Canfor’s decision to close Fort St. John and Plateau sawmills devastating blow to workers and communities 500 jobs lost including over 325 USW members   BURNABY, British Columbia, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Steelworkers union (USW) Local 1-2017 (Prince George, B.C.), and the USW Wood Council are devastated to learn of Canfor’s sudden decision to permanently close Fort St. John...

Labour Day , the first Monday in September, has been a statutory holiday in Canada since 1894.  It marks the unofficial end of summertime fun and a day when thousands of people gather across British Columbia for their final big barbecue festivities.  Labour Day has evolved into a holiday about relaxing with friends and family, and that has led to the origins of Labour Day getting somewhat lost in celebratory events  devoted to leisure activity and family time. It is...

The employees of Chances Casino here in Abbotsford are in a legal strike situation. Our contract expired at the end of February of this year and just recently, after many days of bargaining the Union and the Employer reached impasse. The prominent issue is wages. The majority of employees in the casino are classified as slot attendants. The wages in the collective agreement are $16.34 per hour. Fortunately, minimum wages have risen to the point of $17.40 per hour as of June 1, 2024...

TALKS BREAK OFF AT CHANCES CASINO ABBOTSFORD   On June 19 USW Local 2009 and Playtime Gateway Gaming Inc. reached impasse in the attempt to negotiate a renewed collective agreement at the Chances Casino in Abbotsford (Peardonville).   The workers there remain far behind a living wage, a significant number earning only 30 cents above minimum wage.  Although past bargaining sessions had success in agreeing to a number of minor issues, most of the substantial issues remain...

Why do we need a Mentoring Program? A commitment to support an ongoing process of renewal is vital for building a strong, vibrant, and dynamic union. Nurture and encourage the next generation of activists and open opportunities for members including from equity seeking groups.  Connect members who want to become activists with experienced leadership or even retirees who want to share in the transition of knowledge, skills and insight. What does the Mentoring...

Dear Friends,   We urgently need your help.   My name is April and in April of 2022 at 57 years of age, my husband Dennis was diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia, a rare life-threatening autoimmune disease. His bone marrow stopped producing platelets and he has required over 120 platelet transfusions and 80 red cell/hemoglobin transfusions. He underwent four-weeks of ATG treatment, where antibodies from a horse were used to try and kickstart his own antibodies.

7TH ANNUAL BOB DERBY MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE 7TH ANNUAL BOB DERBY MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE Dear Community Partner, We are pleased to announce that our 7th annual Bob Derby Memorial Charity Golf Tournament is returning this fall! Last year, we hosted our first event in three years coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the generous support of our many community partners, we were able to raise $35,000 in support of the Union Protein...

The Local's Standing Committees are made up of member volunteers. Robust and effective committees require lots of input and lots of volunteers.  Please review the descriptions below, find something you are interested in and join a committee.  We need your participation.   Safety Council/WCB Committee The purpose of the Safety / Workers Compensation Committee is to promote all aspects of health and safety, including Workers Compensation issues, in the Local Union.