Important Information for K-12 Locals and Members

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Premier John Horgan announced yesterday that in-class instruction has been suspended indefinitely in all B.C. schools to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

CUPE, along with other stakeholders in education, have been involved in discussions with our provincial government around school closures and what that will look like for our members. We have also been in discussion with BCPSEA and tabled our urgency to find agreement on the continuation of wages and benefits for our members in K-12. We haven’t heard back from BCPSEA and we will notify you immediately when we do.

Please read this bulletin from K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams.

Read a letter to parents, guardians and staff from Minister Rob Fleming.

Here is an article from the Georgia Straight on school closures: https://www.straight.com/news/1373241/bc-says-k-12-students-stay-home-school-until-worst-coronavirus-has-passed

 

 

CUPE K-12 locals encouraged to nominate members for 2020 Premier’s Award for Excellence in Education

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BURNABY – The BC Ministry of Education announced today that nominations for the 2020 Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education are now open.

K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams encourages CUPE Locals to nominate their members to recognize the excellent services support staff provide in schools throughout B.C.

“These awards are now more inclusive and provide an opportunity to highlight the dedication and commitment of all CUPE members in K-12,” said Williams, noting that the awards are an opportunity to show how all support staff play an important role in K-12. “It would be great to see nominees representing all the various services our members provide in K-12, and to have members nominated from all regions in the Province.”

A category for Outstanding Support – School Community, added last year, opens the awards to CUPE members who work as bus drivers, crossing guards, student supervisors, aboriginal cultural facilitators, custodians, maintenance/tradespeople, and clerical workers. Education assistants and Aboriginal support workers are eligible in the Outstanding Support – Teaching Assistant category.

Full details on categories and the nomination process are available online, along with nomination forms.

The Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education celebrates the contributions of support staff, teachers, and administrators who make a difference in B.C. schools and who are “vital to the cultural, economic and social well-being of the province.” Nominations are open from January 13 – April 30, 2020. Finalists will be announced in May and winners will be announced at an award ceremony in Victoria in October.

Meet CUPE 379 member Wendel Williams from École Alpha Secondary School in Burnaby (SD 41), winner in the 2019 Outstanding Support – School Community category and finalists Jodi Guy, CUPE 723 member from École Phoenix Middle School in Campbell River (SD 72) and CUPE 523 member Dorothy Jones from A.L. Fortune Secondary School in North Okanagan-Shuswap (SD 83). 2019 finalists in the Outstanding Support – Teaching Assistants category are CUPE 947 member Elaine Bayles from Glanford Middle School in Victoria (SD 61) and CUPE 3523 member Marie Kielpinski from Mount Boucherie Secondary School in Central Okanagan (SD 23).

K-12 support staff bargaining wraps up province-wide

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VANCOUVER—The K-12 Presidents Council announced today that all locals have now reached agreements with their respective districts and that K-12 province-wide bargaining has been completed for support staff.

K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams thanked everyone involved in bargaining at both union and employer tables.

“Thanks to all the bargaining committees for their hard work and dedication, union business agents, and to our national staff – including specialists – for their ongoing support,” said Williams. “I’d also like to thank CUPE National and the CUPE BC Division.”

Williams said that dates have been set for the new committees created through the Provincial Framework Agreement. “We’re looking forward to working together to make improvements for support staff and students.”

The new committees are Support Staff Education, Provincial Labour Management, and Safety in the Workplace. The Job Evaluation Committee, created in the previous provincial agreement, has begun the second phase of its work.

The K-12 Presidents Council is comprised of representatives from 62 locals in school districts across British Columbia, including 57 CUPE locals. Members of the Council represent more than 29,000 education workers who provide a wide variety of services that support students. These include Education Assistants, School Secretaries, Youth and Family Workers, Caretakers, First Nations Support Workers, IT Workers, Career Information Assistants, Strong Start Facilitators, Trades and Maintenance Workers, and Bus Drivers.