The November Forward Look

The November Forward Look is now online. View it by clicking here.

Just a reminder that the next general meeting is on Monday the 21st. We will be nominating for executive positions.

In Solidarity

Adam Currey
Recording Secretary

The October Forward Look

The October Forward Look is now online. View it by clicking here.

Also, a reminder that the meeting is on Monday, the 17th.

Statement from the B.C. Federation of Labour on Occupy Wall Street

Global economic uncertainty is shining a bright light on the rapidly growing gap between rich and poor in North America and around the world. In the United States, the consequences have been widespread and severe. Real unemployment is approaching 20 per cent. People are losing their homes to foreclosures. And, for the first time in generations, few young Americans believe their lives will be as prosperous and secure as their parents.

Here, well paying jobs, fair taxation and strong public services built the Canada we know and love. For 20 years across Canada, however, real wages have stagnated, the richest Canadians and corporations have avoided billions in taxes, and successive governments have weakened public services. This has created a gap between rich and poor not seen in generations, and the gap is widening.

The Conference Board of Canada has identified that Canada had the second largest rate of income inequality growth among peer nations from the mid-1990’s to the mid-2000’s. Clearly, the same conditions that have lead to Wall Street exist in Canada as well.

In British Columbia, a decade of tax cuts for the richest British Columbians and corporations combined with stagnant wages for average income earners have left British Columbia families struggling to make ends meet and nervous about their futures. As the cost of living has increased, household debt has piled up and savings eroded. This has got to stop.

The Occupy Wall Street movement expresses an underlying desire for fairness and equality in the economy and our society. The B.C. Federation of Labour stands in solidarity with that desire, as part of the 99 percent, and calls on the governments of British Columbia and Canada to act swiftly and decisively to narrow the gap. The BC Fed will support an ongoing peaceful occupation in Vancouver on these important issues.

Members of the B.C. Federation of Labour will gather Saturday October 15th at the Vancouver Art Gallery at 12:00 p.m. in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement's call for good jobs, fair taxes and strong public services.

For more information visit http://act.bcfed.ca/solidaritywithoccupywallstreet/

No Forward Look for September

I did not receive any Forward Look articles, so I will not be putting out an issue this month. If anything happens Jim will contact those on his email list. With summer ending we should have a lot more to report in the coming months. Jim, Doug and I will be going to the Western Region conference and there is an upcoming Wage Caucus meeting in Vancouver on the 1st of October.

I would like to remind everyone that the general meeting will be on Monday, September the 19th at 7pm. On the agenda will be the notice of motion about the strike dues from the last round of negotiations. Jim and Doug will report on the President's council meeting. We will also have updates on what has been going on with Standing Committee, financial reports, etc. throughout the summer.

In solidarity,

Adam Currey
Recording Secretary

Brent Hamelin Stepping Down as Vice President

Brent Hamelin has decided to step down from his position as Vice President of Local 592 for personal reasons. I would like to thank Brent for his contributions to the local as a member of the executive over the last several years. I learned much from him and look forward to working with him as a fellow wage delegate.

In the short term, I will be taking on Brent's responsibilities until we have an election to fill the position permanently.

In Solidarity,

Adam Currey

Recording Secretary

Forward Look for August

The August Forward Look is now online. View it by clicking here.

In Solidarity,

Adam Currey
Recording Secretary

No Forward Look this month

As we had no columns for the month and little to report, we have canceled the Forward Look for July. We will publish one for August to keep everyone up to date in the absence of an August general meeting.

Any pressing information will be put on the blog or will be sent out on Jim's email list.

In solidarity

Adam Currey
Recording Secretary