In the Know

What is mental health? It is the capacity of each and all of us to feel, think and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice, interconnections and personal dignity. Whether it be job uncertainty, sickness of self or those we love, our mental health is suffering. For those that are suffering lack of sleep, loss or increase of appetites, feeling alone or just wanting to be alone, shortness of temper, overly emotional and more, you are not alone. CUPE is leading the way in providing resources and tools to our members in the form of the CUPE Mental Health Toolkit.

More information can be found on the CUPE BC site, here. We encourage any member that is suffering, to search out this site and to reach out for help.

Correction on the date of the CUPE School in Kamloops. The school is May 29-June 3 of 2022, and is an in person week-long school, which will be held at the Coast Hotel. Please watch your email for more information as the date gets closer.

In addition, Cupe has many courses listed under CUPE BC Education. These courses are all online, and we encourage all members to check them out. Any member may sign up for any course; however, a request to the Education committee must be made if there are expected costs, or a leave from work is required.

April 28, marks the National Day of Mourning in Canada. This day is sometimes called Workers Mourning Day. It commemorates workers who have been killed, injured, or suffered illness due to workplace hazards and incidents. People in Canada, especially workers, often light candles and hold a minute of silence in memory. This important day has been recognized in Canada since 1991. In Kamloops this year, the memorial will be held at St. Andrews on the square at 6pm. There will be guest speakers, a choir, and a piper. We encourage all to attend and pay respect to our fellow workers.

Are you interested in becoming a shop steward? Each of the 13 Units that Cupe 900 represents have shop stewards. Shop Stewards are often the first line of defense for our members in their workplaces. They often provide important information to the Union leadership regarding any new developments or issues happening in their Unit that they represent. New shop stewards receive training and are often “buddied” up with more experienced stewards. Generally, the duties of a shop steward include informing workers of their rights under their respective collective agreements, monitoring and enforcing the provisions of those collective agreements, and representing and defending rank and file members in investigatory meetings. For more information, please contact your Unit Chair or the CUPE office at officeadmin@cupe900.ca.