, 2013. Recently the poly-party unions ratified a five-year agreement with wage increases of 4.25 per cent, 3.5 per cent, 3.5 per cent and the last two years 3 per cent with a cost-of-living adjustment to 5 per cent in each.The bargaining committee consisted of Jim Reith and Union Representa-tive Jackie Brown.

vancouver TaxI (cenTraL TaxI dIsPaTch)The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. Bargaining in April resolved the majority of non-monetary items. Salary, benefits and pen-sion items are still outstanding. A change in the Vancouver Taxi Board of Directors has stalled bargaining. The bargaining committee consists of Bernie Stroh and Union Repre-sentative Dave Park.

vIcTorIa shIPyards LTd.The collective agreement expired on February 28 2013. The poly-party unions were presented with a tentative agreement on June 13. COPE 378 recommended that members to reject the tentative agreement as the Labourers and COPE were offered 1 per cent a year less than the trades over a three-year contract. Members voted to reject the contract and COPE 378 awaits the poly-party talks to resume.The bargaining committee consists of Becky Sebastiano and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

WesTMInsTer savInGs credIT unIonThe collective agreement expired December 31, 2012. The parties have been bargaining since last December. Westminster Savings is seeking numerous concessions. The parties are in mediation at the Labour Board in June. The bargaining committee consists of Rosie Tzortzatos, Shannon McRae and Union Representative Jack Gerow.

yeLLoW PaGesThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2012. YPG is unionized in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and B.C. The Ontario local union has just completed negotiations, Alberta is about to enter into negotiations and then B.C. will follow. The bargaining committee consists of Traian Moldovan, Tim Nemeth, Ken Simms and Union Representative Dwaine Martin.

Is PuBLIshed By

Phone: 604-299-0378fax: 604-299-8211e-mail: [email protected] 1918-9753 coPe Local 378 voice

coPe 378: President david Black Secretary-Treasurer Lori Mayhew

LocaL voIce editor: sage aaron usW 2009desIGned By: dansk design Groupdanskdesigngroup.comPrInTed aT: Mitchell Press, Burnaby, B.c.

canadian office and Professional employees union, Local 378,2nd floor, 4595 canada Way, Burnaby, B.c. v5G 1J9PosTaL aGreeMenT #41267023

BarGaInInG BrIefs


canadas energy strategy: Its not Just a federal-Provincial IssueenerGy

Last month, three Ca-nadian premiers pro-vided a public update on interprovincial efforts to develop a national energy strategy. While their up-date opened a window on the interprovincial negotia-tions, so far any reference to the stakes and po-tential roles for munici-palities is missing from the discussion.

There are strong argu-ments for municipalities becoming a bigger part of this process. Rising public sector energy costs and communi-ty energy security questions as well as local economic and environmental concerns related to energy use, pro-duction and transportation mean that municipalities have important interests in Canadian energy policy.

Energy security is an area of growing concern for Canadian communities. Dependence on imported oil leaves public sector organizations, businesses and resi-dents susceptible to fluctuating prices and concerns about supply security. And energy poverty when households spend over 10 per cent of income on en-ergy costs is a direct problem for a growing number of Canadians.

Globally, many countries are already transitioning to more sustainable, locally-based and ultimately more secure national energy systems. Municipalities are key players in many of these transitions.Municipal renew-able and district energy projects are an important com-ponent ofGermanys transition towards an 80 per cent renewable-based energy system by 2050. In Denmark, municipalities have played an important role that coun-trys nationwide renewable energy and energy efficien-cy success. Municipal and other publicly-owned energy utilities are well positioned to play a similar role in the Canadian context.

Energy use is deeply intertwined with climate change. The same month the premiers were talking about their work on a national energy strategy, the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii reported that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached 400 parts per million.This is 50 parts per mil-lion above the safe upper limit for CO2 cited by many scientists, including former NASA head scientist James Hansen.

In 2011 alone, extreme weather events cost Cana-dians $1.6 billion, and the bill is projected to get much worse in years to come.By 2020, the National Round-table on the Environment and the Economy estimates the annual economic impact of climate change will be $5 billion and more than $40 billion by 2050. Many of these costs will be borne by local governments.

But its not all doom and gloom: a national energy strategy opens the door to new economic opportuni-ties for Canadian communities, as well as opportunities to address imbalances in the relationships between mu-nicipalities and other orders of government.

Alternative, renewable and low-carbon energy pro-duction is rapidly growing. This is a global transforma-tion, and without concerted action, Canada risks being left behind. Jobs and economic activity in the clean energy sector are increasing, and a comprehensive na-tional energy strategy could help municipalities capital-ize on these new opportunities.

An overarching strategy to encourage cooperation toward common goals, such as climate change mitiga-tion, energy security, environmental sustainability and a more diversified economy will benefit all Canadians. It will be stronger if Canadas municipal governments, which have such important stakes and expertise to con-tribute, are part of the process.

"And energy

poverty when

households spend

over 10 per cent of

income on energy

costs is a direct

problem for a

growing number

of Canadians."

Charley Beresford is executive director of the Columbia Institute.

A Canadian Energy Strategy: Why should local government care?

can be downloaded at www.civicgovernance.ca/canadian-energy-strategy


coPe 378 members work at the following properties

accenture Business servicesUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

alma Mater societyUnion Rep: Carrol Edwards

alma Mater society securityUnion Rep: Carrol Edwardss

aviscarUnion Rep: Cathy Hirani

Bcaa sc & ersUnion Rep: Carrol Edwards

Bc computerized dispatch (yellow cab)Union Rep: Barry Hodson

Bc federation of LabourUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

Bc ferry & Marine Workers unionUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

BcGeuUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Bc hydro (including Powertech construction services)Union Reps: Barbara Junker, Karen Rockwell

Bc nurses union Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Bc TransitUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Beach Place venturesUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Berlitz canadaUnion Rep: Trevor Hansen

Bonnys TaxiUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Burvic holdingsUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

canadian freightways Ltd.Union Rep: Kevin Payne

canadian northern shield/rsaUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

capilano Pet hospital Union Rep: Trevor Hansen

capilano universityUnion Rep: Karen Rockwell

carpenters Local 1928Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

catalyst PaperUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

cIaTuUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

coast Mountain BusUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

coastal community credit unionUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

coastal community InsuranceUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

college of Pharmacists of BcUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

college of registered nursesUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

columbia hydroUnion Rep: Brad Bastien

columbia valley credit unionUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

community savings credit unionUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

coral cabs (richmond Taxi)Union Rep: Barry Hodson

cuPe 3338Union Rep: Dwaine Martin




cuPe Bc & LocalsUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

da Townley & associatesUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

dollar ThriftyUnion Rep: Cathy Hirani

dW servicesUnion Rep: Trevor Hansen

ecojusticeUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

enterprise rent-a-carUnion Rep: Cathy Hirani

fortisBc customer service centresUnion Rep: Pat Junnila

fortisBc energy Inc.union rep: Pat Junnila

fortisBc Inc.Union Rep: Pat Junnila

Gulf & fraser fishermens credit unionUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

handy PackUnion Rep: Pat Junnila

hastings entertainment Inc.Union Rep: Jack Gerow

hertzUnion Rep: Cathy Hirani

IcBcUnion Reps: Cheryl Popeniuk, Kelly Quinn, Stephen Von Sychowski

Island savings credit union and InsuranceUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

IWa forest Industry PPUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

kekinow native housing societyUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

kelowna cabs Ltd.Union Rep: Barry Hodson

konica MinoltaUnion Rep: Trevor Hansen

kruger Products (scott Paper)Union Rep: Karen Rockwell

Ladysmith & district cuUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Lake city casinosUnion Rep: Trevor Hansen

LuMa native housing societyUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

MacLure's cabs Ltd.Union Rep: Barry Hodson

Marine Workers & BoilermakersUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Master Trade officeUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

new democratic PartyUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

Pacific vehicle TestingUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

schneiderUnion Rep: Cathy Hirani

seaspan International Ltd.Union Rep: Kevin Payne

seIu 244Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

southern railwayUnion Rep: Pat Junnila

Teamsters Local 31Union Rep: Dwaine Martin

Teamsters Local 155Union Rep: Dwaine Martin

Teamsters Local 213 & 213 Member Benefit PlanUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

Telecommunications Workers union (TWu)Union Rep: Dwaine Martin

Telecommunication Workers Pension PlanUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

Teletheatre BcUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Thunderbird Winter sportsUnion Rep: Barbara Junker

TransLinkUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Transit PoliceUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Tree IslandUnion Rep: Pat Junnila

united fishermen & allied Worker unionUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

vancouver shipyards Ltd.Union Rep: Kevin Payne

vancouver Taxi Ltd. (central Taxi dispatch)Union Rep: Barry Hodson

vantageone credit unionUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

victoria shipyards Ltd.Union Rep: Kevin Payne

victoria Trade unionUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Westminster savings credit unionUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Working enterprisesUnion Rep: Dwaine Martin

xylem Water solutionsUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

yellow PagesUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman


RETURN UNDELIVERABLECANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:#200 - 4595 CANADA WAY,BURNABY, B.C. V5G 1J9

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 41267023

CUSTOM CARTOONS FOR COPE 378 MEMBERS

Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378

www.COPE378.ca

Annual Financial Report2012

www.COPE378.ca

2 | Annual Financial Report 2012 | COPE 378

Message from your Secretary-Treasurer

It is my pleasure to present the COPE 378 annual audit-ed fi nancial report for the fi scal year 2012. This report is an important part of our overall responsibilities to our members. It is one of the ways our members can evalu-ate the work weve done as fi nancial managers and ad-ministrators of this union.

This year we made the decision to work with a dif-ferent auditor. After taking our business out to tender the Audit Committee and I made the determination Ca-nadian fi rm MNP LLP was the best fi t at the best cost to our organization. MNP LLP have an excellent reputation and a roster of clients that spans government, fi nancial organizations and non-profi t groups.

Two years ago we made changes to the unions constitution and by-laws in order to make COPE 378 more resilient to global fi nancial crises, and more re-sponsive to the needs of a modern union member-ship. I am happy to report that these changes are continuing to do positive work for our members. Our consolidated net assets are healthy and holding steady despite a long year of bargaining and job action at some of our larger worksites.

Our fi nancial footing and outlook is, to be frank, reassuringly boring. We have avoided the pitfalls of a still unpredictable investment market as economies are healing much more slowly than wanted from the damage done by the 2008 2009 fi nancial crisis. While experts agree we cannot expect markets to return to pre-crash growth anytime soon, COPE 378s restruc-

tured fi nancial management will allow us to continue to bargain strong collective agreements, pursue griev-ances and arbitrations, and campaign on your behalf amidst this new economic reality.

I would be remiss if I did not touch on the Con-servative Bill C-377 when presenting our audited fi nan-cial report. In essence, the bill was an eff ort to burden unions with punitively onerous fi nancial reporting. The bill was sent back to the House of Commons by Con-servative senators who voiced concerns the bill trans-gressed provincial jurisdiction, violated privacy laws and tipped the balance in collective bargaining towards the employer. The senate recognized that unions are re-sponsive to their members needs, which is where our responsibility lies.

Lori Mayhew

Lori MayhewSecretary-Treasurer COPE 378

COPE 378 | Annual Financial Report 2012 | 3

COPE 378 Defence Fund

Members tend to ip through the fi nancial report in order to fi nd the De-fence Fund graph fi rst, as this Fund dictates our ability to fi nancially sup-port our members in the advent of job action. Two years ago the COPE 378 constitution was changed to re ect the fact employers now try to use legal means to defi ne working conditions and to avoid strikes. The language gov-erning use of the Defence Fund was expanded to support members aff ected by labour disputes and to pay for the cost of arbitrations undertaken on behalf of members.

Our Defence Fund remains healthy and stable. We at COPE 378 are in an enviable position our Defence Fund is the highest per capita defence fund of all similarly sized unions in Canada that we have canvassed.

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

18,000,000

20,000,000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Bal

ance

in fu

nd

Year

Defense Fund 2002 - 2012

Defence Fund 2002-2012

Bal

ance

in F

un

d

Year


COPE 378 General Fund

$-

$1,000,000

$2,000,000

$3,000,000

$4,000,000

$5,000,000

$6,000,000

$7,000,000

General Fund 2001-2012

General Fund 2001-2012

The General Fund exists, as the name sug-gests, to underwrite the general, day-to-day operations of the union. As such this fund is subject to many more demands than is the Defence Fund, and those demands are re- ected in this graph.

Within the General Fund are several re-serves, which can only be used for their in-tended purposes. These reserves include the Member Protection Reserve, the Organizing Reserve and the Carbon Off set Reserve.

The changes made to the unions fi nan-cial management were able to slow the steep downward incline of the trend line from pre-vious years. However, it has not halted it. Re-gardless, the union did avoid moving a por-tion of the Defence Funds interest over to the General Fund to manage any shortfall, as the Constitution allows us to do.

In late June the Conservative dominated Senate made substantial

amendments to Russ Hieberts Bill C-377 and sent it back to the

House of Commons for review. These changes were crafted to

expose the hypocrisy of a government that will not allow itself

to be subject to a fraction of the same scrutiny it demands of its

political opponents.

The bill was designed to immobilize Canadas unions in a web of

painfully detailed fi nancial bureaucracy. The reporting required

would have been far and above anything asked of employer

groups or professional associations. Not only was C-377 derided

as one-sided but one Tory senator stated it directly crossed into

the provinces jurisdiction over labour.

Canadian investment fi rms spoke out against the bill for fear it

would force full disclosure on any mutual fund held by a union

or a union member. Insurance companies were concerned the

bill would disclose benefi ts including medical benefi ts paid

to individuals. The Canadian Bar Association warned the privacy

issues were so problematic the bill could be unconstitutional.

The bill would have also cost the federal government millions of

dollars each year to administer.

In addition to these problems, and others, the bill was fundamentally

unnecessary. Hiebert claims C-377 is about transparency. But

unions are required by law to provide regular fi nancial reports to

their members, as COPE 378 does in these yearly audited fi nancial

statements. Additionally, COPE 378 councillors elected by our

members from their worksites go over fi nancial reports, line by

line, in meetings fi ve times a year. These councillors are available

to our members to discuss the unions fi nances in detail. Other

unions have similar democratically accountable structures.

We believe our members dues are better spent in their defence,

rather than on laying bare our inner operations to individuals and

groups who are not part of this organization. And we will join the

fi ght in the courts and in the public realm should C-377 come

back when the House of Commons next sits.

Bill C-377

COPE 378 | Annual Financial Report 2012 | 5

COPE 378 Financial Statements

COPE 378Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 2012

COPE 378Defence Fund Statement of Financial Position 2012

The next pages include financial statements for:

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 2012

Defence Fund Statement of Financial Position 2012

General Fund Statement of Financial Position 2012

Office Employees Building Ltd. Statement of Financial Position 2012

ASSETS 2012 2011Current Assets

Cash & short term deposits $ 481,286 $ 583,635

Temporary Investments 19,542,006 19,221,618

Accounts Receivable 539,841 618,274

Prepaid Expenses 141,352 121,958

Current portion of interfund balances

2,730,648 2,514,909

$ 23,435,133 $ 23,060,394

Property & Equipment 1,858,046 1,821,484

Interfund Balances 944,036 944,036

TOTAL ASSETS $ 26,237,215 25,825,914

LIABILITIESCurrent Liabilities

Accounts Payable & accrued liabilities

$ 2,090,005 $ 1,792,650

Current portion of Interfund Balances

2,730,648 2,514,909

$ 4,820,653 $ 4,307,559

Deferred Lease Benefit 52,580 78,870


TOTAL LIABILITIES $ 5,817,269 $ 5,330,465

NET ASSETSUnrestricted $ (916,517) $ (408,822)

Internally restricted reserves

729,645 687,580

Restricted for the Defence Fund

18,704,033 18,330,442

Investment in Property & Equipment

1,858,046 1,821,483

Restricted for the Education & Training Fund

44,739 64,766

$ 20,419,946 $ 20,495,449

TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS

$ 26,237,215 $ 25,825,914


Cash & short term deposits $ 36,475 $ 38,000

Temporary Investments 18,576,305 18,281,180

Accounts Receivable 192 192


150,592 29,747

TOTAL ASSETS $ 18,763,564 $ 18,349,119

LIABILITIES

Current Liabilities


$ 18,462 $ 18,677

Current portion of Interfund Balances

41,069 -

TOTAL LIABILITIES $ 59,531 $ 18,677

NET ASSETSRestricted for the Defence Fund

18,704,033 18,330,442

TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS

$ 18,763,564 $ 18,349,119


COPE 378 Financial Statements

COPE 378General Fund Statement of Financial Position 2012

COPE 378Office Employees Building Ltd. Statement of Financial Position 2012

According to the COPE 378 Constitution, the COPE 378 Executive Board shall be responsible for appointing an

Independent Auditor to review the unions books and accounts. The Executive Board is also responsible for publishing

and generally distributing to the Executive Council and membership an overview of the Auditors reports.

These statements are contained in this report.


Cash & short term deposits

$ 149,595 $ 255,629

Temporary Investments 955,151 919,972

Accounts Receivable 532,658 600,966

Prepaid Expenses 94,477 77,639


2,580,056 2,485,162

$ 4,311,937 $ 4,339,368


TOTAL ASSETS $ 5,255,973 $ 5,283,404

LIABILITIESCurrent Liabilities


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Local Voice & Financial Report August 2013

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