TSSU is a member of the Vancouver District Labour Council (VDLC). Our four delegates go to a monthly meeting to connect us with the larger labour movement in Vancouver. Teaser for this issue: Canada Post - Elections - IKEA - and more!

VDLC Meeting Tuesday April 15^th

Guest Speakers

Peter Lahay: International Transport Federation: What Is the ITF and What Do We Do?

• An organization which works with 760 transport unions in 154 countries dealing with maritime and seafarer issues such as
  • Safety
  • Human rights
  • Abandonment  (sailors being left behind at ports of call)
  • Non Payment of Wages
  • Forced employment (sailors not released on time from their employment contracts)
  • The Vancouver chapter of the ITF stops and inspects vessels in our port and responds to complaints from seafarers.
  • The ITF is also working on campaigns around
    • HIV/AIDS education for seafarers
    • Climate change and the transport industry
    • Unionizing African seafarers
    • Raising wages for seafarers from Burma

Denis Lemelin: National President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers

• Urging everyone to support the save Canada Post initiative by signing petitions and writing to their MPs.
• Wants to Canada Post to look into ways of expanding their business model to include such things as such as postal banking
• The CUPW is expanding their campaign from “Save Canada Post” to push for a change in government in the next federal election

Presidents Report

• VLDC’s committee for vetting election candidates for the next municipal election is almost complete
• VDLC’s labor law classes are ongoing and continue to be very popular contact the VDLC to register
• The first meeting of the Metro Vancouver Alliance was a huge success with 650 people in attendance from Labor, Faith, and Community groups.  The major issues identified in this first meeting were transit, poverty, social isolation, and housing.  The Metro Vancouver Alliance is now fact finding to identify where this group can focus its efforts to make real and lasting change in the community.
• Queen Alexander School Fundraising dinner raised ~$10,000 all going to the Wishing Tree Store which provides needy families with basic necessities.
• Ongoing solidarity work with locked out IKEA workers: DON’T SHOP AT IKEA
• Upcoming Mayday Rally starting at May 1^st 5pm at Grandview Park, with Carnival Band and speakers from the labor movement and Idle No More

Executive Recommendations: the VDLC voted to support the following

• PSAC local 20974 will join the VDLC
• The VDLC will become an organizational member of the BC poverty Reduction Committee
• The VDLC will sign onto a letter to Prime Minister Harper from the Canadian Labor Congress condemning the failure of Canadian retailers in signing the Accord on Fire and Building Safety following last year’s factory collapse in Bangladesh. The VLDC will also participate in a BC federation of Labor organized event on April 24^th  marking the one year anniversary of the disaster
• The VLDC will support the People’s Social Forum in Ottawa
• The VDLC will ask the Harper Government to scrap the “Fair Elections Act”

Report of Unions

• VTF (Vancouver Teacher’s Federation - adult educators) Losing jobs/programs because adult education centers are closing as the space is needed for elementary school children and the Vancouver School board has no money to rent additional space.
• HEU is taking a strike vote next week
• CUPW feels the new Richmond sorting facility is not ready to be open and malfunctions are causing delays and safety hazards

Committees

• Solidary in Action Committee:
  • Continued support for locked out IKEA workers, DON’T SHOP AT IKEA
  • Unite Here local 40 is looking for volunteers to help the concession, food and beverage workers at Rodger’s Arena reapply for their jobs after mass lay-offs in March.  The workers have until April 30^th to write a resume, cover letter and complete an online application.  Many need help with this task and/or lack access to computers.  They need volunteers with basic computer skills and laptops that they can bring to the sessions.  Sessions are being held April  22^nd (11am - 7pm), 23^rd (9am - 5pm) and 25^th(11 am - 7pm) at the Unite Here office in Burnaby, contact Lianna at 604-813-2105 or email HireUsFirst@gmail.com to help

Reports

• Canadian Labor Congress
  • Having elections during their annual convention in Montreal from May 5-9, this will be the first contested election for president in almost a decade
  • Bill C-377 stalled in senate, no foreseeable readings in the near future
  • Fair Elections Act, did not pass uncontested through the senate, so far Conservative senators are recommending changes will have to see if these changes are substantive.