Chair – Doug Brock

The Education Committee is borne of Article II E of the CUPE 1767 Constitution.  It is intended to educate those members who hold key positions as officers or committee members and ensure they have such educational material available to them as will prepare them to effectively represent the membership.

Additionally, we are to educate and ensure the entire membership is knowledgeable -- concerning the Union structure, its function, and the Collective Agreement -- to be able to maintain their rights in the workplace and have an effect on CUPE Local 1767.

Throughout the past year, discussions have been ongoing with CUPE to build an education program that will fit the geographically widespread nature of our local and to provide union education on representing members, basic stewardship and leadership.  At this time, it is still a work-in-progress. With the four year hiatus until the next set of negotiations commences, I have asked the Table Officers to expand the education budget to accommodate the often onerous expenses of travel and added cost for non-affiliates of the various district councils where our local is located.

There is, at present, an outline of fall courses and their locations available on our website.  As I have said to this gathering in the past, it is in the interest of all members to visit the website to review what is available.  Please visit the site often. Encourage your members at home to take a look at what is available.  The local has an annual budget of $500 to provide financial assistance to attend these courses.  This is still under review.  Additionally, scholarships of up to $1,000 are available from CUPE BC for those attending the week-long schools at Parksville and Naramata or the CLC Harrison Lake Winter School.

A sub-committee of the Education Committee is the Bursary Committee which provides financial assistance by awarding two $500 scholarships to relatives of members of our Local.  I am pleased to announce that this year’s recipients of CUPE Local 1767 Bursaries are:

Corie Potter-Lowden, and
Ashley Williams.

Congratulations to the recipients and “Thank You” to all of the applicants.