PEA Biennial Education Conference: May 1 and 2, 2020
Evolving Human Rights in the Professional Workplace
Across all PEA chapters, our members are facing real-life challenges that relate to human rights. These situations are often unexpected and can happen to anyone. Consider what would you would do if:
- You were bullied by a colleague and needed to file a complaint;
- You were diagnosed with a condition that required a medical accommodation; or
- You were called on as a supervisor to act on claims about inappropriate and discriminatory workplace behaviour.
Each of these situations needs an appropriate course of action. Would you know what to do?
Join us at the newly renovated Inn at Laurel Point Inn in Victoria for two days of learning about evolving workplace human rights. Through engaging presentations, insightful workshops and unique networking opportunities with attendees and presenters alike, you’ll come away with a better understanding of how we can all contribute to safe, productive and professional workplaces.
Express interest for attending by February 1, 2020
2020 Education Conference Expression of Interest
Conference Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Ivan Coyote
Ivan Coyote is a writer and storyteller who was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. In 2019 Ivan marked 25 years on the road as an international touring storyteller and musician, and released their twelfth book, Rebent Sinner. Coyote’s stories grapple with the complex and intensely personal topics of gender identity, family, class, and queer liberation, but always with a generous heart, and a quick wit. Ivan's stories manage to handle both the hilarious and the historical with reverence and compassion, and remind us all of our own fallible and imperfect humanity, while at the same time inspiring us to change the world.
Photo credit: Emily Cooper Photography
Presenter: Conni Kilfoil
Conni Kilfoil is a retired anthropologist and labour and human rights lawyer. She spent 24 years with CUPE, dedicating her last ten years to being the first BC equality representative and working with the BC Region of CUPE, CUPE National, the BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress. In 2013, she was honoured to receive the Carol McGregor Award for Disability Activism from the Canadian Labour Congress. Conni has been working as a human rights consultant since her “retirement” and continues to volunteer her time within the labour community.
Presenter: Michele Mundy
Michele is of Kwakwaka'wakw ancestry, a member of the 'Namgis First Nation from Alert Bay, BC. She also has ties to Kingcome Inlet (Dzawada’enuxw First Nation), Turnour Island Tlowitsis First Nation), Village Island (Mamalilikulla First Nation), and Fort Rupert (Tsaxis). Michele holds specific expertise in education and facilitating Indigenous Cultural Safety training, with transferrable skills that allows her lead projects in Indigenous programming, along with film & television. Community connections are extremely important, along with traditional teachings Michele received growing up. She works to ensure Indigenous voices are heard and upheld in all projects.
In this section
The PEA was formed in 1974, by a group of professionals working in the public sector. The story goes that the founders of the union mortgaged their houses to fund negotiations of the union’s first collective agreement.
Now, the PEA is BC’s union for professionals. We represent a wide range of professionals including lawyers, foresters, engineers, agrologists, teachers, veterinarians, fundraisers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists program managers, librarians and more.
Our union is led by the PEA Executive. They represent members from across the chapters of the PEA and set the overall vision and direction for our union.
Resources for our members
Navigating a union can sometime be a challenging process. Under this section of the website you will find resources to help you navigate the PEA. In the members section you'll find expense claim reimbursements, information on the PEA's scholarship and bursary program and our grants and donations program.
Collective bargaining and job action resources explain the process of collective bargaining and what to do in the unlikely event of job action.
Local reps can also find resources to help them complete their job more effectively. This includes ways to welcome new members, how to take notes in investigation disciplinary meetings and more.
The heart of our union
The PEA is made up of nine chapters, or groups of members who either work for the same employer or are in the same field of work. Each chapter has an elected executive tasked with running the affairs of the chapter. Each chapter is entitled to representation at the PEA Executive, the governing body of the union.
Our members work for a range of employers: the Province of BC, the University of Victoria, St. Margaret's School, the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, the Oil and Gas Commission, the Law Society of BC, Legal Services Society, the Okangan Regional Library and health authorities across BC.
Professionals need unions now more then ever
Since the 1970’s, when the PEA was formed, our mission has been to ensure our members can work in safe, productive environments and receive fair and reasonable wages and benefits for the valuable work they do. We help individuals and groups of professional workers to understand the challenges they face in their workplaces and some of the solutions available to them.
We work with potential members to become certified as a union and achieve the wages, benefits and respect they deserve.
The Professional | Volume 46 Issue 1
The Professional is the PEA's award-winning, quarterly magazine for members.
The January-February 2020 issue includes a Vancouver Sun op/ed piece from PEA Executive Director Scott McCannell on the Legal Services Society strike.
Read the January-February 2020 issue
