Local 302 is part of the BCGEU's Community Social Services Component. Component 3 includes members in a variety of sectors in B.C.

Members provide support, services, and resources to vulnerable families and individuals across the province. They include supporting adults and children with developmental disabilities, women and children fleeing violence, youth-at-risk, child care, community justice services, Aboriginal services, and employment services, among others.

BCGEU Area 02, from Ladysmith to Port Hardy and from the West Coast of Vancouver Island to Powell River includes about 560 members. Stewards work with those members. Local 302's certifications include employers with a few members through to hundreds of members.

Thursday, October 24, 2019 is a day reserved for stewards in Local 302 to meet other stewards, learn about other aspects of Local 302, and learn more about aspects of being a steward most important to them.

This day is designed with you in mind. The topics to be covered will be based on the interests of stewards and may include:

· Issues around vacation coverage

· How to write a grievance and what a good grievance looks like

· Particular types of grievance from dismissal vs dismissal while on probation, et al grievance and when it is appropriate

· Labour Management Orientation

The Enhanced Stewards Training will be provided at Best Western The Westerly Hotel, 1590 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay this year. The union encourages all Local 302 stewards to attend. The day will start at 10 a.m. so that stewards from Powell River can take a morning ferry with a plan to end by 5 p.m. This will also give stewards from Nanaimo area a more leisurely driving experience on the morning of October 24. There will be a general membership meeting following the training from 4:30 p.m. – 5: 30 p.m.

Accommodation, meals and travel costs as necessary are provided to ensure that stewards who cannot travel a single day, such as those from Port McNeill, can attend.

Please register online early to confirm your attendance for that day and have your union leave form issued. If there is a topic you would like to have included, please contact Local 302 Chairperson, Lois Higgins at [email protected].

The BCGEU supports the development of members who have responsibilities for caring for family members. The union's financial policy provides as follows:

9.12 Dependent/Family Care Expenses (Form FA-282-1 Required)

a) Members/Representatives of the Union are entitled to reimbursement of reasonable receipted costs of dependent/family care provided by someone other than their partner/spouse as a result of absences from home arising from the conduct of union business. Such allowance is not intended to reimburse the claimant for dependent/family expenses they would have normally incurred as a result of employment except where the absence exceeds the normal work day or week. Workers who are targets of organizing drives are eligible to make claims under this section.

b) In the case of a dependent child, dependent/family care expenses can only be claimed for a dependent child 16 years of age or under. However, the age limit does not apply if the child requires an extraordinary level of care or if there are extenuating circumstances.