Plutonic Power's Dependence on GE Raises Fresh Questions on Energy Plan: Union

August 14, 2008

Burnaby, BC - Today's announcement that Plutonic Power has signed a new partnership with global energy giant General Electric raises fresh questions about foreign ownership of BC resources, and whether such projects exist only to generate power for export to the US, says the union representing workers in the BC energy sector.

Private Power Executive Advocates Nuclear Development in BC to US Investors

Burnaby, BC - The President of Plutonic Power spoke in favour of nuclear power development to a gathering of California investors in San Francisco last weekend, as witnessed by a staffer from the union representing workers in BC's energy sector.  Plutonic Power, part-owned by energy giant General Electric, is a Vancouver-based private power producer developing dozens of dams in BC.

"It is an absolute no-brainer, and we should be doing it," said Bruce Ripley, President and Chief Operating Officer of Plutonic Power Corporation. 

COPE 378 served National Car Rentals notice to bargain on May 1, 2008.  To keep members at National informed, the following letter was sent to the members home addresses. A PDF version of the letter is available by clicking here.

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August 7, 2008

To: All COPE 378 Members at National Car Rental:

National Offers Tactics, not Talk – Membership Responds with 99% Strike Vote

COPE 378 members at Working Enterprise Insurance ratified a new Collective Agreement on Wednesday, August 6.

The COPE 378 Bargaining Committee is pleased to have found a resolution to the negotiations. The Bargaining Committee thanks all members for taking the time to vote.

Salary Scale improvements are 5.5% in the first year, 3% in the second year and 3% in the third year. The first year increase is retroactive to and including June 1, 2008. The Employer advises us the increase will be paid to all current Employees within a month of August 7, 2008.

Other benefits and highlights include:

A tentative agreement has been reached between COPE 378 and Working Enterprises

The 3-year agreement, which will be retroactive to June 1, 2008, contains a number of benefits and highlights, including: 

Highlights of the Settlement include:

COPE 378 succesfully argued and won interim relief.--pending a December Arbitration--for its members working at Accenture Business Services

The relief sought was a "cease and desist" order on the indescriminate collection of medical and personal information for short term sick leave.

In his decision, Colin Taylor, QC, spoke of the Privacy Commissioner's test of "reasonableness" and the principle of not collecting personal information indiscriminately.

Click here to read the full award.

Sample of so-called "TIER ONE" FORM- may be requested

COPE 378 has joined with 6 other unions in launching a legal challange to the BC Government's Bill 42, which severely restricts freedom of speech by curtailing third party election spending in the lea dup to an election.

The Statement of Claim filed Wednesday alleges that Bill 42 violates constitutionally-protected rights to freedom of expression by restricting reasoned political discourse and by preventing groups from effectively communicating their positions on election issues before and during an election campaign.

A tentative agreement has been reached between COPE 378 and Konica-Minolta.

The 4-year agreement, which will be retroactive to April 1, 2008, contains a number of benefits and highlights, including: 

The COPE 378 Executive Board today received a comprehensive report and recommendations on how to engage and activate members as the Union seeks to expand and grow.

The report, which was prepared by Talia Weibe and Samantha Hope of Douglas College, specifically looked at COPE 378's Young Workers and Retirees Committees. The report and recommendations seeks to identify a strategy for recruitment and retention of union activists, and modernizing our communications in order to reach and appeal to as broad a range of members as possible.

The Board will be examining the recommendations, which focus on an increased union presence in workplaces and modernized communications,  and working with staff to implement them.