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  2. Negotiations begin Tuesday for next post-secondary collective agreement - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU)

Negotiations begin Tuesday for next post-secondary collective agreement - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU)

Published on September 16, 2022

Negotiations for the next collective agreement for post-secondary support services begins Tuesday, September 20th. As a member of the BCGEU, please read this bulletin for important information.

What to expect next week

As your BCGEU elected representatives on the College and Institute Support Service Bargaining Association (CISSBA), we will begin bargaining your next collective agreement on Tuesday, September 20th, 2022 (delayed a day due to the National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II) until Friday, September 23rd, 2022. 

During this time, we will meet with your employer’s bargaining agent, the Post-Secondary Employers’ Association (PSEA), which includes representatives from each of our seven employers:

  • BC Institute of Technology
  • Coast Mountain College
  • Douglas College
  • Justice Institute of BC
  • Kwantlen Polytechnic University
  • Northern Lights College
  • Okanagan College

This structure of bargaining is called a Multi-Employer Table (or MET). Our goal is to establish a common agreement – a first for the post-secondary support sector. Having a common agreement will enable us to regulate, or standardize, collective agreements across the post-secondary sector in areas of common issues. The common agreement will cover all members of our seven bargaining units – a legendary feat! 

Based on your input, we will be tabling proposals about the following:

  • Wages, including cost of living adjustment (COLA) protections
  • Term (length) of the agreement
  • Job evaluation plan
  • A common wage grid
  • Benefits and sick time

We are feeling excited to have all post-secondary employers at the table with us this round of bargaining, and positive that all parties have many common issues to address together.

Next steps

Once bargaining at the MET concludes on September 23rd, we will email you with a report on our progress. Bargaining dates will then be scheduled for local tables.

A couple other important notes:

  • Local tables bargain local agreements that address issues specific to your institution
  • Neither a strike vote nor a ratification vote can be taken until bargaining is completed at both the Multi-Employer Table and each local table
  • For more information about your collective agreement, bargaining committee, and the bargaining process, please read this email from April 8th, 2022

IMPORTANT: Do we have your contact info?

The situation could change rapidly and, if we don’t have your up-to-date personal email address and phone number, you could miss important updates.

We’re asking all members to make sure your contact information is up to date in the BCGEU Member Portal before bargaining begins on Tuesday, September 20th.

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW/UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO IN MEMBER PORTAL

If you do not yet have a BCGEU Member Portal account, click here to request one. Then watch for an email with instructions to activate it.

 

In solidarity,
Your College and Institute Support Service Bargaining Association (CISSBA)

 



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