The parties agreed to the distribution of low wage redress increases for April 1, 2022. Wage grids for April 1, 2022 and the preliminary wage grids for April 1, 2023 are now available.
 
Click here for the joint bulletin from the CSSBA and the CSSEA.
 
The delegated wage grids for Indigenous Services are also available for April 1, 2022 and April 1, 2023. Click here for those wage grids.
 
In solidarity,
 
Your BCGEU Community Social Services Bargaining Committee

March 29, 2023
For immediate release
 

BCGEU community social services workers ratify three-year deal  

BURNABY – The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) announced today that the 19,000 members of the community social services bargaining unit employed by the Community Social Services Employer's Association (CSSEA) voted 95 per cent to accept the tentative agreement. The B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) is CSSBA's lead union representing over 13,000 members. The agreement was negotiated with eight other unions who represent members in the agreement: CUPE, HEU, HSA, CSWU Local 1611, CLAC, USW 1-417, UFCW and BCNU.

The tentative deal was reached on February 6^th, 2023, after one year of negotiations. The new agreement is retroactive from April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2025 and includes:

• Low-wage redress* increases, retroactive for all employees (past and present) to April 1, 2022
• Wage increases follow the GWI of the public sector agreements
• 100% paid sick leave, effective April 1, 2024
• Improvements to health and welfare benefits, leave provisions, safety and health, layoff and recall, bullying and harassment language.

* Low-wage redress (LWR) refers to funds that are meant to help reduce long-term inequalities in compensation in both community social services and health care sectors.

"This agreement reflects our members' priorities, and the gains made are significant: 100% sick pay, a fair and equitable compensation package, meaningful recognition and reconciliation for Indigenous workers, supports for psychologically safer and healthier workplaces and more," said BCGEU President Stephanie Smith. "This round of bargaining was one of the longest in the history of this sector, and I am proud our bargaining team for what they've achieved for our members."

Community social services workers work in every community in B.C., providing services such as supporting Indigenous families; supporting children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities; supporting women, youth and children fleeing abuse; and providing support for people with mental health challenges and at-risk youth.

The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) represents unionized workers in the community social services sector, and the Community Social Services Employers Association (CSSEA) represents over 200 community social services employers across the province.

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For more information, contact Holly Reid, Communications, 604-291-9611, [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

Members in the Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) voted 95% in favour of the tentative agreement reached with the employers represented by the Community Social Services Employer's Association (CSSEA). This includes agreements for workers in the Community Living Services, General Services and Indigenous Services sub-sectors.

This was one of the longest rounds of negotiations in the history of this sector and we thank each member of the bargaining unit who took the time to vote and stayed engaged throughout this process.
 
Low wage redress and general wage increases confirmed

General wage increases retroactive to April 1, 2022 were agreed to and outlined in the tentative agreement. In addition to the general wage increases, we agreed on the distribution of April 1, 2022 low wage redress (LWR) increases effective the first pay period following April 1, 2022. The additional increases include a 2.54% increase that will be applied to all JJEP (non-paraprofessional) jobs and targeted increases to specific paraprofessional jobs. These increases will align the top rate of all community social services classifications with their comparable jobs in the health sector. All JJEP jobs will also receive an additional 1.4% increase at Step 1.

Details of the low wage redress increases, and the wage grids for April 1, 2022 and the preliminary general wage increase of 6.75% at April 1, 2023 will be available soon.

The new agreement covers the term April 1, 2022 (retroactively) through March 31, 2025.

Remember, you can find many more helpful resources – including the wage calculator and the ratification bulletin – on this web page.

In solidarity,

Your BCGEU Community Social Services Bargaining Committee

UWU/MoveUP

Voting continues!

We noticed you haven't voted for your tentative agreement yet. The deadline to get your vote in is 5 p.m. (PDT) on Monday, March 27th. Can you go vote and remind 3 other co-workers to vote today?

Your credentials will have the following sender address: [email protected]. If you have not received your voting credentials, please check your spam or junk folder. 

Your voting credentials will include your unique Elector ID (which is your BCGEU membership number) and a password. These voting credentials are unique to you and can only be used once. Once you have submitted your ballot using your credentials, you will not be able to reuse them. You can cast your ballot using any computer (desktop or laptop), tablet or smart phone. 

Click here for the FAQs about voting, including:

• What do I do if I don't receive my voting credentials?
• How does the vote get counted?
• Will there be scrutineers for the count?

If you haven't received your voting credentials, click here to complete, and submit a form for voting credentials.

If you still have questions about the tentative agreement or the vote, you can email [email protected]

Please post this on your union bulletin board and forward this email to anyone you know who has not been receiving emails on the vote!

This is your agreement and your vote. Make it count!

In solidarity,

Your Community Social Services Bargaining Committee

The community social services tentative agreement that members are currently voting on includes wage protections to adjust the April 1, 2023 wage increases according to the impact of inflation in the previous 12 months.

Based on inflation figures released this week, we can confirm that if the agreement is ratified, members will receive the full 6.75% wage increase starting the first full pay period after April 1, 2023.
This brings the total general wage increases for the first two years of the agreement to well over 10% for most members, on top of additional increases related to low wage redress and wage comparability.
 
The tentative agreement also includes wage protections for the April 1, 2024 wage increases, which would be calculated around this time next year. You can find more information about the wage increases and other improvements in your collective agreement on the ratification page.
 
Voting is open until 5 p.m. PDT on March 27, 2023. If you haven't already cast your ballot, make sure to do so before the deadline. You can find information on the ratification vote here.
 
In solidarity,
 
Your Community Social Services Bargaining Committee

UWU/MoveUP

As promised, here is a document containing the highlights of the tentative agreement. You can also access the full comprehensive report here.

A wage calculator that can show you how your wages would change over the length of this tentative agreement will be available in the coming days. Keep an eye on your inbox as we will inform you as soon as it is available online.

Member education

• In person information sessions are happening in your community. Find out details here. Virtual meetings are also scheduled across the province, for members that are not able to go to a meeting space in person.
• Events for this week are listed at the bottom of this email. There are also changes for meetings next week in Campbell River on March 6 and confirmation of virtual meetings for members in 305, 307, 308 and 309 on March 7. Please check the website for the meetings scheduled for next week, which is the final week before voting begins. 
• You can view the ratification webinar here, in case you missed any of them.
• If you have a question about the tentative agreement or the ratification process, email [email protected].

Voting on the tentative agreement opens at 8 a.m. (PST) on Monday, March 13th and closes at 5 p.m. (PST) on Monday, March 27th. This will be your collective agreement, and the ratification vote is your opportunity to have your say! Make sure you have the information you need to make an informed decision. Information about voting will be shared soon, stay tuned for details.

REMINDER:It is important that your bargaining committee can contact members to communicate important information about the ratification process. Log in to update your contact information here. Please note: If you are adding an address that was previously unsubscribed from BCGEU emails, you must also resubscribe by filling out the form here. 

In solidarity,

Your Community Social Services Bargaining Committee


This week's information sessions:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1 – IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL

THURSDAY, MARCH 2 – IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL

FRIDAY, MARCH 3 – IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL

Important updates for next week's meetings:

MONDAY, MARCH 6 – IN PERSON MEETINGS IN CAMPBELL RIVER

Meeting location is at the Comfort Inn and Suites – 1351 Shoppers Row
Drop-in times: 12 PM to 3 PM and 5 PM to 8 PM

TUESDAY, MARCH 7 – ZOOM MEETINGS FOR Locals 305, 307 , 308 and 309 (Kamloops, Okanagan, and Kootenays)

There three meeting times: 9 AM, 12 PM and 5 PM
Click here for zoom link.

** We encourage questions to be sent in advance of all Zoom meetings to [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

All 305 Members in Salmon Arm

COMPONENT:  COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES
LOCAL:           305
DATE:            THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2023
TIME(S):        12:00 p.m. OR 5:00 p.m.
PLACE:           Yan’s Restaurant - 880 21^st Street NE, Salmon Arm, BC 
 

As food will be provided, please rsvp attendance and dietary restrictions to [email protected]
 

AGENDA

• Ratification Meeting – Discuss Tentative Agreement
• Information Session Only – No Voting will take place at this meeting

Details of the proposed settlement and information on voting has been emailed to all members and is available online at: https://www.bargainingbc.ca/css_ratification Keep checking this link for updates.         


Download PDF of notice here   

UWU/MoveUP

UWU/MoveUP

Please rsvp your attendance [email protected]

Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP