A Federal Court ruling in favour of two unions fighting the arrival of Chinese miners in BC will be appealed by the company that hired the foreigners. HD Mining claims Human Resources Minister Diane Finley shouldn't have voiced her concerns about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program after legal action was filed earlier this month. Thursday, Justice … [Read more...]
Court rules in favour of unions over controversial hiring of Chinese miners
Two unions trying to block the hiring of Chinese workers for a new underground coal mine in northern B.C. have scored their first victory in federal court. Justice Douglas Campbell has ruled in favour of the unions, granting them permission to fight for access to records that let up to 300 Chinese nationals into Canada on temporary visas. Union … [Read more...]
Health care workers vote in favour of strike action
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...]
Victoria bus drivers favour strike action
Victoria bus drivers have voted 98-per cent in favour of job action, but only if necessary. Contract talks broke down last week. BC Transit (not Translink on the Island) proposed a wage increase of one-per cent over three years. The drivers want more and improved contract language dealing with contracting out. CKNW Vancouver News … [Read more...]
BCGEU votes in favour of job action
One of the largest unions in BC has voted in favour of strike action. Members of the BC Government Employees' Union have vote 82 percent for a strike. But that doesn't mean job action is a sure thing. Contract talks with the provincial government are set to resume May 23rd. Wages are the main outstanding issue. CKNW Vancouver News … [Read more...]
Majority of ICBC workers in favour of job action
Eighty-seven percent of unionized ICBC workers have voted in favour of job action. Canadian office and professional employees local 378 vp Jeff Gillies says the results show workers' frustration, but it doesn't mean there will be a full-scale walk-out. "What we're looking at is really some escalating job action...we're not interested in … [Read more...]
BC teachers have voted in favour of a strike
87 percent of teachers have voted yes to escalating job action to a full-scale walkout with more than 32-thousand voting. The union has said the earliest they could strike is Monday. The Labour Relations Board ruled this week teachers can walk off the job on three consecutive days, if they give two days notice. After that, they can withdraw once a … [Read more...]
BC Place workers vote in favour of strike
VANCOUVER - Workers at BC Place have voted 89 per cent in favour of strike action just over a month before the newly refurbished stadium in Vancouver is set to host the Grey Cup.Members of the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union include employees who work in maintenance, security, hosting, first aid and skilled trades jobs, and the union … [Read more...]