Demonstration at the post office about discriminatory hiring.
1970
Ongoing
Helped with Tilden Rent-a-car picket (OTEU)
BC Civil Services Commission picket – support for Betsey Meadley who resigned because of government discrimination against women.
Leafletting Office Overload and Office Assistance.
A series of noon hour lectures downtown.
HEU – trying to make them fight for equal pay for equal work.
January
Working Women’s Workshop (Women’s Caucus and the Community Educational and Research Group)
August
Cunningham boycott began.
September
Complaint by VGH women to Human Rights Commission.
October
War Measures Act
December
At Christmas, the Women’s Caucus and the women of the truly revolutionary Vancouver Women’s Liberation Front who had split earlier in the year, got together to do a protest at the post office.
1971
Ongoing
Cunningham boycott
Assistance to strikers at Sandringham Private Hospital in Victoria.
Medieval Inn protests
January
Status of Women report from Royal Commission, resulting in formation of groups to pressure for implementation of the recommendations. In Vancouver, this was SWACC, Status of Women Action Coordinating Committee, later changed to SWC (Status of Women Council) and even later to VSW (Vancouver Status of Women)
Vancouver conference for visit by Indochinese women.
Women in Teaching (WIT) formed.
March
Five women arrested for disrupting a fashion show at the Hotel Vancouver.
Spring
Raymur Place mothers protest.
July
Women’s Caucus dissolved.
WWW: another workshop series.
October
WWW conference. Working Women’s Association formed.
November
Smitty’s Pancake House.
1972
Leaflet by WWA and Status of Women Council about equal pay using Board of Trade figures.
WWA moved out of the Women’s Centre to our own office.
May
Women’s Work. booklet
June
Working in Hospitals booklet.
Summer
WWA helped AUCE at UBC write a constitution.
October
AUCE founding convention.
SORWUC founding convention.
1973
February – April
Denny’s support action.
Spring – Summer
End of WWA
May
SORWUC’s first application for certification (Bolton, Rush & McGrady)
June
Last issue of the Pedestal.
October
First contract signed.
December
AUCE at UBC applied for certification.
Local 2 at SFU and Local 3 at Notre Dame also formed.
1974
April
AUCE at UBC granted certification
June
SORWUC applied for certification at Transition House.
November
AUCE at SFU certified.
1975
February
Transition House contract signed.
April
Volunteer Grandparents application for certification.
Victoria parliament buildings protest asking for hot lunches in day cares.
Strike at SFU (April 30 – May 8).
May
Surrey certifications: Surrey Intersection (crisis centre), Surrey Community Resources Centre 3 social service units.
June
Simon Fraser Student Society certification.
September
Protest at Canada Manpower asking for a women’s advocate.
BC Federation of Women formed to coordinate women’s groups.
Fall
Wage and Price controls announced.
November
Second contract at Transition House signed.
Volunteer Grandparents first contract.
December
First contract at VOP.
Day Care certifications: Southhill, Pooh Corner, Cat’s Meow
1976
Funding ended for Status of Women.
Abolition of Community Resource Boards
Notre Dame University closed.
Skyway Luggage strike.
Public Sector Coordinating Council was formed involving all unions in the public service sector. The aim was to form a permanent lobby for public service employees.
Wildcat strike by CASAW Local 1 at Alcan in Kitimat, re wage and price controls.
March
Bolton, Rush, McGrady – new contract.
Legal Services Commission certification.
One day work stoppage at 8 day care centres.
April
VOP funding ended.
Volunteer Grandparents – 2nd contract.
June
Mallabar Tuxedo Rentals – application for certification.
July
SORWUC moved from people’s basements to an office in the Dominion Building.
Transition House second contract.
Boys and Girls Club application for certification.
August
Strike at Mallabar.
Contract signed at Surrey Intersection.
Application for certification at Victory Square CIBC branch. First application.
September
United Bank Workers chartered as Local 2 of SORWUC.
Mallabar left town.
Application for certification at Lifestream.
CAIMAW strike at Griffin Steel Foundries in Transcona, Manitoba in regard to compulsory overtime.
November
Application for Certification for Bimini.
1977
UBW had applied for certification at 18 branches.
New contracts at Volunteer Grandparents, Bolton, Rush & McGrady, Southhill Day Care, Pooh Corner Day Care.
Fishermen’s union basically dismantled by the government.
January
Certified for Bimini.
New contract signed at Simon Fraser Student Society.
Application for certification at Church’s Chicken.
Many people fired at Church’s Chicken.
February
UBW hired a paid employee.
March
LRB hearings into all the firings. We won but no negotiations were ever held.
Organizing seminar, eventually organizing booklet written.
Application for certification for Ol’ Keg pub in Kitimat.
April
Richmond Crisis Centre certification. Negotiations later in the year and the staff did not appear for the second session.
Branch by Branch hearing.
Legal Services Commission first collective agreement signed.
May
Application for certification for Power River and District Homemakers Service.
June
Employees of Ol’ Keg voted to join Bartenders Union.
Branch by Branch decision.
July
VRB abolished and Transition House employees forced to join BCGEU.
More bank hearings to determine inclusions/exclusions, and majority status. As a result 5 branches certified and a vote in another 12 branches.
Special convention to change UBW from a local to a section.
August
Certification for CIBC bank in Gibsons.
September
CIBC, Gibsons. Eileen Quigley laid off.
Certified at 12 branches.
UBW contract conferences.
October
Royal Bank branch by branch hearings.
Banks announced wage freeze in all certified branches.
Jerry’s Cove application for certification.
Bimini strike begins
November
Bimini – application for certification by Bartenders Union.
December
Bimini strike ends
Boys and Girls Club employees ask for decertification.
Employees of CASAW in Kitimat certification.
Main Branch of T-D bank in Regina certification.
1978
CASAW office employees in Kitimat signed a first (?) contract.
Electrical Trades Credit Union contract signed. 4th contract at
Volunteer Grandparents.
Also new contracts at Southhill Day Care, Pooh Corner Day Care, Bolton, Rush & McGrady and SFSS. AUCE, Local 6 organized (teaching assistants).
January
CIBC Gibsons – Carol Dulyk laid off.
February – June
Sporadic picketing of CIBC Gibsons.
February
Surrey Intersection employees ask to decertify.
Muckamuck application for certification.
March
Lost our unfair labour practice complaint in regard to wage freeze in banks.
New contract at Jerry’s Cove.
April – May
Bank negotiations.
April
Co-op Radio certification but funds cut and no contract ever signed.
May
Electrical Trades Credit Union certification.
Powell River Homemakers first contract signed.
Boys and Girls Club decertification.
Bimini – contract finally signed.
June
UBW, Saskatchewan Section chartered.
Beginning of strike at Muckamuck.
July
UBW conferences. Decision to not proceed.
Muckamuck – mediation session goes nowhere.
September
Bimini – decertification
Surrey Emergency Shelter, run by Surrey Community Resources, no more funds.
Muckamuck – more mediation goes nowhere.
October
Muckamuck reopens as Chilcotin Bar 7.
CUPW strike broken by government anti-strike legislation.
Local 3 chartered for Oxfam employees.
November
Assault charge against Muggs.
Special union meeting about Muckamuck violence.
1979
Legal Services Commission amalgamated with Legal Aid Society and the larger group voted for BCGEU.
Local 3, Oxfam employees, contract signed.
Southhill new contract.
Kits Area Day Care application for certification.
Bob-o-link day care certification.
Grandview Terrace day care certification.
Goldenwood Lumber certification.
Powell River Homemakers new contract.
January
Bolton, Rush & McGrady disappeared.
Co-op Radio disappeared.
Volunteer Grandparents decertified.
T-D, Regina decertification.
Certification for Maz Tudor Inn in Kitimat.
Legal Services Commission contract signed after endless negotiations.
Muckamuck – Decertification application by management.
February
3rd contract at Electrical Trades Credit Union.
March
Women march on parliament building in Victoria for re-establishment of the office of the Provincial Coordinator of the Status of Women and government funding for women’s centres, among other things.
AUCE, SFU strike.
April
Muckamuck – Muggs found guilty of assault but with absolute discharge.
May
Muckamuck – assault by Peter Biggs on me and Vikki.
2nd contract signed at Jerry’s Cove.
June
1st – Muckamuck – court order banned picketing.
5th – Muckamuck – LRB ruled against the decertification application.
6th – Muckamuck – we appealed the court order but were limited to 6 picketers at a time.
July
Sheree laid assault charges against Fifi, and Fifi disappeared.
August
Max Tudor Inn – contract agreed to but not signed by owners.
UBW – manuscript of bank book delivered to Press Gang.
September
SFSS one day strike.
October
Muckamuck – James Barber arranged a meeting with management and the union, but was fooled by management who picketed the T-D building.
Muckamuck – Our complaint to the LRB about management harassment and refusal to bargain.
Muckamuck – Pms found not guilty for assaulting the old man.
Goldenwood Lumber strike vote.
December
Muckamuck – another application for decertification by management.
SORWUC evicted from T-D building.
Electrical Trades Credit Union closed.
1980
Goldenwood Lumber – lost our complaint and lost the unit.
SFSS voted to join CUPE.
Shop steward workshops held in Vancouver and in Kitimat.
Muckamuck: William Nunn found not guilty of assaulting Terry Engler.
Muckamuck: Pat, Don and I arrested and charged with assault. Pat found guilty; Don and I acquitted.
Muckamuck: Scab application for decertification withdrawn.
Muckamuck: Peter Biggs assault on me and Alan Zisman. Eventually, Biggs found guilty and given a year suspended sentence.
Muckamuck: management application for certification of an invented group.
Muckamuck: LRB hearings about our Unfair Labour Practice complaint.
Muckamuck: Opened and closed a number of times and then closed in November.
Local 3 (Oxfam) signed 2nd collective agreement.
Maz Tudor Inn, Kitimat. Application for decertification dismissed.
Many internal disputes throughout the year.
1981
Everyone mad at everyone.
UBW remade as Local 4, UBFW.
Attempts to stop Distacom employees from signing a contract deemed inadequate.
Secret meetings to charter a local for insurance workers.
AUCE locals joined all other unions.
Muckamuck – LRB decision in our favour.
Short strike by Newspaper Guild employees.
Powell River homemakers new contract.
North Shore Neighbourhood House contract finally agreed to after a strike vote.
Audiovox application for certification, then employees voted to withdraw it.
Red Door Rental Agency certification.
BCTF Credit Union. Negotiations ceased after employees voted against a strike.
CUPE/VMREU strike for equal pay.
Maz Tudor Inn employees in Kitimat – attempt to persuade them to join CASAW since we couldn’t provide the services. The vote was for no union.
National attempted to revoke the charter of Local 1 for non-payment of per capital dues.
1982
Powell River homemakers form their own local.
Union W.A.G.E. in California dissolves itself in defeat.
Distacom layoffs.
Local 7, Ottawa, chartered.
Local 3, Oxfam employees, voted to join CUPE.
Red Hot Video picketed by women’s groups.
Application for certification for employees of CAIMAW was lost.
Multiplicity of unfair labour practices at North Shore Neighbourhood House.
Application for certification at Austin Avenue group home deemed an inappropriate unit by LRB.
Layoffs at Jerry’s Cove, and all the day cares.
1983
Application for certification at St. Peters Day Care lost.
Application for certification at Tiny Town day care approved but negotiations never began and a contract was imposed by LRB but there were no union members left.
Voluntary recognition of sole employee of CUPW.
Sundance Day Care certification
Arts Club theatres certification after a hearing and lengthy delay by LRB.
Muckamuck – LRB decision about remedies was finally received but we were never able to collect.
UBFW decertified at Victoria and Grey Credit Union.
More day care layoffs.
Contracts signed at Distacom, Jerry’s Cove, CUPW employee.
Bargaining manual completed and printed.
Operation Solidarity formed to protest wage cuts but then sold out.
1984
Insurance Workers local disappeared as no one had ever signed up.
Grievance file finally finished.
Layoffs at North Shore Neighbourhood House.
Kwantlen College Student Association employees certification but negotiating unsuccessful.
Kits Area day care – contract signed.
Tiny Town decertification.
Sundance Day Care – contract signed.
Local 4, UBFW went away mad.
Local 7, Ottawa, disappeared.
Newspaper Guild employees signed new contract after a short strike.
1985
Kwantlen College Student Association busted the union.
Distacom moved and employees dismissed due to technological change.
North Shore Neighbourhood House – new contract after strike vote, but harassment continued.
Local 5, Powell River Homemakers – new contract.
Vancouver Indian Centre certification but no negotiations.
False Creek Child Care Centre certification and new contract.
1986
Bobolink closed by anti-union Board.
Distacom employees voted for decertification with management assistance.
