Did you know that you are entitled to five days paid leave a year as a union member?

Those days are covered under "Special Leave" in your collective agreement. Here is an excerpt from the article that outlines your special leave entitlement:

(b) Where leave from work is required, you are entitled for the following reasons:

(1) wedding of the employee; 
(2) attend wedding of the employee's child; 
(3) birth of the employee's child; 
(4) moving household furniture and effects; 
(5) serious household or domestic emergency; 
(6) attend their formal hearing to become a Canadian citizen; 
(7) attend funeral; 
(8) court appearance for hearing of employee's child; 
(9) child custody hearing; 
(10) date of birth for the employee; or 
(11) medical or dental appointment. 

DETAILS:
(c) One week's notice is required for leave under (a)(1), (2), (4), (6), (8), (9) and (10). 
(d) For the purpose of (a)(1), (2), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10) and (11), leave with pay will be only for the regularly scheduled workday on which the situation occurs. 
(e) For the purpose of leave under (a)(10) above, regular employees whose birthdays fall in January, February and March, may take one day of special leave in advance under this clause. Employees who take one day in advance, must earn one day of special leave in order to take any other leaves using time earned under this clause.


This is part one of our educational Union Fact Friday series! Being a member of the BCGEU, you have more rights and benefits than a non-union worker. It's important for you to know your collective agreement so that you can take full advantage of the rights you have as a union member.

To take a special leave, contact your manager or head office and explain your situation.

If you think you are being denied leave unfairly, contact your union steward. You can contact your BCGEU union office at [email protected] or (604) 215-1499 if you don't know who your union steward is. 

To learn more about your collective agreement, download a copy here. All "Special Leaves" are detailed in Article #20.

In Solidarity,
Your BCGEU Team

PS Feel free to print out and put on the union board or forward to coworkers. If they want to ensure they are on our mailing list, tell them to contact [email protected].

UWU/MoveUP