Important Update
It is with great joy I can report, all five resolutions have been carried!
On October 26th 2017, delegates of the APBC annual convention stood before our colleagues, and overwhelmingly spoke in favour of resolutions that will see our union officially recognize climate change as one of the greatest threats facing humanity, and furthermore have the union lobby the employer to adopt electric vehicle technology. Just to mention a few of the memorable speakers, one spoke of her love for her large diesel truck, but recognized the dire need for climate action. Another member spoke from the perspective of our youngest ranks, explaining he was going to be dealing with the effects of climate change more so than our older members. And perhaps the most influential moment was when one highly respected member, lauded his support for all five resolutions, calling them, "meat and potatoes".
Not only does the passing of these resolutions pose a great boon for TEAR, it is also a milestone, marking a need for us to bare down, and see these resolutions through to the best of our ability. Both our provincial and federal government seem far more inclined to take serious action on climate change than their predecessors. The devastating affects of climate change are become more and more evident. You can bet, that if our union recognizes this, so does the general public, and so likely is BCEHS management. We must use our new mandate to bring about positive change to the best of our ability, as soon as possible, and strike while the iron is hot.
Aware of the fact BCEHS management was pursuing a purchase of "staff" vehicles, I contacted newly elected president Cameron Eby days after convention, requesting management be alerted as soon as possible regarding the APBC's new mandate, to lobby the employer to replace the existing superintendent vehicles with electric vehicles. Cameron has since spoken with with two senior managers including COO Barb Fitzsimmons, who reportedly thought it was a good idea and were going to discuss it with the person doing the ordering.
We are currently waiting on the APBC Provincial Executive Committee to post an expression of interest for members interested in joining. While no time frame has been given for when this will happen, Cameron did advise during a Facebook live session on November 22nd, that this is indeed the plan for forming the first ever CUPE 873 Climate Change and Environment committee. He further explained that I would be on the selection team for this committee.
Thank you to everyone who has supported TEAR so far. I am eager to form the committee mentioned above, so we can continue with this most important work. I have no doubt, that we can make a significant impact in the quest for a sustainable climate and a healthier environment.
Sincerely,
David
