With the long slow steady grind of June please accept our apologizes on the delay in getting some relevant information posted.
Hope all our members are able to enjoy some much deserved R&R this summer….
CUPE Local 411 would like to CONGRATULATE the following members in securing positions on the Executive Board during the 2022 AGM on Saturday, May 28:
The Union will be hosting a “Special Election Meeting” via Zoom on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at 6:00pm in order to elect a 1st Vice President for the remainder of that term (1-year) and to elect a new Transportation Shop Steward for a 1-year term. An email will be sent tomorrow morning to members personal emails with the appropriate link to register for the meeting.
An updated Executive Contact List will be shared out with the members as well as posted on the CUPE 411 website following Thursday’s Special Meeting.
Members in need of immediate assistance that do not have access to the necessary contact information for an Elected Representative are asked to contact the Union Office directly at 604-392-1411.
AGM Meeting Notice
Your Union Executive just wanted to remind members to check their emails for updates to outstanding concerns; the most recent being the Districts “Temporary Working Remotely Protocol” and the PHO orders on Vaccination Disclosure.
We also wanted to remind members of the Bargaining Survey that went out via email last weekend and while we have received an excellent response thus far, we would love to receive feedback from the majority of members to ensure the direction we take during negotiations is an accurate reflection of our overall membership. The survey will close at midnight on January 29, 2022 and for members that did not receive this survey via email you can contact the Union office at 604-392-1411 or unionoffice@cupe411.ca and provide the Local with your up-to-date contact information. Please be reminded that the Union will only correspond with members via their personal e-mail as all our correspondence is intended for active members only.
In Solidarity,
CUPE 411 Executive
An URGENT email was sent to all members this evening we would ask that you please take a moment to read it and if you have any questions or concerns please contact an elected Union Representative to discuss.
In Solidarity
The CUPE 411 Bargaining Team met again virtually on Friday, January 14, 2022, to attend the monthly Fraser Valley Coordinated Bargaining Committee meeting in the morning and spent the afternoon working on preparing for Local Bargaining.
To ensure the committee is focusing on the most important areas of concerns for the membership we created a local bargaining survey that was emailed out to all active members (permanent and casual) today, and we would ask that you take some time to complete the survey. It is always the Union’s goal to negotiate language that is the best interest of the members by way of new language, or enhancing existing language, and your feedback is a vital part of this process.
You may have heard talk of “Concession” or “Two-Tiered” bargaining, these are two areas of discussion that the Union does not engage in when it comes to contract negotiations. It is also worth stating that general wage increases are no longer negotiated at the Local table, this right has been taken away from us and is now decided on at the Provincial table. Unfortunately, instead of actually negotiating wages we often find ourselves forced to settle for mandates that do not even reflect annual consumer price indexing and as a result has members going backwards, instead of forwards when it comes to keeping up with the cost of living. We can only hope this round of Provincial Bargaining will see an appropriate wage increase for CUPE members!
The Union will continue to provide regular updates as we navigate the Bargaining process, but if you have any questions or concerns, we would ask that you reach out to the Elected Representative on the Bargaining Committee for your respective Division:
In Solidarity
We just wanted to take a moment and remind members that the direction the Union has received from the Employer is that all CUPE 411 Support Staff will be expected to report to work tomorrow; Tuesday, January 4, 2022, unless you have been directed otherwise by your immediate supervisor. Of course there will be some exceptions to that expectation (i.e. sick, pre-approved leave, etc.) and of course there is always the threat of inclement weather, in which case we would advise members to check the SD33 website if you suspect a closure may be in effect.
We are a bit delayed in publishing the CUPE Quarterly – December 2021 so please accept our apologizes but do take the time to have a read.
We hope all of our members were able to enjoy some well deserved quality time with family and/or friends this holiday season and we wish nothing but the best for each and every one of you on the year ahead!
In Solidarity…..
While there is still a heavy rainfall warning in effect for the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley areas we want to encourage members to stay on top of the latest alerts by way of the various websites for our region:
Some of these governing agencies offer downloadable apps for emergency notifications, while other provide up to date alerts and contact information for area residents; to use and access at your discretion.
Members can continue to monitor the Union website and private FaceBook group as we will do our best to provide updates that are time sensitive and should the need arise we may also send out notifications via your personal email.
Members that have questions or concerns about road closures and evacuation notices that may impact their ability to report to work are encouraged to reach out to an Elected Union Representative for advice and it is important the members stay connected with their Manager or Principal/Vice Principal if they cannot report to work.
Your safety and well being is our primary concern and we are committed to providing guidance and support through yet another crisis….
In Solidarity
In the wake of this week’s extreme weather event that saw power outages, roads closed, homes evacuated, and grocery stores/gas stations depleted of their resources; your Union wants the membership to know that we hope everyone has landed in a safe place. Should members have any questions about how the school closures may be impacting them then your Elected Union Reps are here to answer any questions or address concerns that you may have.
While we do not have any specific Collective Agreement language surrounding inclement weather the Chilliwack School District does have both Policy, 708 Emergency Closure, as well as Administrative Regulations, 708.3 Emergency Closure, and we would ask that you please read through each of these documents and if you still would like to discuss further kindly contact an Elected Union Representative.
We would also encourage members to visit the B.C. Government website that speaks to Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, to see if any of their programs may be of assistance.
The Canadian Government also has a website devoted to Emergency Preparedness that may have some useful information as well.
While the Local does not have the ability to provide individual support to members in the event of an emergency there may be other agencies that we are affiliated with that could be of assistance. Therefore, if members have been evacuated from their homes, or have suffered significant losses as a result of the flooding and/or landslides then we ask you to please contact the Union office directly (604-392-1411) so that we can collect your information and investigate what options might be available to you.
Your Union’s main message to all of its members is to please keep safe and allow those emergency services to do the work that they need to do in order to restore some semblance of order to our community.
In Solidarity,
CUPE 411 Executive
As Union Leaders we strive to act in the best interest of all of our members and given the current climate surrounding vaccine mandates it is important that we be clear that we are neither for nor against vaccines; our position has been and will remain that it is an individual’s choice.
Members should never feel embarrassed, ashamed, or intimidated to ask a wide variety of questions, we encourage members to consult with educated professionals and critically assess the information provided to them.
As science would suggest there are pro’s and con’s to all vaccines and it is not for the Union to debate the merits of them nor is it for us to dictate what members should do. However, the Union is firm in our position that a member’s choice on vaccination should not impact their ability to maintain employment and earn a living.
We believe in freedom of speech and thought, and that integrity of person is something we should value. Perhaps we need to give pause and remember that treating each other with respect rather than vilifying those who make different health care decisions is not only misguided but is setting a dangerously divisive position and precedent.
In Solidarity,
CUPE 411 Executive