We are pleased to present a tentative agreement that will include improvements to shift differentials, Employer matched RRSPs, improvements for part-time and casual employees, and an increase to the sick leave banks.

We look forward to seeing you at the ratification meeting on Tuesday, May 18 between 1:30pm and 3:30pm and answering any questions about this agreement.

Ratification Document

The ratification document can be found here.  When you vote, you will be voting to accept all of the changes in the entire document. New language that would be added to the collective agreement is in bold, underlined, and yellow highlight like this. Language that would be deleted from the collective agreement is struck through with a line.  

The ratification document contains many important changes, and we will outline the highlights in the meeting, as well as answering any questions you may have about the changes. We strongly encourage you to read the entire document in advance so you can ask questions at the meeting and be prepared to vote on ratifying the new collective agreement.

Tentative Agreement Highlights

• Length of agreement: This collective agreement will be at least one year but will be at most three years, expiring on June 30, 2023. If wage levelling from the Government of BC ends after July 1, 2021, your collective agreement will expire, and you will return to the bargaining table with your Employer to negotiate for wages only.
• Wage increases: Because of wage levelling, there are no wage increases in this round. Any wage increases less than wage levelling that your bargaining committee may have negotiated would not have gone to employees, so your bargaining committee focused on making gains elsewhere.
• Shift Differential: All shift differentials will now be for all hours worked in the qualifying period. A new shift differential for weekend day shift was added for all hours worked between 7am and 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays at $0.25/hour. Evening shift differential will be now start an hour earlier at 2pm and go to 11pm. The evening shift differential will remain at $0.75/hour. Night shift differential qualifying hours and rate are unchanged.
• Employer-matched RRSPs: Starting January 16, 2022 the Employer will start a voluntary RRSP program and match contributions up to 1% of income. This will increase to 1.5% on June 30, 2023. Employees can make additional contributions above the rate the Employer matches.
• Sick leave: Sick leave can now be banked to 150 hours, up from 108 hours.
• Improvements for part-time and casual employees: Part-time and casual employees will now be paid double time for hours worked on a paid holiday. Regular part-time employees will now be eligible for benefits if they work 20 hours a week.
• Bargaining unit staff meetings: The Union may now conduct bargaining unit meetings at Cascades, and employees can attend without loss of pay. There may be occasions when not all employees can attend if some staff are required for resident care.
• Loss of seniority: Employees who fail to return to work on schedule after a leave of absence, including vacations or suspensions, will now be terminated unless they are able to provide a reason they were unable to return.
• Vacancy postings: Applicants for postings will now be evaluated on their overall performance, including their culpable attendance record.
• Annual vacations: The collective agreement language has been clarified so it’s clear what vacation amount employees are entitled to.
• Special and other Leave: “Compassionate leave” has been renamed “bereavement leave” so it is distinguished from compassionate care leave.

Education leave has been updated so employees know they can ask for a quiet space to complete any required training.

Domestic violence leave from the Employment Standards Act has been included. All employees regardless of their status (full-time, part-time, causal, probationary) are entitled to up to five days of paid leave, five days of unpaid leave, and up to 15 weeks of additional leave if they or their children have experienced domestic or sexual violence.

• Updates from the Employment Standards Act: Compassionate care leave and pregnancy, parental, and adoption leave have all been updated to the current Employment Standards Act leave periods.
• Health and safety: Updates included in the collective agreement will clarify the health and safety committee’s role and responsibilities.
• Paydays: When your payday falls on a bank holiday, you will be paid on the day before the holiday.
• Mileage: If you are required to use your car for work, you will now be paid $0.59/kilometre.
• Joint labour/management committee: The JLM committee will now meet once every two months. You may now bring your workload concerns to the JLM to find solutions.

Ratification Meeting Details

A reminder that the ratification meeting will be on Tuesday, May 18. Due to public health restrictions, the meeting will take place over Zoom. Please read the full ratification document before attending the meeting so you can ask questions at the meeting:

Date: Tuesday, May 18

Time: Drop in between 1:30pm and 3:30pm

Ratification highlights will be explained at 1:30 and 2:30, and members can ask questions at any time.

How: Zoom video or telephone

Join by computer here.

Join by phone: (778) 907-2071

Meeting ID: 977 0465 1525

Passcode: cascades

Voting Information:

Voting will open at 2:00pm on Tuesday, May 18. You will receive an email with a link to vote online and your unique voting credentials. Voting will close on Thursday, May 20 at 5:00pm. We strongly encourage you to vote, as this will be your only method to cast a ballot.

A member who does not receive a voting credential (likely because BCGEU does not have their personal email address), or who experiences problems casting their vote, should contact [email protected], or Sheila Matthen (Staff Representative) by calling 604-291-9611 or 1-800-663-1674 ASAP after voting opens, but no later than Thursday, May 20 at 12:00pm. This will allow enough time to issue a voting credential that day before voting closes. Please note that phone support is available during regular BCGEU office hours from 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.

Please log into the Member’s Portal here to ensure BCGEU has your correct email address for voting credentials to be emailed to you.

Ratification results will be announced on Friday, May 21.

We encourage you to vote on accepting the terms of your new collective agreement.

In Solidarity,

Tanya Jones, Bargaining Committee Chair
Cheri McGowan, Bargaining Committee Member
Kelsey Sukkau, Bargaining Committee Member  
Sheila Matthen, Staff Representative

UWU/MoveUP