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

Bargaining Dates Set

The parties have scheduled bargaining sessions for August 26 and 27, 2021, and will schedule additional dates as required.

Preparations Continue

Your bargaining committee's prep work has included:

• training in the process, pitfalls and strategy of negotiations;
• reviewing all survey feedback, membership meeting notes and other member feedback 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), large parts of which will be included in your first collective agreement;
• 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 24, 2021.

Keeping You Informed

Your bargaining committee will keep you updated throughout the bargaining period. 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.

Looking Ahead to Ratification

The next job of your bargaining committee is to try to reach a tentative agreement with the employer on your behalf. Once a tentative agreement is reached, we will share the complete details with you a day or two before we hold a membership meeting. At that meeting, we will go over the highlights of the tentative agreement and may make a recommendation. We will answer your questions and members will be able to share their thoughts. Following the meeting we will conduct a ratification vote. All bargaining unit employees will be entitled to vote to accept the collective agreement or to reject it. If we fail to reach a tentative agreement, we will come back to you to report on the situation and seek your input on available options.

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,

Sheila Diebel, Bargaining Committee Member
Sandy Paine, Bargaining Committee Member
Linda Richardson, Bargaining Committee Member
Ryan Stewart, Staff Representative, Negotiations

Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP