CEU Deborah Payment Memorial Scholarship Fund
Deborah Payment was born on July 15,1960 and the world of social justice was never the same. She was one of those rare people you come across that have their own light, one she chose to shine on other people, to lift them up. Just talking to her made you feel good. Her work to fight for democracy and change the world continued from her youth into young adulthood, including when she was hired at WCB as a claim’s adjudicator. It was then that she learned the role her union had in her workplace and saw a connection. First, she became elected as a shop steward and then she went on to be elected to the union executive where she served as Secretary. From there Deborah switched over from being a CEU member to being a CEU employee when an opening came up at the office for her dream job of a Business Representative (now Labour Relations Officer) -and the rest was history.
So many documents and photos in the CEU office include Deborah, including shots of her pushing her daughter Jaclyn in her stroller around the picket line during our 1989 strike.
Deborah was a single mother who used her experiences to advocate for changes. She worked on issues like childcare options for members and started the first CEU Women’s Committee years ago when the concept was new. When same sex benefits were achieved, not everyone was comfortable with the way the employer was set up to have members go to a desk in the main WCB building to add the newly covered person to the benefits form. Deborah saw this and worked to develop a process so that members could sign up at the CEU office, even making herself available after regular work hours so that members could come in and sign up in private. Her actions showed you who she was.
In 2009, Deborah ran with the NDP for a seat in Surrey during the Provincial election, hoping to make positive changes through politics. Although she didn’t win, she certainly shook things up along the way. Then in 2014 Deborah was the recipient of the Joy Langan Social Justice Award at the BC Federation of Labour Convention, where she received multiple rounds of standing ovations. This prestigious award is only given out once at each convention honouring a person who is a trade union activist and leader in their union and community who is dedicated to equity and the application of a feminist lens in their union and community work.
The only thing Deborah enjoyed more that her union work was her family life. Deborah clearly loved being a mother to Jaclyn and the two of them were a team obviously fueled by mutual love, respect and admiration. Deborah was fortunate to meet Dan and fall in love later on in her life, expanding her family which now included grandchildren. The two of them enjoyed many adventures together.
In 2012, at age 51, Deborah learned that she had Parkinson’s Disease, which required her cease working and leave the workplace within a few years. Surgery in 2016 didn’t produce the results everyone was hoping for and her health continued to decline until June 9, 2024, the day we sadly lost her.
As a tribute to Deborah Payment and her accomplishments, the CEU Executive voted unanimously to rename our bursary fund to CEU Deborah Payment Memorial Scholarship Fund in the hopes that future generations learn about Deborah’s commitment and many contributions to the CEU as well as being inspired by her lifetime of dedication to social justice.
The CEU is proud to offer its annual bursary program in support of our members and their close relatives.
The deadline for submissions is 12:00 noon, Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
The CEU Bursary Program (Deborah Payment Memorial Scholarship Fund) is open to close relatives of any CEU member in good standing. For the purpose of this competition, a close relative is defined as a mother, father, spouse, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandparent, great-grandparent, step-relatives or other person who has acted in loco parentis or any other relative living under the same roof.
Program applicants must meet the entrance requirements for their first year of studies at a post-secondary institution. Only students entering their first year of post-secondary education are eligible. (First year post-secondary education does not include programs that provide equivalency to high school diplomas and pre-apprenticeship programs; however, students who have formally registered in an apprenticeship program are eligible.)
The CEU Bursary Committee will judge applicants on the quality of their respective two-part essay submission and the inclusion of supporting documents, described below.
How much funding is available?
The total amount available in the annual CEU Bursary Fund is $10,000.00.
Individual bursary awards will vary, depending on the marks given each essay by members of the CEU Bursary Committee.
What are the submission requirements?
The CEU Bursary Committee will judge applicants on the quality of their respective two-part essay submission (both parts will have to be submitted to be eligible for consideration of Bursary) and the inclusion of supporting documents, described below:
YOUR COMPLETE SUBMISSION MUST INCLUDE BOTH ESSAYS – PARTS 1 AND 2
Part 1: Submit an Activist Profile Essay
Submission requirements for the Activist Profile Essay
Interview an individual currently involved with a union or a labour organization. The subject can be:
- A shop steward, an elected officer of a union, labour council or labour federation. The subject of the essay cannot be someone involved with the CEU. The subject must be involved in a member union of the BC Federation Labour or a labour council
- An employee of a union or labour organization (e.g., a business agent, representative, organizer, communications officer, etc.)
Analyze, summarize, and discuss the information gathered in the interview in a 500-to-750-word essay describing:
- Why they became union activists
- How long have they served as an activist
- What activities that person engages (or engaged) in as a union activist
- What you learned about unions and union activists because of conducting the The submission must include:
- A 500-to-750-word essay
- A title page with the name of the person you interviewed and their contact information (name, phone, email, address)
- A list of references or people consulted in preparing your essay
- Information on whether the subject of your essay gives permission to post your essay or excerpts from your essay on the CEU website (ceu.ca). If the activist gives permission for the essay to be posted on the CEU website, you must submit a written approval signed by the activist. If the activist does not provide permission, please state this on the title page.
- Verbatim transcripts of the interview will not be accepted
Part 2: Submit a Current Affairs Essay
Write a 1000-to-1200-word essay that considers the following:
In January 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized a union’s right to strike as an
“indispensable component” of collective bargaining. It was a different interpretation from the Supreme Court’s earlier 1987 decision that spoke only to the right to form and maintain a union. Since 2015, collective bargaining has been protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In the current Canada Post vs. CUPW (Canadian Union of Postal Workers) labour dispute, business owners pressured the government to consider declaring the postal service as an
essential service to “prevent disruptions from piling up and weighing on the economy”. The labour
community expected the Government to uphold the decade old Supreme Court decision. However, the government responded by ordering binding arbitration on the parties. Workers were forced back to work without the right to collective bargaining.
Considering the recent and ongoing Canada Post strike, please discuss your thoughts on the use of this legislation.
- How was this 2015 Supreme Court decision applied in this case?
- Are you for or against the Labour Minister’s decision on binding arbitration?
- What is the potential impact of using or not using this legislation? Explain the pros and cons of both using or not using this legislation.
- Discuss how you believe this legislation should be used in future strike
Submission requirements for the Current Affairs Essay
- 1000-to-1200-word essay
- title page
- list of any media read, listened to, or viewed in researching your essay
- list of other references you consulted or people you spoke to in preparing your essay
In addition to submitting the two essays, you must include:
- completed application form (attached to this email)
- transcript of your most recent education
YOUR COMPLETE SUBMISSION MUST INCLUDE BOTH ESSAYS – PARTS 1 AND 2
Applications are expected to be original work created by the applicants. Submissions suspected of plagiarism or written by artificial intelligence will be disqualified from consideration.
Where to Submit Your Work
Send completed submissions by email to ac.cb.uec@noitartsinimdaeciffo. Please include “Bursary Application” in the subject line. Submit documents as Microsoft Word files.
Deadline
Submissions must be received by the CEU no later than 12:00 noon, Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
For more information
Please contact Kerry-Ann Herron, CEU Executive and Chair of Solidarity & Bursary Committee, ac.cb.uec@norrehnnayrrek