Union – Lighthouse Memories

A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers

January 1, 2013collective nouns, humour, lighthouse, lighthouse keepers, litehouse, plagueHobbies, Humour, Information, Keepers, Lighthouses, Stories, UnionretlkprLeave a Comment

We all know what collective nouns are do we not? OK, I had completely forgotten the English language term until I saw the title above. Collective nouns are the names given to collections or groups, be they beasts, birds, people or things. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon in many languages of the world e.g. English, German, […]

Reprint – Presentation of a Lifetime Membership from Lightkeepers UCTE Local 20232 To Jim Abram

September 29, 2012BC, Canada, Jim | Abram, lifetime award, lighthouse, ligthkeepers, litehouse, UCTE Local 20232British Columbia, Canada, History, Information, Keepers, Lighthouses, Newspapers, On The Job, Reprint, Union, VideosretlkprLeave a Comment

B.C. lightkeepers honour their champion By Kristen Douglas – Campbell River MirrorPublished: September 25, 2012 2:00 PM Updated: September 25, 2012 2:13 PM [media url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN7SZCsEERY” width=”400″ height=”350″] Strathcona Regional District director and former lightkeeper Jim Abram was honoured with a lifetime membership to the B.C. Lightkeepers Union Friday morning at the Cape Mudge Lighthouse on Quadra Island. Pictured from […]

Severance Pay for Retiring Lightkeepers is Finished!

April 6, 2012lay off, lighthouse, litehouse, package, payout, pension, retirement, severance payCanada, Government, Information, Lighthouses, Pensions, UnionretlkprLeave a Comment

You all know what severance pay is do you not? Severance pay is pay (and sometimes benefits) an employee receives when he or she leaves employment. Severance pay is most typically offered for employees who are laid off or retire. Just recently the the Canadian Government, Treasury Board Branch, has forcibly modified the collective agreements of these three groups PA, […]

Shiny New Guest Blogger, Bearing a Letter

January 21, 2012BC, British Columbia, Canada, CG, Coast Guard, lighthouse, litehouse, marine, marine traffic, MCTS, MCTSO, reduction, ships, staff, staff reduction, stations, traffic, vesselsBoats, British Columbia, Information, Medical Emergency, Operators, Search & Rescue, UnionretlkprLeave a Comment

Hi all. Our lovely blog master asked if I would make a guest post now and then, and, since the world as I appreciate it is where everyone listens to me, of course I said “yes!” By way of introduction, I’ll post a letter that I sent to Hon. Mr. Keith Ashfield, Minister of the […]

Lightkeepers in Canada ARE Essential Services

January 8, 2012essential services, fine, lighthouse, lightkeepers, litehouse, position, PSAC, strike, union, work positionGovernment, Information, Keepers, Lighthouses, On The Job, UnionretlkprLeave a Comment

In my Christmas Message 2011 I mentioned essential services while referring to lighthouses. It amazes me that Canada considers lighthouses essential services when the lightkeepers want to go on strike, but at any other time of the year they are trying to automate them. According to the Canadian government: What is an essential service? […]

MCTS To Lose Staff To Save Money

January 4, 2012BC, British Columbia, Canada, CG, Coast Guard, lighthouse, litehouse, marine, marine traffic, MCTS, MCTSO, reduction, ships, staff, staff reduction, stations, traffic, vesselsAnti-Automation, Boats, British Columbia, Canada, Coast Guard, Communication, Cruise Ship, Government, Lighthouses, Medical Emergency, On The Job, Radio, Search & Rescue, Ships, Ships & Shipping, Transportation, UnionretlkprLeave a Comment

For those of you that do not know, MCTS (Marine Communications and Traffic Services) is “the Branch of the Canadian Coast Guard that provides communications and vessel traffic services to the sea-going public”. “MCTS monitors for distress radio signals; provides the communications link between vessels in distress and the JRCC/MRSC; sends safety information; handles public […]

In Memorium – Rene Kitson (1944 – 2011)

August 6, 2011Captain, CCGS, friend, In Memorium, Ivory Island, lighthouse, litehouse, Rene KitsonCoast Guard, In Memorium, Keepers, Lighthouses, Old Website, UnionretlkprLeave a Comment

Rene Kitson (January 22, 1944 – August 06, 2011) was a long time lightkeeper at Bonilla island , McInnes Island as Assistant lightkeeper and he was the Principal lightkeeper at Ivory along with his wife Sherrill, the assistant lightkeeper for 15 years plus, until they retired and moved to Nova Scotia, Canada. He was also […]

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