Your bargaining committee for Parkwood Manor continues preparations for negotiations with the employer for your first collective agreement.

Bargaining Dates Set

The parties have scheduled bargaining sessions for September 2, 3 and 24, 2021, and will schedule additional dates in October.

October 14, 2021 will be one year since your bargaining unit was certified. This usually marks the end of the freeze period in which an employer can only change terms of employment with agreement of the union or approval of the Labour Relations Board. However, as your employer is not available to start bargaining as soon as the union would like, it has voluntarily agreed to extend the freeze period until November 4, 2021. This will give the parties time to reach agreement or impasse before the end of the freeze period. In the meantime, your employer can only change terms of employment with union agreement or Labour Relations Board approval.

Preparations Continue

Your bargaining committee's prep work so far has included:

• training in the process, pitfalls and strategy of negotiations;

• reviewing all survey feedback from members on bargaining priorities;

• reviewing the consent order from the Labour Relations Board, and accompanying settlement agreement between the parties, that resolved the BCGEU's application to request a common employer designation;
• reviewing the entire existing collective agreement with HCN-Revera Lessee (The Dorchester);
• learning from one of the union's pension specialists about the BC Target Benefit Pension Plan; and
• drafting written proposals to take to the bargaining table.

Remaining committee prep work includes:

• fine tuning written bargaining proposals; and
• developing plans to keep you engaged and informed throughout the process.

Our final pre-bargaining prep session is scheduled for August 6, 2021.

Keeping You Updated

As we've stated before, your bargaining committees will keep you updated throughout the pre-bargaining and bargaining periods. You can expect to receive a bulletin from us whenever there's anything to report, and in any event, at least once per month. If you or a co-worker are not receiving these bulletins directly from the BCGEU, it probably means we don't have a current personal email address on file. If this is you, please connect with a member of your worksite bargaining committee and have them pass your contact information to the BCGEU.

Thanks for your patience, support and solidarity throughout this lengthy process. If you have any questions or concerns about this bulletin or the bargaining process generally, please reach out to an elected member of your bargaining committee.

In solidarity,

Paula Holm, Bargaining Committee Member
Dana Hussey, Bargaining Committee Member
Sehi Jung, Bargaining Committee Member
Ryan Stewart, Staff Representative, Negotiations

Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP