Tentative Agreement Reached with Envirotest Canada (AirCare)

Your BCGEU Bargaining Committee is pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached between the Union and Envirotest Canada (Air Care).

The tentative agreement provides for general wage increases of 2 per cent each year, on January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011. The new agreement is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011, the same day that the program is currently scheduled to end.

The parties renewed Memorandum of Understanding No. 8, which sets out a transition process from the current AirCare III Program to a future AirCare IV Program. We amended language so that Assistant Managers cannot be required to permanently transfer to a different station. We also amended the process for full-time employees wishing to revert to part-time status, to ensure that no existing part-time employees will lose shifts or hours.

Your current collective agreement expired December 31, 2009.

PRIORITIES

With the current AirCare III Program slated to end December 31, 2011, your Bargaining Committee believes that a top priority for this round of bargaining is to help ensure that the Air Care program continues and perhaps even expands, ensuring continued employment for our members.

As you know, Sierra Research was engaged to conduct a review of the current program and make recommendations to Translink and the B.C. government regarding the future of AirCare.
The BCGEU strongly believes that the AirCare program provides a valuable public service, and is actively campaigning to extend the program for another five years.

As program reviews show, AirCare has been highly effective in lowering emissions and air pollution in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, and the union believes the service should be maintained and expanded if possible.

The BCGEU is working with other labour and environmental allies to lobby decision-makers - including TransLink, Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Regional District and the B.C. government - to extend the program. We have written to Translink, asking to be involved in the AirCare review process in the coming months.

RATIFICATION MEETINGS

Ratification meetings will be held at the stations. Your bargaining committee will conduct the vote at these meetings. Please make every effort to attend and cast your vote. You must attend the meeting to vote in person. No proxy voting is allowed. You may vote at any station or head office on the dates and times below:

Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Time: Between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Location: Chilliwack Station

Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Time: Between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Location: Abbotsford Station

Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Time: Between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Location: Langley Station

Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Time: Between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Location: North Surrey Station

Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Time: Between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Location: Richmond Station

Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Time: Between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Location: South Van Station

Date: Friday, February 19, 2010
Time: Between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Location: Maple Ridge Station

Date: Friday, February 19, 2010
Time: Between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Location: Coquitlam Station

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Time: Between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Location: North Van Station

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Time: Between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Location: East Van Station

Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Time: Between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Location: Tech Centre and Head Office

In solidarity,

Dave Cumming, Bargaining Committee
Toni Campbell, Bargaining Committee
Gina Cherubini, Bargaining Committee
Barbara Crowley, Staff Representative - Negotiations

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