Five-Year Agreement with Maximus Canada Improves Job Security, Wages and Benefits for Members

The BCGEU has reached a new, five-year collective agreement with Maximus Canada that increases wages, extends job security provisions and enhances health benefits for 240 union members based in Victoria.

“This is a very good agreement which gets improvements to the collective agreement of our members at Maximus," said BCGEU president Darryl Walker. “The bargaining committee worked hard to provide a balance of improved wages and benefits with longer term stability for the membership,” said BCGEU Bargaining Committee member, Liam Smith.

Highlights of the five-year agreement, which was ratified on April 9 by an 87% vote in favour by BCGEU members, include:

• Five-year agreement providing stability and security for members;
• Extension of employment security provisions for members hired as of April 1, 2004 (renewal of Memorandum of Agreement #1);
• Wage increases and signing bonuses as follows:
  • October 1, 2011 - $500 one-time signing bonus;
  • April 1, 2012 – 2% general wage increase;
  • April 1, 2013 – 3% general wage increase;
  • April 1, 2014 – 3% general wage increase;

The new agreement also improves health insurance benefits for members, including increases in lifetime maximum for extended health benefits, and improved eye care and orthodontic care benefits, as well as incremental increases in meal and mileage allowances.

“We were happy to recommend acceptance of this agreement and the members concurred giving a solid endorsement,” said Smith. The BCGEU bargaining committee members were Liam Smith, Gloria Lachance and Amy Slimon.

Maximus Canada administers British Columbia’s medical and drug insurance plans on behalf of the Ministry of Health Services. BCGEU members work for Maximus in offices in Victoria, B.C.