local voice, july 2012

Quarterly publication for members of the Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378

Local VoiceVolume 7 | Issue #3 Summer 2012

ALSO INSIDE

Strength | Advocacy | outreach | Interconnection

Los Mineros in Mexico

BC Hydro Rates

Multicultural History

Pension Benefits in B.C.

Energy Regulators

3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by David Black

4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE TRANSlATIoNS

6 2012 PRE-CoNvENTIoN CAll

7 MEET THE NEXT GENERATIoN oF UNIoN REPS

8 loS MINERoS

10 PRESIDENT’S WoRD

11 BC HyDRo RATES A TICkING TIME BoMB

12 STAFF PRoFIlE: lINDA AllAN

13 ICBC PRoPoSAlS ARE PENNIES PER PolICy

14 ENBRIDGE PIPElINE: FEW BENEFITS AND MUCH RISk by Rob Fleming

15 BIll C-377: AN ATTACk oN lABoUR by Kennedy Stewart

16 BIll CHU’S MISSIoN: RECoNCIlING oUR HISToRy by Randy Cheung

17 PolITICAl ACTIoN REPoRT

18 CAPIlANo UNIvERSITy

19 NEW PENSIoN BENEFITS STANDARDS ACT FoR B.C.

20 BARGAINING UNIT BRIEFS

22 WoRlD FoRUM oF ENERGy REGUlAToRS

23 UNIoN REP ASSIGNMENTS

24 oRGANIzED lAUGHTER

The Courage and Dignity of miners

Pre-Convention Call

World Forum of energy Regulators

6

8

22

In This IssueCoNTENTS

Our work at the COPE 378 is finely balanced between the day-to-day operations of the union, public advo-cacy for our members, and participation in and con-

tribution to the larger union movement. The events of the last few months and the summer ahead will be no exception.

This year COPE 378 will be holding our triennial conven-tion following our Executive Board elections. On page 6 of the Local Voice you will find our pre-convention call for resolu-tions and preliminary information about the process of con-vention. These conventions present our members with an op-portunity to give the union their input and make change, as well as renewing our processes and goals. I’m looking forward to a busy and well-attended 2012 convention.

More than just the gears that propel our union, COPE 378’s union representatives pour their hearts into the advocacy they provide to our members. Part of what makes them effective is their extensive training and experience. In an effort to cultivate this talent from among our members COPE 378 began a pilot union representative training program in June to educate and prepare our members for possible future staffing needs. Learn about the program on page 7.

The pace of justice is not often swift. We experience this in the daily operations of the union – most notably in arbitrations and Labour Board hearings which can seem interminable. But sometimes incremental steps lead to big victories. I hope this will be the case for Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, leader of Mex-ico’s Los Mineros union. Thanks to recent legal victories, Go-mez is close to being able to go home after six years of exile in Canada. I was fortunate enough to attend their May conven-tion in Mexico City where Gomez was re-elected in absentia. We are featuring a story about the convention and the chal-lenges facing Mexican miners on page 8 and 9.

Our summer Issue also carries our annual Financial Report. I’m pleased to say that after last year’s worrisome fiscal outlook the union’s finances have stabilized in large part thanks to the changes we made to the Defence Fund.

There’s more inside this issue of Local Voice – our response to the BC Utilities Commission rate hear-ing cancellations, an in-depth look at the workings of a Labour-Man-agement Committee, and a pro-file of community activist Bill Chu. I invite you to read on.

President’s opening Message

USW 2009

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 and IndustriAll.

Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378, Executive Board Members:President: David BlackSecretary-Treasurer: lori Mayhewvice Presidents: Jeff Gillies (ICBC), Gwenne Farrell (Utilities), Heather lee (Combined Units)Accenture Business Services Executive Board Members: Melanie Greenlaw, Rob larsonBC Hydro Executive Board Members: Calvin Jonas, Sharon ThomasICBC Executive Board Members: yasmin Carroll, karin Cirez, Mike Ferguson, Joyce Galuska, Trevor HansenUtilities Executive Board Member (Fortis, Terasen): Tim Bouzovetsky Combined Units Executive Board Members: Colleen Finn, laurie kirk, keith Parkinson, Stephen von Sychowski, Tim Weigelt

COPE 378 Communications & Campaigns:Communications Director: Sage AaronCommunications Representative: Jarrah Hodge

COPE 378 Senior Union Representatives:Brad Bastien, Jaime zygmunt

COPE 378 Union Representatives:Jackie Brown, Carrol Edwards, vic Foth, Jack Gerow, Barry Hodson, kerrie Irving, Barbara Junker, Pat Junnila, Sarah Melsness, Glen MacInnes, Bonnie Merriman, Brian Nelson, kevin Payne, kelly Quinn, karen Rockwell, kevin Smyth

COPE 378 Administrative & Office Staff:Joanne Banfield, karen Caston, Elaine Chilman, lise Cluff, Adele Earwaker, yudon Garie, valerie leBlanc, Shelley lockhart, Carol Mcluskie, karen McRae, Amandeep Sandhu, kim Smith

COPE 378 Financial Staff: linda Allan, Sandi Malhame, Donna Morris, Barbara liang

COPE 378 Financial Controller:Wendy Ham, CGA

BC Utilities Commission Liaison and Legal Director:Jim Quail

Occupational Health & Safety & WCB Appeals:Steve Milne

Organizing:Dave McPherson (Senior Union Rep), Georgi Bates

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 voiceletters to the editor are welcome but may be edited for brevity and clarity. Please contact CoPE local 378 for permission to reprint articles, graphics, or photographs.

Address all correspondence to:CoPE 378 Communications2nd Floor, 4595 Canada WayBurnaby, BC v5G 1J9Phone: 604-299-0378Toll Free: 1-800-664-6838Fax: 604-299-8211

visit CoPE 378’s website at www.cope378.caor contact us via email at [email protected]: Sage Aaron

David Black

President, COPE 378

COPE 378 Local Voice volUME 7 Issue #3 Summer 2012 | 3

Translations

of the

President’s

Message

4 | volUME 7 Issue #3 Summer 2012 COPE 378 Local Voice

2012 Pre-Convention Call CoPE 378 CoNvENTIoN

Every three years COPE 378 holds a three-day con-vention to determine policy and political direction, consider changes to the union’s constitution, and

elect our Vice-Presidents. Our constitution defines convention as “the supreme decision-making body of the union”.

The 2012 convention will be held in Vancouver from November 15 to 17. In August all members will receive notice of convention along with a form that can be used to express interest in being a delegate to convention. The rules for delegate entitlements are laid out in the constitution, which is available on the COPE 378 web-site. Your Executive Councillors will assist in conducting local delegate elections. Even if you’re a new member you can put your name forward to serve as a delegate. Convention is a great opportunity to learn more about your union and have a say in how it runs.

Members interested in running for Executive Board will have until mid-September to submit a nomination form. The President, Secretary-Treasurer, and other board members are elected via one-member-one-vote and all members will get the chance to vote for these positions via mail in advance of convention. Vice-Presidents will be elected from these board members at Convention by delegates.

Members can also submit policy resolutions to con-vention, even if not planning to attend as a delegate.

Here’s how it works:1. Identify the issue or policy you are focusing on.2. Determine the action you would like the union

to take. This can be as simple as endorsing a pol-icy or can involve the union taking action such as forming a committee, holding an event, or adopting a major policy change.

3. Draft a succinct resolution that briefly gives background on the issue and clearly defines the action you would like COPE 378 to take.

4. Define the action/policy at the end of the resolu-tion in one or two sentences.

5. All resolutions must be sent to the Execu-tive Board, c/o Karen Caston, Assistant to the President at [email protected]. Make sure you clearly note your name and workplace on the resolution. All resolutions must be received by August 17, 2012.

If there are any issues with any resolutions you sub-mit, someone from the union office will contact you.

We need your voice so COPE 378 can continue to grow as a strong, representative organization.

ExpENSE pOLIcy REmINDER Last December your Executive Council passed a

resolution placing a time limit on the period COPE 378 staff and members have to file for reimbursement of union-related expenses. The revised policy states that “claims should be submitted within 30 days of the day the expenses were incurred. If claims are not submitted within 120 days of being incurred, they will not be paid.”

Please be mindful of timelines and ensure you sub-mit expense claims with documentation and on time, using the Standard Expense Claim which can be down-loaded from the COPE 378 website under the “About” tab, then go to the “General Membership Forms” tab. This assists our financial staff in their bookkeeping and the union in its financial planning.

The Convention

Dates for 2012:

November 15 to 17


UNIoN EDUCATIoN

Training the Next Generation of Advocates

David Black

The path to becoming a union representative isn’t clearly laid out like the paths to many other ca-reers. Children don’t talk about working for a

union the same way they dream about one day becom-ing doctors, teachers or police, and it’s an option not often found on high school aptitude tests.

Most reps find their way into the union office from the membership through their activism. Many of the foundational skills needed by a union rep are what COPE 378 teaches their stewards: how to listen, how to be analytical and fair, and how to effectively advocate for union members.

The COPE 378 leadership recognised there was a need for a formal process to take stewards and activ-ists to the next step – to train the next generation of COPE 378 union representatives and to ensure the union has a pool of ready and capable talent to draw from. As an answer, COPE 378 launched a pilot educational pro-gram in late spring of 2012 and the trainees will have graduated by the time this Local Voice hits doorsteps.

The union asked for applicants from among its job stewards and Executive Councilors. The criteria for se-lection demanded a minimum of Job Stewards Level 1 and 2 training as well as strong office skills and a dem-onstrated understanding of the labour movement’s goals and values.

The education committee was very pleasantly sur-prised by the enthusiastic response from the job stew-ards and Councillors. Twenty-three people applied in total from a wide range of COPE 378’s bargaining units. Of that group six were selected for the short list which was winnowed down, with great difficulty, to three ap-plicants - Stephen Von Sychowski from Coast Mountain Bus Company, Trevor Hansen from ICBC and Ingrid Er-icson from the BC Federation of Labour.

A fourth trainee position was set aside in a parallel process from the car rental bargaining units. Cathy Hi-rani was selected for that spot. The car rental units have

an education fund in their collective agreements which was earmarked for this program.

“It’s very interesting,” said Ingrid Ericson. “I’m job shadowing now and every day I deal with something different. I’m learning a lot.”

Trevor Hansen agreed. “It’s also good experience for us to work outside of the bargaining units we came from. Some issues are more common in some work-sites than others.”

Cathy Hirani, who is only working with the car rent-al units, saw the advantage in working with a familiar group. “I know most people on both the member and employer sides. So we can start from a point of trust,” she said. “The rep training is giving me the extra juice I need to take things further and solve more problems.”

By the end of the program the trainee reps will be able to take grievances up to the arbitration level. They will have had spent much time using the union’s da-tabase UnionWare, COPE 378 internal procedures, the Quick Law and Canada Law libraries, as well as Lancast-er House, a labour law reference and teaching service.

At the end of the program the trainees will be given feedback through an evaluation and exit interview. The education committee will also incorporate suggestions into future programs.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” said Stephen Von Sychowski. “Even if we don’t become full-time reps, we broaden the union’s skills base and we’ll be even more effective in our worksites. It’s a great program and I hope it continues.”

“I’m job shadowing

now and every

day I deal with

something

different. I’m

learning a lot.”

– Ingrid Ericson

The COPE 378 leadership recognised there was

a need for a formal process to take stewards

and activists to the next step – to train the next

generation of COPE 378 union representatives.


Opening Ceremonies The bus carrying guests from several different coun-

tries was greeted by a phalanx of chanting Mexican min-ers when it pulled up to the Los Mineros headquarters. Fists in the air and smiles on their faces, the approxi-mately 1,000 delegates to the 37th National Los Mineros Convention raised their voices in unison for a loud and impressive display of union pride and solidarity.

The 300,000-member union, also known as El Sin-dicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros y Metalúrgicos de México (SNTMM), had ample reason to celebrate. Af-ter several years of persecution and slander, the union had won a succession of legal victories culminating in a Supreme Court ruling stating the Ministry of Labour could not declare Napoleon Gomez Urrutia ineligible to assume the union’s leadership as Secretary General. This legal recognition (toma de nota) of Gomez’ elected position had been long fought for since charges were brought against the union leader in 2006.

Del Norte, a Sur (From North to SouthDel Este a Oeste From East to WestGanaremos esta lucha We will win this fightCueste lo que cueste Cost what it may)

The saga begins with the 2006 explosion at the Pas-ta de Conchos mine in the state of Coahuila. The mine was and is owned still by the well-connected mining giant, Grupo Mexico. The union had warned that safety standards were plummeting. After the explosion, which killed 65 miners, Gomez publicly decried the tragedy as “industrial homicide.” Shortly thereafter the federal government accused Gomez of misappropriating the union’s funds and he was forced to take refuge in Can-ada to avoid jail.

Since then, Los Mineros have been carefully un-tangling the net woven around Gomez which prevents him from returning home. The union’s legal team has successfully challenged the charges against him in five appellate courts and have proven that all of the union’s funds remain with the union. Despite only recently win-ning legal recognition Gomez has been re-elected by

his union throughout his exile. These struggles have el-evated Gomez from a capable, compassionate leader to a symbol for his union and others of the persecution faced by those who advocate for worker and human rights against an aggressively right wing government.

La gente se pregunta (People ask themselvesY esos quiénes son? Who are those guys?Son los Mineros They are Los MinerosEstán con Napoleon They are with Napoleon)

Gomez is not able to safely travel home yet. An ar-rest warrant remains outstanding. But the members gathered for the convention on May 4 clearly felt their final victory would soon be within reach.

The almost operatic injustice of Los Mineros’ struggle has attracted support from across the world. International guests at the convention included trade union leaders from the United States, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Argentina, Norway and Canada. COPE 378 was represented by President David Black, past President Andy Ross and Communications Director Sage Aaron. Also in attendance, defying the stereotype of a militant, uncompromising union, were representatives from several companies that have col-lective agreements with Los Mineros.

Los Mineros boast of a success rate unknown to many of Mexico’s so-called “protection” unions. In 2011 they claimed average wage increases for their members of 14 per cent. Despite his exile, Gomez retains over-sight of contract negotiations from Burnaby, B.C.

When Gomez’ face flickered onto the screens hung in the union hall to address the delegates via inter-net link, the only thing that broke the loud and joyous chanting from the delegates was when a twelve-piece mariachi band was ushered in to serenade their Secre-tary General with songs from his homeland. Obviously deeply moved Gomez thanked the delegates and all the guests for their support. During his address Gomez re-turned again and again to remark on the stoicism, dig-nity and honour he sees in the union’s members, and on which he draws as inspiration.

The Courage and Dignity of Miners loS MINERoS

“Es un honor,

estar con

Napoleon!

Es un honor,

estar con

Napoleon!”

It’s an honour

to stand with

Napoleon!

It’s an honour

to stand with

Napoleon!


Napoleon no se vende (Napoleon won’t sell outNapoleon no se va Napoleon won’t go awayporque tiene Mineros Because he has greatCon much dignidad respect for Los Mineros)

The speakers at the convention opening ranged the globe from Ken Neumann, the Canadian National Di-rector for the United Steelworkers to Geneva-based Ke-mal Özkan, from the International Federation of Chemi-cal, Energy, Mine and General Workers Unions. Each and every one tied their mission to that of Los Mineros. They recognized that unions face the same globalized employers, and saw that to raise the standard of liv-ing for one group benefits the whole. “If a government makes is illegal to stand up for human rights, I am guilty of this crime,” declared Özkan to roars of appreciation from the delegates.

Mineros unidos (Mineros unitedJamás serán vencidos Will never be defeated)

Excellon’s Protection The following day the international guests met with

a worker from the La Platosa mine in Durango. The mine is owned by a Canadian company, Excellon.

Speaking slowly for the benefit of the translator, the man described the working conditions they face. After descending into the mines with tunnels most don’t trust to be safe, they choke on diesel fumes trapped in the tun-nels due to lack of ventilation. Many of the workers at the mine are also local landowners who say they are stuck in exploitative leases with Excellon. “We want to work,” he said. “We don’t want the mine to go away. We need to work.” After a co-worker was killed in the mine by a rock fall, a group of Excellon workers approached Los Mineros to fight for safe and fairly compensated work.

To their shock, they found they were already mem-bers of a union, one of Mexico’s notorious company or “protection” unions.

Ben Davis, the United Steelworkers Director of Inter-national Affairs, was facilitating the session and explained this was common. Workers often aren’t given collective agreements or what documents they do get lack wage scales. The workers don’t know who their union repre-sentatives are or how to contact them. The Ministry of Labour is starting to upload agreements but only at the federal level and the website is difficult to search. Asking the Labour Board for a copy of a collective agreement carries its own risk—the Board will let companies know about the request and the worker can be fired.

Los Mineros and Mexico’s other democratic, inde-pendent unions stand in stark contrast to the shadowy protection unions.

The Music Fades and the Work ContinuesThe landowners and workers at La Platosa have filed a

complaint against Excellon under the Organisation for Eco-nomic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for multinational companies. The complaint is co-signed by the Canadian Labour Congress, United Steelworkers, MiningWatch Canada, Los Mineros and the Project for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for Mexico.

This is the second complaint filed. The first was to the Canadian Extractive Corporate Social Responsibility Coun-sellor in 2011. That complaint exposed the deep flaws in that model of accountability: the Counsellor made two trips to Durango to assess the complaint and talk to Excel-lon—Excellon simply pulled out of the process.

The landowners and workers are hopeful the OECD complaint will be processed in Canada, where they believe they will have a better chance of success.

Elected at the convention for a seventh time, Gomez remains, for now, in British Columbia. Due to a Mexican warrant he was unable to travel to the founding congress of the global union federation IndustriALL, to which COPE 378 is also affiliated.

loSMINERoS

“Napoleon’s absence was felt at the

IndustriALL founding congress but I

was very glad to see the Los Mineros

delegates,” said COPE 378 President

David Black. “Global solidarity is part of

how we will get him home.”

COPE 378 and

Los Mineros are

both affiliated

to IndustriALL,

a global union

federation

dedicated to

challenging

multinational

companies and

negotiating

with them on a

global level.


No Summer Slow-Down for CoPE 378PRESIDENT’SWoRD

By PRESIDENT DAvID BlACk

The rhythm of work generally takes on a slower cadence during the summer for many of our em-ployers. Quite a few of our members go on vaca-

tion with their families. For COPE 378, this summer is shaping up to be one of the busiest on record.

The preparations for the COPE 378’s 2012 conven-tion are already well underway. The convention will be held from November 15 to 17. At the convention del-egates will debate resolutions advanced by individual members and committees, and they will also elect three Vice Presidents from the Executive Board. The Execu-tive Board will be elected by mail-in ballot one month before our convention, along with the President and Secretary-Treasurer.

As per the COPE 378 Constitution, “Convention is the supreme authority of the Union, subject to the pro-visions of this Constitution.” It’s an extraordinary oppor-tunity to engage with other union members in the in-ner workings of our union. I encourage everyone who is able to participate.

In addition to preparing for the 2012 convention, the union office is busy managing and co-ordinating job action at our largest bargaining unit, ICBC. This past spring has been a veritable rollercoaster with ICBC – before we had even finished our strike vote (which concluded with a strong 87 per cent strike mandate) the Corporation had applied for essen-tial service status. We are currently taking job ac-tion under an interim, without prejudice, order imposed by the Labour Board, and will continue to argue against the essential services application throughout the summer. As the Local Voice is go-ing to press, we have begun a ban on overtime,

part of the targeted and strategic action we will be taking to pressure ICBC back to the table.

The provincial government is happy taking divi-dends unchecked from both ICBC and BC Hydro. At BC Hydro this practice ignores the debt hidden in

the deferral accounts. In a move that stunned most observers the provincial government imposed Hydro rates well below what the BC Utilities Commission was considering, thereby guaranteeing a future govern-ment will inherit a mountainous rate increase—or risk BC Hydro’s financial stability. We may not know when the final bill will be due, but we do know that Hydro ratepayers will eventually have to pay it, and the longer it’s delayed, the more it’s going to cost. Throughout the summer COPE 378 will be reinvigorating our anal-ysis of energy issues and visioning a way forward out of the quagmire in which BC Hydro has been placed by the BC Liberal government.

Also this summer we will be working with the larger labour movement to track and push back on Bill C-377. While C-377 may seem at first glance innocuous, in re-ality it greatly and unnecessarily increases the burden of reporting on trade unions far in excess of what federal regulations demand of other organizations. Moreover, C-377 ignores the fact that unions must make available audited financial statements to all of their members (ours are included in this issue of the Local Voice) and file these statements with the federal and provincial La-bour Boards. If passed, the added costs of this bill will have to be passed on to COPE members.

And the day-to-day business of the union never ends. Each day we support our Executive Councillors and job stewards to be the advocates you need in the workplace, and work with our union reps to police your collective agreements to ensure your rights are protect-ed. Our bargaining committees are hard at work with proposals to strengthen and improve your agreements. Our organizers are reaching out to workers who don’t enjoy the protection of a union to invite them to join COPE 378.

It’s fine by me if our employers slow down this sum-mer. We will keep working hard, training, researching, preparing and organizing to win.

Included in

this issue of

Local Voice

is the 2011

Financial

Report

David Black

“It’s [Convention 2012] an

extraordinary opportunity to

engage with other union members

in the inner workings of our union.”

Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378www.COPE378.ca

Annual Financial Report2011

www.COPE378.ca

Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378www.COPE378.ca


www.COPE378.ca


Despite the BC Liberal government’s history of mismanaging BC Hydro, there are things even the most cynical among us never thought they

would do. Taking BC Hydro’s rate increase out of the oversight

of the independent BC Utilities Commission was one of those things. Sure, they’d exempted other big policies and infrastructure projects, including IPPs and the bil-lion-dollar Smart Meter Initiative, but they’d drawn criti-cism for these moves and Hydro rates are firmly within the BCUC’s jurisdiction.

But early in June that’s exactly what the govern-ment did by placing a cap on Hydro rates at 17 per cent over the next three years and, in effect, cancelling the BCUC rate hearings. The BCUC had already approved an interim rate higher than what the government was comfortable with. Premier Christy Clark and Energy Minister Rich Coleman were likely terrified the BCUC would put forward a substantially larger increase to pay down BC Hydro’s ballooning deferral accounts and the legacy of “self-sufficiency” purchases of expensive pri-vate power from IPPs. There was no way to view the rate cap except as a cynical attempt to obscure a de-cade of BC Liberal mismanagement of our public utility.

Though Christy Clark tried to characterize the move as part of her “families first” agenda, it was criticized by media and policy experts from all sides. The punditry viewed it the move as what it clearly was—political ma-nipulation of what is supposed to be an independent process and an arm’s length regulatory body. COPE 378 joined energy experts like Marvin Shaffer and John Cal-vert in pointing out that this will mean rates will only increase even more down the road—not coincidental-ly—after the next provincial election.

“The government cannot reverse the costs and losses it has already imposed on BC Hydro. Rate freez-es only mask, they do not undo what has been done,” Shaffer told the Vancouver Sun.

John Calvert and Canadian Centre for Policy Alter-native’s economist Marc Lee drew attention to the gov-ernment’s burgeoning energy commitments to large industry, noting that by capping rate increases, “Once the 2013 election is over, whoever forms B.C.’s new government will inherit an enormous problem.”

The people of B.C. still deserve to know what con-clusions the BCUC was going to draw from its hearings and their analysis of Hydro’s financial evidence. Those of us working on these issues at COPE 378 believe the BCUC was going to come out and tell the public that the costs of government policies could no longer be hidden or delayed. If this was not the case, the govern-ment would have had no motivation to step in.

What we were prevented from learning was the full picture of our public utility’s finances and the extent to which the government has endangered what was once one of the most efficient, well-run, and profitable public utilities on the continent. What we did learn is not to un-derestimate the lengths to which this government will go to cover up the consequences of their policies.

Hydro Rates Now a Ticking Time Bomb, Set to Go off After Election BC HyDRo

“The government cannot reverse the costs and losses it has already imposed on BC Hydro. Rate freezes

only mask, they do not undo what has been done,” – Marvin Shaffer in the Vancouver Sun

... Placing a cap on Hydro rates at 17% over the next three years and,

in effect, cancelling the BCUC rate hearings...

By GWENNE FARREll, vICE PRESIDENT


linda AllanSTAFF PRoFIlE

Linda Allan

Linda first joined the union’s staff in 1976

There are few mem-bers, and fewer staff, who have been with

COPE 378 as long as Linda Allan. A COPE 378 mem-ber herself once, Linda began as an administrative staffer in BC Hydro’s elec-trical department in 1974 before joining the union’s staff in 1976.

This summer, Linda re-tired after nearly 30 years of service to COPE 378

(not counting a six year absence she spent raising her children). During her time with the union the admin staff moved from using one single Quantel networked computer to the current fully modern office set-up. She has driven from her home in Tsawwassen to work at three different office locations over the years – the first on Kingsway in Vancouver across from the ICBC claims office, the second on Imperial Street in Burnaby and the third and current location across from BCIT on Canada Way – and she worked under six different lo-cal presidents. When Linda started as one of only two admin staff, the Office and Technical Employees Union, local 378 (as the union was then known) had only about 5,000 members.

Over the years Linda moved from the administrative department, where she helped the union representa-tives manage the paperwork associated with their jobs and generally kept the office functioning, over to the finance department. Her attention to detail has served her well in her role as Payroll Clerk for the union staff – Linda processed all the purchase orders and invoices approved for payment by the union, all the expense claims submitted by members, plus a variety of other related financial duties. She was Columbia Hydro Con-

structors’ contact for dispatching members to work on dam sites and administered their hour banks for their health, benefits and pension plans.

But it’s not just her duties and physical surroundings that have changed since she first started with COPE 378. Linda watched as the union asserted its independence from the International in 2004 to become a fully au-tonomous Canadian union. She’s seen the staff expand from just a handful of employees to over 40 full time staff. The membership has changed too—it’s grown and diversified as COPE 378 has organized to extend its protection to new worksites, and when it merged with sister local COPE 15.

When asked to reflect on what else has changed over her time with the union, Linda offered some inter-esting insights. “The culture of the union has changed too,” she noted. “We’re more political, more activist. You can see that reflected in the committees. We have strong, vital and busy committees like the Youth Action Committee and the Multicultural Committee.”

She laughed when asked what had changed the least, and replied, “We’re still challenging the employers to bargain fairly and honestly, and to treat their employ-ees with respect. Some of the meat and potatoes of this work never changes.”

Linda is joining her husband in retirement and to-gether they plan on doing many of the things many couples do with their well-earned time after work: per-fecting their swings at the local golf course and travel-ing abroad. A horse fanatic, Linda is also looking forward picking up her equestrian hobby. But most importantly she is eager to spend more time with her grandchildren in Kelowna.

The staff and elected officers at COPE 378 wish Lin-da well in her retirement and thank her for her long and dedicated years of service.

Now retired after nearly 30 years of service to COPE 378

30 YeARS


By JEFF GIllIES, vICE PRESIDENT

Despite Proposals Costing Pennies Per Policy, ICBC Resorts to Essential Services Application ICBC

ICBC is raking in profits and everyone (auto body shops, lawyers, business partners and the government) is seeing the benefits; everyone except the drivers and workers who have helped make ICBC so profitable.

Instead of working with us in good faith to resolve key issues, ICBC delayed as long as possible. When con-fronted with our strong vote for job action they tried to claim our workers are an “essential service”, which under legislation means that our striking would result in “immediate and serious danger to the health, safety or welfare of the residents of British Columbia.” It was a surprisingly unreasonable response to what we’d been asking for.

We took a step back and did some extra research to make sure we were crystal clear on what our bargain-ing proposals would mean for ICBC. Far from being an unmanageable burden on the Corporation, we found even more evidence to support the reasonableness of our proposals.

Our research took a more in-depth look at the value of the services ICBC is providing to the government for free, including licensing, registration and fine collection. This will likely be expanded further as the government asks our workers to issue Care Cards and collect fines for TransLink.

However, despite our workers being asked to pro-vide more services, we are still facing a potential reduc-tion of a few hundred positions as a result of the Trans-formation Program. We found ICBC’s updated forecasts seem to include no significant savings as a result of the program’s implementation, despite the fact the pro-gram is projected to cost $190 million by 2014.

Some key facts from our research:• Each year, ICBC offers more than $50 million

dollars worth of driving licensing services to the Government of British Columbia for free. By 2014 this number is expected to grow to $60 million dollars. If you count administration fees, vehicle licensing and administration and fine collection, this number is more than $110 mil-lion per year, and expected to grow.

• Drivers and workers don’t need to fight over the crumbs. ICBC could reduce each Optional insurance policy by $35 without threatening the Corporation’s financial well-being, and still agree to COPE378’s bargaining proposals.

• ICBC expects to give the Government of British Columbia between $100 and $180 million dol-lars each of the next three years, simply because it has the extra money. COPE 378’s bargaining proposals would only reduce each free dollar that ICBC provides to the provincial govern-ment general coffers each year by 16-27 cents.

We’re not asking for the moon. We want ICBC to continue to be strong, sustainable, and public. But the evidence backs us up: ICBC’s profits need to and can easily be distributed more equitably so drivers and workers get to share in the corporation’s success.

Throughout our attempts to bargain with ICBC over the past year, we’ve said we’re only asking for a fair and reasonable deal for our workers. Our wages

have been frozen and are slipping in relation to cost of living and we deserve better job security as ICBC moves forward with the Transformation Program.

2012

$ $2014

$50million

$60million

ICBC offers driving

licensing services

to the Government

of British Columbia

every year for free

The ICBC bargaining committee (left to right):

Trevor Hansen, Karin Cirez,

Jaime Zygmunt and Jeff Gillies

Not pictured: Yasmin Carroll and Mike Ferguson


International trade and responsible resource extrac-tion are essential to our economy. They create good-paying jobs and vital communities. Across British

Columbia, there are a number of examples of sound, community-endorsed projects, like the natural gas pipeline in the north, for which New Democrats have voiced their support.

But this is not the case with Enbridge’s contro-versial Northern Gateway Pipeline (NGP) project. The NGP proposal, which is currently under review by the National Energy Board, will carry 525,000 barrels of oil and 193,000 barrels of liquid condensate daily between Edmonton and Kitimat, and will bring approximately 225 oil tankers to the north coast every year to transport the oil to foreign destinations.

The NGP has the potential for significant and long-term negative impacts on British Columbia’s economy, environment, and social and cultural fabric. Under the Enbridge proposal, British Columbia would assume al-most all the project’s risk, yet would see only a fraction of the benefits.

Despite these significant impacts, the Liberal gov-ernment remains silent on the proposal.

In contrast, the BC New Democrat Official Oppo-sition caucus has formally registered its opposition to Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Project with the Nation-al Energy Board’s Joint Review Panel. New Democrat leader Adrian Dix sent a clear message that such a high-risk, low-return approach simply isn’t in B.C.’s interests.

There is a growing chorus of those opposed to En-bridge’s plans. Businesses in the regions affected, from tourism to hunting and fishing outfits to small local shops, are against it. The Union of B.C. Municipalities re-soundingly passed a motion opposing the project. And my caucus colleagues Skeena MLA Robin Austin, Sti-

kine MLA Doug Donaldson and North Coast MLA Gary Coons, are also participating in the Joint Review Panel’s process, representing communities like Terrace, Prince Rupert and Smithers, which are among those who have the most to lose in a catastrophic spill.

While this project is in Northern B.C., it affects us all. As the Official Opposition, we take our responsibility to represent and protect the interests of British Columbia seriously. We have listened to the concerns and diverse perspectives of constituents throughout the province and we have met with stakeholders and experts about the Enbridge pipeline.

We feel strongly that the environmental, economic, and social risks associated with the project simply out-weigh the benefits. We encourage the BC Liberal govern-ment to finally tell the people of B.C. where they stand on this issue which will determine what kind of world we leave to our children and our grandchildren.

PRovINCIAl PolITICS

Rob Fleming, MLA, Victoria-Swan Lake

Enbridge Pipeline: Few Benefits and Much Risk

By RoB FlEMING, MlA, vICToRIA – SWAN lAkEoFFICIAl oPPoSITIoN ENvIRoNMENT CRITIC

1. The NGP provides few long-term, sustainable economic benefits

for B.C.;

2. Canadian consumers will see increased Canadian oil prices;

3. B.C.’s coastline will be at serious risk of devastating environmental

and economic damage from oil spills;

4. The pipeline will traverse highly valued areas of B.C., putting valuable

environments and species, such as salmon, at risk;

5. Many First Nations communities whose culture, way of life and

livelihoods depend on clean water and a living environment would

be most severely affected by an oil spill and have opposed the NGP;

6. Greenhouse gas emissions generated by NGP-related oil sands

development will contribute to the costs of climate change.

NEW DEMoCRATS HAvE SIX kEy CoNCERNS WITH THE PRoJECT

525,000BARRELS OF OIL between Edmonton and Kitimat per day

225OIL TANKERS to the north coast per year to transport oil to foreign destinations


By kENNEDy STEWART, MEMBER oF PARlIAMENT FoR BURNABy-DoUGlAS, oFFICIAl oPPoSITIoN CRITIC FoR SCIENCE & TECHNoloGy

Bill C-377: An Attack on labour

FEDERAl PolITICS

All Canadians, whether or not they belong to a la-bour union, should be aware of Bill C-377 - An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Requirements for

Labour Organizations). This private members’ bill was brought to the House of Commons by Conservative BC MP Russ Hiebert last December. It is currently before the Standing Committee on Finance. As this short com-mentary explains, this bill is not about accountability and transparency, but rather a direct Conservative at-tack on the Canadian labour movement.

At its core, Bill C-377 requires trade unions to pub-licly disclose their financial activity. If passed, this new law will force labour unions to disclose all financial transactions to the federal government — everything from office supply purchases to salaries — greatly in-creasing the burden of reporting for union leaders and staff. In addition to creating piles of extra paperwork for union staff, opponents say the bill would violate the pri-vacy rights of the many individuals and companies that do business with labour organizations.

In our view, these new measures are entirely un-necessary. In Canada’s trade union movement, financial statements are audited, and reported to elected boards of directors, to all union locals and to delegates, at con-vention [COPE 378’s audited statements are also includ-ed in this issue of the Local Voice - Ed.]. Annual audited statements are filed with both provincial and federal labour boards. The Canada Labour Code requires finan-cial statements be available to members. Where those statements are not routinely provided to all members, individual union members can request them from their locals, and directly from labour boards. Clearly the pro-cess is already open, fair, democratic and accountable.

C-377 promotes a dangerous and unprecedented move to advance the government’s agenda of under-mining the balance of labour relations in Canada by tip-ping the scales overwhelmingly in favour of employers. This is agenda is similar to that forwarded by the Bush Republicans in the United States. According to Newt Gingrich, one of the leading members of the ideologi-cal right in the United States, these types of measures “weaken our opponents and encourage our allies”.

However, even the Republicans did not go nearly as far as Harper intends with C-377. For instance, the US laws only cover national unions and national union associations. C-377 will cover every single union or-ganization in Canada - even some of the union trusts set up around health and safety and the environment. It covers every level of union organization, including COPE 378.

C-377 fails to recognize trade unions are already profoundly democratic and accountable institutions. The leadership is elected by the membership, and serves at the pleasure of those members. The relation-ship between a union’s leadership and its members is one of transparency and accountability. A union is ac-countable to its members, just as comparable not-for-profit–and tax-exempt–entities, like think tanks, profes-sional associations and trade boards, are accountable to their members.

With this legislation, the government is once again breaching the bounds of fundamental fairness by de-manding that trade unions release their financial in-formation to the public. Importantly, it is only trade unions that will be required to do so. Entities like the Canadian Federation of In-dependent Business, the Law Society, and the Fra-ser Institute – all of whom enjoy the same kind of tax-exempt status, will not be required to.

The NDP will fight against Bill C-377 in Par-liament and we urge you to do the same. Please contact us or your union’s leadership to see how you can help.

Kennedy Stewart,

Member of

Parliament for

Burnaby-Douglas

“C-377 promotes a dangerous and unprecedented move to advance the government’s

agenda ... by tipping the scales overwhelmingly in favour of employers.”

– Kennedy Stewart


Bill Chu’s Mission: Reconciling our History

MUlTI- CUlTURAlCoMMITTEE

Bill Chu is probably one of the most tireless volunteers out there working to facilitate the research, publication, and teaching of the

pages of missing history about various minority communities. He diligently works to help gain reconciliation for minority communities which have historically experienced discrimination. As Chair of the non-profit group Canadians for

Reconciliation he has worked to raise awareness of the important contributions early Chinese-Canadians and Aboriginal people made to the province we live in today.

Chinese-Canadians grew food and built roads for miners and explorers during the Cariboo gold rush in the 1850s. They worked in canneries, coal mines on the coast, and of course were instrumental in building the Canadian Pacific Railway, during which they were paid less and given more dangerous jobs than white labour-ers. As soon as the railway was completed, the federal government instituted harsh anti-Chinese immigration policies including a head tax for new immigrants.

First Nations people worked in many of the same industries as Chinese immigrants, and around the same time also experienced government policies aimed at assimilation, such as banning the potlatch and remov-ing children to residential schools where they were not allowed to speak their own languages or observe First Nations customs.

Chu is committed to working with all groups: all levels of government, multicultural and First Nations organizations, community groups and unions. “It’s a process of reconciliation,” he says, “and I hope we can invite the unions to participate.”

In the past, B.C. unions were complicit in discrimi-nation against Chinese labourers in B.C. Unions, hav-ing formed an Asiatic Exclusion League - whose stated purpose was “to keep Oriental immigrants out of Brit-ish Columbia” - were a driving force behind the 1907 Anti-Chinese riots in Vancouver. Rioters marched to Chinatown, attacking local residents and smashing storefront windows.

“It’s a difficult but necessary part of our history to face up to,” said COPE 378 David Black. “Most unions now rec-ognize that we need to fight racism, include all members,

and work with any marginalized workers to improve their rights. It’s part of the principle that what we wish for our-selves, we desire for all. But there’s still work to do and part of that is being accountable for our history.”

Two representatives from COPE 378’s Multicultural Committee will be joining Chu on a two-day bus tour of Chinese and Aboriginal historical sites in the Fraser Canyon later this year. The participants will also raise donations for on-reserve food banks and meet with First Nations leadership.

Another way of getting the message out our diverse history is to improve the school curriculum here in B.C. In April, Canadians for Reconciliation saw the BC School Trustees Association pass a resolution they were promot-ing: “whereby the BCSTA requests the Ministry of Educa-tion to review and incorporate the history of Indigenous People and British Columbians of Chinese descent into the learning objectives of B.C. school curriculum. This includes their contributions and recognizes the adverse effects of B.C.’s policies on their communities.”

“We’re not trying to change history, but say that this piece of history happened on Canadian soil and it mat-ters to all of us,” said Chu.

Until the provincial government makes changes, though, awareness has to come one person at a time. Chu often donates time to speak to high school stu-dents on these issues.

Chu states, “We have to honour the people that came before us and try to enlighten the bigger public by letting that history be known so we don’t make the same mistakes again.”

By RANDy CHEUNG, MUlTICUlTURAl CoMMITTEE Co-CHAIR

“We’re not trying to change history, but say that this piece of

history happened on Canadian soil and it matters to all of us.”

– Bill Chu

CHINESE

& FIRST

NATIoNS

... putting

together

the missing

history in our

multicultural

Canadian

history

Bill Chu drumming

at the Downtown

East Side Women’s

Memorial March


Thomas Mulcair Faces Budget Bill

PolITICAlACTIoNREPoRT

By JEFF GIllIES, vICE PRESIDENT

“In short,

we will have

fewer jobs,

many will

need to work

longer to be

able to retire,

corporations

still fail to

pay their fair

share and we

will receive

diminished

services from

government.”

– Jeff GilliesThis spring the federal NDP elected a new Leader, Thomas Mulcair. President David Black and I at-tended the NDP convention in Toronto in March.

After a nail biting run-off, Mulcair beat Brian Topp on the fourth ballot, with Mulcair claiming just over 57 per cent of the votes cast. Overall, it was an excellent con-vention. There were some problems with the electronic voting that made for a long day, but despite the mara-thon session, the convention floor rallied passionately around Mulcair when the results were announced.

Mulcair was only on the job for a few of days when Harper’s Conservatives tabled Bill C-38, the federal budget bill. There’s really nothing but bad news for workers in this budget. Bill C-38 announced an increase to the age of eligibility for Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) from 65 to 67, to be phased in between 2023 and 2029. This means anyone born after 1962 will have to wait until 67 to get any OAS benefits.

The Conservatives argue that the increased cost of the OAS and GIS program with an aging population is too large. The facts show otherwise. The program costs as a share of Gross Domestic Product are forecast to increase from 2.36 per cent in 2011, to a modest peak of 3.14 per cent in 2030, after which the costs will fall. Many experts have noted that there is no real affordabil-ity issue, and the increase in the retirement age seems mainly intended to force lower income workers to stay in the workforce longer.

The Conservatives argue that OAS and GIS are unaf-fordable if we keep the age at 65; however, they con-tinue to provide tax breaks to corporations (that are not investing in the Canadian economy and are, in fact, sit-ting on almost $500 billion of surplus cash). This year alone corporate tax cuts will cost Canadians $13 billion in lost revenue. When the Conservatives’ took office, the corporate tax rate was at 21 per cent. It’s now dropped to 15 per cent. Even if it were still 21 per cent, Canada would still have the lowest corporate tax rate among the group of G7 countries. The Conservative’s assertion that GIS and OAS payment at age 65 is unaffordable is ridiculous. It is affordable and it would be easily afford-able—if we were taxing corporations properly.

Equally disconcerting in this budget were the very deep job cuts to the federal public sector. Over 19,000 federal government employees will lose their jobs as a direct result of the budget cuts. Another 30,000 private sector and not-for-profit jobs supported by government purchases of goods and services will be stamped out.

In short, we will have fewer jobs, many will need to work longer to be able to retire, corporations still fail to pay their fair share and we will receive diminished ser-vices from government.

However, there is hope. A number of polls fielded since Thomas Mulcair became leader of the NDP have put the Official Opposition ahead of the Conservatives in public support. As of press time for the Local Voice the NDP have 36 per cent support – four points above the Conservatives. As far as leaders are concerned, Thomas Mulcair is Canadians’ top choice, with 41 per cent support. Obviously, it’s a long way until the next federal election in 2015 but the Political Action Com-mittee will be working to convince our members that a vote for the NDP is a vote for a party that supports working families.


Capilano University: Anatomy of a labour Management Committee

CoMBINED UNITS

By HEATHER lEE, vICE PRESIDENT

Like many workplaces, Capilano University has a La-bour-Management committee that meets regularly to dialogue about workplace issues important to

the union, the employer or both parties. When Labour-Management committees work well

they can anticipate and prevent problems within work-places. The union and employer representatives bring up areas of concern and, in an ideal scenario, work col-laboratively towards solutions that fit the needs of both sides as best as possible.

Different worksites have different names for their Labour-Management committees but their purpose re-mains the same. At Capilano University the committee is called the Joint Standing Committee.

For several years now the Capilano University Joint Standing Committee has functioned as a near ideal model. The committee is attended by a union represen-tative and the three Executive Councillors at Capilano for the union. Those positions are currently held by Sar-ah Melsness from COPE 378, Brenda Meyers from the Marketing Department, Brenda Rovener from Finance and Clay Little, Capilano’s First Nations liaison. The vice president of Human Resources and two HR managers traditionally attend on behalf of the employer.

The Capilano com-mittee has made ef-forts to be truly proac-tive and work beyond the scope of traditional Labour Relations man-dates. One example stands out: following the Virginia Tech mas-sacre in the States in 2007, where a student opened fire on cam-

pus, killing 32 people and wounding 17 more, school safety under catastrophic and extreme circumstances rocketed to the top of the agenda.

Capilano at that time had little in the way of a plan or systems that would deal with a similar situation, or some other untold emergency other than a fire or earthquake. The university held fire drills annually and had trained fire wardens from both the union and man-agement side, but had nothing that would enable quick communication and implementation of a crisis plan.

In this period of heightened awareness the union and Human Resources sat down as the Joint Standing Committee and asked, “How can we–together—keep everyone on this campus healthy and safe?”

The committee examined a variety of solutions in-cluding “hot” phones for each room, TV screens in high traffic areas, auto-dial phone messages to all phones, in-creased emergency signage throughout the campus and more frequent contact with North Vancouver RCMP. As a group they researched what other post-secondary insti-tutions were doing in the wake of the shootings.

The committee also manages practical matters re-lating to the collective agreement. In one instance the language in an article of the collective agreement left the meaning open to interpretation. The members of the Join Standing Committee discussed the article and the intent, then together agreed on a single interpreta-tion that the union and management both use.

The committee makeup has changed with a turn-over in staff on both the union and management side. COPE 378 remains committed to the healthy, collab-orative model that we have helped build over the years. It’s the union’s hope this committee will keep provid-ing the same level of support and service to our mem-bers at Capilano University. It stands out as a model we strive to replicate at all our worksites.

Heather Lee

The Capilano

University

Joint Standing

Committee

stands out as a

model we strive

to replicate at all

our worksites.


One of the bigger changes allows for jointly sponsored plans...

New Pension Benefits Standards Act for B.C. PENSIoNS

On May 31, 2012, Royal Assent was given to Bill 38. This stroke of a pen ushered in a new Pension Benefits Standards Act (PBSA). This new Act re-

places legislation that was first introduced in 1991, and updates many aspects of pension legislation.

The original PBSA was based on a dichotomy of defined benefit plans versus defined contribution pension plans.

(In a defined benefit plan, you receive an income based on a formula which generally factors in your years of service and salary earned. With a defined con-tribution plan, the money paid out is based on invest-ments with the money paid in.)

The new PBSA brings in several new models and clarifies some aspects of the old PBSA. However, to re-purpose an old saying, the proof will be in the regula-tions that are yet to be promulgated.

The new act now recognizes four basic plan types: • single employer plans, multi-employer plans

(both those that are collectively bargained and those that are not),

• jointly sponsored plans, and • negotiated cost plans.

As well, it introduces a new type of plan that is a hy-brid between defined benefit and defined contribution plans, called a target benefit plan.

Negotiated cost plans were allowed in the previ-ous Act, but the definition was a bit loose. The new Act tightens up the definition and adds new language that allows it to be either a single employer plan or a collec-tively bargained multi-employer plan.

One of the bigger changes allows for jointly spon-sored plans in the new Act. While they have existed for a number of years, they are now codified in legislation. However, there are some troubling aspects to this part of the Act. Jointly sponsored plans are now able to cut accrued benefits without the consent of the Superin-

tendent of pensions. Also, employers are not liable for solvency deficiency if a plan is terminated and not fully funded, greatly lessening their obligation to their employees. Nor does the new Act spell out the criteria such a plan must meet to be considered a jointly sponsored plan or outline the process to be-come a jointly sponsored plan. These criteria will be found in the regulations that are still yet to come.

Perhaps the most intrigu-ing change is the addition of a target benefit plan. These plans have aspects of both a defined benefit and defined contribution plan, usually with the benefit looking like a defined benefit plan but with employer liabilities along the lines of a defined contribution plan. This type of plan design may reverse the trend of con-verting plans from defined benefit to defined contribu-tion. If so, then this would be the most important feature of the new PBSA.

By loRI MAyHEW, SECRETARy-TREASURER

If you have any questions about your

pension and how it could be affected by

the new legislation and regulations, please

contact your job steward, or the union

office at 604-299-0378 or 1-800-665-6838.

Lori Mayhew


BARGAINING UNIT BRIEFS: SUMMER 2012 EDITIoNBARGAINING UNIT BRIEFS

By CARol MClUSkIE & kIM SMITH

More info at

cope378.ca

AvISThe collective agreement for the members at this unit will expire May 31, 2012. The bargaining committee is developing proposals. The parties have scheduled June 25, 26 and 27 to begin bargaining. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

BCAA ERSThe bargaining committee continues to meet with the employer, most recently on May 28. Progress is being made on the important issues identified by the members at this unit. The union has also reached agreement with the employer on a number of these and other issues such as improvements to financial aid for training courses. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Justyna Edwards, Garry Payne and Union Representative Pat Junnila.

BCAA SCBargaining is ongoing. Progress has been made on a number of issues identified by the members.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Paul Bachin, Penny Crassweller, Maureen Skibo and Union Representative Pat Junnila.

BC FEDERATIoN oF lABoURThe collective agreement for this unit expired on April 30, 2012. The par-ties have met twice for bargaining and are working through the proposals. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Susan Orr, Ingrid Ericson and Union Representative Kevin Smyth.

BCGEUThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2012. Notice to com-mence bargaining has been sent to the employer. A membership meet-ing has been held to elect the bargaining committee and bargaining surveys will be sent out on the May 14 for members input. The bargain-ing surveys are due back on the June 4. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Sherry Baker, Karon Har-dy, alternate Lorrie Burnell and Union Representative Bonnie Merriman.

BC HyDRoThe collective agreement for BC Hydro expired on March 31, 2012. The parties met on May 24, at which time the employer did not provide de-tailed proposals. The union temporarily suspended bargaining until the employer comes to the table with detailed proposals.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Bojan Bucic, Andrea Fos-ter, Calvin Jonas, Rysa Kronebusch, Sharon Thomas, COPE 378 Vice President Gwenne Farrell and Senior Union Representative Brad Bastien.

BEACH PlACE vENTURES (BlACkToP TAXI)The collective agreement expired June 30, 2011. Notice to commence bargaining has been sent to the employer and your bargaining committee will be reviewing the members’ surveys and preparing the union’s propos-als for a new collective agreement. A membership meeting will follow and then a meeting with management to arrange bargaining dates. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Sean Behjatnejad and Union Representative Dave Park.

BERlITzThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. Bargaining propos-als have been finalized. The committee hopes to exchange proposals in early spring. Bargaining dates have been requested by the union.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Jennifer Williams, Collin Patterson and Union Representative Sarah Melsness.

BoNNy’S TAXIThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. Notice to com-mence bargaining has been sent to the employer. The bargaining com-mittee has been preparing the union’s proposals for a new collective agreement. This will follow with a membership meeting and then a meeting with management to arrange bargaining dates. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Cyndi Nilssen-Frigstad and Union Representative Dave Park.

BURvIC HolDINGSThe ballots for the ratification vote on the proposed terms of settle-ment by employees at Burvic Holdings Ltd. were verified, opened and counted on Monday, June 4, 2012. The majority of members voted to accept the proposed terms of settlement.The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Barry Hodson.

CAPIlANo UNIvERSITyBargaining is still on hold pending the outcome of other public sector bargaining. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Brenda Rovner, Brenda Myers, Clay Little and Union Representative Sarah Melsness.

CoRAl CABS The collective agreement expired on December 31, 2011. Notice to commence bargaining has been sent to the employer. The bargaining survey has been sent for the members input. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Ernie Baliss and Union Representative Dave Park.

CoAST MoUNTAIN BUS CoThe collective agreement for the COPE 378 members at Coast Moun-tain Bus Co. expired on March 31, 2011. There have tentatively sched-uled dates for July 9-12, 2012 to begin bargaining.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Doug Fergus, Ray Man-ning, Stephen Von Sychowski, Ron Williams and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

CUPE loCAl 454The union is currently in the process of finishing the draft collective agreement with the employer. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Kathleen Ladislaus and Union Representative Barbara Junker.

CUPEBC AND loCAlSA ratification vote was counted on March 23, 2012. The members voted in favour if the agreement. The union is waiting for employer to finish reviewing the draft collective agreement. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Nadine Ford, Lori Watt and Union Representative Barbara Junker.

DA ToWNlEy & ASSoCIATESThe collective agreement for this unit expired on December 31, 2010. The parties are seeking new dates to resume bargaining.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Colleen Finn, Lina Johal and Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

FoRTISBCThe membership voted to reject the June 11 Memorandum of Under-stating. The bargaining committee has surveyed the membership as to why the MOA was rejected and confirming those results in member meetings. The bargaining committee has booked dates with the em-ployer in July and August to return to the table. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Kari Campbell, Richard Gaylard, Kate Koczor, Rick Meakes and Union Representative Kevin Smyth.

FoRTIS ENERGy INC.The membership voted to reject the short term extension of the collec-tive agreement. The bargaining committee and the employer could not come to terms. The bargaining committee gave the employer a list of dates to meet and exchange proposals in July, August and September and is awaiting reply. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Tim Bouzovetsky, Darlene Freeman, Norm Stickelmann and Union Representative Kevin Smyth.

HASTINGS ENTERTAINMENT INC.The collective agreement expires on July 31, 2012. As of press time for Local Voice a bargaining committee has not yet been struck. The spokesperson for bargaining is Union Representative Karen Rockwell.

GREyHoUNDThe members ratified a two year agreement on June 7, 2012. The agree-ment made the following wage gains: January 1, 2011 – 2 per cent, January 1, 2012 – 2 per cent, January 1, 2013 – 2.5 per cent.The union’s bargaining consists of Norquita Warren and Union Repre-sentative Kevin Payne.

ICBCThe collective agreement expired on June 30, 2010. On April 24 mem-bers at ICBC voted 87 per cent in favour of a strike. ICBC applied to the Labour Board to have certain members declared an essential ser-vice. The parties continue to meet both at the Labour Board on the essential service application and at the table in an attempt to continue bargaining. However, after two years of an expired collective agreement ICBC has said they do not have a monetary mandate and the bargain-ing process is stalled. The union has proceeded to the Labour Board on this matter. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Yasmin Carroll, Karin Cirez, Mike Ferguson, Joyce Galuska, COPE Vice President Jeff Gillies, Trevor Hansen, and Senior Union Representative Jaime Zygmunt.

kEkINoW NATIvE HoUSING SoCIETyThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2010. A membership meeting was held February 29 to discuss bargaining and related issues. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Terry Frank and Union Representative Jackie Brown.


BARGAINING UNIT BRIEFS

koNICA MINolTAThe collective agreement expired on March 31, 2012. The employer has retained a Labour Relations Specialist who will act as chief spokesper-son at the upcoming collective bargaining. The employer has hinted at “efficiencies” they wish to gain through the bargaining process. A membership meeting will be held in early June to discuss bargaining and related issues. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Dal Dosanjh and Union Representative Jackie Brown.

kRUGER PRoDUCTS The collective agreements expired on May 31, 2012, however the em-ployer is in the process of downsizing one-third of the entire workforce, including one-third of the COPE 378 staff. All layoffs will take effect on August 31, 2012. The CEP Local (mill employees) will be delaying bargaining until later in the fall when all of the changes have been com-pleted. In discussion with COPE 378 job stewards it was determined that we too will delay bargaining until the end of the year or possibly into the first quarter of 2013. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Karen Rockwell.

lU’MA NATIvE HoUSING SoCIETyThe collective agreement expired on December 31, 2011. The job stew-ards and Union Representative met May 14, 2012 to continue prepara-tion for bargaining. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Doreen Mayer, Lorrie Sandell and Union Representative Jackie Brown.

oPEN SolUTIoNSThe collective agreement expired on February 29, 2012. Notice to com-mence bargaining has been served. No bargaining dates are being scheduled as the business is shutting down. No bargaining unit employ-ees are working at this time. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Jack Gerow.

SEASPAN MARINE CoRPoRATIoNThe collective agreement expired on February 28, 2011. Bargaining commenced in early February 2012. Forty-seven of fifty non-mon-etary proposals have either been agreed to or withdrawn. All mon-etary proposals have now been thoroughly discussed. The employer continues to pursue its concessionary bargaining proposals regard-ing hours of work, earned days off, statutory holidays, overtime rates and on-call compensation. In addition, the monetary proposal for general increases is substantially less than agreed to with the trades unions. Further meetings have been scheduled in June, and the bargaining committee is hopeful an agreement can be reached without the assistance of a third party. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Dale Gibson and Union Representative Jackie Brown.

SEIUThe collective agreement expired on December 31, 2010. The proposals were signed and returned by the employer. The ratification vote failed. Correspondence has been sent to the employer with a request to return to the bargaining table. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Cathy Conley and Union Representative Bonnie Merriman.

TElETHEATRE BCThe collective agreement expired on January 15, 2012. The union is in the process of selecting a bargaining committee and notice to bargain will be served shortly. The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Karen Rockwell.

TEAMSTERS 31, 213 AND 213 MEMBERS BENEFIT PlAN (SEPARATE AGREEMENTS)All three collective agreements expired on March 31, 2011. The parties are seeking dates to commence bargaining.The bargaining committees for all three units consist of Union Repre-sentative Glen MacInnes.

THUNDERBIRD WINTER SPoRTSBargaining proposals are being finalized with the intent to table them with the employer in the near future.The bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Sarah Melsness.

TRANSIT PolICEA survey was sent and two focus groups have been held. The bargaining committee will meet to go over proposals and draft proposals.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Renata Clements, Dan Dickhout, Rob Gladwin, Ian Whittington and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

TRANSlINkA bargaining survey was sent to the members at Translink. The bargain-ing committee will meet to review the survey results and draft proposals.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Pat Keeping, Safar Alikhani and Union Representative Kevin Payne.

TElECoMMUNICATIoN WoRkERS PENSIoN PlANThe members at this unit were on strike for a total of 9 weeks, which started on February 14, 2012. The parties reached an agreement in me-diation on April 10, 2012 and a ratification vote was held on April 11. The members voted in favour of ratifying and returned to work on April 16.The union’s bargaining committee consists Mabo Mui, Beverly Victor, alternate Richard Vorstenborch and Union Representative Barry Hodson.

TElECoMMUNICATIoN WoRkERS UNIoNThe collective agreement for the members at this unit expired on July 31, 2011. The bargaining committee met and finalized proposals. Dates have yet to be scheduled to meet with the employer.The union’s bargaining committee consists of Linda Lund, Bill Nielsen and Union Representative Glen MacInnes.

vANCoUvER TAXI (ADBA CENTRAl TAXI DISPATCH)The collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. The bargaining committee met to review the member’s surveys and is preparing the union’s proposals for a new collective agreement. On March 14 the bargaining committee will meet with the new manager, John Palis, for introduction purposes and to determine timelines for meeting at the bargaining table. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Bernie Stroh and Union Representative Dave Park.

vICToRIA TRADE UNIoNThe collective agreement expired on July 31, 2011. The bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement and it has been ratified by the membership. Some of the settlement highlights include a three year agreement, general wage increases over the life of the collective agree-ment of January 1, 2012 – 3 per cent, August 1, 2012 – 3 per cent, August 1, 2013 – 3 per cent, improvements to the benefit package, improvements to the bereavement language and improvements to the health and safety language. The final draft has been forwarded to the employer group for proofing. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Haylee Dhillon and Union Representative Bonnie Merriman.

yElloW PAGESThe collective agreement expires on June 30, 2012. The union has served notice to commence collective bargaining. Dates for collective bargaining are being arranged for June. The union’s bargaining committee consists of Union Representative Jack Gerow.

IS PUBlISHED By

Phone: 604-299-0378Fax: 604-299-8211E-mail: [email protected] 1918-9753 CoPE local 378 voice

CoPE 378: President David Black Secretary-Treasurer lori Mayhew

loCAl voICE Editor: Sage Aaron USW 2009DESIGNED By: Dansk Design Groupdanskdesigngroup.comPRINTED AT: Mitchell Press, Burnaby, B.C.

Canadian office and Professional Employees Union, local 378,2nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. v5G 1J9PoSTAl AGREEMENT #41267023


World Forum of Energy RegulatorsWoRlD FoRUM

The fifth World Forum of Energy Regulators was held on May 14 through 16th in Quebec City. The forum is held every three years and brings togeth-

er regulators from across the world. As COPE 378 is ac-tively involved in the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) proceedings, the Executive Board decided to send me and our BCUC Liaison and Legal Director, Jim Quail.

Jim and I made a concerted effort to attend differ-ent sessions in order to efficiently get as much infor-mation as possible from the forum. Despite attending different sessions and workshops, we both came to the conclusion most of the panels suffered from group-think—the regulators and lobbyists were too much in agreement and lacked opposing or simply different points of view. However, we received a great deal of information regarding issues within the energy industry, for both electricity and gas sectors.

Many of the attendees and panelists were certain “the honeymoon” with renewable energy is now over. There was significant consensus among the attendees that re-newables will not solve the world’s energy problems, es-pecially where firm, dependable energy is required.

In the United States the majority of energy genera-tion is fueled by coal, nuclear, and natural gas (wor-ryingly, 104 U.S. nuclear reactors were built before 1974). However, the forum panelists noted that cur-rently there are issues in the natural gas industry (also

impacting the industry in Canada) regarding the decreasing cost of shale gas as fracking becomes more efficient and less expensive. This could lead to a switch to shale gas from natural gas for energy generation.

At separate points in the forum, Jim and I both had interesting conversations with other attendees about smart meters. Jim spoke with a delegate who works for a smart meter supplier. The delegate advised Jim that this whole concept of using the smart grid and smart meters to more efficiently deal with outages is really misdirection. Sensors could easily be attached to stan-dard meters instead, at about one-tenth the cost of purchasing smart meters.

I had a conversation with a regulator from Belgium where their utilities commission had completed a cost-benefit analysis on smart meters that showed the de-vices actually provided a negative net benefit in terms of costs and would not result in the energy conservation as promoted. The Belgian regulator and I also discussed our shared concerns about regulators succumbing to lobbying efforts from industry and from the public opin-ion (which, at times, is influenced by sophisticated in-dustry marketing efforts).

What should be understood is exactly who par-ticipated in this forum. There were approximately 800 delegates representing 75 countries. Of the delegates, Jim and I were the only labour representatives. More than half the delegates were representatives from in-dustry and various governments. Both industry and government reps made it clear they were there to lobby regulators.

It is extremely important to recognize the impact in-dustry is having on an international level in influencing the decisions of utility commissions across the globe. I hope COPE 378 continues our involvement in these types of forums to ensure we are well educated in the work being done by government and industry to impact energy policy. With forewarning we can prepare our-selves for changes which might impact our members.

By GWENNE FARREll, vICE PRESIDENT

Gwenne Farrell

It is extremely important to recognize the impact industry

is having on an international level in influencing the

decisions of utility commissions across the globe.

800 DELEgAtES representing

75 cOuNtRIES


CoPE 378 members work at the following properties

Accenture Business ServicesUnion Reps: Barry Hodson, Pat Junnila, Sarah Melsness, Karen Rockwell

Alma Mater SocietyUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Avis CarUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

BCAA SC & ERSUnion Rep: Pat Junnila

BC Computerized Dispatch (yellow Cab)Union Rep: Barry Hodson

BC Federation of labourUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

BC Ferry & Marine Workers UnionUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

BCGEUUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

BC Hydro (including Powertech Construction Services)Union Reps: Barry Hodson, Pat Junnila, Barbara Junker, Glen MacInnes, Karen Rockwell

BC Nurses’ Union Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

BC TransitUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Beach Place venturesUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Berlitz CanadaUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Bonny’s TaxiUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Burvic HoldingsUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Canadian Freightways ltd.Union Rep: Kevin Payne

Canadian Northern Shield/RSAUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Capilano UniversityUnion Rep: Sarah Melsness

Carpenters local 1928Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Catalyst PaperUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

CIATUUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Coastal Community Credit Union:Union Rep: Jack Gerow

Coastal Community InsuranceUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Coast Mountain BusUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

College of Pharmacists of BCUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

College of Registered NursesUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Columbia HydroUnion Rep: Brad Bastien

Coral Cabs (Richmond Taxi)Union Rep: Jackie Brown

CUPE 3338Union Rep: Barbara Junker




CUPE BC & localsUnion Rep: Barbara Junker

DA Townley & AssociatesUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Dollar ThriftyUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

EcojusticeUnion Rep: Carrol Edwards/Kerrie Irving

Electrical Industry Training InstituteUnion Rep: Brian Nelson

Enterprise Rent-A-CarUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

FortisBC Inc.Union Rep: Kevin Smyth

GreyhoundUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Gulf & Fraser Fishermen’s Credit UnionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Handy PackUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

Hastings Entertainment Inc.Union Rep: Karen Rockwell

HertzUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

ICBCUnion Reps: Carrol Edwards, Vic Foth, Kerrie Irving, Brian Nelson, Kelly Quinn

Island Savings Credit Union and InsuranceUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

zylem (formerly ITT Flygt)Union Rep: Barry Hodson

IWA Forest Industry PPUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

kekinow Native Housing SocietyUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

kelowna Cabs ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

konica MinoltaUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

kruger Products (Scott Paper)Union Rep: Karen Rockwell

ladysmith & District CUUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

lake City CasinosUnion Rep: Karen Rockwell

lu’Ma Native Housing SocietyUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Maclure’s Cabs ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

Marine Workers & BoilermakersUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Master Trade officeUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

New Democratic PartyUnion Rep: Brad Bastien

open SolutionsUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Pacific vehicle TestingUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

SchneiderUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Seaspan International ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

SEIU 244Union Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Southern RailwayUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

Teamsters local 31Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

Teamsters local 155Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

Teamsters local 213 & 213 Member Benefit PlanUnion Rep: Glen MacInnes

Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU)Union Rep: Glen MacInnes

Telecommunications Workers Union Pension PlanUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

Teletheatre BCUnion Rep: Karen Rockwell

Trade Union Research BureauUnion Rep: Barry Hodson

TranslinkUnion Rep: Kevin Payne

Tree IslandUnion Rep: Kevin Smyth

United Fishermen & Allied Worker UnionUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

vancouver Shipyards ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

vancouver Taxi ltd. (Central Taxi Dispatch)Union Rep: Jackie Brown

vantageone Credit UnionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

victoria Shipyards ltd.Union Rep: Jackie Brown

victoria Trade UnionUnion Rep: Bonnie Merriman

Westminster Savings Credit UnionUnion Rep: Jack Gerow

Working EnterprisesUnion Rep: Jackie Brown

yellow PagesUnion Rep: Jack Gerow


RETURN UNDELIVERABLECANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:#200 - 4595 CANADA WAY,BURNABY, B.C. V5G 1J9

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 41267023

CUSTOM CARTOONS FOR COPE378 MEMBERS

Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378

www.COPE378.ca


www.COPE378.ca

2 | Annual Financial Report 2011 | COPE 378

Message from your Secretary-Treasurer

Publishing our annual fi nancial report is an important part of ensuring our fi nances are open and transpar-

ent to our members. Our annual audit is undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers and overseen by our Audit Committee, combining the oversight of your elected committee with the experience and impartiality of pro-fessional auditors.

Thanks to the changes to our fi nancial structure passed at the Special Extraordinary Convention last year, I am pleased to report that despite economic chal-lenges we are in a more stable position than at this time last summer. The changes allow COPE 378 to pay ar-bitration costs out of our Defence Fund. All arbitration requests still go through the same procedures for ap-proval and your Arbitration Review Committee ensures cases are carefully examined and accepted based on their merit. In the interest of greater transparency and accountability, President Black has directed that the Ar-bitration Review Committee will be reporting to both the Executive Council and Executive Board on the de-cisions it makes and the outcomes of those cases ap-proved to proceed to arbitration.

Last year’s changes to our fi nancial structure were a pro-active measure to increase our ability to meet and respond to urgent situations while still prudently man-aging members’ dues. Our union’s Defence Fund is still very healthy, coming in at the end of 2011 at approxi-mately $18 million.

Of course, we still face challenges. While the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us, our invest-ments could still be aff ected by Europe’s fi nancial woes. Further, we are continuing to see changes in our mem-bership, due to reduced numbers of members at many of our employers, including BC Hydro, Accenture, Ca-nadian Northern Shield, and ICBC. Bill C-377, under consideration by Members of Parliament in Ottawa, could also have a deleterious eff ect on our union’s fi -nances. On the positive side, the union has stepped up its eff orts to bring in new members and has several promising organizing drives underway to complement our recent successes in bringing in new members and bargaining units.

Your union is committed to ensuring accountabil-ity, transparency and careful stewardship of your dues. In addition to this annual Financial Report, the Execu-tive Council is presented with monthly spending and income reports. I encourage you to contact your Ex-ecutive Councillor if you would like further information about the union’s fi nances.

Lori Mayhew

Lori MayhewSecretary-Treasurer COPE 378

COPE 378 | Annual Financial Report 2011 | 3

COPE 378 Defence Fund

The Defence Fund is always of sharp interest to our members. It is, as suggested by its name, used to defend our members’ employment and

the quality of their working lives by paying out strike pay during job actions, lockouts and pickets, as well as arbitrations and Labour Board hearings.

The Defence Fund has been performing very well over the last few years. Last year the Executive Council voted to expand the mandate of the Defence Fund to cover arbitrations. This spending is reported at every meeting of the Executive Council. Council also voted to slow contributions when the Defence Fund is over $15 million to allow the most effi cient use our members’ dues.

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

18,000,000

20,000,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Bal

ance

in fu

nd

Year

Defense Fund 2001 - 2011

Defence Fund 2001-2011

Bal

ance

in F

un

d

Year


COPE 378 General Fund

$-

$1,000,000

$2,000,000

$3,000,000

$4,000,000

$5,000,000

$6,000,000

$7,000,000

General Fund

General Fund 2000-2011 The General Fund pays for most of the day-to-day operations of the union. Within the Gen-

eral Fund are several restricted reserves which can only be used for specifi c purposes, such as the Member Protection reserve or the Political Action reserve.

This year’s trend line is a welcome change from last year, when the union’s fi nances suf-fered from the reverberations of the 2008 global fi nancial crisis and the necessity of dealing with extremely litigious employers.

As we stated at the time, COPE 378 can-not and will not back down when our members’ workplace rights are being threatened. In re-sponse to the “new normal” of higher legal bills we reordered the union’s fi nances so that arbitra-tions and associated legal costs now come out of the Defence Fund – as described in the previous page of this report.

This change and the new Defence Fund con-tribution formula reversed the downward trend of the General Fund.

We are pleased to have regained fi nancial stability after the

challenges we faced last year. It wasn’t easy. The changes we

made would not have been possible if we adhered to a more

rigid—and some might say anachronistic—understanding

of how a union should function and serve its members.

Recognizing that the defence of our members takes place more

often in legal settings we made two policy changes to the COPE

378 Constitution:

• The costs of arbitrations undertaken on behalf of our

members now come from the Defence Fund, not from the

General Fund.

• When the Defence Fund is over $15 million dollars, the

contributions to the Defence Fund are reduced from one-

tenth of all dues collected to one-twentieth of dues.

The recent history of our union and others clearly illustrates that

strategic job action is far more likely than full scale walk outs.

A robust Defence Fund is important but must be balanced with

the needs of our members who may not ever take or be allowed

to take job action.

We believe we have struck the right balance in order for your

union to work for you most effi ciently and to the fullest of

our capacity.


COPE 378 Financial Statements

COPE 378Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 2011

COPE 378Defence Fund Statement of Financial Position 2011

The next pages include financial statements for:

• Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 2011

• Defence Fund Statement of Financial Position 2011

• General Fund Statement of Financial Position 2011

• Office Employees’ Building Ltd. Statement of Financial Position 2011

ASSETS 2011 2010Current Assets

Cash & short term deposits $ 583,635 $ 216,885

Temporary Investments 19,221,618 19,578,660

Accounts Receivable 618,274 870,374

Prepaid Expenses 121,958 122,150

Current portion of interfund balances

2,514,909 2,504,826

$ 23,060,394 $ 23,292,895

Property & Equipment 1,821,484 1,953,039

Interfund Balances 944,036 944,036

TOTAL ASSETS $ 25,825,914 26,189,970

LIABILITIESCurrent Liabilities

Accounts Payable & accrued liabilities

$ 1,792,650 $ 2,121,339

Current portion of Interfund Balances

2,514,909 2,504,826

$ 4,307,559 $ 4,626,165

Deferred Lease Benefit 78,870 105,160


TOTAL LIABILITIES $ 5,330,465 $ 5,675,361

NET ASSETSUnrestricted $ (408,822) $ (1,414,940)

Internally restricted reserves

687,580 731,635

Restricted for the Defence Fund

18,330,442 19,187,963

Investment in Property & Equipment

1,821,483 1,953,039

Restricted for the Education & Training Fund

64,766 56,912

$ 20,495,449 $ 20,514,609

TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS

$ 25,825,914 $ 26,189,970


Cash & short term deposits $ 38,000 $ 38,304

Temporary Investments 18,281,180 19,199,030

Accounts Receivable 192 192


29,747 159,445

TOTAL ASSETS $ 18,349,119 $ 19,396,971

LIABILITIES

Current Liabilities


$ 18,677 $ 21,790


- 187,218

TOTAL LIABILITIES $ 18,677 $ 209,008

NET ASSETSRestricted for the Defence Fund

18,330,442 19,187,963


$ 18,349,119 $ 19,396,971


COPE 378 Financial Statements

COPE 378General Fund Statement of Financial Position 2011

COPE 378Office Employees’ Building Ltd. Statement of Financial Position 2011

According to the COPE 378 Constitution, the COPE 378 Executive Board shall be responsible for appointing an

Independent Auditor to review the union’s books and accounts. The Executive Board is also responsible for publishing

and generally distributing to the Executive Council and membership an overview of the Auditor’s reports.

These statements are contained in this report.


Cash & short term deposits

$ 255,629 $ 77,222

Temporary Investments 919,972 379,630




2,485,162 2,345,381

$ 4,339,368 $ 3,731,389


TOTAL ASSETS $ 5,283,404 $ 4,675,425



$ 1,709,644 $ 1,885,243


79,274 159,445


NET ASSETSUnrestricted $ 2,806,906 $ 1,899,102

Internally restricted reserves

687,580 731,635

$ 3,494,486 $ 2,630,737


$ 5,283,404 $ 4,675,425


Cash & short term deposits

$ 258,706 $ 54,448



$ 307,141 $ 107,626

Property & Equipment 1,821,484 1,953,039

TOTAL ASSETS $ 2,128,625 $ 2,060,665



$ 64,327 $ 214,305


2,435,635 2,158,167

$ 2,499,962 $ 2,372,472

Deferred Lease Benefit 78,870 105,160



NET ASSETSCapital Stock $ 5 $ 5

Deficit (1,394,248) (1,361,008)

$ (1,394,243) $ (1,361,003)


$ 2,128,625 $ 2,060,665


COPE 378 Operating Expenses

COPE 378General Fund Operating Expenses 2011Union Government

Administration

Membership Services

38%

2%

42%

16%

Communications

2%

Organizing

2011MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

Collective Agreeement Management 1,842,757

Arbitration and grievances 285,003

Bargaining and Strike 490,267

Member education 364,288

Member maintenance 223,853

$ 3,206,168

COMMUNICATIONS $ 173,682

ORGANIZING $ 126,221

ADMINISTRATION

Staff holidays and leaves 829,771

Offi ce administration support 585,160

Services and Supplies 335,104

Staff benefi ts 747,095

Offi ce furniture and equipment leases 282,563

Offi ce rent and occupancy costs 423,973

Finance department salaries 270,934

Bad debt expense 0

Audit fees 39,690

Staff education 14,956

$ 3,529,247

UNION GOVERNMENT

Disbursements from reserves 331,553

Executive Council 325,863

Conventions 137,631

Executive Board 281,239

Member meetings 62,197

Committees 125,485

Honoraria 38,505

Donations 22,085

Elections 53,521

$ 1,378,078

TOTAL $ 8,413,397

COPE 378 Financial Team

2nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1J9

Phone: 604-299-0378 Toll Free: 1-800-665-6838 Fax: 604-299-8211 [email protected]

Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 378

www.COPE378.ca

Secretary-Treasurer:

Lori Mayhew The Secretary-Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer for the union. This position was made

full-time in 2008.

Controller:

Wendy Ham The Controller position was created in 2005 and is held by a Certified General Accountant

to act in a professional capacity as the Director of Finance for the union.

Financial Staff:

Linda Allan, Donna Morris, Sandi Malhame, Barbara LiangCOPE 378 staff assist the Secretary-Treasurer and Controller in the day-to-day financial

operations, including accounts payable and receivable and data management.

Auditors:

PricewaterhouseCoopersThe independent auditors conduct an annual audit of the accounts of the union and

prepare a report for the Executive Board. The Board in turn shares the findings with the

Executive Council and membership.

Sandi Malhame Accounts Receivable

Lori Mayhew Secretary-Treasurer

Wendy Ham, CGA Controller

Donna Morris Accounts Receivable

Linda Allan Accounts Payable

Barbara Liang Accounting Analyst

In memory of Bee Prentice: mother, sister, colleague and friend.July 13, 1947 – August 16, 2011.

local voice, july 2012

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