Your bargaining committee most recently met with Broadmead Care on January 4 & 5,2024.

In your bargaining surveys, you highlighted sick leave and wages as two of your top priorities, which we have updates on.

Regarding sick leave, we have negotiated extensively back and forth but feel we need more time to achieve respectable improvements.

In terms of wages, we have asked for annual increases, but Broadmead Care has insisted that wages are taken care of because of the government-mandated wage levelling. The reality is: Wage levelling has impacted many of our members, but it has not affected them equally or fairly. For many workers, the wage levelling does not keep up with inflation, and the longer they have worked, the less their pay has increased.

Around 17% of our long-standing members have not received any raises since 2022.

This has been our biggest battle.

Although Broadmead Care has agreed to some small monetary changes, we do not feel they have offered anything substantial to compensate for your hard work and commitment other than what has been mandated by the government.

On Friday afternoon, Broadmead Care applied for mediation at the BC Labour Relations Board. While we had hoped to have more questions answered, we agree mediation is the right move. We are hoping that mediation will get us closer to a deal that we can bring back to the membership and recommend to you with confidence. Mediation dates are set for February 12, 13, and 14, 2024.

In the coming weeks, we will be meeting at your worksites. We hope that you will attend so that we can hear from you and answer your questions. We are bargaining for you and your input is very important in this process. If you have questions but can't attend a meeting, reach out to a bargaining committee member and we will be happy to help you. Please be aware that we cannot always give specific details because they may change, and we do not want to spread any misinformation.

Thank you all for your patience with us, we appreciate your support.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

Annie Parohinog, Bargaining Committee Chair

Nicole Shaver, Bargaining Committee Member

James Whitehouse, Bargaining Committee Member

Julia Sunderland-Baker, Bargaining Committee Member

Sean Antrim, Staff Negotiator

Download PDF of bulletin here

UWU/MoveUP