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More than 800 Graduate Academic Assistants (GAAs) who work at the University of British Columbia (UBC) will join BC’s largest union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). GAAs will join CUPE 2278, the union that already represents Teaching Assistants, English Language Instructors, and Exam Invigilators at the university.

“We’re excited to welcome Graduate Academic Assistants to our local,” says CUPE 2278 President Emily Cadger. “These workers play an integral role in the research and education community at UBC, and their work deserves to be recognized and fairly compensated.”

The representation vote for GAAs took place online from Monday July 10 to Wednesday July 12, and comes after an earlier application by CUPE 2278 to represent more than 3,200 Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) this past spring.

“Thousands of graduate student workers at UBC have signed union cards this year and we’ve heard that they want access to a union and more support at work. We are looking forward to formally supporting and representing Graduate Academic Assistants and providing them additional protections for all the hard work they do,” adds Cadger.

CUPE 2278 represents approximately 3,000 workers including teaching assistants, tutors, invigilators, markers, and English language instructors at UBC and graduate teaching assistants at the University of Northern British Columbia.

CUPE is Canada’s largest union with more than 715,000 members across the country and more than 100,000 in British Columbia.

South Arm Community Centre workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining CUPE, Canada’s largest public sector union. The new union members will become part of CUPE Local 718, the same local that represents the majority of City of Richmond staff.

“We are proud to welcome South Arm Community Centre workers to our union,” said Dal Benning, President of CUPE 718. “We look forward to working with the employer to negotiate a first collective agreement and building a positive working relationship that maintains a fair and inclusive work environment for CUPE members and strengthens services for patrons.”

The diverse group of approximately 165 workers at South Arm Community Centre provide a wide range of services including fitness instruction, recreation programming, youth services and child care. By joining CUPE, workers strengthen their collective voice and gain access to valuable resources, including collective bargaining expertise, educational opportunities, and a strong advocacy platform.

“South Arm Community Centre workers bring a wealth of expertise and dedication to their respective professions, playing a crucial role in delivering quality services that the community relies on,” added Benning.

These workers join a growing list of fitness and cultural workers who have recently joined CUPE in BC including workers at the Richmond Fitness and Wellness Association as well as workers employed by the City of Burnaby, the City of Richmond and the Township of Langley.

CUPE 718 represents approximately 1,750 employees who work at the City of Richmond, the Richmond Public Library, the City of White Rock, the Organized Crime Agency of BC, and the Regional Animal Protection Society.

More than 3,200 Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) who work at the University of British Columbia (UBC) will join B.C.’ s largest union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). GRAs will join CUPE 2278, the union that already represents Teaching Assistants, English Language Instructors, and Invigilators at UBC.

“We’re proud to welcome Graduate Research Assistants to our local,” says CUPE 2278 President Emily Cadger. “Research Assistants play a crucial role in the academic community, and they have sent a clear message that their compensation and working conditions need to improve.”

UBC has filed several objections to the union’s application for certification and they have argued against research assistants’ right to unionize claiming they are students and not employees.

“The research that these workers are producing contribute immensely to the university’s reputation. Their work is a key factor in UBC being an elite research institution,” says Gracy Buckholtz, CUPE 2278’s vice-president as well as an organizer with the campaign and a current GRA.

She adds that there are already many unionized research assistants across Canada at various institutions, including some right here in B.C.

“Thousands of workers have signed a union card and it is clear that they want a more respectful work environment and fair compensation from UBC,” said Buckholtz.

Working conditions, compensation and dispute resolution were motivating factors for GRAs seeking union representation. Cadger outlined that this group of employees lack any limits on the number of hours they can be asked to work on their research and that currently there aren’t clear and transparent scheduling policies. These workers also don’t have access to a dispute resolution process free from academic harm which means often there is no formal way for GRAs to address the concerns they are having at work.

“GRAs want to be treated like the thousands of other UBC employees who have union protection, respectful working conditions, fair dispute resolution, and compensation that enables them to do their jobs without constantly struggling to make ends meet,” says Cadger.

After an eight-month public campaign, CUPE officially filed an application with the Labour Relations Board (LRB) to unionize GRAs and have them join CUPE 2278 on April 28.

The union was notified on May 11 by the LRB that more than 55 percent of all eligible employees had signed a union card. This means that if the LRB dismisses UBC’s objections, the LRB will automatically grant the union’s application to represent GRAs because of the overwhelming support demonstrated.

CUPE 2278 represents approximately 3,000workers including teaching assistants, tutors, invigilators, markers, and English language instructors at UBC and graduate teaching assistants at the University of Northern British Columbia.

CUPE is Canada’s largest union with more than 715,000 members across the country and more than 100,000 in British Columbia.

Workers at Vancouver’s iconic Science World have decided to join B.C.’s largest union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The 150 workers will be part of CUPE Local 1004, a multi-unit local that represents a diversity of community, municipal and professional workers across the region.

“We are proud to welcome workers at Science World to CUPE Local 1004,” said CUPE 1004 President Scott McIntosh. “We look forward to building a collaborative working relationship with the leadership at Science World and working with them to address workers’ issues that will improve staff and visitor’s experiences at Science World.”

McIntosh notes that some of the key issues their newest members hope to address through bargaining are fair wages, in line with industry standards, that take into account their skills, knowledge and qualifications as well as building a more inclusive workplace with transparent policies.

Workers at Science World provide both front line customer service and work behind the scenes to provide a positive guest experience for visitors. This includes providing administrative services, building maintenance, food and event services, as well as sales, development and marketing functions. Workers also maintain and expand exhibits, and design and implement community engagement programs.

“CUPE 1004 members at Science World love bringing science knowledge and education to the community, but equally they need this work to be sustainable for workers and their families,” said McIntosh.

Under B.C.’s single-step certification law the workers were eligible for automatic certification after more than 55 percent of all eligible employees signed a union card. The newly unionized workers will form a Science World unit within the CUPE 1004 structure, and with local and national support from CUPE, will work collectively to set bargaining priorities and negotiate their first collective agreement.

CUPE 1004 represents more than 5,000 workers including outside workers for the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Parks Board employees, as well as employees of the Portland Hotel Society, Pacific National Exhibition, and several community non-governmental organizations. CUPE is Canada’s largest union with more than 100,000 members in B.C., and 715,000 members nation-wide.

CUPE is welcoming Exam Invigilators at UBC’s Centre for Accessibility who joined the union following a successful three-week membership drive. Predominantly graduate students themselves, the group of workers administers exams for students who require accommodations. These newest CUPE members will join CUPE Local 2278, one of three CUPE locals at B.C.’s largest university.

“Academic student workers are often required to work multiple jobs in addition to completing a heavy academic workload. This leaves student workers barely able to make ends meet and struggling with the mental health impacts of a near impossible schedule and constant financial stress,” said Phyllis Pearson, President of CUPE 2278. “Being part of CUPE, having their work professionalized, better regulated, and fairly compensated, is a huge step forward for this group of academic workers.”

CUPE Local 2278 represents over 2,000 academic workers at the University of British Columbia, including teaching assistants, tutors, markers, and English language instructors. The Local is currently working with its members and other graduate students to organize research and academic assistants, a large group of student workers who do not benefit from the representation, fair wages, and job security unionization provides.

“Student employees are the backbone of UBC, working alongside professors and other staff to provide the teaching, research and other academic work that support learning and contributes to research achievements,” said Pearson. “Student employees deserve the same recognition and respect as the thousands of other qualified, dedicated and hard-working employees at our university.”

Work to organize exam invigilators was a joint effort among the several CUPE locals at UBC, and represents a collaborative approach among CUPE activists at UBC. All CUPE locals at UBC have prioritized the need for student academic workers to access the protections of a union, and are each supporting ongoing membership drive.

“Our members work alongside student academic employees. They are our colleagues and our equals, and deserve the same rights, respect, and fair compensation as all other UBC employees,” said Chloe Martin-Cabanne, President of CUPE 2950, the local representing UBC’s clerical, library and theatre employees.

Work to unionize all student academic workers at the University of British Columbia is ongoing, and more information can be found at organizeubc.cupe.ca.

CUPE is Canada’s largest union with more than 715,000 members across the country and more than 100,000 in British Columbia.

RICHMOND – Civilian staff of the Organized Crime Agency of B.C. (OCABC) voted to join CUPE. The approximately 170 specialized professionals who deliver operational and administrative support to the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) will form a new bargaining unit in CUPE Local 718.

“We are pleased to welcome employees of the Organized Crime Agency of B.C. to our union,” said Dal Benning, President of CUPE 718. “We are honoured to include our new members who provide core support to investigations into organized crime and help keep communities safer from gang violence.”

As a designated police agency in B.C., the OCABC is responsible for reducing and eliminating organized crime in the province. Integrated with 14 law enforcement agencies, including the municipal police departments and the RCMP, OCABC civilian employees provide key analytical resources to the province’s response to gang activity.

“Our new OCABC members do crucial work and deserve job security and better wages, benefits, and working conditions to help their efforts supporting important investigations,” said Benning. “We want our new members to succeed in their jobs and equipping them with a fair contract is the best way to do that.”

CUPE 718 will soon work with the new bargaining unit to negotiate their first collective agreement. Members will elect a bargaining committee and set priorities for what they would want to achieve in negotiations.

CHILLIWACK – The Canadian Union of Public Employees is welcoming workers at the Chilliwack Crime Prevention Society as new members in Canada’s largest union. In a vote held earlier this month, nine Crime Prevention Society staff voted unanimously to join CUPE 458.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome these new members into our union and our local,” says Darlene Worthylake, president of CUPE 458. “We can’t wait to start working with our newest members to get them their first collective agreement.”

Chilliwack Crime Prevention Society workers provide crime prevention education and other services that enhance public safety in their community. They also oversee community programs such as Block Watch and Speed Watch, help coordinate community volunteers, and provide victim services.

“The workers are proud to provide vital services to their community, making it a better and safer place to live for everyone,” says Worthylake. “For too long, they have been underpaid compared to workers providing similar services in other B.C. communities. I’m confident, working together we can help make significant improvements in their working lives – improvements that will also benefit the people that depend on them every day.”

CUPE 458 also represents more than 500 members who are municipal workers providing services to the District of Kent, District of Hope, Hope Recreation, Fraser Valley Regional District, Cultus Lake Parks Board, City of Chilliwack, and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs.

VANCOUVER—By an overwhelming majority, residence advisors have voted to join CUPE 116 at the University of British Columbia in a Labour Board vote that concluded on April 13.

“We are enthusiastic to welcome this group of workers into our local,” said CUPE 116 President Dave Lance, noting that residence advisors are a good fit as the local already represents a wide array of staff at UBC housing including service workers, tradespeople and front desk representatives.

Lance said that they are looking forward to connecting with their newest group of 112 student employees who advise students who live in residences to help them integrate and get involved in life at UBC.

“We look forward to learning about their issues and doing our utmost to work with residence advisors to integrate them in our collective agreement,” said Lance.

Residence advisors (RAs) are undergrads who work with other students in residence, many of whom are international students living and learning away from home. For many of this group, belonging to CUPE 116 is their first opportunity to be represented by a union. RAs help deal with student issues and perform resident check-ins. According to recent articles in The Ubyssey, safety concerns for RAs have been heightened during the pandemic.

CUPE 116 members provide vital services that make UBC work. CUPE 116 is a large, diverse local representing more than 2300 members at UBC including technicians, tradespeople and labourers, service workers, housekeepers, food services workers, dental assistants, parking and security officers, student housing and bookstore workers.

DISTRICT OF KENT—CUPE 458 welcomed 18 new members who work as fitness and recreation instructors in the District of Kent last week. Following a representation vote held in December, the Labour Board recently certified these workers as members of CUPE 458.

CUPE 458 President Darlene Worthylake said that this group of workers who provide health, fitness and wellness instruction for all ages at the Community Recreation and Cultural Centre and the Ferny Coombe Pool in Agassiz are important to the well-being of the community.

“This is such a great win for both our local and our newest members,” said Worthylake. “To be able to give these workers the same advantages, rights and liberties that our own people have is huge.”

Worthylake explained that the fitness and recreation instructors had to re-sign their contracts with the District every three months. “They had no job security or protections,” she said. “To have them come in under the same contract as our union members–that they are already working beside–is better all around.”

CUPE 458 also represents more than 500 members who are municipal workers providing services to the District of Kent, District of Hope, Hope Recreation, Fraser Valley Regional District, Cultus Lake Parks Board, City of Chilliwack, and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs.

Union’s newest members were part of largest unorganized library system in B.C.

PRINCE GEORGE—Nearly a decade after its last organizing drive for the same group, CUPE 4951 has finally welcomed Prince George Public Library (PGPL) workers to their local following an overwhelming certification vote in favour of joining the union, confirmed on April 7.

The 50 new members are librarians, library clerks, library techs and library assistants, as well as security, finance and IT staff.

CUPE 4951 President Lily Bachand said the Local is happy to welcome these workers to the union after facing challenges during the last organizing drive in 2012.

“We are excited to have this group from the PGPL coming into the Local and we value what they bring to the table,” she said, noting that the new members join an existing group of CUPE library workers at the College of New Caledonia (CNC) and at the Fort St. James Public Library.

Bachand praised CUPE Organizing and member organizers for their efforts on the ground. While CUPE 4951 Second Vice-President Leanne Yearley coordinated card gathering and information package handouts, the library workers themselves were key to the campaign’s success.

“The group that really drove this effort was the organizing committee made up of six current library workers who talked to their co-workers and got the word out, which really helped the process along,” said Bachand.

Including the newly-organized PGPL workers, CUPE 4951 now represents more than 400 members who also work at CNC’s Prince George and five satellite campuses, the District of Fort St. James, and the Caledonia Early Care and Learning Centre.