Freshwater Fisheries Society Bargaining Update

Date: February 15, 2010

To All BCGEU Members At Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC

First Week of Negotiations Conclude

The first week of negotiations for a new collective agreement has been largely successful. Both parties have tabled large packages of housekeeping changes and proposals for changes in working conditions. Neither side has yet tabled monetary proposals; the parties have agreed to put off discussion on compensation and other monetary items until language items have been dealt with.

In collective bargaining surveys, members identified job security as their number one concern in this round of negotiations. In response, your bargaining committee has proposed improvements on protecting bargaining unit work, seniority blocks, contracting out and layoff and recall. The Union has also proposed to renew a memorandum of understanding on employment security.

Many survey responses demanded that seniority take a greater role in the selection of candidates for posted jobs. In response, your union has proposed considerably strengthened language in which seniority will count for 25% in promotions and has also tabled a proposal in which the senior-most candidate for a lateral move will be awarded the job. FFSBC, on the other hand, has proposed to take away the 10% relatively equal tie-breaker currently in the collective agreement.

There was good discussion on many items during the three days of bargaining and some agreements were reached. Many issues remain outstanding and the parties are a fair distance apart on a few of those issues. Despite this, your committee remains optimistic that the differences can be bridged and that we can negotiate a greatly improved agreement on your behalf. The parties next meet March 23 in Victoria.

Your bargaining committee would like to be able to send bargaining bulletins to your personal e-mail inbox. If you have not already done so, please visit the BCGEU website to provide us with your updated contact information. http://www.bcgeu.ca/change_of_address

In solidarity,

Your bargaining committee,

Tony Andrychuck, Bargaining Committee Chair
Ron Ek, Bargaining Committee Member
Pam Fox, Bargaining Committee member
Chris Mullen, Staff Representative, Negotiations

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