The Provincial Government says an "action plan" is in the works to help children in care after a critical report by the Representative for Children and Youth. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond's latest report looks at suicide and self harm by kids in care. She says a common problem was the lack of stable foster homes for the children who on average had been … [Read more...]
HEU won’t talk about strike action at Biennial Convention
November 4, 2012 by
More than six hundred and fifty delegates are gathering this week for the Hostpial Employees' Union Biennial Convention. Bonnie Pearson with the union says decisions about what possible strike action could look like and when it could happen, if at all, are not decisions that will be made at the convention. "But I can tell you that the energy that … [Read more...]
Health care workers vote in favour of strike action
November 3, 2012 by
46,000 hospital, long-term care and emergency health services workers have voted 96 percent in favour of strike action. Most are with the Hosptial Employees' Union. Bonnie Pearson with the HEU says it sends a clear message to health employers and government to come back to the bargaining table. Contracts expired in March -- talks began in … [Read more...]
Job action escalates at SFU
November 2, 2012 by
Escalating job action by support workers at Simon Fraser University has forced the cancellation of numerous classes at the Burnaby and Surrey campuses. SFU's Don MacLachlan says picket lines have yet to go up at the downtown Vancouver campus. "There is going to be pickets at certain hours on Saturday and Sunday at the Vancouver campus. Then, it … [Read more...]
UBC teaching assistants to start job action Monday afternoon
October 27, 2012 by
The University of British Columbia teaching assistants have served 72-hour strike notice. Job action is set to begin Monday afternoon--what that entails isn't clear yet. But the union does ask if members come across a picket line they respect it and do not cross. The union says the strike vote was a 3-1 ratio in favour. Teaching assistants at SFU, … [Read more...]
Bond defends action plan to overhaul justice system
October 23, 2012 by
B.C.'s justice minister is defending the province's plan to overhaul the justice system overhaul and the fact it comes with no new cash. Critics have said why bother with a new scheduling system when there aren’t enough judges to hear cases. Bond says it’s better to evaluate how efficiently they can spend the $ 1 billion already … [Read more...]
National day of action planned to support women’s right for safe, legal abortions
October 20, 2012 by
All women should have access to a safe and legal abortion. That's the message of a National Day of Action Saturday aimed at promoting women's rights. It's being organized by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, who claims many women are forced to travel long distances to have the operation. "Abortion is not a thing by itself, it's often … [Read more...]
Government says it’s taking action on domestic violence
October 10, 2012 by
The BC government says it's taking action to reduce domestic violence. It's released a so-called "Action Plan" in response to a scathing report by the Child and Youth representative into the 2008 murders of three children in Merritt by their father. The plan calls for training more than 20-thousand professionals on addressing domestic violence over … [Read more...]
More job action at ICBC
October 10, 2012 by
The union at ICBC has announced more job action in its on-going contract dispute. COPE local 378 has issued 48-hour notice that it's returning to 1996 workload levels for adjustors - the last time the insurance corporation studied such things. Union president David Black says workload is a big problem, especially at claims centres. The job action … [Read more...]
John Furlong denies any wrongdoing, launches legal action
September 27, 2012 by
Former Vanoc boss John Furlong says he categorically denies each and every accusation levelled at him in a bombshell story in the Georgia Straight.The story accuses Furlong of mentally and physically abusing native children while he worked as a phys-ed teacher in burns lake in the late 60's and early 70's.Furlong read a statement to the media a … [Read more...]
