PSAC BC Regional Newsletter for January 2014
  
Jump to: News and Political Action | Education | Meetings and EventsNews and Political Action In The News- REVP Bob Jackson, along with local veterans and workers at Veterans Affairs met with Conservative MPs in BC to discuss VAC office closures - media from Kelowna and Prince George
- "The government has made its intentions painfully clear. In 2014 it will be all hands on deck." - Robyn Benson's New Year's blog post.
- PSAC and the other federal bargaining units are preparing a legal challenge to Bill C-4 - Robyn Benson is quoted in the Globe and Mail.
Bill C-4 is now law
Committee deliberations on Bill C-4 sidetracked by Conservative members - On November 26, 2013, PSAC national president Robyn Benson testified before the House of Commons Finance Committee to explain the far-reaching consequences of the federal government’s changes to the Public Services Labour Relations Act contained within Bill C-4. Unfortunately, the Committee deliberations strayed away from an examination of the labour law changes and focused instead on issues of public service performance raised by Conservative members of parliament.
Canada Post
PSAC calls Canada Post strategy self-defeating, short-term pain for long term peril: Canada Post's plan to end urban door to door delivery while increasing postage rates is both shockingly bad business and bad for the communities the crown corporation serves.
Take Action - send an email to your MP and to Lisa Raitt, Minister responsible: tell them you oppose the plan to plan to end door-to-door mail delivery and value a public postal service.
Bargaining - it has been quiet over the holidays, updates on all the groups next month.- FB Group - The ballots have been counted and a majority of members of the Border Services group have voted in favour of the tentative agreement with Treasury Board.
- Canada Post - PSAC is of the opinion that Canada Post Corporation was not forthright with the information they shared during negotiations and are obtaining clarification about new information regarding the pension plan. We will keep you informed.
Union Education Weekend Course Schedule
Fraser Valley
Talking Union Basics, Abbotsford, Feb 1,2
Representing Members With Mental Illnesses, Abbotsford, Mar 8
Local Officers Seminar, Abbotsford, March 9
Facing Management, Abbotsford, April 12
Public Speaking, Abbotsford, April 13
Vancouver Island
Talking Union Basics, Courtenay, Feb 22,23
Talking Union Basics, Victoria, Mar 8,9
Local Officers Intro, Victoria, Mar 22
Understanding & Interpreting the CA, Victoria, April 5
Grievance Handling, Victoria, May 3,4
More information and online registration at the website.
*** We are currently scheduling courses in Vancouver, the Southern Interior, and Northern BC and will have those for you soon ***
Meetings and Events
Meet & Greet with Robyn Benson - PSAC's National President, Robyn Benson, will be in Vancouver this month. Join us at the Vancouver Regional Office on January 17th, between 5:00 and 7:00PM for an informal meet and greet with her. There is no set agenda: Robyn along with REVP Bob Jackson will be available to answer your questions or just chat about the issues that affect PSAC members.
All PSAC members in the Lower Mainland are invited - details here. Regularly Scheduled Meetings
Victoria Area Council meeting - Jan 8 - Victoria
Vancouver Island Human Rights Committee meeting - Jan 9 - Victoria
Vancouver Island Young Workers Committee meeting - Jan 13 - Victoria
Mainland BC Human Rights Committee meeting - Jan 14 - Vancouver
BC Mainland Young Workers Committee meeting - Jan 14 - Vancouver
Vancouver Regional Womens Committee AGM - Jan 15 - Vancouver
Northeast Area Council AGM - Jan 21 - Prince George
Vancouver Area Council meeting - Jan 22 - Vancouver
North Vancouver Area Council AGM - Jan 25 - Nanaimo
Okanagan Human Rights Committee meeting - Jan 25 - Kelowna
BRUSH (H&S) Committee meeting - Jan 29
Prince George Regional Womens Committee meeting - Jan 30 - Prince George
CFIA Strike Training - Dates in January, TBA - details
More information on all of these at the events calendar. | 
