Some of the community health workers employed by Bayshore Home Support are the newest members of UFCW 1518 after the provincial NDP government repatriated most of the private home care services in British Columbia. Announced last spring, the decision to bring home care in-house will reduce the uncertainty caused by private contract work and improve the standard of service. About 70 community health workers will join the union as ...read more 

The UFCW 1518 election for vice presidents is now concluded and the results have been tallied. The winners of the five contested positions are: Laura Cipolato (Save-On-Foods, North Vancouver), Virgilio Encarnacion (Sofina Foods, Port Coquitlam), Rajiv Mehra (Grand River Foods, Abbotsford), David Diamond (Save-On-Foods, Kelowna) and Linda Wilson (Port Alberni Home Support, Port Alberni). “Congratulations to our newly elected vice presidents. I am confident they will represent our members ...read more 

Voting is now open for the election of UFCW 1518 Executive Vice Presidents. President Kim Novak and Secretary-Treasurer Patrick Johnson were elected by acclamation last month after nominations closed. Five of the 25 Vice President positions were contested and a mail-in secret ballot vote is now being conducted. The following members are running in the election: Vice President #4    Laura Cioplato, Yvette Oleson Vice President #7    Virgilio Encarnacio, Lisa ...read more 

400 workers are off the job as three mills closed in the northern BC town of Mackenzie: that is nearly 10% of the community’s population. The mill shutdowns are the result of an economic downturn in BC’s forestry industry, which has also left many loggers and contractors out of work. As the unemployed workforce leaves town in search for jobs, other businesses and workers are also struggling. Last Thursday, ...read more 

“It’s a smart move, and a long time coming.” That’s what UFCW 1518 member Sartaj Birring had to say about Sobeys announcement that it will no longer offer plastic grocery bags across all banners. Starting in January, 2020 Sobeys, parent company of Safeway, will cease distributing plastic bags to customers in its 225 locations in an effort to be more environmentally sustainable. “There’s a shift in how customers are ...read more