FAQ Follow-Up to Last Night's Town Hall 

Dear Members, 

Atira has been testing the limits of its childcare workers for years. Last night, your BCGEU staff representatives met with dozens of you over Zoom to discuss your options in the face of the employer's latest insult – a final offer for worse wages (starting April 1) and subpar protections. 

For anyone who could not attend, we've prepared a summary of the issue, a copy of Atira's ultimatum, important voting details that you won't want to miss, and an FAQ based on questions you've asked. We also have another zoom town hall tomorrow, Friday April 10 at 7 p.m. in case you still have questions: 

Join Friday Meeting: Refer to email sent

Meeting ID#: Refer to email sent
 

📉Proposed Pay Cuts & More 

After weeks of negotiating an agreement to decide your future wages and other monetary conditions, Atira came back to our union with a deal that was shocking – even for them. It includes: 

• Pay cuts starting April 1 2026 (for some of you, to rates below what you got before unionizing) 

• Loss of paid sick leave (to 5 days) and no paid leaves outside of the Employment Standards Act (i.e. the bare legal minimum). 

• Loss of pension 

• Minimum stat holidays and unpaid closures during winter break 

• Zero increases to employer-paid benefits

Here's a snapshot of the wages Atira is offering starting April 1, 2026: 

If you're confused about the employer's proposal or have questions, please refer to the FAQ at the bottom of this page for a deeper dive into what you're voting on.  

📨Final Offer Vote Opens Next Week 

Atira tabled their proposal as a Final Offer, which is employer-speak for "take the breadcrumbs, or risk closures." A Final Offer vote will open April 13 @ 9 a.m., where you will indicate whether you accept or reject their offer. Stay tuned to your email for your ballot. The vote closes April 17 @ 5 p.m.  

If you reject the employer's offer, they've said 4 out of 5 Atira childcare centres might be shuttered: Seksik, Willow, River Run and The Alex.

The employer's rationale for this ultimatum is that they cannot afford to pay you at your current wage rates. While we don't agree with their strong-arm tactics, which avoid accountability and unfairly pass all the tough decision-making onto you, we can confirm that Atira's financial situation is bleak.  

🚰Atira's Finances & Your Future 

No thanks to B.C's unplanned Wild West approach to child care, Atira has been able to mismanage their non-provincially funded childcare centres into the ground, failing you and your clients. Even before today you've been paying the price, waiting for the wage increases that you should have received after unionizing and joining the community social service agreement in 2023. 

While it was only a matter of time before Atira really crossed a line, we know this is a lot to absorb. Many of you are rightfully feeling many emotions right now. A Final Offer vote is not recourse to your challenge, but it is a chance for you to tell your employer what you think of their evaluation of your labour. Our union will support you in your choice regardless of the path you pick, including any rights you're entitled to under the current collective agreement (see FAQ for more on this).  

Please refer to this FAQ if you have any burning questions, and we'll be sending you more information about the Final Offer vote soon. 
 

1. What about government funded top-ups (wage enhancements) for February 29, 2024 - March 31, 2026? 

The employer's proposal fails to include retroactive pay for this period. Atira is eligible for $4 out of the total $6 top-up that government has provided for ECEs since launching the Early Childcare Wage Enhancement program.  

2. What protections and rights do we have if the employer does lay us off in response to a NO vote on the Final Offer? 

You will be entitled to the protection outlined in Article 13 of your current collective agreement (the community social services sectoral agreement).  

3. Does this proposal/Final Offer apply to Maxxine Wright? 

No, this proposal does not apply to Maxxine Wright, so workers at this location will not participate in the Final Offer vote. The reason it does not apply here is because Maxxine Wright, unlike the other Atira childcare centres is provincially funded, which is to say, this location receives more than 50% of its funding through public dollars. The proposal you're voting on is specific to your non-provincially funded jobs.  

4. Who is eligible to cast a digital ballot in the Final Offer vote? 

Everyone (permanent and casual employees alike) who work at Seksik, Willow, River Run and The Alex can cast a ballot in the Final Offer vote.  

5. Will accepting this proposal/Final Offer guarantee job protection? 

Not necessarily. If you accept the employer's proposal, Atira is legally obligated to pay you the rates that they've outlined in their proposal. As you know, even a binding contract does not guarantee that they'll meet these obligations. In the same vein, lower wages for workers might not necessarily "save" Atira's childcare programming. 

In solidarity, 

Your BCGEU Staff Representatives: 

Aiden Feizi – Area 04 Field Services 
Charmaine Roesler – Area 04 Field Services 

UWU/MoveUP