WHY UNIONS?

Canadian unions have a long history of struggle and victories, dating back to the early 1800s. 

Throughout the 19th century, education was a luxury and not a right. Most workers could not read or write and very few written records documenting their struggles and conditions exist today. The records we do have, however, show a big division between skilled (or “trade”) workers and unskilled workers. An unskilled worker usually could not earn enough money to house and feed a family. Women (paid half as much as men) and children (paid about one-third a man’s wage) worked to supplement the household income.  Read more…

Joint Job Evaluation Committee and Job Description Updates

The Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC) has begun working on updating all of the CUPE job descriptions. The committee is composed of 4 representatives from CUPE and 4 from the employer, plus one alternate each.

In the coming weeks, we will be reaching out to you all to provide us with feedback to help ensure that the job descriptions reflect your current job duties and responsibilities (if you are not on our e-mail and newsletter lists, please reach out to us to get added).

Read moreJoint Job Evaluation Committee and Job Description Updates

Wellness Benefit LIVE!

CUPE Local 748 Regular & Temporary Employees have access to an annual allowance for wellness expense reimbursement. For the 2022/2023 school year, the amount is $230. This will increase to $350 for the 2023-2024 school year onward. Employee status on January 1st will determine annual eligibility.

Please be patient as HR and Payroll move through the new process – are likely receiving a lot of requests right now.

Read moreWellness Benefit LIVE!

Retroactive Pay

Good Afternoon Brothers and Sisters,
We have heard from our wonderful payroll department that they are working hard to get the retro out to you all as soon as possible. Hopefully, it will be done for the next pay period. Please have patience. They are working so hard to complete it.
Yippie for the CUPE payroll peeps 🙂
Michelle Bennett
President, CUPE Local 748
President, KDC
Phone-250-505-2712

What is a Ratification Vote?

The Union Bargaining Committee negotiates with the employers on behalf of the employees who are represented by the union.
Ratification by the union is the process by which members of the bargaining unit vote to accept or reject the terms of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for a new collective agreement or modifications/revisions to the terms of an existing collective agreement, that the employer and the union have negotiated and agreed to.

Read moreWhat is a Ratification Vote?

Ratification Vote!

After some very long days in mediation, our bargaining committee has reached a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the employer. The parties agreed to recommend ratification of the MoA to their respective members; (the Board of Education of School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake), the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association, and the membership of CUPE Local 748)

Read moreRatification Vote!