Tentative agreement reached with Legal Services Society

To: All BCGEU Members at Legal Services Society
Re: Tentative Agreement Reached at Mediation

On August 18 and 19, 2010, your Bargaining Committee met with Mediator Debbie Cameron at the Labour Relations Board and were able to successfully conclude a tentative Collective Agreement with your Employer.

Highlights of the Agreement include:

• A two year Agreement from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012;
• A Letter of Understanding addressing Employment Security which limits the total number of BCGEU positions which may be eliminated during the term of this Agreement and which provides the Union with additional opportunities to meet with your Employer to minimize the impact of layoffs on our members;
• Language which will allow employees who are currently salary protected to apply for other positions at LSS and still retain their salary protection;
• Increasing the annual deductible for Extended Health Care Benefits from $30 per year to $50 per year (effective January 1, 2011);
• Increasing Vision Care from $200 to $475 every two years for adults and every year for children and adding LASER eye surgery coverage (effective January 1, 2011);
• Adding coverage for eye examinations (one exam every two years) (effective January 1, 2011);
• Capping massage therapy coverage at $1,000 per year (effective January 1, 2011);
• Conversion of the one day of personal business leave per year to seven (7) hours, allowing members more flexibility in the use of this time;
• Inclusion of step-parents in the definition of immediate family members under Article 18.1;
• An increase to the Overtime Meal Allowance from $13.00 to $15.00;
• Clarifying the rights of members who are employed in "term" positions;
• Clarifying the layoff and recall language and providing employees the opportunity to be recalled into vacant positions which may occur prior to the actual layoff taking effect;
• Agreement to review and revise the Sick Leave Medical Form at the Joint Standing Committee;
• Numerous housekeeping changes.

Your Bargaining Committee is unanimously recommending acceptance of this tentative Agreement.

There will be a ratification meeting and vote in the near future at which time all members will receive a copy of all of the changes made to the Agreement. Details of the date, time and location of this meeting will be made available to all members as soon as possible.

Your Bargaining Committee thanks all of you for your support through this process.

In solidarity,

Shelley Walker, Bargaining Unit Chair
Eduardo Aragon, Bargaining Committee
Annette Taylor, Bargaining Committee
Sheila Puga, Staff Representative
Anthony Davies, Staff Representative

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