Category Archives: News

Coldest Night of the Year 2020

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It’s cold out there. CUPE 4879 is proud to participate in the Coldest Night of the Year 2020 February 22.

Members of CUPE 4879 along with members of the Kamloops and District Labour Council are walking the walk in Kamloops for the Mustard Seed Organization. Together with thousands of Canadians across the country, we’re walking and fundraising to support and serve hungry, homeless, and hurting people and families in our community.

Please sign up today for Team Kamloops and District Labour Council and help us reach our goal. Here is a quick link to team Kamloops and District Labour Council page on CNOY.org.

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?teamID=886121&langPref=en-CA

It’s easy to donate or join the team to participate! The first six (6) CUPE 4879 member who sign up will get a donation from CUPE 4879 of $50 to help support your fundraising efforts.

CUPE SCHOLARSHIP 2020 now accepting applications

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Three $1000 education awards are available. Preference will be given for one award to a student in a trade, technical, or vocational program; for the second award, preference will be given to a student in an academic program, and the third will be awarded to a student in either a trade or academic program.

Please refer to the downloadable application form for eligibility requirements.

CLICK here to Download a copy of the CUPE Scholarship application form

Negotiated Benefit Improvements

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Here is a quick reference to the most recent negotiated benefit improvements for the CUPE 4879/TRU 2019-2022 Collective Agreement.

Article 22 (d) Bereavement Leave. Increased from 4 days to 5 days.

Benefits as of October 2019 – Paramedical increases from $200 to $500 per calendar year, limited to $75 per visit; except unlimited maximum for physiotherapist

As of October 2019 – Surgical stockings (compression stockings) increased form $25 to $100 calendar year maximum

April 2020 – Orthodontics will be increased from $1500 to $3000 lifetime maximum

April 2020 – Hearing Aids – increased from $600 to $1500 per five (5) years

April 2021 – Vision care – (prescription glasses/contact/laser eye surgery) – increased from $300 to $400 per two (2) years

Welcome Back

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Welcome back to all students, staff, and faculty to the 2019 fall semester at Thompson Rivers University (TRU).

The members of CUPE 4879 are support staff who work at TRU in Kamloops and Williams Lake. We are very pleased to be a part of every students’ journey, as they study, learn, find their path, and prepare for new careers and life experiences.

Our work contributes to the success of post-secondary students in earning their certificates, diplomas, degrees, and apprenticeships. We directly support students, faculty, administration and maintain the campus infrastructure. We are proud to provide necessary services that benefit TRU, the Kamloops and Williams Lake communities, and the province as a whole.

CUPE 4879 represents between 600-700 workers. Our membership includes employees in roles such as utility workers, technicians, admission officers, electricians and carpenters, administrative assistants, library workers, course editors, production technicians, marketing writers, orientation leaders, advisors, coordinators and student positions on campus, to name but a few of the many roles we fill.

We know that post-secondary education benefits everyone in the community, and we are very proud of the work we do for all students. We look forward to supporting every student throughout their time at TRU.

Best wishes for a successful school year! “We’ve got your back!”

CUPE 4879 November & December News

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THREE $1000 EDUCATION AWARDS UP FOR GRABS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every year CUPE 4879 offers three education awards of $1000 to our members and their family. This year’s deadline for applications is December 20.

One award is for a student in a trade, technical, or vocational program; the second award is for a student in an academic program; and the third will be awarded to a student in either a trade or academic program.

Applicants must be in a full-time course load and must be a member in good standing of CUPE 4879, or have a parent, guardian, or partner who is a member in good standing.

Visit the CUPE 4879 website or contact the CUPE office for an application form and to find out the award requirements.

Don’t forget! The deadline for applying is noon on December 20, 2018.

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR: IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR CUPE 4879’S HO-HO-HOLIDAY SOCIAL!

It’s that time of year again when your CUPE Social Committee and Executive work like Santa’s elves to put together the CUPE Holiday Social. This years’ event will follow our (very short) December General Meeting, held on Wednesday, December 12th at 4:35 pm in OL 127.

There will be finger food, drinks, fun holiday games, prizes, and festive tunes, but new to the party this year is a craft corner where you can make an ornament for the tree and/or a Christmas card.

So, bring your holiday spirit and Christmas cheer and join us for what is sure to be a fun-filled evening (but not too much fun because YouTube exists).

We hope to see everyone on Wednesday, December 12th at 4:35 pm in OL 127.

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CUPE 4879 NATIONAL SECTOR COUNCIL CONFERENCE 2018

 

 

 

 

Lois Rugg, Debbie Wasylyshyn, Karl Fultz, and Linda Fleck represented CUPE 4879 at the CUPE Sector Conference in Ottawa. This years’ conference was held from November 6 – 9, 2018. Many of the themes covered are important for our workplace: fighting privatization, protecting our pensions, precarious work, funding for post-secondary, anti-oppression and anti-racism, making progress towards truth and reconciliation, and preventing violence and sexual harassment in post-secondary institutions.

Jagmeet Singh, Leader of Federal NDP, gave the closing keynote address. He spoke of our “courageous optimism” to continue fighting for public infrastructure, including internet, to be kept in public hands.

“The Struggle is something we have to do – it is an act of love and courage.” Jagmeet Singh

Our members were active throughout the conference, and brought back some important take-aways to share:

  • Violence in the Workplace: Violence in the workplace can impact any of us, but is especially bad in health care and education sectors. Check out CUPE’s Violence: It’s NOT Part of the Job campaign. We learned of staff being told to expect to get hit/abused by patients, teachers and teacher’s aids to expect to be hit/abused by students, high school janitorial staff are expected to clean up after a suicide and only offered a EAP phone number instead of any kind of critical incidence debriefing/meaningful care.
  • Pensions Are Under Attack: The University of Saskatchewan is threatening to make unilateral cuts to their support staff’s pension plan. CUPE 1975 is fighting back with a “Paws Off Our Pension” campaign. We can see what is happening at universities across Canada, and we will stand together to protect our pensions.
  • Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action: We need to create space for marginalized peoples to participate in our workplaces and the labour movement: Celebrate special days, hand over some of the power, CUPE 3902’s “Sick of Racism” campaign, etc.
  • Crisis in Post-Secondary Funding: “Our Time to Act” Campaign: Government funding and precarious work are two issues that affect all of us at TRU. Under the BC Liberals, federal transfer payments for post-secondary actually INCREASED but provincial funding to universities went DOWN. Meanwhile, our wages have stayed frozen or been downgraded due to rising cost of living. Many of us at TRU are living pay-cheque to pay-cheque in uncertain jobs that could expire at any time. We know what has been happening, and we know that together we can reverse this. The 2019 Federal election is fast approaching. Now is our chance to put these issues on the ballot in 2019 through the “Our Time to Act” campaign.

“We need to take a longer view, look at what the fallout will be if we don’t look after these things. For example, a university that saves x-thousand dollars today on decimating pensions will cost general taxpayers x-MILLION dollars in future welfare payments to retirees.”

OUR TIME TO ACT!

After years of government underfunding, access to high quality Post-Secondary Education is at risk. It’s our time to act!

CUPE 4879 and many CUPE Locals representing post-secondary institutions across the province and across Canada are raising awareness through the “Our Time To Act” campaign. We hope you will join us. It’s time for the federal government to be a real partner in post-secondary education again. The campaign is asking for the federal government to:

  • Adopt a Post-Secondary Education Act with clear conditions and accountability measures for federal funding.
  • Create a dedicated Post-Secondary Transfer.
  • Increase transfer funding by 40 percent to restore the level of per-student PSE funding that was provided in 1993.
  • Work with the provinces to reduce and eventually eliminate tuition fees for post-secondary education.

High-quality, funded, and accessible post-secondary education is essential for all of us. We’re asking everyone to help:

To learn more about the campaign, please visit https://cupe.ca/our-time-act.

CUPE 4879 COMMITTEE MEMBERS APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

A appreciation luncheon was held for our committee members on November 22, 2018.

Thank you so much for all your hard work throughout the year!

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

 

 

 

CUPE 4879 Communication Committee (comm comm) has been busy updating and making changes to our website, Facebook page, and Twitter account.

We’re looking for story submissions and ideas from our members for future updates. Please let us know what’s going on in your department, in the TRU community, and tell us if there is anything else you may want us to know.

CUPE 4879: SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND THE TRU COMMUNITY

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to watch our progress.