Meet Your Advisory Group

We haven't properly introduced ourselves yet! We're your Supportive Housing Advisory Group - you might recognize our name from the last few BCGEU bulletins that went out. 

Like you, the 11 of us work on the frontlines of supportive housing agencies, shelters and women's transition houses - you can find our names and workplaces at the bottom of the email! Most of us are stewards, some of us sit on Locals, but regardless of title, we're all activists who care deeply about bringing justice to the sector by making our workplaces more humane, safe and functional for everyone.

We know many of you have questions and concerns about the transfer into the Community Bargaining Association (CBA). Trust us when we say, we're riding the same emotional wave that you are. You're not alone, and we're here for you - this time, with new advocacy tools, more support, and a couple of important updates. Don't forget that we also have our own sectoral website now: supportivehousing.bcgeu.ca

NEW! Email Us. Provide Feedback.

Our role as an advisory body is to advocate for your needs in the transfer agreement with the Health Employers' Association of BC (HEABC). As a reminder, that's the agreement that will determine how the CBA contract language is applied to our workplaces. 

To date, we've been sharing all the concerns and priorities that you and your stewards flagged for us with our BCGEU staff representative, so she can amplify your voices at the table with HEABC. Now we have an email address that you can use to reach us when it's best for you: [email protected] 

Send us your ideas and concerns related to the transfer whenever you want. Tell us what your employers are saying and anything that seems timely and important. 

We'll try to respond to questions in a timely manner. If you're not hearing from us right away, we have not disappeared! We are advocating for you every step of the way. This two-way communication tool is intended to expand our reach, so we can hear from more of you, understand what's happening at every workplace, and get a clear mandate from members. 

Progress Report

Last week, we met with our BCGEU staff negotiator and Transfer Team for a full day, to talk strategy. The advisory group underscored where our union must remain vigilant in negotiations because of the differences between the CBA and CSSBA agreements. Here are some of the plans we started sketching out for key areas of concern: 

• Hours of Work: Stay tuned for an update next week on the concrete action our union is taking to pursue extended and/or modified hours (a right in the CBA agreement). This action is designed to minimize dramatic changes to your current hours of work. 
  
  
• Extended Health Benefits: We’re currently preparing an infographic that will summarize the Joint Community Health Benefit Trust coverage – where it exceeds our current plan and where it differs. Stay tuned for this helpful document! 
  
  *Please note: the CBA bargaining team is pushing hard to increase funding to the Trust, which would reduce gaps between your current plan and the CBA plan. 
  
  
• Full-Time Regular Entitlements: The CBA has a different definition of “Full-Time Regular” employee. Our negotiator is alive to this issue, and we’re exploring options. 
  
  
• Classifications: Our position remains that your current base wage rates should at least be matched with the same base wage rates in the CBA, so that you do not lose money. Stay tuned for a more in-depth classification update in a couple weeks, after our negotiator meets with HEABC to review their initial assessment of your job descriptions. 

As a group, we commit to keep amplifying your voices at the table and providing you with the tools we may need to fight for a better outcome if it comes to that. If you have access to a printer, please post this communication to your union board. 

In Solidarity, 

Kate Banky: Victoria (Area 01), Client Case Worker and Mental Health Worker, Victoria Cool Aid Society 
Ruby Black: Nanaimo (Area 02), Community Support Worker, Island Crisis Care Society 
Jendon Cumigad: Vancouver (Area 3), Resident Support Worker, Community Builders Group 
Wynn Hartfelder: Vernon (Area 7), Adult and Youth Worker, Archway Society for Domestic Peace 
Cassandra Harwood: Vancouver (Area 3), Housing Outreach Worker, Atira Women's Resource Society 
Wendy Huggan: Kelowna (Area 7), Adult & Youth Worker, Kelowna Women's Shelter 
Shirley Ram: Surrey (Area 04), Women's Support Worker, Atira Women's Resource Society 
Cecile Revaux: Vancouver (Area 3), Kitchen Trainer, Downtown Eastside Women's Centre Association 
Jordan Shaw: Victoria (Area 1), Housing & Shelter Team Lead, Our Place Society 
Katie Toews: Mission (Area 4), Resident Worker Grid 10, Mission Community Services 
Monique Yuan: Victoria (Area 1), Mental Health Worker, Victoria Cool Aid Society 

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