April 28 - National Day of Mourning.
The CLC first marked the event in 1984 and since then has grown into a worldwide event observed by unions, central labour bodies, labour councils, municipalities and national governments. The Day of Mourning or Workers Memorial Day, as it is called in Europe, is observed in over a hundred countries worldwide. It has been formerly endorsed by the International Trade Union Congress. Several countries are in the process of formally recognizing the Day, following Canada's example in 1991. It has been over 20 years since the CLC first established the National Day of Mourning. We still have workplaces where workers are injured and killed on the job at an increasing rate. This tells us that we must do more to save the lives and livelihood of workers in Canada. On this day we mourn for those who have lost their lives. However, it is increasingly important to continue to fight for the living. Link to Canadian Labour Congress website

Saturday, March 29 is Earth Hour. At 8:00 p.m., millions of people and organizations around the globe will turn off their unnecessary lights for one hour to help save electricity and the environment. BC Hydro is promoting the WWF's global initiative and is encouraging all residents and organizations to turn off their lights for one hour on March 29 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Wear Pink to Work on February 27, 2008

CUPE BC's executive leaders are asking all CUPE locals and members in the province to support CKNW's "Bullying Stops Here" campaign which is calling on the public to wear pink on Wednesday, February 27, 2008.

Sept. 26 - Union of BC Municipalities Reject TILMA.
Councilors expressed almost unanimous support for the motion against TILMA during the discussion preceding the vote. TILMA, which was signed into law without public debate or legislative oversight last April, is a legally binding agreement between B.C. and Alberta that gives businesses and individuals the right to sue either province when they feel that any regulation and local government policy "restricts or impairs" investment. 

Council of Canadians Applauds UBCM rejection of TILMA
UBCM Resolutions Summary - CUPE BC web site
TILMA runs into trouble at UBCM - BC Fed Web Site

Sept. 19: Bullied student tickled pink by schoolmates' T-shirt campaign - CBC Web site

Two Nova Scotia students are being praised across North America for the way they turned the tide against the bullies who picked on a fellow student for wearing pink.

Sept. 25: Pink shirts inspire
anti-bullying day - CBC Web site

The pink wave has hit Nova Scotia's Province House, inspiring the government to earmark one day every year for students to send an anti-bullying message. The second Thursday of the school year is now known as Stand Up Against Bullying Day. To mark the day, Premier Rodney MacDonald is asking students at every level to wear pink.

HEU will meet with government, HEABC in October for further talks on Bill 29
Sept. 8: Some layoffs will be put on hold though government won’t put a stop to contract-flipping in long-term care

Incident with undercover police caught on video at Montebello

Organizers of the protests at the North American leaders' summit in Montebello, Que., say they have video that shows police disguised as masked demonstrators tried to incite violence on Monday. YouTube video shows union leaders trying to push back masked men wearing the same boots as riot police, and shows union leader demanding that one of the officers drop the rock he is holding.

Aug. 22: Undercover cops tried to incite violence in Montebello: Union Leader (CBC)

Aug. 23: Quebec police admit they went undercover at Montebello protest (CBC)

Former Policeman and KKK Member Convicted in 1964 murders
A former Ku Klux Klan member has been convicted by a US jury of kidnapping and conspiracy in connection with the 1964 murder of two black teenagers. Link to BBC Website

How will you Celebrate "Loving Day"?
June 12th, 2007 is the 40th Anniversary of the landmark US Supreme Court decision legalizing interracial marriage in the United States. On June 12th, 1967 the high court struck down the miscegenation laws still remaining in one third of the states of the union. In the ensuing years, the decision has influenced human rights campaigns world wide.
Link to LovingDay.org

New allegations at Basi-Virk trial underline need for public inquiry into BC Rail privatization
May 15, 2007: New allegations of Liberal dirty tricks against the BC Federation of Labour, disclosed today in the Basi-Virk trial, underline the need for a full public inquiry into the BC Rail privatization.
 Additional info on BC Feb website

 O’Neill wins sixth term, union endorses NDP drug plan
May 12, 2007: The B.C. division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees concluded its 44th annual convention here today by electing a new executive and passing a number of key resolutions—including two that call for more democratic accountability in the B.C. legislature and one that endorses the federal NDP’s universal drug coverage plan.

In the union’s biennial elections, CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill was acclaimed for a sixth term and secretary-treasurer Mark Hancock for a second. For the first time in CUPE BC’s history, all four general vice president positions are now held by women. 
Additional info on CUPE BC website

Day of Mourning

Saturday, April 28

Labour Councils throughout BC are holding events to remember fallen workers. Times and locations on CUPE BC website.

BC-Alberta “trade” agreement a bad deal that should not be expanded to other provinces
TILMA is scheduled to come into effect on April 1, 2007. The agreement is being promoted as a fairly innocuous deal that will ease the flow of trade and labour. In reality, it grants sweeping investor rights that could compromise provincial health, safety and environmental standards.
Additional info on CCPA website

Union of British Columbia Municipalities Legal Analysis of TILMA

Another bad deal for Canada
In April 2006, without public consultation or legislative debate, the premiers of Alberta and British Columbia signed an unprecedented inter-provincial free trade deal called TILMA.  Under TILMA, even provincial or municipal policies designed to protect the environment and public health are vulnerable to attack from corporate lawsuits.
Additional info on The Council of Canadians website

TILMA's 'Very Big Teeth' threatens Green Agenda
Feb. 21, 2007: Good grief, as Charlie Brown would say. B.C. and Alberta signed the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) last April and it comes into force this coming April Fool's Day. Yet the ministers responsible for TILMA in B.C. and Alberta don't seem to have a clue what they have got their governments into. Additional info on The Tyee website

B.C. LIBERALS CONTINUE TO IGNORE CALLS FOR DEBATE ON TILMA
VICTORIA—The B.C. Liberal government continues to ignore calls for debate of the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA), New Democrat intergovernmental relations critic Michael Sather said today.
 Full News Release

Corporate Rights Deal to Make Us April Fools
At the core of TILMA is its draconian investment provisions. They are rooted in the ever-expanding definition of property rights in the U.S., expressed in something called "regulatory takings" -- in other words, expropriation by regulation. That is what NAFTA Chapter 11 is all about. Companies can sue Canada if any regulation effectively "expropriates" the value of their property, including their capacity to make a profit. and it comes into force this coming April Fool's Day.  Additional info on The Tyee website

CUPE BC Women Celebrate International Women's Day - March 8th
CUPE women have had a very active year – in British Columbia and across the country. Many have participated in events around the National Women’s Task Force. For current news on the Task Force, check out the latest newsletter and see the poster commissioned by CUPE to mark IWD and the one-year anniversary launch of the Task Force.
 Additional info on CUPE BC website

 Human Rights Victory - U.S. House Passes Employee Free Choice Act
Mar 1, 2007: After more than five hours of historic debate, the House of Representatives passed the most important labor law reform legislation in 70 years.  Additional info on AFL-CIO website

 South Africa - Harare says government will crush labour-led protests
Feb. 26, 2007: The Zimbabwe government on Sunday said trade union leaders calling for a national work boycott in April are itching “to start a war” in the country and vowed to sternly deal with them. Additional info on ZimOnline website

Top B.C. school expels 3 in exam scandal
Feb. 24, 2007: An elite school on Vancouver's west side has expelled three of its top Grade 12 students for allegedly breaking into secure areas of the school's computer system and downloading exams. Additional info on Vancouver Sun website

Human Rights Victory - Canadian Security Certificates Unconstitutional
Feb. 23, 2007: By unanimous decision, Canada’s highest court revoked the feds’ ability to detain and deport suspected foreign-born terrorists with Canadian security certificates -- a dramatic post-9/11 ruling that essentially asserts national security shouldn’t come at the cost of Charter rights and freedoms. Additional info on The Tyee website

TILMA's 'Very Big Teeth' threatens Green Agenda
Feb. 21, 2007: Good grief, as Charlie Brown would say. B.C. and Alberta signed the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) last April and it comes into force this coming April Fool's Day. Yet the ministers responsible for TILMA in B.C. and Alberta don't seem to have a clue what they have got their governments into. Additional info on The Tyee website

Trial set for CIA secret flights case
Feb. 16, 2007: MILAN, Italy – More than two dozen Americans and five Italians were indicted Friday in the abduction of an Egyptian terror suspect on a Milan street in what would be the first criminal trial stemming from the CIA's extraordinary rendition program. Additional info on Toronto Star website

Layton sounds alarm on rich-poor divide
Feb. 10, 2007: Despite Canada's wealth, NDP leader says too many are teetering on brink of poverty, calls for $10 minimum wage to help end disparity. Additional info on Toronto Star website