Friends,
 
We are writing to advise that your Employer has agreed to mediation in an attempt to reach a tentative settlement on the renewal of your collective agreement. The mediation is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 19.
 
We will provide an update following or sooner if circumstances warrant. 
 
We also thought it would be useful to take this opportunity to provide a bargaining summary.
 
In January 2021, bargaining started for the renewal of your current (2017-2018) collective agreement.
 
In January 2021, the BCGEU also applied to the Labour Relations Board (LRB) to have various HCN-Revera Lessee (Revera) sites represented by the Union declared as one employer because those sites are all under the control and direction of Revera. Two of the sites the Union wanted declared as one Employer are Whitecliff and Fleetwood Villa. Separate from bargaining, the Employer and Union engaged in discussions regarding the Union's application.
 
In March 2021, the BCGEU and Revera reached an agreement on the Union's one employer application and in May 2021, the LRB issued a Consent Order formalizing that agreement.
 
The Consent Order stipulates that the renewal of the current (2017-2018) Whitecliff collective agreement must have an expiry date of December 31, 2022. The same condition applies to the Fleetwood Villa collective agreement. The Consent Order also stipulates that bargaining for the renewal of the Whitecliff and Fleetwood Villa collective agreements (both still in negotiations) that will expire December 31, 2022, when renewed, must be at the same table starting in December of this year. 
 
But before we can go to a common table to renew what will become the 2019-2022 collective agreement, we need to first renew the current (2017-2018) collective agreement. As you know, negotiations for renewal of your current collective agreement reached impasse in June 2021.
 
On June 28, 2021, the members gave the Union a strike mandate.
 
On July 5, 2021, the Union applied to the LRB for mediation to assist the Parties in resolving the impasse. Mediation dates were set for November 2021. 
 
In September 2021, Essential Services Staffing Levels were established.
 
In September 2021, the members engaged in a day's job action by refusing to work overtime.
 
The November 2021, mediation had to be adjourned because of the possibility of escalating job action by unionized support staff of the BCGEU. 
 
As of this writing, as indicated at the beginning of this bulletin, the Employer and Union have now rescheduled mediation for May 18 and May 19.
 
However, here too the Consent Order places conditions on what can be bargained. Bargaining improvements to your collective agreement are restricted to the following items:

1. Total Compensation;
2. Expense Reimbursement Items; and,
3. Compliance with the Employment Standards Act.

Those conditions apply during mediation or bargaining at the table.
 
We will keep you informed of developments.
 
 
In Solidarity,
 
Tony Jillings, Bargaining Committee Chair
Roseanne Parsons, Bargaining Committee Member
Bonny Swanson, Bargaining Committee Member
Zoe Towle, BCGEU Negotiations Staff Representative

 
Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP