Our Committees

The main purpose of the Bargaining Committee is to negotiate a Collective Agreement for the next term. Bargaining members are either mandated by the Law and Constitution or elected from the floor at a General membership meeting. Bargaining Committee members start meetings almost a year prior to the expiration of the current Collective Agreement. They are representative of the work sites. And must present all issues brought to their attention. They work long hours after their regular work day. During the final stages of negotiating a Collective Agreement they are asked to make decisions that affect the entire local. Once those decisions are final the package is then presented to the Membership to vote on. Only once passed has the Committee been successful.

Labour Management
Chair - Laurie Larsen
Labour Management is really a continuation of Bargaining. Each month, members of different work sites are invited to attend and discuss items on the Agenda that are pertinent to them. Most of the executive attends and alternates are asked to attend when an issue comes up that needs an opinion for someone who does the job. This committee is ongoing and handles a lot of items that would otherwise have to wait until Bargaining. If interested in attending or if you have any questions, please call the union office.

Top of Page

Community & Social Action Committee
Chair - Jeannie Kilby
This is a fairly new committee dealing with community and social problems in Surrey. Under this umbrella falls Surrey Social Futures membership, Front Room donations, Surrey Food Bank volunteering and donations and programs like the Whalley Initiative Project. If you know of concerns you would like addressed or are willing to assist please call the office. More members are needed on this committee.

Top of Page

Communications Committee
Chair - Huguette Jacques
This committee needs more member involvement. The purpose of the Communications Committee, is to inform and promote union issues to the membership and the public at large. We look for stories involving our membership, stories that will interest our membership, and news of current campaigns and Labour issues. The committee puts out the newsletter, City Limits. And this web site. If you are interested in helping with the web page and learn about about web design, or writing or design in general, this is the committee to be on! If you are interested contact the union office, and you will be informed of the next committee meeting.(email at cupe402@telus.net - attention communications)

Top of Page

Health & Safety
Chair - Tom Wiebe

The Health and Safety Committee wants to ensure employees are working in the safest environment possible. As one half of SurreyÕs Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee (the other half being Management), this committee meets monthly to discuss and resolve safety concerns in the workplace as well as implementing training programs and procedures in an attempt to prevent accidents before they occur. As a local we are fortunate to have a good relationship with Management regarding the Health & Safety of our members. Should you have any concerns impacting the well being of yourself or your coworkers, please contact any committee member.

Top of Page

Education Committee
Chair - Rick Tanaka
The Education Committee assists in filling the needs of members when they request training about union issues. For example if you would like to become involved in, or further your knowledge about a specific topic, i.e., Shop Stewardship, Collective Bargaining, or Health & Safety, the Education Committee can support your efforts to learn about union relevant topics. If you have an interest in union education and/or the courses being offered please call the Union office and a committee member will be in contact. Alternatively, courses will be posted on the web site in the near future as well as around the workplace .

Top of Page

Women's Committee
Chair - Arden Noel
The CUPE 402 Women's Committee has 14 wonderful women and 2 men (who help us out the Front Room) on it.  We do a lot of valuable work in Surrey such as Tiny Bundles, Relay for Life, Food Bank campaigns, Socks for Kids, Backpacks for Kids, Front Room dinners and multiple penny drives.  We have guest speakers from the RCMP, Surrey Women's Centre, Newton Advocacy, Domestic Violence team and South Fraser Health.  We do field trips to various community organizations and in short help a lot of homeless, destitute people.  I am very proud of this committee and all the good things we do.

Top of Page

Young Workers' Committee
Chair - Debbie Carano

The Young Workers Committee's main focus is to inform and educate workers under thirty years of age about their union and what their rights are. The meetings are informal and friendly; anyone is welcome, even if they only want to come out once.

Top of Page

NWDC (New West District Labour Council)
Chair - Kimbery McMillan

This is a committee meeting of most unions East of Burnaby/Vancouver border. They have a political action committee, education committee, community and social action committee and a strike support committee.

Top of Page

Law & Constitution
Chair - Robin MacNair
This is the committee that deals with the legalities of the local through the Law & Constitution.
We are the first step of changing or adding to the Law & Constitution. This committee meets about twice a year or whenever there is a legal question or change
requested of the constitution. All decisions must  go before the general membership for final approval.

Top of Page

Political Action
Chair - Gord Savard
This committee has serves a wide purpose. It involves anything remotely political locally, provincially or nationally. Our most effective actions are locally. We are working presently on Civic elections in Surrey. The committee involves all executive members.

Top of Page

International Solidarity
Chair - Gord Savard
This committee is an offshoot of the Provincial committee. We sponsor different projects internationally to 3rd world nations and educate people about their needs, wants and their similarities to us. Our union donates to the provincial committee and sponsors speakers to our local meetings.
We intend to arrange some trips to these nations in future.

Top of Page

The W.C.B. Committee
Chair - Peter Indyk
This committee looks at WCB claims that have been denied. If there is enough evidence to go to appeal we will research the claim. This consists of asking for a medical opinion from the members doctor and any other evidence that is required. Next there is a hearing at the WCB review board. An appeal involves several hours of preparation and can also be very costly. It is all worth it when we win an appeal and get a member what they deserve. I will take any appeals from the outside engineering staff, and parks departments. Gord Savard, will do the same from the inside staff and parks and recreation.;

Top of Page