If you are perplexed, nervous, or just bone-weary from one more change management initiative; take good notes of any changes in current practice.  Pay careful attention to bench-marking at your worksite.  Make sure that it is measuring what it is supposed to measure and not just supporting a projected outcome.  The results of the Vancouver Service Review will have some good ideas, some terrible and inappropriate ideas that bear no relation to what our mandate is as a public body and some suggestions we, as a union, will have to find a way to deal with the employer.  The rest of this blog will be sent to your members@cupe391.ca account.

Union Night Ticket Offer $15

Whitecaps FC vs. Cleveland City Stars

Friday, Septermber 18th - 8 pm
Swanguard Stadium
Burnaby BC

To order Union Night Ticket Special contact Roberto Cabrone at 604-629-2247

* $4.00 from every ticket donated to the United Way

Seating availability on a first-come first-served basis.  Includes service charges and GST

Please stroll down to the new Coal Harbour Coast Hotel at 1180 West Hastings Street near the Renaissance Hotel after work on Friday September the 11th and support UFCW Local 40 in their fight to protect their jobs.  CUPE National BC and many other locals, including us, use the Coast for conferences, arbitrations, and travel.  Read on…

SEPTEMBER 11TH RALLY TO SUPPORT COAST HOTEL WORKERS

UNITE HERE Local 40 is holding a rally at the new Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, 1180 Hastings St., on September 11 at 5:00pm. (Click here for poster)

150 long-term Coast employees at the nearby Coast Plaza Hotel on Denman Street stand to lose their jobs when the Coast Plaza closes for conversion to apartments.

Coast Hotels is refusing to even discuss transferring their loyal workforce from the Coast Plaza to the new Coast Coal Harbour Hotel slated to open in time for the Olympics.

The average Coast Plaza housekeeper has worked at the hotel for 16-1/2 years. The average dishwasher for 23 years. All 150 workers at the Coast Plaza currently earn a living wage.

Please come with your members to the rally on September 11 to deliver a message to Coast that we need to keep good, stable jobs in the City of Vancouver. Support the folks who make the tourism industry work for BC.

For more information, please contact:
Amarjeet Kaur Chhabra
UNITE HERE Local 40
4853 Hastings St.
Burnaby, BC V5C 2L1
604-473-4815 phone

The United Way campaign kickoff begins tomorrow with a breakfast at the Hyatt on Burrard.  I must have been a sinner and am paying for it now because I heard myself saying yes, I will be there.  and I will be there with a willingness and pride in the organization I represent, CUPE 391, Vancouver Public Library Workers.  We are famous for Sister Marya’s Bungy Barbies and the maintenance guys version of indoor bowling.  Erik has raised IT standards at the City with online basket bidding.  I am sure proceeds of our charity-driven gambling fervour reaches more good causes than the provincial lotteries.  CUPE 391 invests our own spirit and generosity in the gift of giving.

CUPE 391 members gave more than S30,000 to the United Way last year. But because we gave through our workplaces, our locals or other organizations, the union’s support of the charity hasn’t been clearly identified.  Until now.  Because our donations come from so many different places, CUPE members don’t normally show up on the United Way honour roll as separate from the organizations that we work for.  United Way has taken steps to correct this and to honour CUPE members for your generosity.

11% of the money raised goes to the administration of United Way.  This is a great deal less than other organisations.  For that, we have the efforts of the volunteers and workers to thank.

For information on United Way funding for grants and programming see: http://www.uwlm.ca/How+We+Work/Grants+and+Funding/default.htm

This year our presence is bigger and better than ever.  CUPE BC has rented a tent in the Magazine Mews on the Homer side of the Library Square plazas.  Did you know that CUPE is a small to medium publisher.  CUPE’s Waterwatch materials are requested at Social Justice events around the province.  Get the skinny on procurement for municipal governments under TILMA (Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement.  We will have deluxe metal water bottles (made in Ontario and Corn plastic coffee mugs to give away (in the spirit of sustainability.  Our fabulous library workers will entertain the multitudes in our 10x10 tent.

We need your support at our CUPE table.  Kathy, Inder and I will be taking the names of volunteersfor two hour slots from 10 a.m to 6.  It works if we pair people up.  Please volunteer for the following times:

• 10.00 am - Noon
• Noon-2.00 pm
• 2.00-4.00
• 4.00-6.00

This will be a great day for CUPE Local 391, Vancouver Public Library Workers.  Please put your name forward and join this celebration of literacy in all its forms.

in solidarity Alex