Local Voice Winter 2015

Local Voice
Volume 10 | Issue #1
Winter 2015
Quarterly publication for members of the Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378
The Labour Movement: Whats Next?
ALSO INSIDE
Good Jobs in B.C.

Fight for 15
Credit Union Mergers
Better Transit for Everyone
Women's Voices in Our Union
In This Issue
contents
Presidents OPENING Message

By David Black
TRANSLATIONS
6 president's word
7 New bcfed president takes
on the Fight for 15
8
a forward looking budget
9 Young Workers Are Excited

To Get Involved
By Stephanie Smith
10 Crown corps and jobs

11 "A Good Jobs Economy
in BC" Conference
Youth Action Committee
12 SuRVEy shows icbc claims

centres strained by workload
By Annette Toth
13 The new year brings
opportunities
By Alexandre Boulerice
14 yes to better transit
By Heather Lee
15 forum b.c.
11
A Good Jobs Economy in BC
16 cope 378 candidates win big

By Lori Mayhew and Karl Riley
17 Credit Union Members & Mergers
18 cope 378 new members
19 Helping women in unions
find their voices
By Rysa Kronebusch
20 Redefining Trade union
membership with industriall
By Gwenne Farrell
21
health and welfare Trust
22 Staff Profile: Tony Geluch

23
rep assignments
14
Say Yes to Better Transit and Less Congestion
Presidents Opening Message

The Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local
378, is affiliated with the Canadian Office and Professional
Employees Union, the British Columbia Federation of Labour, the
Canadian Labour Congress, UNI Global Union and IndustriALL.
Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378,
Executive Board Members:
President: David Black
Secretary-Treasurer: Lori Mayhew
Vice Presidents: Annette Toth (ICBC), Gwenne Farrell (Utilities),
Heather Lee (Combined Units)
Accenture Business Services:
Melanie Greenlaw, Nancy de Vries
BC Hydro:
Calvin Jonas, Rysa Kronebusch
ICBC: Yasmin Carroll, Karin Cirez, Joyce Galuska,
Trevor Hansen, Robert Starcevich
FortisBC Energy: Tim Bouzovetsky
FortisBC Inc. and FortisBC Customer Service Centres:
Stephanie Smith
Combined Units: Safar Alikhani, Colleen Finn, Laurie Kirk, Petro
Koromvokis, Keith Parkinson, Tim Weigelt
COPE 378 Communications & Campaigns:
Communications Director: Sage Aaron
Communications Officer: Jarrah Hodge
Research Officer: Iain Reeve
David Black
President, COPE 378
COPE 378 Senior Union Representatives:

Brad Bastien, Glen MacInnes
COPE 378 Union Representatives:
Carrol Edwards, Tony Geluch, Cathy Hirani, Barry Hodson,
Barbara Junker, Pat Junnila, Cindy A. Lee, Sarah Melsness,
Bonnie Merriman, Brian Nelson, Kevin Payne,
Cheryl Popeniuk, Miriam Pulsifier, Kelly Quinn,
Karen Rockwell, Kevin Smyth, Stephen Von Sychowski
he world is changing. Work is changing. COPE 378 has to keep pace.

There is less and less security found in existing work. Its taking longer for workers to attain full-time status and reap the benefits that come
along with it. On the flip side, many workers see the value in flexibility. People
want to be able to balance their work lives with their private lives and make
choices regarding how to best contribute to their work.
Your union wants to help you make your employment fit your life better.
When you ask, we will advocate for flexibility that doesnt compromise your
rights, quality of life and pay. Weve worked with commission sales staff to
ensure motivating sales structures are built into their collective agreements
and weve agreed to telework arrangements that help keep people closer
to home.
I bring this up because unions get accused of being outdated or no
longer necessary. They arent. Every day workers get pressured into unpaid
overtime, managers bully their staff, and heartbreakingly, people too often
go to work in places that endanger their physical or mental health. This is
why the labour movement exists. If it didnt, workers would come together
to create one.
This means we have to keep looking at whats coming next. How do we
anticipate tomorrows challenges and rise to meet them?
We have a new president and secretary-treasurer at the BC Federation
of Labour. This new leadership is determined to tackle one of the biggest issues facing workers today and into the future: inequality. With their Fight for
15 campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, Irene Lanzinger
and Aaron Ekman are advocating on behalf of all workersnot just those
with a union card.
This union is working with other allies and organizations to craft policy
that uses the provinces assetslike Crown corporationsto grow both the
economy and justice. Read about the Good Jobs conference to learn more.
And were grooming the next leaders, the people whove stepped forward
to make a difference in their workplaces.
People often ask me: Whats next for the labour movement? Were a big
movement. We have a lot on the go. Read on to learn a bit more.
COPE 378 Administrative & Office Staff:

Joanne Banfield, Karen Caston, Elaine Chilman, Lise Cluff,
Adele Earwaker, Yudon Garie, Lisa Jeffery, Shelley Lockhart,
Carol McLuskie, Karen McRae, Michelle Mihaichuk, Kim Smith,
Barbara Stephen
COPE 378 Financial Staff:
Sandi Malhame, Barbara Liang, Amandeep Nijjar
Occupational Health & Safety & WCB Appeals:
Steve Milne
Organizing:
Georgi Bates, Caitlin Gilroy
Job Evaluation:
Teresa Davie
LTD Trust Administrator:
Jim Moynham
COPE 378 Local Voice is the official quarterly magazine

published for the members of the Canadian Office and
Professional Employees Union, Local 378.
ISBN 1918-9753 COPE Local 378 Voice
Letters to the editor are welcome but may be edited for brevity
and clarity. Please contact COPE 378 for permission to reprint
articles, graphics, or photographs.
Address all correspondence to: COPE 378 Communications
2nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1J9
Phone: 604-299-0378 Toll Free: 1-800-664-6838
Fax: 604-299-8211
Visit COPE 378s website at www.cope378.ca
Or contact us via email at editor@cope378.ca
Editor: Sage Aaron
USW 2009
COPE 378 Local Voice
Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015
PresIdenT's
word
Top 3 reasons Income Inequality is bad for us

bY davId bLack, PresIdenT
Income inequalitythe gap between the rich and the poorhas emerged as one of the top issues
of our time, and one Canadians cant afford to ignore. According to Canadian Business magazine,
Canada fell from 14th most equal to 22nd among the 32 Organisations for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) nations since the mid-1990s, a faster fall than even the U.S.
But some ask:

why should we
care? As long
as no ones
hurt by the
concentration
of wealth at
the uppermost
echelons, isnt
this simply a
matter of envy?
The short
answer is we
are being hurt
by income
inequality, as
individuals
and as a
society.
Lets look
at how:
1. social problems are worse in unequal societies

In their book The Spirit Level, British epidemiologists
Richard G. Wilkinson and Kate Pickett analysed data
from the worlds wealthiest countries. They looked at
physical health, mental health, drug abuse, education,
imprisonment, obesity, social mobility, trust and community life, violence, teenage pregnancies, and child
well-being. Their conclusion: no matter the gross national income per person, in countries where the gap
between the rich and poor are highest, the outcomes in
those key social factors are worse. And the damage isnt
confined to people with low incomes; everyone at all
income levels in these countries is disproportionately affected, compared to those in countries with more equal
incomes. This prompted Harvard professor Ichiro Kawachi to call inequality a social pollutant.
3. Its anti-democratic
Simply put, those who have money have more power than those who do not. Our system of governance
is based on the notion we all have an equal voice. But
enormous amounts of money extend the reach of the
individual. Politicians are more easily lobbied and public
debate more easily influenced, giving the 20 per cent of
Canadians who have 70 per cent of the countrys wealth
the loudest voice.
Our economies are not forces of nature like the
wind or the tides. They are systems created and maintained by the people who use them. We have the right
to demand that our governments invest in a more equal
country. After all, the evidence is growing: income inequality is bad for our society, our economic growth and
our democracy.
2. Inequality is bad for economic growth

Early in 2014 the the International Monetary Fund
released a report stating that countries with higher levels of income inequality are trailing behind their more
equal counterparts in terms of economic growth.
Economist Jared Bernstein, a former advisor to U.S.
Vice President Joe Biden, evaluated several theories
as to why income inequality may be holding growth
down, including under-investment in public education, political favouritism for pet policies of the rich,
and a demand for credit with looser financial rules. The
area of research is new and the exact causes still being
debated, but the correlation between slower growth
and income inequality cant be denied.
voLuMe 10 Issue #1 winter 2015
new bcfed President Takes on the fight for 15
Labour
MoveMenT
bY Irene LanzInGer, bc federaTIon of Labour PresIdenT
Photo (left to right): BC Federation

of Labour Secretary-Treasurer
Aaron Ekman and President
Irene Lanzinger with COPE378
President David Black and
Secretary-Treasurer Lori Mayhew
Encouraged by recent wins in cities like Seattle and

San Francisco, the BCFED has begun an active call for
the B.C. government to give low-wage workers a raise.
If other cities can move to $15 per hour, why cant we
do the same here in B.C.? The federal NDP has also put
forward a plan to reinstate a federal minimum wage of
$15 per hour!
Clearly, other jurisdictions understand the economic benefits when workers are paid a fair wage. In a
province as wealthy as ours, it is shameful that so many
people earn a poverty wage.
While $15 per hour is still not a living wage for most
parts of this province, it is an important first step to lifting workers out of poverty. We know that increasing
the minimum wage is a fundamental part of any poverty reduction planand a building block to building an
economy that works for everyone.
I encourage everyone to get involvedspread the
word, participate in events, sign the petition. Raising the
minimum wage will help unionized and non-unionized
workers alike. Lets put our collective voice together for
all working people.
am honoured and excited to take over the position

of President of the BC Federation of Labour, and to
work with our new secretary-treasurer, Aaron Ekman.
I am confident that Aaron and I will make a strong team,
and look forward to working with affiliates to build our
movement and grow our membership.
We have many challenges ahead of us as a labour movement. Regressive, anti-union governments
at the provincial and federal level have spent the last
decade undermining workers rights, dismantling job
security and eliminating vital programs that the public
rely on every day.
The current austerity agenda is nothing more than
a race to the bottom, and as a result, the income gap
is rapidly becoming an income canyon. Now more
than ever the labour movement needs to stand up
and be counted in every sector and in every region of
B.C.for all workers!
One priority as we head into the new year is the
Fight For 15 campaign to increase the minimum wage.
There are over 500,000 people in our province
who earn $15 or less per hour. They are women, men,
students and seniors; they are supporting families and
funding their education; they are trying to retire with
dignity and security.
It has been almost three years since the minimum
wage was last increased, leaving wages stagnant as the
cost of living goes up. Today, at the current rate of $10.25/
hr, a minimum wage earner working full time is living below the poverty line. This is simply unacceptable.
Join the campaign at www.fightfor15bc.ca
80%
suPPorT
80% of british
columbians agree
that $15 is a fair
wage considering
the cost of living.
OUR
FINANCES
We had a couple
of extraordinary
meetings with the
unions executive
board to ensure we
had enough time
to fully discuss
and debate all of
the budgetary
proposals.
Lori Mayhew
A Forward Looking Budget
n 2014 COPE 378 reworked its budgetary process

which had previously been unchanged for several
decades. Instead of presenting the budget to the first
2015 council meeting for approval, the budget was presented in December of 2014.
The first council meeting of the year is in February,
explained COPE 378 Secretary-Treasurer Lori Mayhew.
We changed the process so we could plan for 2015 and
not have to worry about those first two months of the
year, and how we were to operate without council approval on the budget. This was a very necessary, overdue change.
Council voted to move $250,000 from the unions
defence fund interest into a special reserve, called
the member protection reserve, as permitted by the
COPE378 constitution.
We have a number of campaigns and actions ahead
of us this year, said Mayhew. Theres the work we do at
the BC Utilities Commission with respect to BCHydro,
Fortis and ICBC. We want to have a robust conversation with all of our members in Metro Vancouver about
voting yes in the upcoming transit referendum, and we
will be supporting the Better Transit and Transportation
Coalitions efforts to talk to the public about the benefits of an expanded transit system. We have our ongoing
efforts to convince the provincial government to revisit
Capilano Universitys funding formula, and we want to
make sure were prepared for anything else that comes
our way.
This reserve allows us to launch and support campaigns to protect our members jobs without impacting
the unions operations budget, Mayhew explained. We
use it strategically like we use the defence fund to pay

for arbitrations in order to leave our cash flow free to
prosecute grievances and educate and train our activists.
The process for creating the budget was different
this year, as well. We had a couple of extraordinary
meetings with the unions executive board to ensure
we had enough time to fully discuss and debate all of
the budgetary proposals, said Mayhew. There were a
few new things this year, including some of the donations. Weve put in an ongoing commitment to the BC
Health Coalition, which advocates for a strong public
health system; we have started supporting the Columbia Institute, a think tank dedicated to progressive civic
governance, and the Labour Heritage Centre.
Not all proposals were accepted, however. We
talked about adding another day to the job stewards
seminar to deepen their education about the union, but
while we could all see the merit, in the end it was too
expensive, said Mayhew. So we will be thinking about
other ways we can get that done.
The new budgetary process extended to the unions
committees. Committees had to put together thorough business cases for any budgets over $5,000, explaining what they wanted to do and how it would benefit the union. It wasnt enough to say This is what we
did last year.
The changes were well received by the COPE 378
council. Councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of
passing the 2015 budget, putting the union on steady
footing from which to provide services and take on new
projects in the upcoming year.
COPE 378 Young Workers Are Excited

To Get Involved in Our Union
By Stephanie Smith, Youth Action Committee Chair
Everyone, however, recognizes

that if the movement is to have
a future, we must open up to
the next generations.
David Black
Left to right:
Simran Sidhu (ICBC)
Milena Kollay (TWU-STT)
Sultan Owaisi (AMS Security)
Stephen Von Sychowski (COPE 378)
Erin Searle (IBEW 213)
Afzal Mohammad (Coast Mountain Bus)
Chris Yang (G&FFG)
This leads to the question of what other opportunities we can offer our young workers. Some ideas on the
table for 2015 include establishing a mentorship program or shadowing days where young workers can
shadow more experienced union activists. After all, if
we dont start training the upcoming generations, who
will be ready and willing to carry the labour movement
forward? Its something that our union needs to continually address.
President David Black had this message for our YAC
event in November: The labour movement is both on
the cusp of a generational change, and badly in need of
it. Many of the people in leadership in the labour movement in B.C. have been involved in leadership positions
since their 20s and 30s. Then, the labour movement
was embracing and open to new young leaders. Consequently, they have difficulty identifying with young
people who feel alienated and cut off from the corridors of power. Everyone, however, recognizes that if
the movement is to have a future, we must open up to
the next generations.
ne of the greatest challenges our unions Youth

Action Committee (YAC) faces is that its membership is constantly changing, simply due to
members inevitably aging out. This past year weve had
to say goodbye to so many good activists, but weve
also been fortunate enough to say hello to some fresh,
new, eager members.
Some of these new members were behind the success of the Youth Bash that the YAC put on this past November. The Youth Bash was a new idea that involved
holding an event for all young workers in the Lower
Mainland. Historically we would host events at specific
worksites, but this year we wanted to give our members the chance to meet other activists throughout our
union. There was a speed meet and greet, a scavenger
hunt, and people got to watch our new member orientation videossome for the very first time.
The event was a success with multiple young workers
signing up to be part of the YAC, become job stewards,
and/or to request more information about the union. In
a poll that was taken of those present regarding how the
union could best engage young people, surprisingly, there
were more votes for social events ahead of social media.
In the coming year, we hope to build on our success. Through our youth delegation at the BC Federation of Labour Convention in November it became
clear that there is a thirst for knowledge from COPE 378
young workers. Not only was there a flood of interest in
attending the convention as a youth delegate, but those
who did become part of the delegation were engaged
and involved.
COMMITTEES
Policy
that
works
Crown Corps and Jobs

By Iain Reeve, Research Officer
ritish Columbias Crown corporations occupy a

unique place in the provincial economy. Managed
at arms length from government, the Crowns
perform a variety of core functions, including everything from providing electricity and insurance, regulating gambling and alcohol, to ensuring affordable public
transportation. As profit alone is not their sole purpose,
the Crowns provide a complement and alternative
to private businesses in our economy. The lack of an
overriding profit motive means that other principles
such as affordability, fairness, and the public good can
be pursued in areas where they are deemed to be important. The resources wielded by Crownsin the form
of capital, infrastructure, and regulatory control among
other thingsallow them to be major players in B.C.s
economy.
Further to this end, Crown corporations have a substantive impact

on the provincial job market. This impact comes from two main
sources. First, Crowns are major employers in British Columbia,
employing significant numbers of people across the province
and regulating businesses that employ even more people. Second,
the massive resources controlled by Crowns can and do have
substantive economic and labour market impacts outside of their
own employment and operations.
Given this clear impact, the government driven nature of their mandates, and their insulation from the
profit motives that drive the majority of employers, one
might expect clear strategies to emerge on how best
10
to utilize these resources to accomplish clear public

goods in the market. Crowns could easily utilize their
resources to address issues of affordability, balance, and
fairness that arise in a job market dominated by profitdriven enterprises. However, this is not the case. Not
only is there no overriding strategy in B.C. on how best
to use Crown resources to positively impact the labour
market, even individual Crowns areat bestscattered
and inconsistent in their approach.
In the paper I co-authored with Marvin Shaffer from
Simon Fraser Universitys Department of Public Policy
we argued the resources of Crown corporations are not
being utilized in a coordinated or consistent way to provide positive labour market benefits and to compensate
for some of the issues that arise in a principally profitdriven labour market.
Further, this is a missed opportunity, as a coordinated
approach could have a positive impact on job creation,
economic diversification, small business growth, livable
wage employment, and cost-of-living affordability. In
particular, the paper argues that the Crowns could be
an ideal way to help address the barriers faced by those
who are underrepresented in the professional workforce
and/or face high unemployment. The paper focuses on
youth, Aboriginal peoples, women, immigrants, and ethnic minorities, as groups who face barriers to employment and promotion in the general labour market and
could be assisted by changes to Crown corporation employment strategies.
COPE 378 will put these findings in front of policy
makers within the next year to point out how the Crowns
can leverage their unique position in our economy to
provide a social benefit, as well as an economic one.
Our
Economy
"A Good Jobs Economy in BC" Conference

By IAIN REEVE, RESEARCH OFFICER
The conference was a

great success, highlighting
many ways we can build a
strong B.C. economy on the
creation of good jobs.
n November 2014, COPE 378 participated in the A

Good Jobs Economy in BC conference hosted by the
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The
conference brought together a variety of researchers,
professors, non-profit workers and members of the labour movement to discuss how the province can not
only create jobs but create good jobs.
The conferences starting premise was that the
current BC Jobs Plan has not been working. Job creation has been slower than planned, and a significant
percentage of jobs created have been part-time, temporary, or otherwise precarious. Largely, this is due to
the continued tying of job growth to expansion in the
natural resource sector. This strategy is only further
evidenced by the governments drive towards LNG expansion. The conference asked presenters to provide
alternatives that look beyond LNG and tenuous natural
resource employment.
The presentations were diverse and creative, offering solutions and ideas from vastly different sectors.
Here are some highlights:
Jonathan Kassian from GreenJobs BC highlighted
the modest, but surprisingly broad growth of green jobs
across the province. In particular he showcased the
evolution of Kimberley from a mining town to an ecofriendly village.
Charley Beresford from the Columbia Institute discussed the potential impact of increased local procurement having businesses and governments buy materials, products, and infrastructure in province instead
of outside. By making major purchases for instance,
new ferries inside the province, we create local jobs
and see the money invested back into our economy.
Jim Stanford of Unifor opened proceedings by presenting on the success of the National Good Jobs Summit in Toronto, which brought together people from all
sectors of the economy and a variety of political beliefs
to find areas of consensus on how to create good jobs.
In a session on private sector and social innovation,
Matt Toner of Zeroes 2 Heroes Media discussed how to
nurture creative development in the tech sector through
targeted government grants, while Ken McFarlane used
the example of Nevada, where government policy has
led to a massive boom in tech manufacturing, to show
how concerted policies can change economies.
Finally, Lynne Fernandez from the Manitoba CCPA
spoke about social enterprise, using the example of a
Manitoba Hydro program that trains Aboriginal men to
install geothermal heat systems in the homes of Aboriginal people who only had electric heat, and allowing the
families to pay off the upgrades incrementally on their
hydro bills, offset by their heat savings.
Other presentations focused on the value of coops, the potential for growth in agricultural and environmental preservation industries, and the impact of more
investment in the public sector and $10 a day child care.
For our part, COPE 378 presented on the role Crown
corporations can play by leveraging their resources to
foster the growth of good jobs and jobs for people who
face barriers to employment.
The conference was a great success, highlighting
many ways we can build a strong B.C. economy on the
creation of good jobs.
11
survey shows Icbc claims centres

strained by workload
heaLTh
aT
work
bY anneTTe ToTh, vIce-PresIdenT
93.7%
of employees feel
their workload is
impacting their
physical health
95.9%
feel it is
impacting their
mental health
If youre
having
trouble
enacting
any of these
strategies,
get in touch
with your
job steward
or the union
oce. Were
here to help.
CONTACT:
n December of last year we asked our ICBC members

in the claims division to provide feedback on their
workload via an online survey. Although workload is
an issue across the corporation and we are always worried about members health, we wanted to get specific
information from the claims division because of the
significant technological and procedural changes ICBC
has implemented.
58 per cent of all our employees in claims responded and the results were sobering. Some of the key
findings include: 65.7 per cent of employees feel their
workload was already too high or far too high before
ClaimCenterICBCs new computer systemwas introduced; 95.9 per cent of employees feel that ClaimCenter has increased their workload, with 84.7 per cent
saying their workload increased a lot.
93.7 per cent of employees feel their workload is
impacting their physical health, while 95.9 per cent feel
it is impacting their mental health; and 83.5 per cent feel
that there was insufficient training for ClaimCenter.
This is not a new issue, but these numbers are shocking.

were working on this issue in five different ways:
There are also things that our members can do to preserve their physical and mental health at work:
1. Weve tabled language around workload at the

bargaining table;
2. Were working hard to support the workload
committees at each claim centre;
3. Weve been hammering ICBC at the BC Utilities
Commission over workload and its effect on their
service levels;
4. Weve met with senior management to go over
these survey results so they hear again how difficult things are for their employees; and
5. Weve been clear with the ICBC Employee Relations department that as long as our members
are suffering, we will not stop raising this issue,
pounding the table and doing everything in our
power to make things better.
1. Take all breaks. Dont work through your breaks

this is unpaid overtime and it skews the productivity numbers against reasonable hours of work.
Its a win for ICBC and a lose for our members;
2. Dont start early or stay after shift. Again, it skews
the numbers;
3. Advise your first aid attendant if you or anyone in
your department is suffering from health issues
due to workload and have it documented;
4. Contact your Emergency Assistance Program to
get support if the workload is effecting your or
your colleagues mental or physical health; and
5. Document what you are able to get done and
what cant get done, then ask your manager, by
email, for a list of priorities. Do those first. If thats
all that gets done, youve followed their directions and it will be very difficult for them to say
you arent meeting expectations. Dont let them
say that everything is a priority. Thats not possible
or realistic.
info@cope378.ca
www.cope378.ca
1.800.665.6838
Top photo: Annette Toth
12
The New Year Brings New Opportunities

for the Canada We Want
Federal
Politics
by Alexandre Boulerice, NDP MP and official opposition labour critic
The key areas we are pursuing are, at

their heart, about supporting working
people and their families.
reetings to COPE 378 members and your families.

First of all, thank you very much for allowing me this space in the Local Voice. Let me
give you a brief review of what our federal NDP caucus has been working on in 2014, and touch on plans
for 2015.
The past year has been, without a doubt, an eventful one, marked again by bad decisions and new attacks
against our public services by Stephen Harpers Conservative government.
For a decade now, Harpers Conservatives have
gutted employment insurance; cut social programs,
resulting in a widening gap between the rich and
the poor; and done everything they can to erode the
rights of unions and made it harder for them to protect workers.
However, there are some very good reasons to
hope for the future. With the leadership of Thomas
Mulcair, the New Democrat caucus has taken the lead
and started to unveil our commitments to show Canadians what Ottawas first social democratic government
would do. We want change and we are telling Canadians how we will achieve it.
The key areas we are pursuing are, at their heart,
about supporting working people and their families.
Its thrilling to think that we could be only one election away from the introduction of a public and affordable national child care program. Quality, affordable
public child care is a known and recognized service in

Quebec, where its been proven to be a practical policy
measure that helps families make ends meet. Child care
supports our economy by allowing tens of thousands
of people, mostly women, to participate in the labour
market. Imagine being able to send your child to a good
public daycare, at a maximum of $15 per day, instead
of shouldering the excessive and burdensome cost of
private day care.
Thomas Mulcair and the NDP have also promised
to reinstate a federal minimum wage, and start it at $15
an hour, to help ensure Canadians who work full time
will no longer have to live below the poverty line. We
will also adjust the Temporary Foreign Worker program
to encourage employers to give jobs to people that
live here in Canada, and to better protect workers who
come to us from other countries to fill labour market
needs. We will improve our Canada Pension Plan and
bring the age requirement back to 65 from 67.
Together we can repair the damage Conservatives
have done over the last decade and rebuild a serious
environmental assessment program in order to plan
sustainable development across the country. We will,
together, build a more just, prosperous and united Canada. 2015 will be an opportunity to turn things around.
I wish all COPE 378 members across the country all
the very best for 2015.
Lets continue forward!
13
Alexandre
Boulerice
Public
Transit
Historic Coalition Says Yes to Better Transit,

Less Congestion
By Heather Lee, Vice-President
Its good for

the economy
to ensure
goods and
people
move freely.
Heather Lee
etro Vancouver is facing a transportation crisis. Already too many of us wait in long line ups
on the highway, get passed by full buses or are
underserved by distant or infrequent transit. Hours are
stolen out of our lives because our regions transit infrastructure is not serving our needs. If we dont work together to take action its only going to get worse. Over
one million new residents are expected to move to the
Metro Vancouver region in the next 30 years. To catch
up and accommodate this future growth, we need to
expand our transit and transportation system now.
During the 2013 election campaign the BC Liberals
decided to put the matter to a public referendum. After a long public back-and-forth between the province
and the Metro Vancouver Mayors Council, the Mayors
submitted a comprehensive plan to increase transit services. The plan promises that once completed 70 per
cent of Metro Vancouver residents will be within a few
minutes walk of frequent transit. A referendum question has been finalized and the timeline for the vote
made publicballots will be mailed out by March 16 and
must be returned to Elections BC by May 29, 2015.
The plan will be funded by a 0.5 per cent regional
sales tax. This works out to be about $125 a year for
an average household, or about 34 cents a daya
small price to pay for major improvements that will al-
low transit users and drivers alike to save precious time

during their daily commutes. It also ensures visitors to
Metro Vancouver will help fund transit improvements.
The improvements outlined in the Mayors plan will
mean commute times will come down as much as 2030 minutes per day on some of the busiest routes. Add
that up and some commuters could save as much as
five days back over the course of the year. Thats five
days they can spend with friends and family instead of
waiting for a bus or stewing in traffic.
There are so many reasons to support this referendum. Its good for the economy to ensure goods and
people move freely. Better transit provides more access
to jobs and housing. And it will improve air quality and
help meet the challenge of climate change.
An historic coalition has come together to support
the Yes side of the referendum. Students, members of
trade unions, small and large business owners, environmentalists, faith groups, academics and more have joined
together under the banner of the Better Transit and Transportation Coalition (BTTC) to help end the transit crisis.
COPE 378 has joined the coalition on behalf of our members at TransLink and Coast Mountain Bus, and all of our
members in Metro Vancouver who drive or take transit to
get around. I invite you to learn more about the BTTC and
how you can support our efforts.
There are so many reasons to support this referendum.
14
Forum B.C.
Together We're Strong
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It is COPE 378 policy to pay for the first years BC FORUM membership for retired COPE 378 members with at least 20 years
service. Retired
have
paid
by the
a completed
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service. Retired
wishing
have theiroffice
first years
paid for
by the
local should forward a completed membership application form to the COPE 378 Burnaby office with their request for processing.
B.C. Federation of Retired Union Members #200 - 5118 Joyce St., Vancouver, V5R 4H1
604 688-4565
1 800
Fax:
604 430-5917
bcforum@bcfed.ca
www.bcforum.ca
B.C. Federation
of 896-5678
Retired Union
Members
#200 - 5118
Joyce St., Vancouver,
V5R 4H1
604 688-4565 1 800 896-5678 Fax: 604 430-5917 bcforum@bcfed.ca www.bcforum.ca
##
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LAST
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STREET ADDRESS
CITY
POSTAL CODE
Address: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
STREET ADDRESS
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POSTAL CODE
Phone:
|__|__|__|
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Phone: |__|__|__| |__|__|__|__|__|__|__| E-mail: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
Union:
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
Date of birth:* |__|__| |__|__| |__|__|__|__|
DAY
MONTH
YEAR
Union: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
Date of birth:* |__|__| |__|__| |__|__|__|__|
DAY*
MONTH
YEAR
Spouses name: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__| Spouses birth date: |__|__| |__|__| |__|__|__|__|
DAY
MONTH
YEAR
Spouses name: |__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__| Spouses birth date:* |__|__| |__|__| |__|__|__|__|
DAY
MONTH
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q $20 - 1 year q $49 - 3 years (free $2,500 AD&D for member)
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DAY
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* Required for AD&D group insurance coverage to age 86.
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* Required for AD&D group insurance coverage to age 86.
15
MONTH
YEAR
B.C. Federation of Retired Union Members
Retiring
Members
PoLITIcaL
acTIon
rePorT
coPe 378 candidates win big

in b.c. Municipal elections
bY LorI MaYhew and karL rILeY, PoLITIcaL acTIon coMMITTee co-chaIrs
2014
L
Photo:
Jonathan Cote
At COPE378
council
meeting
ooking back on 2014, one of the big highlights

for our union has to be seeing four out of five of
our candidates elected to municipal councils and
school boards in November. All these candidates were
endorsed by their local labour councils and supported
by COPE 378 as part of our mandate to to help our
members undertaking progressive civic and community involvement.
In Pitt Meadows, former Political Action Committee
Co-Chair Korleen Carreras won her election as a school
trustee after working hard to grow her community profile through volunteer and political work.
In Duncan, retired COPE 378 member Tom Duncan
was re-elected to city council, winning more votes than
any other candidate. Toms unique, grassroots campaign style has been supported since his first election
bid by his union.
Union Representative Barbara Junker came 50 votes
short of winning a seat on Port Moody City Council in
2011, and she was determined to try again. She dedicated herself to deepening her community networks and
gaining municipal experience by serving on several city
committees. It paid off when she was elected in 2014.
One of the most exciting races was the

race for New Westminster Mayor, where
COPE 378 member Jonathan Cote was
challenging four-term incumbent Mayor
Wayne Wright. It was no sure bet he would be successful, but in the end, his youthful, energetic message
resonated with New Westminster voters, who elected
16
him with a comfortable margin. Speaking to a COPE378

executive council meeting in December, Cote said that
he looks forward to tackling issues like affordable housing and the environment and proving these can be
made priorities without sacrificing the economy. Im
looking forward to showing people what progressive
government can do, he finished.
Unfortunately, Secretary-Treasurer and Political
Action Committee Co-Chair Lori Mayhew did not win
a council seat in Delta, but she raised her profile and
gained valuable name recognition through earned media, social media, candidate debates and contacting
voters on their doorsteps.
COPE 378s Political Action Committee supported
all our candidates with financial help and help producing print and online materials when needed. We also
made it a priority to reach out to our members in the
municipalities where our candidates were running to
help rally support. Near the end of the campaign we
also phoned members in Vancouver to urge support
of Vision Vancouver Councillor Geoff Meggs, who has
always advocated for COPE members and was in a particularly tough race to regain his seat. Luckily, Meggs did
end up getting re-elected, though by a narrow margin.
Looking back, we have also identified areas for improvement, such as better integrating our election planning process and starting it sooner. But we know that
ultimately, we have considerable successes to celebrate.
We look forward to working with our newly elected
trustee, councillors and Mayor in their new capacities.
COPE 378 Covers Credit Union Members

During Mergers
JOB
SECURITY
"We wanted a legal commitment from the

employer about the future of our jobs after the
merger, explained Barrett. COPEs leadership
listened to us and our concerns, then met with
the credit unions executives.
ergers have long been a fact of life for many

of COPE 378s credit union members. Pacific
Coast Savings, Surrey Metro Saving and Richmond Savings merged to birth Coast Capital Savings.
Several credit unions merged to join G&F Financial.
These mergers can be a mixed blessing for our
members. On one hand, mergers can provide increased
stability for members employers and new job opportunities. On the other, employees have legitimate concerns about job security, new business processes and
possible changes to working conditions and compensation.
COPE 378 represents members at Island Savings
Credit Union, who are in the process of merging with
the much larger First West. When asked about the
merger, Nancy Barrett, a Member Service Representative at the Mill Bay Island Savings Credit Union, said,
[First West] doesnt have any unionized branches. We
were worried about how we, as unionized employees,
would be perceived. Even within [Island Savings] some
branches are unionized and some are not. Workplace
rumours took on a life of their own and people werent
sure what to do.
Barrett was clear that on the whole, the members
were optimistic about the merger. But they wanted certainty and protection. We knew we could work with
our union to communicate with our employer and ease
our concerns. We wanted a legal commitment from the
employer about the future of our jobs after the merger,
explained Barrett. COPEs leadership listened to us and

our concerns then met with the credit unions executives.
COPE 378 President David Black, Vice-President
Heather Lee and Senior Union Representative Glen
MacInnes were able to secure a binding commitment
from Island Savings and First West that no COPE 378
members would be laid off due to the merger for two
years. Were grateful for the work the union did on our
behalf, said Barrett.
The union applied the lessons learned from ongoing Island Savings/First West merger to the merger
proposal between Westminster Savings Credit Union,
where COPE has members, and Prospera Credit Union.
COPE 378 proactively appointed legal counsel to represent its members' interests as the merger proceeds
through the Financial Institutions Commission (FICOM).
Part of our lawyers responsibility is to ensure that any
merger protects our members rights through this process, including protection of job security.
"We know many of our credit union members are
optimistic about mergers, said Black. If this results
in greater stability and opportunity for our members,
were happy to support them as well. But our members interests must be protected and we will work to
make that happen.
[Editor's note: As of press time for the Local Voice, New West
Savings and Prospera announced they will not merge, and
that it's in the "best interests of their members and employees
to pursue independent business strategies."]
17
Nancy Barrett is
a Member Service
Representative
at the Mill Bay
Island Savings
Credit Union
organizing
COPE 378 Welcomes New Members
Welcome
The VP Credit Union
COPE 378 is pleased to welcome new members to our union

from two different worksites. In November of 2014 the
employees at the VP Credit Union voted to join COPE 378,
and in December of 2014 the workers at the Burnaby English
Language Centre applied to certify with the union.
If you know
someone who
could benefit from
the protection and
security of union
membership at
their work, get
in touch with
COPE378s
organizing
Burnaby English Language Centre

The Burnaby English Language Centre (BELC) offers the government-recognized and funded Language
Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program to immigrants and refugees. The BELC offers the program in
English, in levels 1 through 8.
More and more English language instructors are
showing interest in joining unions as their industry
grows in British Columbia. Historically language instruction has been a precarious line of work that can
see periods of rapid growth and high rates of employee
turnover. By joining COPE 378 these workers are seeking the stability and security they need in order to provide their students with the best possible education.
department to learn
more at
join@cope378.ca
18
The VP Credit Union was first established in 1944 by

and for the members of the Vancouver Police. Today,
the VP Credit Union offers financial services to members of police forces and their families across British
Columbia.
COPE 378 welcomes these new credit union employees to our growing ranks of members who work at
financial institutions. Many credit unions are contemplating mergers and all are intent on expanding their
business. As with language schools, expansion often
brings change to workplaces, and mergers have numerous impacts on employees. Credit union staff interested
in ensuring they have a voice amidst these changes are
reaching out to unions for representation.
Both groups of new members have entered into the
bargaining process for their first collective agreement.
While their work is quite different, they want similar
things. The members at the Burnaby Language Center and the VPCU all want input into their workplace,
said COPE 378 Vice-President Heather Lee. They care
a great deal about the work that they do and want to
advocate for the tools and conditions they need to do
their jobs.
Were pleased these new members have put their
trust in us, said COPE 378 President David Black. We
have the resources and experience to help them bargain a good collective agreement. I look forward to
their input and involvement with COPE.
Helping Women in Unions

Find Their Voices
committees
By RYSA KRONEBUSCH, WOMEN'S RIGHTS COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR
Were here to help women

understand that its okay
to take on opportunities
when asked, to have
confidence and to face
down the voice inside that
says, Oh, Im not ready.
OPE 378s womens committee has been revitalized after revisiting our mandate and changing our name to reflect that mandate. Newly
named the Womens Rights Committee (WRC), weve
taken on the task of reaching out and engaging women;
empowering, mobilizing and building capacity through
mentoring, education and advocacy; and raising awareness of issues that affect women in our union, here in
Canada, and across the world.
We are taking our new mandate seriously. We are
dedicated to ensuring our sisters have the tools and
support for success. We want to help COPE 378 women
and women in our communities find their voices and
tackle some of our systemic challenges. It may be hard
work, but we can do it.
Were here to help women understand that its okay
to take on opportunities when asked, to have confidence and to face down the voice inside that says, Oh,
Im not ready. The Womens Rights Committee will
support women to be able to say: I may not feel 100
per cent ready, but I will do it and learn along the way.
Women before us paved the way to fight for the
rights we have now. Its been 87 years since we have
actually been defined as persons in law. In the 1929 Persons' Case, the Famous FiveEmily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Edwardssucceeded in having some women defined as
"persons" under Section 24 of the British North America
Act and thereby eligible for appointment to the Senate.
This victory symbolized the right of some women to

participate in most facets of public life. However, this
and other victories were denied Aboriginal women and
women of colour. The right to vote was finally granted
to all Canadian women in 1960.
Women in the labour movement use a poem and
song called Bread and Roses, which was inspired by a
line in a speech given by U.S. labour leader Rose Schneiderman. In her 1912 speech, Schneiderman said, What
the woman who labors wants is the right to live, not
simply exist the right to life as the rich woman has
the right to life, and the sun and music and art. You have
nothing that the humblest worker has not a right to
have also. The worker must have bread, but she must
have roses, too. Help, you women of privilege, give her
the ballot to fight with."
Schneidermans plea asks for solidarity and support
for all women, and highlights the need for human dignity, not just material fulfillment. Her call also forms the
guiding principles of COPE 378s Womens Rights Committee. The WRC acknowledges all women have substance, depth and compassion. We come from a wide
variety of backgrounds and those unique experiences
have shaped us all differently. Were here to celebrate
our differences and support each other through our
joined quest for greater equality. Come join us.
If you are interested in joining the WRC

email rkronebusch@cope378.ca
19
Rysa Kronebusch,
Women's Rights
Committee co-chair
Global
Unions
Redefining Trade Union Membership

with IndustriALL
By GWENNE FARRELL, VICE-PRESIDENT
Gwenne Farrell spoke at a meeting of the meeting of

the IndustriALL Non-Manual Workers Sector
Sao Paulo, Brazil | December 10 to 11, 2014
IndustriALL
52
million
workers
143
countries
rom December 10 to 11, 2014, I attended a meeting of the IndustriALL Non-Manual Workers Sector
in Sao Paulo, Brazil. IndustriALL is a global union
federation formed in 2012 with the merger of the International Metalworkers Federation, International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers
Union and International Textiles Garment and Leather
Workers Federation.
Recently IndustriALL has grown to represent 52 million workers globally in 143 countries. Given the success IndustriALL has achieved in expanding, this meeting focused on the challenges often faced by unions
representing administrative, technical and professional
workerscurrently defined as non-manual. On the
agenda for discussion was extending our protection to
workers without unions, collective bargaining and sustaining union membership. There were more than 20
delegates from 11 different countries at the meeting,
representing all of the continents.
Perhaps the best example of success was the Swedish union, Unionen. Unionen is the second largest union
in Sweden and considered to be the largest white collar union globally. In 2010 they performed an analysis
of their 500,000-strong membership to plan for future
needs. They learned they should expect to lose approximately 100,000 members20 per centover the
next five years. Unionen developed a strategy to meet
this crisis that emphasized change in six areas: their internal mission, their brand, finding the best achievable
deal for their membership, how to become a recruiting organization, how to effectively engage elected
representatives in the recruitment process and how to
20
develop loyal members. Part of this campaign involved

a significant amount of advertising explaining the value
of unions. Thanks to this campaign, instead of losing
members over the next four years, Unionen actually
managed to grow by 20 per cent.
There were other countries using similar techniques
in order to reach out to new members. Both Norway
and Ghana representatives talked about the importance
of examining union brands. They talked about ensuring
union brands tell a clear story about who and what the
union represents. New members are far more likely to
be recruited if they understand the union.
Another success story came from the work the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) accomplished with lab technicians in a recent round of collective bargaining. Joining the worksite union isnt enforced
in Australia. However, the union is still obligated to represent these members. During the last round of negotiations AMWU used text messages to contact members on
a daily basis. The workers who werent part of the union
didnt get the messages. The non-members started realizing they were only getting managements side, which
didnt match what the unionized members were being
told. By the end of bargaining the AMWU had over 90
per cent of the workers in that lab unionized.
I came back with significant information both
on rebranding and organizing and well be reaching
out to Unionen to see what tools they can offer us
to guide a similar analysis and campaign. Networking with other trade unionists from across the world is
again helping COPE 378 use best practices on behalf
of our members.
Update on COPE 378s

Health and Welfare Trust
Long
term
disability
By Jim Moynham , COPE 378 Health and Welfare Trust Administrator
Jim Moynham
he COPE 378 Health and Welfare Trust is sponsored by your union and governed by five trustees appointed by COPE 378s president. Im the
trusts full-time administrator who deals with day-today operations, and reports to the trustees. The trust
was established in 1976 to provide Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits to COPE 378s members at ICBC. It
later grew to include members at Canadian Northern
Shield Insurance, AirCare, COPE 378 staff, and in 2006,
the members at Coast Mountain Bus, TransLink and BC
Transit. The trust operates two separate disability plans,
the insured LTD plan for ICBC, CNS, and COPE 378, and
a self-funded income continuance plan for the transit
companies. Currently, about 5,000 COPE 378 members
are covered by the two plans.
The trustees of the COPE 378 Health and Welfare
Trust are pleased to announce that our LTD insurance
contract with Desjardins has been renewed for an additional two years, with no increase in premiums to the
plan members. This plan covers members at ICBC, Canadian Northern Shield, and COPE 378 staff.
This renewal will take us to December 31, 2016.
Were proud to say our LTD premiums have not increased since 2007.
While our plan continues to experience high claim
numbers, our pro-active rehabilitation program and our
joint Return-to-Work program are helping our members to recover their health and get back to work in the
shortest time possible. We hope to work jointly with
COPE 378 and ICBC once the current round of bargaining is finished to look at ways to enhance members
health and wellness, promote physically and psychologically healthy workplaces, and reduce the number of
LTD claims from the current level of about 130 per year.
On the transit side, covering members at Coast
Mountain Bus, Translink and BC Transit, we have seen
claims decrease slowly, and we apply the same kind of
rehab and Return-to-Work support with this plan. As

this plan is self-funded, the trustees maintain disability
life reserves to cover future claim payments. The plan
is fully funded and has a small surplus. The trustees do
not anticipate an increase in 2015, and provided claim
numbers remain stable, we shouldnt see an increase
in 2016 either.
If you would like further information on your disability plan

and coverage, please contact plan administrator
Jim Moynham at 604-299-0378, or jmoynham@shawbiz.ca
21
Staff
Profile
Tony Geluch: From Lawyer to Union Rep
As a rep Im often dealing with people who

have things like medical challenges that can
prevent them from navigating the systems
and processes set up to help them, he said.
I get to help people and thats pretty great.
Tony Geluch
hen asked why he traded in his lawyers robes

for a job as a union rep with COPE 378 Tony
Geluch said, It was big problems and big conflict, but I kept seeing an opportunity for resolution earlier in the process. I was in-house counsel for the Teamsters. I was looking at what the reps did and it seemed
really interesting, a lot more hands-on. When an opportunity came up with COPE I was keen to applyI
guess I like dealing more with people than paper, he
said with a grin.
Geluch studied law at the University of Victoria, and
focused on labour law. After graduating he found work
with a firm that focused on litigation, but eventually
found his way back to labour through the Teamsters,
and started at COPE 378 in March 2014.
Geluch represents COPE 378s members at Accenture Business Services, the College of Registered Nurses, the College of Pharmacists, Xylem Water Solutions,
Hastings Racecourse and Catalyst Paper.
Its interesting work. I service a diverse collection of
workplaces and within those workplaces our members
are also very diverse, Geluch said. They have different
needs, whether its questions about collective agreement issues from new employees, or if its a person who
needs assistance with sick leave or disability issuesI
see a wide range of faces from COPEs membership.
When asked about what he needs to be an effective
union rep, Geluch said, Im really appreciative of COPE
378s job stewards. They do everything they can to help
their fellow members and Im grateful for the information and help they provide. I wouldnt be able to do my
job without them.
22
I do wish all people paid a little more attention

to the history behind the things they take for granted.
Safety in the workplace and eight-hour work daysall
of these things come from a time where people were
literally fighting in the streets for these things, Geluch
continued. The labour movement is still fighting for
health and safety, and other things that contribute to
our quality of life: parental leave, benefits to take care
of your family. I firmly believe without the labour movement wed lose a lot of what weve won.
Geluchs work is now a lot more about people than
it is paper. One of the most rewarding parts of his job
is making a positive impact on members lives. As a
rep Im often dealing with people who have things like
medical challenges that can prevent them from navigating the systems and processes set up to help them,
he said. I get to help people and thats pretty great.
COPE 378 members work at the following properties

Accenture Business Services
Union Rep: Tony Geluch
Alma Mater Society
Union Rep: Carrol Edwards
Alma Mater Society Security
Aviscar
Union Rep: Cathy Hirani
BCAA SC & ERS
BC Computerized Dispatch (Yellow Cab)
Union Rep: Kevin Payne
BC Federation of Labour
Union Rep: Barry Hodson
BC Ferry & Marine Workers Union
BCGEU
Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman
BC Hydro (including Powertech Construction Services)
Union Reps: Barbara Junker, Karen Rockwell
BC Nurses Union
BC Transit
Union Rep: Cheryl Popeniuk
Beach Place Ventures
Berlitz Canada
Bonnys Taxi
Burnaby English Language Centre
Union Rep: Stephen Von Sychowski
Canadian Freightways Ltd.
Canadian Northern Shield/RSA
Capilano University
Union Rep: Karen Rockwell
Carpentry Workers Benefit and Pension Plans of BC
Catalyst Paper
CIATU
Coast Mountain Bus
Coastal Community Credit Union
Union Rep: Sarah Melsness
Coastal Community Financial Management
Coastal Community Insurance
College of Pharmacists of BC
College of Registered Nurses
Columbia Hydro
Union Rep: Brad Bastien
Columbia Valley Credit Union
Community Savings Credit Union
CMAW Bargaining Council

CMAW Local 1995
Coral Cabs (Richmond Taxi)
CUPE 454
CUPE 2011
CUPE 3338
CUPE BC & Locals
DA Townley & Associates
Dollar Thrifty
Ecojustice
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
First Canada ULC
FortisBC Customer Service Centres
Union Rep: Cindy A. Lee
FortisBC Energy Inc.
FortisBC Inc.
Gulf & Fraser Fishermens Credit Union
Handy Pack
Hastings Entertainment Inc.
Hertz
IAMAW Transportation District Lodge 140
IAMAW District Lodge 250
IAMAW Local Lodge 764
ICBC
Union Reps: Kevin Smyth, Kelly Quinn, Stephen Von Sychowski
Island Savings Credit Union and Insurance
IWA Forest Industry PP
Kekinow Native Housing Society
Kelowna Cabs Ltd.
Konica Minolta
Kruger Products (Scott Paper)
Union Rep: Karen Rockwell
Ladysmith & District CU
Lake City Casinos
is published by
Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378,
2nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1J9
POSTAL AGREEMENT #41267023
Phone: 604-299-0378
Fax: 604-299-8211
E-mail: editor@cope378.ca
ISSN 1918-9753 COPE Local 378 Voice
COPE 378: President David Black

Secretary-Treasurer Lori Mayhew
23
LuMa Native Housing Society

MacLure's Cabs Ltd.
Marine Workers & Boilermakers
Master Trade Office
New Democratic Party
Pacific Vehicle Testing
Schneider
Seaspan International Ltd.
SEIU 244
Southern Railway
Teamsters Local 31
Teamsters Local 155
Teamsters Local 213 & 213 Member Benefit Plan
Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU)
Telecommunication Workers Pension Plan
Teletheatre BC
Thunderbird Winter Sports
Union Rep: Barbara Junker
TransLink
Tree Island
Unifor Local 1928
United Fishermen & Allied Worker Union
Vancouver Musicians Association
Vancouver Police Credit Union
Vancouver Shipyards Ltd.
Vancouver Taxi Ltd. (Central Taxi Dispatch)
VantageOne Credit Union
Victoria Shipyards Ltd.
Victoria Trade Union
Westminster Savings Credit Union
Working Ventures Insurance Solutions
Xylem Water Solutions
Yellow Pages
LOCAL VOICE Editor: Sage Aaron USW 2009

DESIGNED BY: Dansk Design Group
danskdesigngroup.com
PRINTED AT: Mitchell Press, Burnaby, B.C.
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Local Voice Winter 2015

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Local Voice

The Labour Movement: Whats Next?

Good Jobs in B.C.

Presidents OPENING Message

a forward looking budget

9 Young Workers Are Excited

10 Crown corps and jobs

Youth Action Committee

12 SuRVEy shows icbc claims

16 cope 378 candidates win big

health and welfare Trust

22 Staff Profile: Tony Geluch

Presidents Opening Message

COPE 378 Senior Union Representatives:

he world is changing. Work is changing. COPE 378 has to keep pace.

COPE 378 Administrative & Office Staff:

COPE 378 Local Voice is the official quarterly magazine

COPE 378 Local Voice

Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015

Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015

COPE 378 Local Voice

COPE 378 Local Voice

Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015

Top 3 reasons Income Inequality is bad for us

But some ask:

1. social problems are worse in unequal societies

2. Inequality is bad for economic growth

voLuMe 10 Issue #1 winter 2015

COPE 378 Local Voice

new bcfed President Takes on the fight for 15

bY Irene LanzInGer, bc federaTIon of Labour PresIdenT

Photo (left to right): BC Federation

Encouraged by recent wins in cities like Seattle and

am honoured and excited to take over the position

COPE 378 Local Voice

voLuMe 10 Issue #1 winter 2015

Join the campaign at www.fightfor15bc.ca

A Forward Looking Budget

n 2014 COPE 378 reworked its budgetary process

use it strategically like we use the defence fund to pay

Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015

COPE 378 Local Voice

COPE 378 Young Workers Are Excited

Everyone, however, recognizes

ne of the greatest challenges our unions Youth

COPE 378 Local Voice

Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015

Crown Corps and Jobs

ritish Columbias Crown corporations occupy a

Further to this end, Crown corporations have a substantive impact

to utilize these resources to accomplish clear public

Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015

COPE 378 Local Voice

"A Good Jobs Economy in BC" Conference

The conference was a

n November 2014, COPE 378 participated in the A

COPE 378 Local Voice

Volume 10 Issue #1 Winter 2015

survey shows Icbc claims centres

bY anneTTe ToTh, vIce-PresIdenT

n December of last year we asked our ICBC members

This is not a new issue, but these numbers are shocking.

1. Weve tabled language around workload at the

1. Take all breaks. Dont work through your breaks