News
March Bargaining Update
In late February, CUPE’s Universities Coordinated Bargaining Committee, made up of locals at UBC, UNBC, SFU, UVIC, RRU, and TRU met to discuss the BC Liberal government’s latest budget and impact on post-secondary collective bargaining. In that budget, the government outlined a few details about the new “cooperative gains” mandate for public sector bargaining. Essentially, public sector organizations will be required to find savings in order to boost salaries. CUPE representatives are working closely with other unions to get a better sense of what this new mandate means for our members. And, UCBC members will know more once management at universities share their interpretations and plans at the bargaining table.
Union leaders denounce ‘anti-democratic’ Bill 18
BURNABY—The presidents of the three largest unions in the post-secondary sector – the Federation of Post Secondary Educators (FPSE), the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU), and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) – have united in opposition to the B.C. Liberal government’s anti-democratic amendments to the College and Institute Act and the University Act, being debated in the legislature as part of Bill 18.
February Bargaining Update
The Universities Coordinated Bargaining Committee, made up of representatives from CUPE locals at UBC, UNBC, SFU, UVIC, RRU, and TRU met three times in January to help build momentum towards achieving collective agreements and continued solidarity in our Post Secondary Sector. The meetings took place in Victoria on January 8 and 9 as well as in Richmond on January 30. UCBC remains committed to reaching settlements that work for members and protects services at B.C.’s universities. Representatives continued to share strategies and progress to ensure settlements contain no concessions for CUPE members and focus on job security, inflation protection, and improved benefits.
December 2011 Bargaining Update
On Dec 5, 2011, representatives from the CUPE locals at UBC, UNBC, SFU, UVIC, RRU, and TRU met as part of the Universities Coordinated Bargaining Committee (UCBC) to discuss the progress of bargaining. At this meeting, the 10 locals that are part of UCBC provided each other with detailed reports on the bargaining process and shared information, strategies, and tactics from the employer. Michelle Waite, chair of the CUPE Colleges Bargaining Committee was also able to provide the committee with important updates on the status of bargaining in the colleges sector.
November 2011 Bargaining Update
On November 14th, the members of CUPE’s Universities Coordinated Bargaining Committee (UCBC) met to provide an update on the status of collective bargaining between CUPE’s ten (10) locals and the employers at UBC, SFU, UVic, UNBC, RRU and TRU. At this meeting, representatives from all the locals reaffirmed their commitment to an action plan developed in October that will help move bargaining forward and address issues like improvements to job security, contracting out, cost of living, wages, and provincial benefits, just to name a few.
CUPE Universities Coordinated Bargaining Committee
In March 2010, 8 of the 10 locals that make up CUPE’s Universities Coordinated Bargaining Committee (UCBC) served notice to bargain. The other two followed shortly thereafter.
CUPE 3338-5 members ratify new agreement, lockout comes to an end
BURNABY—The members of CUPE 3338-5 that work for the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) have ratified a new agreement. The agreement was reached on Friday October 7, 2011 with the assistance of a mediator. Now that both parties have voted in favour of ratification, the lockout is over and staff are back at work. The lockout began on July 10, 2011.
Student supporters occupy student society offices to protest SFU lockout
BURNABY—A group of SFU students began an occupation of the Simon Fraser Student Society’s offices today to protest the 79-day lockout of CUPE workers. Organized independently by a group of students, the sit-in is an act of civil disobedience to help put pressure on the Board of Directors to end the lockout. The students are calling themselves UR SFSS - United Responsible Students for Staff and Space.
SFU Lockout hits day 78, Board members vote to line their own pockets
BURNABY—Today marks day 78 of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) lockout at SFU. It is also the day the SFU community learned that the SFSS Board of Directors quietly voted to double their compensation with the money saved by locking out their own staff. In doing so, the 16 student politicians on the Board will now financially benefit by keeping their staff locked out.
Cupe picket lines up at SFU Surrey
SURREY – An expanded picket line by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, as part of the ongoing labour dispute with the Simon Fraser Student Society, is up at SFU Surrey (SFU Surrey Mezzanine, 250-13450 102 Avenue), starting at 830am today. CUPE is asking students, staff, and faculty to respect the picket lines and refuse to cross them. Check Twitter @CUPEsfu and #SFUlockout for updates.
Hundreds rally for locked out SFU staff
BURNABY—CUPE hosted a rally yesterday, attended by hundreds of people to support the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) staff, members of CUPE Local 3338. The staff have been locked out by their employer since July 10.
Rally to support CUPE Local 3338
BURNABY—On Tuesday September 13, CUPE BC is hosting a rally and free BBQ to support the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) staff who have been locked out by their employer since July 10. Throughout the lockout, the SFSS Board of Directors has encouraged students to cross picket lines and they have disrespected our members by selling off the “saved wages” (their wages), as free beer and pancakes. The employer’s last-minute proposal, on the eve of the Labour Day long weekend, was an unjust attempt to reduce wages by up to 40 per cent and cut permanent staff positions. The 3338 members rejected the proposal because they felt strongly that the collective agreement must be protected and that reducing wages below the region’s living wage standard was unacceptable and unfair.
SFSS staff reject divisive, last-minute offer
BURNABY—In a last-minute effort to end its ongoing labour dispute, the Simon Fraser Student Society proposed a deal that would grandfather the wages of current staff, but would gut their employees’ collective agreement with pay reductions of up to 40% for future employees. That means $13 per hour for some employees, well below the region’s living wage. In addition, the Board of Directors made it clear that they want to reduce the number of permanent staff positions.
CUPE BC donates $13,000 to help locked out SFU workers
BURNABY—As the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) lockout of CUPE Local 3338 staff entered its eighth week, CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill announced a donation of $13,000 to the 15 members who have gone without paycheques since the lockout began on July 10.
CUPE BC leaders visit locked out staff at SFU
BURNABY—As the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) lockout of CUPE Local 3338 staff entered its second week, CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill and secretary-treasurer Mark Hancock met with members on the picket line Tuesday to offer support and hear their important stories.
Support the SFSS staff
BURNABY—Since the lockout began on Sunday, July 10, the Simon Fraser Student Society Board of Directors has been busy trying to encourage students to cross pickets lines, do union work and sell off the “saved wages” as free booze and pancakes. CUPE members need to mobilize and tell these student politicians to end their ideological lockout. Read CUPE’s original release.
Simon Fraser Student Society serves lockout notice to CUPE 3338 members
BURNABY—CUPE local 3338 at Simon Fraser University has been in negotiations for two years to arrive at a fair settlement for the 15 full-time and 5 term/student CUPE staff that support SFU students within the Simon Fraser Student Society.
CUPE Tabletalk Spring 2011 edition is out
A joint union-employer study on reducing costs and improving benefits, language on EI coverage for K-12 workers, and a spotlight on pensions are some of the highlights of the Spring 2011 edition of CUPE Tabletalk.