Ratification meeting this week for Sunshine Valley Childcare Society in Grand Forks

A tentative agreement was reached for BCGEU employees at the Sunshine Valley Child Care Society.

Highlights of the deal include:

-ECE Supervisor wages will be increased by 5.7% to $16.37, effective April 1, 2010.
-ECE Assistant wages will be increase by 4.4% to $15.87, effective April 1, 2010.
-Assistant Status wages will be increased by 2% to $14.84, effective April 1, 2010.
-The parties will meet not sooner than March 15, 2011 and not later than April 30, 2011 to discuss a 2011 general wage increase and the possibility of moving to a 40-hour work week.
-The current flex time language has been clarified by specifying that an employee may choose to use flex time in the event of illness and by saying that the averaging period need not correspond to pay periods. The existing language, that requires a part-time employee who tops up to 35 hours to take the additional hours off, has been deleted. A provision has been added which says that if an employee is not able to use the excess time during the agreed averaging period, it will be paid out at overtime rates.
-The illness of dependant children provision has been expanded to include spouse and parent(s).
-Leave for compassionate care has been added, in accordance with federal law.

The bargaining committee is recommending members accept the tentative agreement.

A ratification meeting will be held on July 29, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. at the Little People's Childcare Centre in Grand Forks.

In solidarity,

YOUR BARGAINING COMMITTEE
Louise Heck, Bargaining Committee Chairperson
Sara Johanson, Bargaining Committee Member
Henny Hanegraaf, Staff Representative