NEWS & UPDATES
March 17, 2020
Components 4/8 COVID-19 Update Members of HEABC Employers - BCGEU
The BCGEU is taking every measure to work with other unions, the Health Employers Association of BC, the Provincial Health Officer and government to ensure that health care workers are protected at their workplaces and in the community.
As information develops we will be keeping you informed. Please forward issues that you've been unable to resolve at the worksite level to the email health@bcge...
March 17, 2020
Nanaimo Seniors Village bargaining update #6 - Postponement - BCGEU
In response to the current pandemic BCGEU is closing most of its offices as of Wednesday and has directed that all non-essential meetings be postponed. This means that the previously announced bargaining dates of April 7 and 8 will be rescheduled. We will provide a further update to members once new bargaining dates are set. In solidarity, Karen Dalton, Bargaining Committee ChairEdith Eggimann,...
March 17, 2020
[Postponed] Bargaining Committee Elections for Pine Acres Home - BCGEU
Due to recent developments with the COVID-19 virus, the BCGEU is postponing bargaining committee elections until further notice.The BCGEU will notify members once we are able to resume elections. In solidarity,Cathy SeagrisStaff RepresentativeDownload PDF of notice here.
UWU/MoveUP
March 17, 2020
2020 BCGEU scholarships
The 2020 BCGEU scholarship deadline has passed and we are no longer accepting applications. We have received over 400 applications – thank you for all your hard work!
If you have submitted an application, we will be announcing the successful applicants once our Education and Scholarship committee has met and considered all of the applications. We expect to be able to advise applicants by the en...
March 16, 2020
BCGEU Guidance for Health Care Workers re: COVID related work attendance - BCGEU
BCGEU Guidance for Health Care Workers Please take the time to read this guidance in its entirety as it contains vital information. If your employer is not following the processes outlined below, please speak to your steward and file a grievance. Any worker symptomatic with any cold/ flu symptoms should be off on sick leave or medical EI without the need for medical documentation; Any worker ...
March 13, 2020
Nanaimo Seniors Village - Bargaining Update #5 - BCGEU
The union and the employer met in bargaining on March 11 and 12, 2020 and concluded all but two non monetary proposals: one regarding occupational health and safety, and another regarding the creation of new classifications. The parties decided to set these proposals aside and revisit them later in the current round of negotiations.
Your bargaining committee tabled a comprehensive monetary pack...
March 13, 2020
Nominations for Burquitlam Senior Housing Society (L J Christmas Manor) barga...
Call for Nominations This is to provide all members notice that in preparation for upcoming negotiations with your employer and renewing your collective agreement, nominations are now open for three (3) bargaining committee members. If you would like to serve on the committee or you know a member that you think would be a good person to represent you and your co-workers, please fill out the nom...
March 13, 2020
BCGEU calls for suspension of rent and mortgage payments for sick/self-isolat...
Burnaby, B.C. – In response to the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a "pandemic" and public health experts recommending social distancing including self-isolation for exposed or symptomatic people, the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) is calling on federal and provincial governments to immediately suspend all mortgage and rent payments until the pandemic is over....
March 13, 2020
Guildford Seniors Village (Well-Being Services (GSV) Ltd.) tentative agreemen...
As per our previous message, the World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and holding a meeting in a seniors home is inconsistent with the principles of limiting the spread of the virus and limiting vulnerable people to exposure. In an effort to reduced transmission rates, as per the direction of the Provincial Health Officer, the BCGEU will avoid holding meetings...
March 12, 2020
Celebrating Social Work Month - BCGEU
March is Social Work Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of thousands of BCGEU social workers in our province. There are hundreds of these dedicated professionals who are members of your union's Component 4, Health Services. Social Workers in health care work with clients and families to address issues including: illness, anxiety, depression, caregiver challenges, palliative care/berea...
March 11, 2020
COVID-19 Pandemic Response - BCGEU
Today, the WHO declared that COVID-19 has escalated from public health crisis to pandemic. In plain language this means the public health priority has shifted from preventing the spread of the virus to slowing it down so that our healthcare system doesn't get overwhelmed by too many infections happening concurrently. In light of this, the Provincial Executive of the BCGEU unanimously passed the...
March 11, 2020
Strike action: stand with IBEW members on strike against Ledcor tomorrow - BCGEU
Our union encourages members in the Vancouver area to stand in solidarity with members of IBEW Local 213 on Thursday, March 12 at 3 pm in front of Ledcor's office at 1055 West Hastings Street downtown. These workers are fighting for their first contract with Ledcor. The strike began on Sept. 30, 2019. Their battle for a contract began more than two full years earlier on Aug. 31, 2017, when thei...
March 11, 2020
SLIZEK INVESTMENTS INC - Bargaining committee election results - BCGEU
The election is over, the results are in and your bargaining committee is complete. You have elected Jacqueline Gunther and Marie Hart as bargaining committee members who will join the bargaining chair, Rick Bowen, to represent you in negotiating a renewal of your collective agreement. Please join me in congratulating all of the participants in this very important process. The committee w...
March 11, 2020
Well-Being Services (GSV) Ltd. - Tentative Agreement & Ratification Informat...
The Union is postponing the ratification vote on the tentative agreement and the vote tomorrow will not be proceeding.
The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and holding a meeting in a seniors' home is inconsistent with the principles of limiting the spread of the virus and limiting vulnerable people to exposure.
A ratification vote would require any person ...
March 11, 2020
BCGEU calls on all employers to drop doctor’s note requirement amid COVID-19 ...
The B.C. Government Employees' Union (BCGEU) is encouraging employers to waive the requirement for employees to produce a sick note to access sick leave. The B.C. government announced last week employees no longer have to produce a sick note amidst concerns over the coronavirus. Read full article here UWU/MoveUP
March 10, 2020
B.C. employers must drop doctor’s note requirements to limit COVID-19 spread,...
B.C. employers must drop doctor's note requirements to limit COVID-19 spread, says BCGEU Burnaby, B.C.- In light of the ongoing concern regarding the COVID-19 virus, the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union is calling on all B.C. employers to waive the requirement for employees to provide a note from a doctor to access their sick leave. "We all must take appropriate steps to limit the s...
March 10, 2020
Update on bargaining at at The Dorchester - BCGEU
Your bargaining committee met with the employer on March 5th and 6th. Some progress was made and we will continue hard to address the priorities you have identified. Further bargaining dates have been scheduled for March 26th and 27th. In solidarity, Diane Bulatovich, Bargaining committee chairpersonDon Stroschein, Bargaining committee memberLily Idler, Bargaining committee memberCathy Seagris...
March 06, 2020
Members at Guildford Seniors Village (Well-Being Services (GSV) Ltd.) - Tenta...
Your bargaining committee is pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement with the employer that would expire July 31, 2022 (3-year agreement) and recommend ratification.
The agreement highlights include:
An increase in the number of sick days by two, totaling 52.5 hours.
An increase in annual vacation accrual at 17 years (21 days) and 20 years (22 days).
Greater transparency...
March 06, 2020
Environmental Health Officers, Public Health Inspectors, and Tobacco Enforcem...
We have had many emails and calls from the Environmental Health Officers (EHO) group outlining concerns with respect to the recent changes to Tobacco Enforcement Officers (TEO) classification.
Prior to the last round of bargaining, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in the Collective Agreement covered the TEO's. This is because they did not fit within either the Job Families or the Industry Wide M...
March 06, 2020
Local 411/10 members - Nomination for Local Executive - BCGEU
Nominations are now open for the following vacant positions on the local executive:
Chair
1st Vice Chair
Member-At-Large (2 Positions)
The term is usually three years, this term started Spring of 2018. The term would be the remainder of the three years. Information on the responsibilities and activities of each office is available from your area office.
The deadline for nominations is: 5 p.m....
March 06, 2020
BCGEU celebrates International Women’s Day for an Equal and Enabled world
March 8th is International Women's Day (IWD), a time to recognize the remarkable achievements by women across the globe and stand in solidarity with calls for decisive action to promote gender justice and end gender-based violence and discrimination. The global theme this year is #EachforEqual An EQUAL World is an ENABLED World.
"As an out and proud feminist who has the privilege to be surround...
March 05, 2020
BCGEU calls on LRB to bring Retirement Concepts members under one bargaining ...
The B.C. Government & Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) has filed a common employer application at the BC Labour Relations Board (LRB) seeking to consolidate all nine of the union's bargaining units with Well Being Services/Retirement Concepts (WBS/RC) into a single bargaining unit. The move to a single bargaining unit would position the union and its members to address many of the issues th...
March 05, 2020
BC union shareholder proposal prompts RBC to confirm screening of U.S. privat...
(Burnaby, BC)Following a shareholder proposal by the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU), Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has confirmed that it will not provide lending or financing services to companies including GEO Group (NYSE: GEO) and Core Civic (NYSE: CXW). These U.S. private prison companies operate the majority of U.S. detention facilities currently detaining migrant familie...
March 03, 2020
COVID-19 Update For All BCGEU Health Services Members - BCGEU
Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, has been providing regular briefings to B.C.'s health care unions about the developing situation worldwide related to COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). The next meetings of B.C.'s health care unions and Dr. Henry are scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, and an in person meeting will be held on Friday, March 6. These meetings are coordinated through HEA...