Bargaining Alert: BCGEU post-secondary support staff and instructor members

BCGEU activists have refined bargaining proposals for 2010 negotiations for our members across the public service and some parts of the public sector, and outlined strategies for negotiations that will begin in the new year.

"We wrapped up a successful bargaining conference on November 27 in Burnaby and set our course for 2010," says Darryl Walker, president of the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union.

Walker says 1,200 post-secondary instructors and 2,700 support staff members will be looking for new contracts next year. He expects that bargaining-difficult at the best of times-will be made even more challenging because of rigid conditions and zero cost mandate set by the B.C. Liberals before talks begin.

"Our proposals include a wage increase and changes to solve long-standing inequities," says Walker. "And we're ready to work hard to find common ground and creative solutions to achieve settlements that work for front-line workers, the government and for British Columbians who depend on public services.

"But we are not going to sign deals if there's nothing in it for us. Why would we agree to settle for nothing?"

The BCGEU post-secondary instructors bargaining committee identified a number of priority areas that will go forward as resolutions for consideration for approval at the upcoming joint BCGEU-FPSE Bargaining Council conference in January 2010. Priorities for common table bargaining include: regularization improvements, wages, pension post-retirement benefits, regaining de-listed extended health benefits, and professional development fund increases. Local bargaining tables will focus on such issues as workload (hours of work, shift scheduling, class size) distributed learning, and safety equipment.

The post-secondary support staff bargaining committee also met with CUPE support workers to prepare for bargaining at the joint provincial table. Support staff collective agreements expire June 31, 2010. Key issues discussed include: job security and compensation. Members are being surveyed for their views on bargaining priorities. The next committee meeting will occur early in the new year.

BCGEU Post-secondary Instructors Bargaining Committee:
Steve Iverson - Camosun, Local 701
Stu Seifert (Chair) - Vancouver Island University, Local 702
Jeannie Maltesen - Vancouver Island University, Local 702
Cory Langford - BCIT, Local 703
Cam McRobb - Okanagan College, Local 707
Ian McAlpine - Selkirk College, Local 709
Dan Bradford, BCGEU vice-president, Selkirk College, Local 709
John Turner - Northern Lights College, Local 710
Lianne Gagnon - Northwest Community College, Local 712

BCGEU Post-secondary Support Staff Bargaining Committee:
Rick Schaeffer - BCIT, Local 703
Mark Ferley - Douglas College, Local 703
Kim House - Justice Institute Of BC, Local 703
Shawn Cahill - Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Local 704
Dianne Crommer - Okanagan College, Local 707
Robyn Mallia - Northern Lights College, Local 710
John Ross - Northwest Community College, Local 712

The following elected members sit on the support staff bargaining council but represent stand-alone certifications:

Kathy Weaver - School District 59
Kathleen Hanson - School District 81
Karen Whitehouse - UBC-Okanagan University College, Local 707