CUPE BC will be hosting a series of information webinars for CUPE members on the Plan Partners BC Municipal Pension Plan Redesign changes.

Please read the information in the link below for further details.

MPP Redesign

Our apologies that we had to cancel the November 21st meeting as per the latest COVID-19 health restrictions.  The elections will be deferred until January 23, 2021, at which time General Meetings will be held via ZOOM until further notice.

Registration will be through Employee Connect.   All information will be posted on our website in the New Year.

All positions, except for President, were open for nominations.  With the exception of the Operations  and Custodial Shop Steward positions, all others will be acclaimed at the January 23rd meeting.

There are 2 members running for Custodial Shop Steward:  Colleen Elder and Dean Armstrong.

There were no nominations for the Operations Shop Steward position.

At the January 23rd CUPE Meeting, we will be taking nominations for Operations Shop Steward, the 3 Year Trustee Position and all CUPE committees:  Social Justice; Political Action; N.O.L.C.; Entertainment; O.M.D.C., Media; and District Health & Safety.

The January agenda will be attached prior to the meeting.

Upcoming CUPE General Meetings:

February 20, April 17, May 22, June 12

Hi Everyone,

We trust that you are staying safe and healthy with COVID-19 cases increasing.  Please ensure that all safety precautions are adhered to: washing hands, wearing masks, physical distancing.  It is the employee’s right to wear a mask at any time.

We know that many members have been contacted by Interior Health to self-isolate, thus missing work.  CUPE National, BC Federation of Labour, BCTF, and other affiliates are in talks with the BC Government to increase the number of sick days due to COVID-19.

Our CUPE General Election Meeting has been moved up to January 23rd.  It will be held via ZOOM.

Christmas break is fast approaching and we know we speak for most everyone that we could all use a break.  Hopefully by Christmas, some restrictions will be lifted and we can all enjoy our special time with family.

David Tether

2020 Support Staff Seniority List may be viewed by opening the link below:

2020 Support Staff Seniority List

Please see the attached link for the Guidelines. Using personal devices is optional.  School District should have supplied technology if you are contacting students from home.

Approved Communication Guidelines for CEAs 

Attention CEAs,

The Union has received a few phone calls from CEAs who have attended staff meetings at their schools and thought they were being paid to attend the meetings because of the SIA (Service Improvement Allocation) Fund.

The SIA Fund does not take effect until July 1, 2020.  The fund will only cover 1 staff meeting per month up to one hour held outside of school hours.

For other departments, please also note that the date the SIA Fund takes effect is July 1, 2020.

The following MSP information is from the School District and was emailed to ALL STAFF today just to give you a heads up about the changes in MSP and the new process.  This new process will start in 90 days and SD23 will email  information to ALL STAFF closer to that date.  Until then, all changes are made through the Payroll Department at SD23.

Last Friday, all employees received an email to inform you that the District processed your last MSP premium deduction in November 2019.

To further explain, MSP premiums will be eliminated January 1, 2020, however the MSP program will continue to provide provincially insured health care benefits for eligible BC residents.  Those employees with existing MSP coverage do not need to re-apply.

The District plans to cancel their Group MSP Plan in the coming weeks but the process will take up to 90 days to complete.  As our District’s Group Plan is cancelled, the Ministry of Health and Health Insurance BC (HIBC) will automatically transfer you and any existing dependents to a self-administered MSP account.  Until you are notified, contact the District’s payroll department for any changes.

As HIBC begins this transfer in the spring, each individual will be notified and will become personally responsible for keeping their individual MSP accounts up to date.

• To update your address at any time, visit www.addresschange.gov.bc.ca;

• To make the following changes, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/managingyourmspaccount;

• Update your personal information, or information for other individuals on your account (including name, date of birth, or gender);

• Add and/or remove a spouse (including Common-law) or child(ren); and/or

• Update your status in Canada (e.g.: obtain a new work permit, study permit, or confirmation of permanent residence).

More Information:

1 – Questions re: your MSP coverage, visit www.gov.bc.ca/MSP or contact HIBC (1-800-663-7100);

2 – To request an MSP Account Confirmation letter that will verify MSP enrolment status for one or more individuals on your MSP account, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/confirmMSPaccount;

3 – Any further questions, visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/msp-premium-elimination-jan-1-2020

4.  Changes on your personal MSP form are no longer made by the District.  Members log in and make their own changes.

President:  David Tether – [email protected]

Vice President:  Teri Wishlow – [email protected]

Recording Secretary:  Julie Melia – [email protected]

Secretary Treasurer:  Kieran Fahy – [email protected]

Shop Stewards:

Sergeant-At-Arms:  John O’Flaherty – [email protected]

General:  Ronn Dunn – [email protected]

Clerical:  Shelley Yost – [email protected]

Custodial:  Colleen Elder – [email protected]

Indigenous Advocate:  Simone Gauthier – [email protected]

Operations:  Ron Hoekstra – [email protected]

Student Support Services:  Denise Mott – [email protected]

Student Support Services:  Michelle Price – [email protected]

Transportation:  Duane Wheatley – [email protected]

Collective Agreement 2014-2019 pdf