Fair Employment Week Event - Thursday, October 19 10:00 a.m
Publish date: Thursday, October 12, 2023
UVic
Dear UVic members,
October 16-20 is Fair Employment Week, an annual event to raise awareness about working conditions for staff at colleges and universities across Canada.
This year, labour unions at the University of Victoria will hold a solidarity event on Thursday, October 19 to highlight issues for all of the workers on campus. The event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. at the Grad House Restaurant at the University of Victoria campus. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be served.
Fair Employment Week:
Solidarity Event
Thursday, October 19
10:00 a.m.
Grad House Restaurant
As the Times Colonist reported earlier this year, the University announced 4% base budget reductions due to declines in international student enrollment.
Previously the UVic unions penned a joint letter to Premier David Eby and Minister Selena Robinson calling for increases to post-secondary funding in British Columbia, and noting the dangers of declining provincial funding, which leads to an increased reliance on international student tuition:
“Our members and communities should not be punished because of the inherent instability of our current post-secondary funding model,” states the letter. “These cuts have further detrimental effects on our members and Universities and Colleges by reducing the number of classes that can be offered, reducing supports that help instructors be the best teachers they can be, while increasing workloads of remaining instructors and staff and thus negatively affecting the quality of education that can be delivered.”
The solidarity action next Thursday will be an opportunity for members to come together and discuss the ongoing effects of the budget cuts. All UVic union members, members of the community, and interested media are welcome to attend the solidarity event.
I hope to see you there,
Cliff Haman
UVic Chapter Chair
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.
