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CUPEandBCTFworkingtogetherforpubliceducationSeptember13,2013

Dearcolleagues,sisters,andbrothers,

BCspubliceducationsystemthrivesbecauseoftheworkyoualldoinclassrooms,schools,board

offices,andcommunities.Aseducators,schoolsupportstaff,teachers,skilledtradespeople,bus

drivers,andprofessionalsweallworktogethertogivestudentsahighquality,inclusive,andsafe

education.Asunionsweworktoensureallofourmembersaretreatedfairlyandourstudentsget

thesupporttheyneedanddeserve.

WearereachingouttoeachandeverymemberoftheBCTFandCUPEBCeducationsectorto

provideanupdateonbargainingandoureffortstosecurefairandreasonablecollective

agreements.Whilethegovernmentispushinga10yearterminthemediafortheBCTF,theyare

tryingtoforcea2yeardealonCUPE,onethatfallsfarshortofwhatotherpublicsectorunions

havereceivedrecently.Inaddition,thegovernmenthassaiditwillforceschoolboardstopickup

thetabforanysalaryincreaseforCUPEworkerswithoutanyextrafunding.Ifthathappens,wewill

allseemorecutsfilterdowntoourclassrooms,worksites,andstudents.Wemustallstand

togetherinsolidaritytomakesurethatdoesnthappenandconvincegovernmentitistimeto

respectBCseducationworkersandprotectservicesforstudents.

WhileCUPEstillhassomebargainingdatesset,themostrecentofferof0%,2%,andanother2%onthelastdayoftheproposedcontractislessthanwhatotherpublicsectorworkershave

achievedandisessentiallylessthanzeroafterconcessions.CUPElocalshavetakenstrikevotesand

theyarepreparedtoactivatethemwithfullscalejobactionifthegovernmentdoesnotimprove

itsoffer.TheBCTF,insupport,unanimouslypassedtworesolutionsatitsspecialsummer

RepresentativeAssemblydeclaringtheirsupportforCUPE.Herearetheresolutions:

ThattheFederationcallupontheprovincialgovernmenttonegotiateingoodfaithwithCUPEandtofullyfundanynegotiatedsettlement.ThattheFederationexpresssolidaritywithCUPEandsupportforitseffortstoconcludeanegotiatedcollectiveagreement.

InthelikelyeventofastrikethatseesCUPEworkerssetuppicketlinesatschoolsites,teacherswill

respectthemandjoinwithCUPEinsolidarity.TeacherswhowerepartoftheBCTFstwoweek

strikeinOctober2005willrememberCUPEsK12workersjoinedthosepicketlinesinsupportof

teacherseffortstogetafairdealandimprovelearningconditions.

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InMarch2012,BCTFmembersescalatedtheirjobactionwithathreedaystrikeunderessential

services.CUPEmembersdidnotcrosspicketlines.DuetoanessentialservicesorderandaLabour

RelationsBoardruling,theBCTFwasonlyallowedtoestablishsticketlinesnottraditional

picketlines.Hadtheybeenofficialpicketlines,CUPEmemberswerereadyandwillingtowalk

thoselineswithteachersagain,buttheyrefrainedfromdoingsoattheBCTFsrequest.

Allmembers,

whether

you

are

with

the

BCTF

or

CUPE,

should

contact

your

local

union

office

ifyou

wantmoreinformationinthedaysandweeksaheadabouthowpicketlinesandstrikepaywork.

BCTFandCUPElocalpresidentsarecurrentlymeetingtoshareinformation.CUPEandthe

governmentwillbebackatthebargainingtableonSeptember16,17,and18.Wewillinformallof

youassoonaswereceiveanynews.PleaseknowthattheCUPEbargainingsubcommitteeisnot

optimisticasettlementcanbereachedwithoutjobaction.

Despitetheuncertaintyaheadandknowledgethatwearefacingagovernmentintenton

downloadingcoststoboards,forcingcutsontostudents,andrestrictingwageincreasesforour

members,weremainhopefulthatworkingtogetherwecanachieveafairresult.

Weallmakeareal,constructive,andpositivedifferenceinthelivesofstudentsandfamiliesacross

BC.Parents,schooltrustees,andmanyotherstakeholdersknowhowimportantyourworkisand

theyareonyourside.TheyknowthatafairdealforourmembersmeansbettersupportforBC

students.Bystandingtogether,wewillbestrongerandhaveabetterchanceofconvincing

governmentthattheyneedtotakeafairandreasonableapproachtobargaining.

CUPEandtheBCTFsinterestsarethesame.Wemustcontinuetostandtogethertodefendthe

interestsofallourmembers,andeachandeverystudentweproudlysupport.

Insolidarity,

MarkHancock,President,CUPEBC JimIker,President,BCTF

130913

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