Category: Bulletins

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Transgender Day of Visibility

Friday, March 31st, 2023

The Vancouver Local is celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility by saying unequivocally:

We See You. We Support You.

“It is revolutionary for any trans person to choose to be seen and visible in a world that tells us we should not exist” -Laverne Cox

With more visibility comes more understanding. We acknowledge that transgender still people face many barriers in accessing housing, healthcare and employment. In addition, they still face discrimination, harassment, transphobia and attacks from far-right public figures and media outlets.

1 in 300 Canadians over the age of 15 identify as transgender or non-binary

1 in 150 Canadians age 15 to 34 identify as transgender or non-binary

1 in 100 Canadians age 20 to 24 identify as transgender or non-binary

As the stigmas are removed from our society, more and more people feel comfortable in coming out and expressing their true gender identity

Source: Statistics Canada

Over time, the acceptance and understanding of gender and sexual diversity has evolved. There have also been great advances in the social and legislative recognition of LGBTQ2SIA+ people, but the struggle for equality and legal protections against discrimination continues.

lb/CUPE-3338

 

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ELECTIONS 2023

Any member who voted on Sunday, March 19th and did not receive a ballot for shop steward may affirm on their honour at the balloting table that they did not receive a ballot, and will be provided with a shop steward ballot for their shift.

Only those who voted on Sunday, March 19th and did not receive a shop steward ballot will be eligible to affirm and receive a shop steward ballot for their shift.

This ONLY applies to shop steward ballots.  

ALL MEMBERS FROM ANY SHIFT will be able to vote for their President, 2nd Vice President and Shop Stewards from Tuesday, March 21st at 11:30 PM to Thursday, March 23rd at 12:30 AM.

Please confirm with the balloting volunteers that your Shop Steward ballot is placed in the correct box for your shift.

Vancouver Local 846  Balloting Committee 

 

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CUPW PENSION COURSE

Sunday, April 16th, 2023

8am – 4pm

Application deadline is Friday, March 31st, 2023 at noon.

ASL Interpreters have been requested but are not yet confirmed.

The course includes information on our pension plan history, current health of the plan, buying back time, early and medical retirement, retirement calculated (what do I get and what’s deducted?), benefits after retirement, CPP/OAS basics, survivors and dependent benefits, marriage breakdown/divorce and your pension, penalty tables, what’s the best time to retire, and much, much more!

This course is meant to be in addition to the Retirement Seminar offered by CPC and explains our Pension Plan from CUPW’s perspective. This course is co-facilitated by Retirement Committee member Marion Pollack.

  • Education application forms must be legible and completed in full or applications will not be accepted.
  • Please indicate your estimated retirement date so we can prioritize limited class space.
  • Book offs are not available for this course so please ensure you have this day off before submitting your application.
  • There are no prerequisites or meeting requirements for this course.
  • Application forms can be found on your Union Boards, from your Shop Stewards, at the Hall, or on CUPW Vancouver’s website

http://www.cupwvancouver.org/courses

The course will be held in person at the Maritime Labour Center

#130-111 Victoria Dr. Vancouver, B.C

In Solidarity,

Jamie McCurrach

Education Director, Vancouver Local 846                                  lb/CUPE-3338

 

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A history of our union office and local dues assessment

The CUPW Vancouver Local has a rich and lengthy history, dating all the way back to the 1965 strike that formed the Union as we know it today. A lot of what has transpired in our past had a profound effect on the state of our Union today, and the direction it’s heading. In this bulletin, we offer a retrospective look at our Union office and local dues assessment in the context of past, present and future.

1980 – CUPW is a separate Union from LCUC (Letter Carrier’s Union of Canada). The Vancouver Local of CUPW passes a dues assessment of $4.50 per month ($16.57* in 2023 dollars)

1997 – It’s been 10 years since the merger of CUPW and LCUC. The Vancouver Local Executive put forward a motion to purchase a building in Vancouver for $1,000,000 ($1,711,902 in 2023 dollars). The General Membership Meeting where the motion was to be debated did not achieve quorum. Without a motion to purchase the building, another buyer snaps it up. The Vancouver Local rented an office downtown, and then when the lease was up, we moved to Burnaby. At the end of that lease, a flood in the office is accompanied by a noticeable odor of mold.

read more here

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YEAR 2023 INSTALLATION BALLOTING SCHEDULE

March 17 (Friday) Advance Poll (Union Hall)  7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
March 19 (Sunday) Pacific Processing Centre (PPC)        6:00 AM – 8:30 PM
March 20 (Monday) Station G 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Pacific Center      10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Royal & Bentall Centers 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Wickets & Main Office Boxes 11:30 AM 12:30 PM
Glen Drive 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Station D (Retail) 1:45 PM – 2:00 PM
March 21 (Tuesday) Pacific International Facility

(PIF)

        9:15 PM – 10:15 PM
March 21 (Tuesday) LCD 1 & 2 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Station F                     NBDC 8:30 AM

8:30 AM

 –

–

 11:30 AM             12:45 PM
CDC 7:45 AM – 1:30 PM
NVDC (Harbour) 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM
West Van Retail 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
March 22 (Tuesday) PPC & MSCs Starts 11:30 PM Tuesday, March 21
Ends  12:30 AM Thursday, March 23
March 22 (Wednesday) SVDC 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
RDC 8:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Richmond Retail 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
March 23 (Thursday) North Fraser Delivery Depot 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM
BBY 3 8:00 AM 11:00 AM
   
March 24 (Friday) Post Poll (Union Hall) 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM

NOTE: To ensure time to vote, give yourself extra time at the start (all locations) or at the end of your shift (PPC). Please have your CPC ID ready.

In Solidarity,

Jamie McCurrach

A/1st Vice President

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Re: Spring Education Seminars – April 20 – 23, 2023 – Harrison Hot Springs

The Spring education seminars for the Pacific Region will be held at Harrison Hot Springs Resort. The courses will run from Thursday, April 20 – April 23, 2023.  The following courses are being offered:

BASIC SHOP STEWARD

This course aims to provide new Stewards with basic training, knowledge and confidence.   Topics include the different roles of the Steward, how to investigate and file a grievance, communication skills, Shop Steward rights, the Steward as Organizer/Mobilizer, and key provisions of the Urban Operations and RSMC Collective Agreements.

 

Note: This course is for new Stewards.

 

 MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

This course is about recognizing mental health issues in the workplace, assisting co-workers suffering from mental illness, and strategies for psychological health and safety.  Participants explore the stigma towards people living with mental illness. They review the signs and symptoms of mental health problems, and the indicators of psychological health and safety in the workplace. They look at different support and accommodation measures, and explore strategies to facilitate psychological health and safety at work. Note: This course is particularly suited to members who want to assist, support and advocate for co-workers suffering from mental illness. It may be of interest to Social Stewards.
UPDATING ROUTES AND BASIC LCRMS

This course explains the fundamentals of the Letter Carrier Route Measurement System (LCRMS), with a focus on the factors used to update routes.  Participants examine the different time values that determine a route and review how they are calculated. They look at restructures, volume counts, and the parts of the collective agreement that relate to LCRMS.  Most important, they learn how to verify time values to ensure they reflect the letter carrier’s work, and what to do if there are discrepancies.

Note: This course is for members, stewards and local executive members who want to

learn about letter carrier routes and the basics of the Letter Carrier Route Measurement

System (LCRMS).

 

 SOCIAL STEWARD

This course trains members to be Social Stewards.

Social Stewards are resource people who assist co-workers experiencing personal problems.  They listen to members, help them identify their concerns and find solutions, and refer them to appropriate resources.  As set out in D-32 of the CUPW constitution, Social Stewards are part of a network the union is building across the country.  This course familiarizes participants with a Social Steward’s role and responsibilities.  They explore ways to approach workplace problems, learn how to support members and how to gather and share information on the resources available to members.

Note: Members who have already taken the Solidarity Skills Level 1 and/or 2 are encouraged to apply for this course, which has a special application form (attached).

To be considered all applications must be signed and submitted by the Local President or their designate.

The deadline for registration is 12   p.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2023.  Please ensure your applications are in by that date, any application received after the deadline will not be considered.

In Solidarity,

Anju Parmar, President                   lb/CUPE-3338