Aubrey Burton/Reg Ford Memorial Scholarship

Every year, CUPE BC awards four scholarships valued at $500 each to CUPE members, their spouses, or their children entering their first year of Post-Secondary education. Please note that only BC public post-secondary institutions are eligible. 

Eligibility1. Parent, Guardian or Spouse of Applicant, or the Applicant her/himself must be a member in good standing of a CUPE Local affiliated to CUPE BC at the time of application.

2. Applicant must have completed Grade 12 in the current or previous calendar year, or the applicant must be a mature student who has not previously enrolled at a Post-Secondary Institution.

3. Applicant must be entering first year of a recognized public post-secondary institution in BC. A copy of the acceptance letter from the admitting institution must be supplied.

4. Applicant must complete an online application form supported by copies of the Senior Secondary Statement and Letter(s) of Reference from a School Principal or Counsellor.

DeadlineAll applications and accompanying documents must be submitted by Monday, August 19, 2024

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

This Scholarship was created in honour of two CUPE activists:
Aubrey Burton was a CUPE Representative in the Kootenays during the 1960s. Before CUPE was formed, many locals hired Business Reps from within their ranks to represent them, and that was the case with Aubrey. He was a Trail Civic Worker but also got paid to do work for other Locals in the Kootenays. When CUPE was officially formed, he became a Staff Representative.

Along with fellow Staff Representative Peter Drieger, Aubrey serviced CUPE Locals throughout B.C. outside of the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. Together, Drieger and Burton were credited with organizing many small communities into CUPE and negotiating first agreements that contained no contracting-out language. Aubrey was killed in a car accident on the Upper Levels highway. He was working for CUPE at the time of his death.

Reg Ford was President of CUPE 402 for several years in the late 1970s and early 80s. Also a Vice-President of CUPE BC, he was well known as a health and safety activist. Tragically, he was killed in an accident at his home while trimming a tree in his yard. Reg was very active in the labour movement at the time of his passing.