Public Employee Summer 2021

CONVENTION WRAP-UP | CUPE 728 UNITY | RECONCILIATION | CUPE 1285 FOOD DRIVE

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SUMMER 2021

THE FUTURE IS FEMALE WOMEN NOW LEAD B.C.’S FIVE LARGEST UNIONS

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LEADING US

KAREN RANALLETTA, PRESIDENT There may be many challenges ahead, but I know this for sure: CUPE members will always stand together, always face employer challenges head on, and always last one day longer.

It’s time to reconnect IN THE YEAR AND A HALF since the first COVID-19 lockdown, we’ve learned just how challenging and unpredictable pandemic times can be. For many of us, the ability to make ends meet, stay healthy, and heed Dr. Bonnie Henry’s call to “be kind, be calm, and be safe” has required us to find inner reserves of strength we never knew we had. As spoken word artist Shayne Koyczan put it, during his moving performance to wrap up our 2021 convention: “The heaviest things you will ever have to lift are your own spirits…Remember those times you could have pressed ‘quit’, but you pressed ‘continue’ instead.”

Some of us have pressed ‘continue’ by stepping forward to assume new leadership roles. At CUPE BC’s 57th annual Convention — already one for the history books, as the first virtual convention our union has ever held, and during a global pandemic — two women were running for the position of president, something that’s never happened before. Now, for the first time in B.C. history, the five largest unions in the province are being led by women (see cover feature on pages 6–7.)

Facing the challenges It is an honour to have been elected to serve as your president, and I accept the burden of leadership knowing CUPE’s long and proud tradition of leading B.C.’s labour movement. I accept it knowing the many victories we’ve won after much struggle and with an eagerness to take on the many challenges that lie ahead.

The governments we elect are a big part of those challenges.

At the provincial level, we’ve had to work hard at establishing a good working relationship with the BCNDP. I have every confidence that this respectful consultation will continue as we advocate for our members moving forward. Meanwhile, there’s a federal election coming up, so we’ll need to work hard to elect Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to prevent a Conservative victory.

Then, just over a year from now, we’ll have to work hard again to elect as many progressive councils and school boards as we can.

And we’ll need your help to do that.

The threat of privatization is constant — and will only accelerate during the post-COVID recovery. Some employers during bargaining will try to use the pandemic to claim a need for austerity. The pandemic also revealed how much work still needs

to be done tackling systemic racism and bigotry, so we need to make more of a difference there.

Encountering each other again As successful as the virtual convention was (see pages 5 and 10), it also confirmed for me how important it is for working people to exchange ideas and build solidarity by gathering in person. After 18 months in quasi-isolation, it will be vital for CUPE BC to get out and connect with our locals directly. That’s why my first term as your president will be focused on connection.

Yes, we must embrace new technology that allows us to increase our social media reach — especially through webinars and masterclasses where members and their union can learn from each other. But we must also reach out at the community level and support our locals with more in-person contact. At the same time, we need to remove all remaining barriers to participation that can make our union seem less than inclusive.

One of the first things we can do in that regard is make the principles of Reconciliation, and of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, more intrinsic to CUPE culture. This means building an equity lens into everything we do. And it means working with Indigenous Diversity vice-presidents and the Indigenous Workers committee to build and deepen relationships with First Nations organizations so we can create meaningful solidarity and actions.

We also need to reimagine how we do political action. This means expanding CUPE member involvement with campaigns, encouraging more members to run as candidates, and emphasizing member-centred lobbying that’s aimed at holding governments — including friendly ones — to account. Finally, to build more solidarity in the B.C. labour movement, we need to link more of our struggles, support more of each other’s picket lines, and work together to strategize for both public sector bargaining and the fight against privatization.

The days and weeks ahead will be challenging, but I am excited to work with our provincial executive board and CUPE staff to defend our jobs, fight for public services and boost our members’ profile.

I am especially excited to meet as many of you as possible in the next two years. There may be many challenges ahead, but I know this for sure: CUPE members will always stand together, always face employer challenges head on, and always last one day longer.

FOLLOW KAREN on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: @kranalletta

MEMBERS ON THE FR­ONT LINE

CUPE ACT ION

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CUPE 728 launches new campaign SURREY | CUPE 728 is highlighting some of the many services its 5,000 members provide in School District 36 — and their members’ dedication to students and staff.

The cost-shared campaign with CUPE National, which runs through December, features two different members each month in newspaper ads, on postcards and mini posters, and at cupe728.ca.

Besides raising public awareness, the Local is laying a foundation for an inclusive, united group where members feel valued and respected. CUPE 728 ordered masks for each member carrying the union logo and a slogan, Surrey Schools Stronger Together.

“Many people don’t realize that we have trades and non-trades departments that ensure schools and grounds are safe and things run smoothly, that we also have StrongStart and early childhood educators, or that CUPE members process payroll in the district,” said CUPE 728 President Tammy Murphy. “We hope this campaign helps change that perception.”

The Local represents members in more than 100 classifications for Caretakers, DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING Clerical, STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS Information IN SURREY Technology, Maintenance and Trades, School and Community TONY K. ANGELA K. Support, and Caretaker Education Assistant Clayton Elementary LA Matheson Secondary Student Support.

“It’s better for students to have daytime custodians. It means that I can take care of things as they come up — cleaning up spills, disinfecting and wiping high-use areas — keeping schools safe for students and staff.”

“Being an EA is believing in our students – seeing them as the incredible unique person that they are, celebrating their strengths and helping them in areas where they struggle.”

Poll shows strong support for increased post-secondary funding Throughout the pandemic, CUPE 728 members have continued to demonstrate their dedication and

commitment to Surrey students—stepping up to deliver quality public education and to keep schools BURNABY | Amembers recent poll conducted CUPEClerical, college and safe. The local represents in more than one hundred classificationsby for Caretakers, Information Technology, Maintenance, School and Community Support, and Student Support. university locals showed more than 70 per cent support for CARETAKERS increasing government funding to post-secondary education, with nearly six in 10 respondents willing to pay more in taxes if it means STUDENT SUPPORT: EDUCATION ASSISTANTS more funding and better access to post-secondary education. The poll was conducted as part of a sector-wide cost shared campaign that will push for restoration of funds cut by the BC Liberals.

“Public education, whether trades training or a graduate-level study, is one of the best ways B.C. can family-supporting Find deliver out more at cupe728.ca SURREY SCHOOLS STRONGER TOGETHER recovery, but the benefits are not just jobs in a post-pandemic economic” said CUPE 116 President Dave Lance, the campaign’s steering committee chair.

In the survey, nine out of 10 participants saw increased public funding as a key strategy for solving B.C.’s shortage of skilled trades people and medical professionals. Eight in 10 said increased funding would help address inequality, while 72 per cent said that increasing access to education would help strengthen our democracy. More than two-thirds of respondents said it would help address many big problems, including climate change and vaccine development.

The survey results will help shape the development of the funding campaign, which is expected to roll out in the fall.

Caretakers ensure that students and staff have a safe environment. During the pandemic they stepped up to do additional cleaning and sanitizing, helping keep children safe and schools open. As well as cleaning classrooms, washrooms and hallways, caretakers do regular security checks, remove snow, do major cleaning and maintenance projects, and attend to countless other issues that come up.

CARETAKER DAY CUSTODIAN DISTRICT THEATRE ATTENDANT HEAD CARETAKER SENIOR HEAD CARETAKER

CUPE 728 student support workers are integral to student development and public education. Working alongside teachers and delivering education programs to students, education assistants are critical to ensuring inclusive education as classrooms become more diverse and complex. EAs work with all students, educating and facilitating independence for now and in the future.

ABA SUPPORT WORKER ABORIGINAL CHILD/YOUTH CARE WORKER ABORIGINAL DISTRICT CULTURAL FACILITATOR ABORIGINAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT CHILD/YOUTH CARE WORKER CULINARY ASSISTANT EA PEER SUPPORT FACILITATOR EDUCATION ASSISTANT I EDUCATION ASSISTANT II HAIRDRESSING ASSISTANT INNER CITY SECONDARY SCHOOL WORKER LANGUAGE ASSISTANT MULTICULTURAL WORKER ORAL COMMUNICATION FACILITATOR SENIOR ABORIGINAL SUPPORT WORKER SETTLEMENT WORKERS SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER SUBSTANCE ABUSE LIAISON Y.E.S. COORDINATOR YOUTH DIVERSITY LIAISON

SAVE OUR PNE Hundreds turned up at a pair of rallies outside the Pacific National Exhibition on July 7 to draw attention to the dire situation at the PNE after 16 months of COVID. Without $8 million in emergency aid, the PNE re-opening cannot possibly cover its pandemic related debt.

The annual fair is the biggest employer of youth in B.C. and provides newcomers to Canada and people with disabilities access to good jobs. For more on how to support the PNE and its workers, visit SaveThePNE.ca.

Province accelerates shift to “seamless day” child care BURNABY | Before the July 8 announcement of a federal-provincial agreement to add 30,000 spaces by the end of 2022 and achieve $10 a day by 2026, the BC NDP government was already moving to integrate child care and early learning into more school districts.

Only four provincial “seamless day” pilot projects were approved for all of last year, but 20 have already been approved for this year, accelerating the shift toward an integrated model for early learning and child care.

“This is a clear victory for our members, much of whose work on the issue has led to these 20 new pilots,” said CUPE BC President Karen Ranalletta. “School districts are where public delivery of child care should be happening. Ultimately our goal is to have all school districts provide high-quality, affordable, accessible and publiclydelivered child care, with the appropriate funding for that service.”

The provincial pilot program works under a shared-cost model whereby the B.C. government provides funding for one of the two CUPE educational staff required, and the school district funds the other staff person. Each school district then recovers some costs by charging fees at cost, which does not exceed those charged for equivalent community services.

Among the pilot projects for which CUPE’s advocacy was critical is School District 60 (Peace River North) in Fort St. John, which is operating more than a hundred in-house child care spaces run by CUPE members already on school sites. And there’s much more to come throughout B.C., with a North Island pilot project expected to kick off in the Fall.

With more CUPE locals reaching out to school districts, adds Ranalletta, our union’s advocacy work has led directly to the expansion of these pilot projects, bringing us closer to the goal of securing 10,000 new child care spaces for the province.

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NEWS BRIEFS

NEWS BRIEFS PROUD PARTNERS IN LITERACY

VOICES

CUPE MEMBERS IN THE MEDIA “I think this is a great pilot and a great program for us to participate in. And if we can meet the qualifications, it will be a great asset for a lot of families in the district.”

— CUPE 788 President Angela Thomas, commenting on a School District 64 pilot project that would introduce “seamless-day” childcare to one classroom on Salt Spring Island. Gulf Islands Driftwood, June 16, 2021.

“Our members work hard for the community of Nelson and are committed to serving its citizens. We believe this is a fair deal that in part recognizes that commitment.”

— CUPE 339 President Mike Stefiuk, on a new four-year contract with the City of Nelson that includes annual increases of two per cent. Nelson Star, June 10, 2021.

“I know I’ve been sounding the alarm on staffing and workload we’re seeing across the Lower Mainland — up to 30 ambulances, at times, out of service.” — CUPE 873 President Troy Clifford says the North Shore’s ambulance paramedic coverage is already thin, even with full staffing.

North Shore News, June 9, 2021.

“A service that helps people in their most urgent time of need should not be an afterthought — it should be a priority.” — CUPE 8911 President Donald Grant urges municipalities to increase their budgets for 9-1-1 call takers and emergency dispatchers. Vancouver Sun, July 7, 2021.

“To have them come in under the same contract as our union members that they are already working beside is better all around.” — CUPE 458 President Darlene Worthylake welcomes 18 District of Kent fitness and recreation instructors into the union, noting the benefits of job security and other protections. Agassiz Harrison Observer, May 7, 2021.

“We are deeply concerned about the thousands of CUPE members that depend on the Fair each summer to pay their way through school or to help support their families.” — CUPE 1004 President Andrew Ledger, commenting on this year’s reduced-capacity PNE. The fair annually creates thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

Surrey Now/Leader, May 13, 2021.

“Continuity, maintaining a cleaner school, keeping kids in school because they’re not home sick is a win-win.”

— CUPE 606 President Rob Zver, making the case for additional COVID-19 funding to keep daytime custodians on staff, says that School District 68, students, staff and parents all benefit. Nanaimo News Bulletin, May 5, 2021.

CUPE BC was the proud sponsor of the 2021 Virtual Library Conference (May 3–7). This year’s event broke new ground for the hosts, the BC Library Association, by going completely online.

CUPE BC Secretary-Treasurer Trevor Davies kicked off the five-day virtual gathering by introducing the first keynote speaker and highlighting the work CUPE BC and the BCLA have undertaken together.

“We are a proud partner with the BCLA to ensure that its wonderful B.C. summer reading club continues to award medals to children across the province who participate in this successful, inclusive and much-loved program,” said Davies.

CUPE library workers hosted a conference workshop on the pandemic’s mental health impacts on library staff.

K–12 PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ACCLAIMS PAUL SIMPSON AS NEW PRESIDENT BURNABY | Members of the K–12 Presidents Council elected their executive board in May, acclaiming CUPE 379 President Paul Simpson as president.

Simpson is looking forward to working with committees formed in the last round of bargaining to advance their mandates. “The work of provincial committees is an important avenue for addressing issues and concerns of K–12 members,” noted Simpson.

The K–12 Presidents Council is gearing up in preparation for bargaining. “We recognize that this global pandemic has created difficulties for our members this past year and realize that it will continue to be a driver for how we negotiate future protection for our members,” said Simpson.

SOLIDARITY WITH HOTEL WORKERS BURNABY | CUPE BC President Karen Ranalletta and SecretaryTreasurer Trevor Davies on June 3 joined the picket line at the Metrotown Hilton to support locked out members of Unite Here! Local 40.

On behalf of the provincial executive board and CUPE’s 100,000 members in B.C., Ranalletta and Davies called on the Hilton to end the lockout, reinstate the 97 fired workers, and end the hotel chain’s attack on good union and family-supporting jobs.

CUPE BC joined HEU, BCGEU, UFCW 1518, PCTF, PSAC – BC Region, MoveUP, Justice For Janitors (SEIU Local 2), and IBEW 213 in calling on the Hilton to come to the table with a fair deal by the end of June or face cancelled union bookings for 2021 and 2022. At press time in July, the parties had yet to sit down for new talks.

CONVENTION

Winds of change at our first virtual AGM VANCOUVER | COVID-19 may have forced CUPE Convention wrapped up with a passionate address BC to hold its 57th annual convention online, but by spoken word poet and writer Shane Koyczan, a that didn’t stop delegates from conducting the profound and uplifting message for CUPE activists union’s business and making a bit of history while during COVID time. they were at it.

Koyczan, whose voice as a people’s poet first The streaming platform functioned mostly came to Canadian and international prominence free of glitches, with no significant delays during the 2010 Olympics, delivered a 20-minute or interruptions, and delegate response was litany of positive reinforcement that acknowledged overwhelmingly positive. And there was big the pain and suffering of the global pandemic while news: Karen Ranalletta was the first woman pointing to a light at the end of the tunnel. elected president of CUPE BC in 26 years.

In addition to the two full-time officer positions — Trevor Davies was re-elected by acclamation as secretarytreasurer — delegates elected four general vice-presidents, with regional caucuses electing regional vice-presidents, and equity caucuses electing diversity SOLEMN OATH The new executive board is sworn in on May 21. vice-presidents.

Among dozens of resolutions passed to set the “There will be hugging again. There will be course for the next year, delegates approved a handholding and high fives again,” said Koyczan. motion to donate $75,000 to CUPE Alberta for a “We’re running against a finish line that keeps campaign to fight back against Jason Kenney’s moving, but we’ll cross it eventually — and all attacks on public services and workers. because of you.”

Faoro: a job well done The final gavel to conclude convention also marked the close of Paul Faoro’s three-term tenure as CUPE BC president.

Faoro’s convention opening address reflected on his career as a CUPE activist and leader, reminding delegates of his steadfast commitment to CUPE members and desire to see the union grow. “My focus was on strengthening relationships,” he said, “including with other unions, with government officials, and with leaders in other sectors of the economy.”

This approach helped give CUPE BC a stronger and more effective voice in Victoria and in city halls across the province. Faoro also increased

the Division’s technological and digital capacity, allowing it to reach a greater number of members directly and engage them in campaigns and issues.

Prior to becoming an officer of CUPE BC, Faoro was president of CUPE 15. One of his most formative experiences was leading the six-month work stoppage in 2007 known as “Sam’s Strike,” after then-Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan deliberately provoked job action.

Newly elected President Karen Ranalletta said CUPE members could always rely on Faoro when it counted. “Whether it was working the phones or the backrooms during difficult negotiations, or walking the line to support our members, he’s always been there,” said Ranalletta.

“On behalf of the executive board, and all CUPE members in B.C., thank you for a job well done.”

Since taking a short break after convention, Faoro has launched a new firm, PWF Consulting.

CUPE FOCUS CUPE BC’s NEW EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENT Karen Ranalletta SECRETARY-TREASURER Trevor Davies GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENTS Dal Benning Sheryl Burns Nicole Edmondson Michelle Waite REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENTS Fraser Valley: Sara Manchester; Tony Rebelo, Alternate Kootenays: Anita Early; Michelle Bennett, Alternate Metro Vancouver: Sarah Bjorknas; John Gibson; Kari Scott-Whyte; Debra Merrier, Alternate North: Stephanie Goudie, Monica Brady, Alternate Okanagan: Rose Jurkic; Lois Rugg, Alternate Vancouver Island: Amber Leonard; Kirk Mercer; Dan MacBeth, Alternate DIVERSITY VICE-PRESIDENTS Indigenous Workers: Shelley Saje Ricci; Deea Bailey, Alternate Racialized Workers: Edward Parsotam; Nicole Cabrejos, Alternate Pink Triangle Workers: Joyce Griffiths; Hailey Fielden, Alternate Persons with Disabilities: Pat Shade; Laurie Whyte, Alternate TRUSTEES Debbie Mohabir David Robertson Jose Van Berkel

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THE FUTURE IS FEMALE WOMEN NOW LEAD B.C.’s FIVE LARGEST UNIONS

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT has always played a pivotal role in the fight for economic fairness and social justice, but it’s undeniable that union leadership historically has not reflected the diversity or gender representation of union membership.

As far as gender is concerned, that appears to be changing. On May 21, delegates to CUPE BC’s 57th annual convention elected Karen Ranalletta as president of the Division, making her just the fourth woman to lead CUPE BC in its nearly six-decade history. Muriel Overgaard was the first (1976-81), followed eight years later by Geraldine McGuire COVER STORY (1989-91), who was succeeded by Bernice Kirk (1991-97).

Ranalletta’s election to the helm of B.C.’s largest union means that the five biggest unions in the province are now being led by women.

BCGEU members recently re-elected Stephanie Smith to her third term as their union’s first woman president, while HEU members last year elected Barb Nederpel as their first woman president. Teri Mooring was recently re-elected for a second term as BCTF president, while Kim Novak was also recently re-elected to a second term leading UFCW Local 1518 as the first woman president in that union’s 120-year history.

Public Employee recently interviewed these five leaders about their experiences as women in union activism.

Knowing when to step up For CUPE members and activists of Ranalletta’s generation, the fact that Bernice Kirk’s term as CUPE BC president ended in 1997 (when Ranalletta was 16) means that, for their entire working lives, the leadership of their union’s B.C. Division — apart from Colleen Jordan’s lengthy term as secretarytreasurer (1991-2005) — has been exclusively male. Since 2003, the same has been true of CUPE National.

“I wasn’t active in the ‘Darcy years’, so for a long time I didn’t see any women in positions of power,” says Ranalletta, referring to Judy Darcy, the second woman to lead CUPE National (1991-2003). “I really

“Trust that you have the skills when someone asks you to run for a position — they’re asking you because they know you have the skills.”

— BCGEU PRESIDENT STEPHANIE SMITH

began my union activism with my Local and CUPE BC in the mid-2000s, and even though I was elected general vice-president of CUPE BC at a pretty young age, it wasn’t until my friend Stephanie Smith was elected president of the BCGEU that I saw a glimmer of possibility.

“If you don’t see yourself in your organization’s leadership structure it’s really hard to imagine the road to get there, and if that leadership doesn’t connect with you on a personal level you may just not pay attention. And that’s a big part of the problem for a lot of women who might think about working toward a leadership position: we’re conditioned to believe that men are natural leaders while women should be more modest or take a supportive role.”

Smith says that too often women reject efforts to encourage them to put their name forward for election: “I would say, trust that you have the skills when someone asks you to run for a position — they’re asking you because they know you have the skills.”

The HEU’s Barb Nederpel agrees. “I wish someone had told me that it’s okay to be confident that you can be great,” she says. “We expect that — and even demand it — from men but we don’t necessarily support women the same way. I’m proud to be the first woman president of my union, but it’s even more important to me that I not be the last.”

The feminist work never stops The BCTF has a slightly better record of electing women leaders than most other unions, but Mooring points out that the vast majority of its leaders have been men, and the majority of current BCTF local presidents are men despite women comprising 75–80 per cent of the membership.

Pressure from equity-seeking groups is crucial to making progress, she says: “Not to put the onus on those seeking equity, but established power structures generally don’t make change easily. We are working hard to decolonize our election and governance structure.”

“I’m proud to be the first woman president of my union, but it’s even more important to me that I not be the last.”

— HEU PRESIDENT BARB NEDERPEL

The UFCW’s Novak, who’s in her midthirties, also came of age with leadership dominated by men, despite the union’s membership being 70 per cent female. She was the first woman secretary-treasurer and served two terms before being elected president.

“With a 120-year history of all-male leaders at both officer positions, there were a lot of built-in obstacles and barriers,” she says. “I think it’s really important for women activists to connect with other women to build networks independent of the ‘traditional’ power structure. I’ve tried really hard to meet them where they are — on the job, rather than depend on them to come to a meeting.

“Hearing the experiences of other women is a big part of making change happen — women’s stories are a powerful tool to showing how important it is to reduce or eliminate obstacles to greater participation in our union — and the community.”

“With a 120-year history of allmale leaders at both officer positions, there were a lot of built-in obstacles and barriers.”

— UFCW 1518 PRESIDENT KIM NOVAK It’s all about progressive leadership While the collective goal should be to increase the number of women in elected office, the five leaders agreed that the issue is about more than just gender.

“It’s important to have more progressive, feminist women leaders with a vision of a socially diverse and inclusive society,” says Nederpel. “Margaret Thatcher and Christy Clark were women leaders who did incredible damage to other women through their policies. They’re not the kind of

“Established power structures generally don’t make change easily. We are working hard to decolonize our election and governance structure.”

diverse voices, and I think that generally speaking women bring a greater ability to listen.”

All five women are strongly supportive of other women making their own way in the union movement.

Ranalletta’s message to young women is simple: “You absolutely have a place at this table. Don’t question it — you belong.

If you do the work, people will follow, and opportunities will open up.” n

— BCTF PRESIDENT TERI MOORING women we need to encourage and support in leadership, either in our unions or in our communities.”

In addition to showing other women that men don’t have a monopoly on leadership skills, the BCGEU’s Smith says that electing women leaders improves organizational thinking and strategy.

“Women bring different perspectives and approaches, and are generally more open to collaboration, conciliation and multi-tasking,” she says. “There tends to be a certainty to men’s decision making, along with a much greater resistance to hearing

“You absolutely have a place at this table. Don’t question it — you belong. If you do the work, people will follow, and opportunities will open up.”

— CUPE BC PRESIDENT KAREN RANALLETTA

MEENA BRISARD: STAYING IN THE CUPE FAMILY The winds of change at CUPE BC have also swept through the union’s B.C. regional office, with Regional Director Meena Brisard moving on to become the new secretarybusiness manager for the Hospital Employees’ Union. She is succeeded by Ann Lennarson, who previously served as assistant regional director in Ontario.

Brisard served more than three years as regional director after serving as assistant regional director and spent 12 years as a CUPE national servicing representative assigned to various sectors. Before joining CUPE staff, she was a member of CUPE 873-02, working as an emergency dispatcher at the Vancouver Police Department.

As the first woman of South Asian heritage to serve as a CUPE regional director — and now the first to serve as chief spokesperson for HEU, CUPE’s health care division in B.C. — Brisard succeeds Jennifer Whiteside, who was elected as MLA for New Westminster and subsequently appointed to cabinet as Education Minister in Premier John Horgan’s BC NDP government.

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CUPE FOCUS

RECONCILIATION

LEARNING FROM INJUSTICE

MORE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR SURVIVORS IN THE WAKE OF KAMLOOPS RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL TRAGEDY BURNABY | On May 30, CUPE BC President Karen Ranalletta issued a statement on behalf of the Executive Board about the previous week’s discovery of a mass burial site containing the bodies of 215 children at the former Kamloops Residential School.

While the deaths of so many Indigenous children were not news, the confirmation of their grave sites and remains using underground radar technology reopened wounds for so many survivors who suffered for generations under Canada’s residential school system.

“It’s a terrible but important reminder that Canada’s racist and genocidal approach to First Nations peoples is not a relic of a distant past,” said Ranalletta.

“The residential school system, which was designed to strip Indigenous children from their families, and then eliminate their language, culture and history, continued to operate until 1996. Our hearts go out to all survivors of the residential school system, and particularly to members of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, on whose unceded territory the school operated until 1978.”

CUPE BC urges members to donate to the Indian Residential Schools Survivors Society at irsss.ca/donate/.

In the wake of the Kamloops discovery, CUPE BC called on all local governments, school boards and employers across the province to lower flags to half-mast as an act of mourning and solidarity with survivors. The union also called on educators, support staff and students — as well as all CUPE members, regardless

of sector — to wear orange from May 31 – June 4 as a form of reconciliation with Indigenous people.

Indigenous CUPE members for whom this news has caused or reawakened pain and

trauma can seek help at the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line, available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.

For more information on residential schools, missing children, and burial sites, visit nctr.ca and the 94 Calls to Action section at trc.ca.

“Non-Indigenous members in particular are encouraged to begin — or to continue — taking steps toward reconciliation,” said Ranalletta.

“In the wake of that horrible discovery in Kamloops, many of us chose to observe July 1 as a national day of reflection rather than engaging in patriotic celebrations of Canada Day. The federal government’s declaration of Orange Shirt Day (September 30) as a national statutory holiday will provide another opportunity to reflect on Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples and to do our own work toward reconciliation.”

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY ON THE JOB: A CUPE 873 EXAMPLE Cultural sensitivity is something all non-Indigenous workers should practise when in contact with Indigenous communities, and two CUPE 873 ambulance paramedics provided a great example in the course of a day’s work this past June.

In the early morning hours that day, Galen Brewer and his shift partner, Tom Bellwood, attended a call at the home of a senior Indigenous couple. The husband had passed away from cardiac arrest during the night, so there was nothing the paramedics could do for the patient. However, in that moment, Brewer had the sense to not only comfort the grieving widow but also ask if there was any traditional ceremony that she needed to perform before the body was taken away.

Normally, she said, there should be a tobacco ceremony. But since she didn’t have any, she could perform the ritual with some sage she had on hand. After Brewer and Bellwood gave her the GALEN BREWER privacy she needed she went about the ceremony to pay respects to her husband. When it was over, she thanked Brewer for giving her the opportunity to perform an important ceremonial ritual while he and his partner carried out their professional duties. Without that ceremony, she relayed to the paramedics, her husband’s spirit would not have been able to pass to the other side.

“It was Maya Angelou who said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,’” said Brewer.

“As paramedics, every time we exit our ambulance and enter the lives of people in sometimes their darkest hour, we leave an indelible impression on them and have a choice of what that impression will be — good or bad. From the time explorers first came to Canada up to now, Indigenous peoples have suffered social injustice, racism, and atrocities beyond comprehension. We have the power to change these injustices one simple, respectful, humble gesture at a time.”

MEMBERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

CUPE COMMUNITIES

CUPE 1285 “Fills the Bus” for local food banks TRAIL | Acting on greater community need as a result of the pandemic, CUPE 1285 members — K-12 support workers in Trail, Castlegar, Rossland and Fruitvale — held a food drive in the spring to support local food banks.

Event organizer Jaydeen Ashton said the food drive’s success went beyond expectations. “We saw smiles and energy, people being so generous that the organizations we donated to were overwhelmed, happy and grateful,” said Ashton, an education assistant.

CUPE 1285 members braved the elements through a windstorm, snow, hail and rain, collecting donations of non-perishable

items using two buses provided by SD 20.

“Members really stepped up to support this good cause,” said CUPE 1285 President Heather Skarbo. “I’m so proud of everyone for helping our community. It was such a Pick-up was challenged by physical distancing, but the food and thought were appreciated.

CUPE 389 CELEBRATES MAY DAY WITH HOT LUNCHES FOR SENIORS positive way to get our local out there and demonstrate how much CUPE members care.”

As well as CUPE 1285 members, the drive was supported by volunteers, community members, local businesses and the Kootenay District Labour Council.

PROUD CITY In February, CUPE BC stepped up to provide $6,000 in funding to

install a rainbow crosswalk between the Langley School Board office and the local RCMP detachment. On June 30, the crosswalk was officially unveiled at a brief ceremony attended by CUPE BC Diversity Vice-President (Indigenous Workers) Shelley Saje Ricci and President Karen Ranalletta, CUPE 403 President and Fraser Valley Regional VP Sara Manchester, and various Langley school stakeholders.

NORTH VANCOUVER | CUPE Local 389 creatively adapted their annual May Day tea honouring seniors in the community who fought for workers’ rights. Instead of serving lunch at Silver Harbour Centre, they bought 200 hot lunches of soup and chicken cordon bleu prepared by Silver Harbour’s chef, and cake pops from a local bakery.

CUPE 389 First Vice-President Joyce Griffiths said she missed hearing seniors’ stories and chatting with them while serving. “Some would come every year, and it was nice to see them again and know that they were well.”

That said, the local was glad to support seniors by providing a delicious hot meal at no cost to them. Lunches were either picked up or delivered to seniors’ homes.

“Our local recognized that many seniors were feeling increasingly isolated,” said CUPE 389 President Cindy McQueen. “We wanted to do something to lift their spirits and let them know they weren’t forgotten.”

CUPE 389 is a multi-sector local that represents approximately 3,200 members on the North Shore.

CUPE LOCAL PRESIDENT WINS CITIZENSHIP AWARD CRANBROOK | CUPE 4165 past-president Irene Bischler, a recently retired K–12 support worker at Amy Woodland Elementary School in Southeast Kootenay (School District 5), has received provincial recognition for her outstanding volunteer work with youth and local sports organizations.

Bischler is one of 14 recipients of this year’s B.C. Medal of Good Citizenship, a provincial award that celebrates outstanding

service and commitment to communities.

Bischler set up the breakfast club for the school, which feeds 30–40, and ran emotional support groups where students cook, do carpentry, sew, and decorate cakes and cookies, among many other activities. She

IRENE BISCHLER

also accompanied students on community outings, mentored young teachers and education assistants, and — outside the classroom — supported athletes through power skating and figure skating coaching. She has also provided respite care for kids to help families in crisis, and for many years has worked with individuals with special needs.

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POWER IN NUMBERS

TREVOR DAVIES, SECRETARY-TREASURER

For the new delegates, every positive convention experience can lead to continued involvement in one’s local, thus helping create the next generation of union leaders.

The next best thing to being there CUPE BC’S FIRST VIRTUAL CONVENTION EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS On May 18th, I drove to a studio near the Cambie Street bridge in Vancouver to perform a test run on our first virtual convention. The purpose of this “dress rehearsal” was to make sure that everything went smoothly and that every item on the convention agenda would take place as intended and on schedule. This would not, after all, be business as usual.

Compressed from the four-and-a-half-day format used for the in-person AGM, this year’s CUPE BC convention (May 19-21) would be held over three days and include elections for our executive board as well as guest speakers, debate on resolutions, and more.

Holding the event virtually for the first time created a lot of anxiety over whether the technology would work as advertised and how delegates would respond to changes in the way our AGM is organized.

More accessible, more connected Since many delegates were attending their first CUPE BC event as union members, Convention ’21 had to come off without a hitch.

Knowing we had so many new delegates, I felt immense pressure to host an inclusive, engaging event that provided everyone with a positive experience. For the new delegates, every positive convention experience can lead to continued involvement in one’s local, thus helping create the next generation of union leaders. We also challenged ourselves to host the most accessible convention ever, and in this we succeeded.

The decision to have delegates speaking to resolutions online via Zoom allowed all participants to see their fellow delegates while debating the essential issues of our union. Having delegates be seen while speaking also provided an important accessibility item for members who rely on lip-reading to understand the speaker.

This was our first convention to include French translation, and this time we also had sign language interpreters and captioning for both convention proceedings and all election forums.

The efforts of our CUPE BC staff to organize the 2021 convention cannot be understated. For an event that takes up only a few days of the calendar, convention planning represents roughly 30 per cent of the annual workload of our seven office employees. The overall leadership comes from our Director of Operations, Kiran Kooner, who carried the burden of executing the kind of CUPE event that had never been done before.

Getting the business done The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive.

Delegates accepted the challenges we had with the virtual platform and supported the agenda changes. That support allowed everyone to focus on the important convention business at hand, which wrapped up with elections for a new executive board. The results included a new president, Karen Ranalletta, whose election following the planned departure of Paul Faoro is the latest milestone in CUPE BC’s long and proud history of outstanding leadership.

While holding a virtual convention was forced upon us, we embraced the opportunity to try and hold the best, most inclusive convention we could. The biggest work lesson I have taken from this past year-and-a-half of COVID-19 is to look at every challenge as an opportunity to do something better. Locals are facing similar challenges, and I’m inspired by the creative solutions they are undertaking to increase member participation in our decision-making meetings. Things like using online tools to quickly poll members for their opinions on key issues, embracing new accessibility tools, and recognizing that virtual meetings can give members the ability to participate in their union virtually without having to travel or find care for family members.

I want to thank delegates for their support in my re-election to continue serving as secretary-treasurer. It’s an honour to serve the 100,000 members of CUPE BC, and I feel an immense responsibility to ensure that our union always has the resources we need to face our challenges — anticipated or otherwise.

FOLLOW TREVOR ON TWITTER @TreasurerTrevor

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PRESIDENT

Karen Ranalletta SECRETARY-TREASURER

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CUPE WEEK-LONG SCHOOL IS BACK!

CONTRIBUTORS

Steven Beasley Clay Suddaby Janet Szliske Greg Taylor PHOTOS

October 3 to 8, 2021

CUPE Communications, Josh Berson, Aaron Donovan

Coast Bastion Hotel, Nanaimo, BC Please keep these dates open as we will be offering a blended version of our education program — virtual and in-person.

Dan Gawthrop

Virtual and in-person!

We envision doing our steward learning series as a virtual week-long, to give as many members as possible the opportunity to participate from across the province.

Face-to-face workshops are yet to be determined, but we will announce them as soon as they have been planned.

Many things will need to be in place to make our return to in-person union education a success. As soon as we confirm all arrangements with the hotel and convention centre, we will provide members with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Stay tuned for an e-blast through CUPE BC or visit the Education page at cupe.bc.ca.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Pete Tuepah and Nadene Rehnby, Hands On Publications BACK COVER ART

Samantha Monckton, Talking Dog Communications CUPE BC acknowledges that our province of British Columbia is located on the homelands of Indigenous nations and cultures.