Week three of Main Table Public Service Bargaining between the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) and the B.C. Government’s Public Service Agency (PSA) is concluding for the week of February 21.
 
The tone at the bargaining table continues to be generally positive and collaborative, and your bargaining committee remains committed to bringing forward the priorities you’ve identified.
 
The committee has made progress on many non-monetary items, and we expect to enter monetary negotiations sometime in the next two weeks.
 
Pink Shirt Day
 
Following several days of bargaining on bullying and misuse of managerial/supervisory proposals, your bargaining committee negotiated improvements on anti-bullying language for members. This was particularly timely given that Wednesday was Pink Shirt Day. Both parties agreed to the expansion of the definition of bullying and harassment, and your committee was successful in achieving improved timelines to help better identify and resolve issues.
 
“Employers have an obligation to provide safe and healthy workplaces and that includes protecting workers’ psychological and physical well-being,” said BCGEU President Stephanie Smith, who also serves as Chair of the Public Service Bargaining Committee. “We have achieved many gains on anti-bullying language in the past few rounds of bargaining, but there is still much work to be done to achieve language improvements that protect all workers. The language improvements we have achieved this week are a step in the right direction.”

Your committee continues to carry forward discussions on substantive non-monetary items where we’re finding common ground. These include:

• Agreed to updated language on postings
• Both parties agreed to develop a training program between stewards and employer Step 2 designates 

As well, we tabled all unresolved component issues.
 
BC Budget 2022
 
The B.C. Budget was released earlier this week, and BCGEU President Stephanie Smith spoke with CFAX 1070 about how Budget 2022 will affect negotiations. “I think what was most important for us to hear was the fiscal outlook and how well our province is doing economically,” said Smith. “We have heard from our members that financial incentives are going to be a big part of being able to achieve an agreement in this round”
 
Next week
 
Negotiations resume in Victoria next Tuesday for four more days of bargaining. Your bargaining committee will continue to keep you updated as talks progress.

N.B.: If you know of a co-worker who has not been receiving these bargaining updates, please remind them to sign up to get updates by email. All members should ensure that their contact information is current in order to receive important regular updates during the bargaining process. 
 
In solidarity,

Your BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee
 
Stephanie Smith, President
Paul Finch, Treasurer
Judy Phipps, Executive Vice President
Dean Purdy, Vice President - Component 1
Kusam Doal, Vice President - Component 5
Judy Fox-McGuire, Vice President - Component 6
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Chief Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff


 

 
 The Public Service Bargaining Committee wore pink shirts in support of Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, February 23^rd.   For many years the BCGEU has proudly participated and sponsored Pink Shirt Day in B.C.


(Please note that Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson and member of the public service bargaining committee, joined us virtually this week.)

UWU/MoveUP

Your Public Service Bargaining Committee negotiating team met with the provincial government's Public Service Agency on Monday, February 14 in Victoria to resume bargaining for the week. 
As we have previously reported, BCGEU Public Service members have made it clear in their proposals to your bargaining committee: financial issues are key to a tentative agreement. The news this week that the inflation rate now running at 5.1% annually means the challenges in these negotiations are increasing.
 
So far, negotiations have centered around non-monetary issues that members have told us are important. We anticipate moving into monetary issues in early March.
 
Progress has been made on the following language issues in the agreement: 
 
• Expansion of the protected human rights grounds to include gender identity or expression and indigenous identity.
• Improvement of the arbitration process to more quickly resolve member grievances.
• Expanding the use of eligibility lists to expedite the posting process.
• Recognition of prior vacation year entitlement on reemployment.
• Expansion of special leave entitlement where the employee or their child is a victim of domestic violence.
• Improvement to the short and long term disability where there is a subsequent disability.
• Expansion of the employment equity language to best support workers with disabilities.
• Improvements to occupational health and safety provisions.
 
Steady progress has been made over the two weeks we have been at the table. We are currently engaged in discussions on improving our bullying and misuse of managerial and supervisory authority language. We exchanged several proposals with the employer aimed at speeding up the process to resolve member complaints. We are working hard to resolve these issues in time for Pink Shirt Day, which is February 23rd and is co-sponsored by the BCGEU.
 
Next bargaining meetings 
Our next bargaining dates are scheduled for Tuesday, February 22 to Friday, February 25 in Vancouver, and dates are scheduled through mid-March. We are committed to bargain with the priorities that you put forward and will provide weekly updates.
 
Please remind your coworkers to sign up to get updates by email and ensure that your contact information is current, so you can get regular updates during bargaining.
 
If you know a co-worker who is not getting these emails forward this to them and tell them to sign up here. If they aren't getting emails, we don't have their contact info.
 
It is vitally important that we have contact with members through personal email (not work email) to ensure members receive important information throughout the bargaining process.

 
In solidarity,
 
Your BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee
 
Stephanie Smith, President
Paul Finch, Treasurer
Judy Phipps, Executive Vice President
Dean Purdy, Vice President - Component 1
Kusam Doal, Vice President - Component 5
Judy Fox-McGuire, Vice President - Component 6
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Chief Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff
 

The BCGEU was advised today of the details of the provincial government's return to the workplace plan.
 
The Head of B.C.'s Public Service announced this afternoon that telework agreements will be implemented starting March 1st for B.C. public service workers, and that all ministries will have telework agreements fully in place by April 4th.
 
As you know, these arrangements are generally handled ministry by ministry and office-by-office and based on government figures, 40 per cent of employees have a telework agreement in place. We have asked for details on this number.
 
We've been expecting this announcement since the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) announced the gradual lifting of restrictions last week, and we'll be working to make sure the transition is handled according to our collective agreements.
 
We are at the public service bargaining table right now through mid-March and remote work/flexible work is a high priority issue for our members in this round of bargaining.
 
As the government moves forward with their economic plan, issues like remote work are going to be critical to B.C.'s ability to recruit and retain the workers we will need to deliver the public services that the public relies on.

During the week of January 31^st, negotiators for the five Component bargaining tables entered into negotiations with the provincial government (Public Service Agency). Component agreements cover non-monetary issues and solely focus on improvements to working conditions. It should be noted that while component agreements do cover monetary issues, the employer refuses to negotiate monetary items during component bargaining and insists on referring them to the Main table.
 
Last year, we embarked on what turned out to be a record-level of engagement with members through surveys, polls, proposals and member-to-member outreach.
 
You told us fair compensation is the key to ratifying a Public Service Agreement. Monetary issues will be bargained in the weeks to come in larger negotiations known as the 'Main table'. It's where we negotiate wages and working conditions impacting all public service workers.
 
Below is a summary of significant negotiated changes at each Component bargaining table:
 
Correctional & Sheriff Services – Component 1
 
Some of the highlights that were agreed to by the parties include:

• The renewal of the 40-hour work week letter allowing discussions to continue going forward for Adult and Youth Corrections and Sheriff Services;
• The requirement of JOHS risk assessment for all inmate escorts to default to two officers;
• Youth Custody added to the uniform committee; and
• Sheriff Services vacation scheduling by calendar year and by classification. 

It was mutually agreed upon to move the following proposals to the main table for further negotiations: boot allowance and maintenance of work apparel premiums for Adult Corrections, Youth Corrections and Sheriffs, parity amongst all classifications, Youth Custody part-time/regular agreement and Adult Custody overtime by classification. The full list will be released once all proposals at the main table have been negotiated.
 
Retail Stores & Warehouse – Component 5
 
The Component 5 bargaining committee stood strong in bargaining against numerous concessionary proposals from the employer. Their continued strength and determination to represent the membership through the bargaining process was a success. Highlights include:

• Increased stewards at several locations to improve access to union representation;
• Lunchrooms will no longer be used for employers’ labour relations meetings when other space is available.  When other space is not available, lunchrooms will not be used during prescribed periods to ensure employees are able to utilize their lunchroom during breaks and to protect members’ confidentiality;
• New groups recognized as separate work units for the purpose of vacation preferences; and
• Vacation schedules being circulated earlier in the year.

Social, Information & Health – Component 6
 
The Component 6 bargaining committee tabled proposals to address the lack of mental health supports for our members in their unique roles, new language for flexible/telework, stronger language in the Appendix 4 review process, new language for exit interview surveys, new language for lateral transfers and proposals for increases to the monetary articles in the component agreement. 
 
While agreement was not reached on all our proposals, the committees is satisfied with the gains that were made in this round of bargaining.
 
Agreement was reached on a new Appendix 10 to support the mental health of component 6 members. This will allow a committee of both union and employer representatives to identify mental health support gaps, recommend mitigations and provide more information about our members' unique roles and responsibilities to access appropriate mental health supports for our members.
 
The union and the employer worked together to expand some Seniority Units in Appendix 2 for auxiliary employees. We see this as a starting point and have put the employer on notice that we will be seeking further expansions in the next round of bargaining.
 
Administrative Professionals – Component 12
 
The Component 12 bargaining committee tabled proposals to address key issues that members have identified as priorities: workload, career development, and working from home to name a few.
 
In recognition of your professionalism and dedication, we have changed our Component name to the Administrative Professionals Component.  This is a small symbolic step towards getting the respect you deserve. Although we were able to make some small gains, we were extremely disappointed that the employer was not more receptive to our priorities and we will be pursuing these at the Main table because we know how important they are. 
 
Along with our name change we successfully got language ensuring that the employer will not have staff performing work duties before the start of their shift; small improvements in the workload and supply and maintenance of equipment.
 
Environment, Technical and Operations – Component 20
 
The Component 20 bargaining committee agreed to just over 30 changes. The details of these changes will be provided after the unresolved issues are settled by the Main table. Hours-of-work provisions were clearly of most interest to members and there were changes made to tighten up the language in Article 7 and MOU #6.  A new hours-of-work committee and alternate dispute resolution process was created.
 
BC Wildfire member issues were discussed, and issues such as faller allowances, incident command roles and hazzard pay were discussed and referred to the Main table for resolution. Both sides recommend that the current faller allowances need substantial increases. 
 
Many thanks to the bargaining committee for the long hours put in to get through many bargaining resolutions despite half of the committee having to deal with illness during the week as well.
 

UWU/MoveUP

Negotiations for the 19th Main Public Service Agreement, which covers you and 31,500 other BCGEU members employed by the provincial government, officially kicked off yesterday morning.

Before your bargaining committee and the B.C. government's Public Service Agency (PSA) exchanged proposals, Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President and Chair of the BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee, provided these opening remarks:

"Through everything the last three years has thrown at them, the more than 30,000 BCGEU members covered by this agreement kept showing up to support the families and communities that rely on the services they provide."

"They've demonstrated commitment, resilience, and professionalism as the ground has shifted beneath their feet. And, most importantly, they've learned their value and grown their solidarity in preparation for this round of bargaining because they know the stakes have never been higher for them or for our province."
We also heard from Deputy Minister Bobbi Sadler who heads the PSA bargaining team who thanked members for the work of the public service through the pandemic, but indicated that government's ability to address wages are limited and expects negotiations to be challenging.

BCGEU Public Service members have made it clear in their proposals to your bargaining committee: financial issues are key to a tentative agreement. With inflation currently running at well over 4 per cent annually, the challenges in these negotiations are clear to your committee.

As you may already know, the Public Service Agreement has two parts (Component agreement and Main agreement) which are negotiated by separate tables (Component tables and the Main table). Proposals negotiated at the Component tables are limited in scope (non-monetary) and any proposals that cannot be settled at the Component tables are then dealt with at the Main table alongside monetary issues and significant collective issues.

Some gains were made on numerous proposals at the Component tables last week (January 31 to February 4) by each respective component bargaining committee. These agreements are being finalized and will be reported out later this week.

The employer and the union tabled language proposals to begin talks with financial matters to be tabled later.

Main table negotiations are scheduled through March 11 and are taking place in Vancouver this week and Victoria next week, with all COVID-19 safety measures in place.

As a BCGEU member covered by the Main Public Service Agreement, expect to receive regular bargaining updates from our union every step of the way throughout the bargaining process.

In solidarity,

Your BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee

Stephanie Smith, President
Paul Finch, Treasurer
Judy Phipps, Executive Vice President
Dean Purdy, Vice President - Component 1
Kusam Doal, Vice President - Component 5
Judy Fox-McGuire, Vice President - Component 6
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Doug Dykens, Director - Field Services & Negotiations
Michael Eso, Secretary and Chief Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff

Public Service Bargaining Committee


UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2022

Starting the last week of January, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) is bargaining six separate collective agreements that cover a total of approximately 64,000 of the union’s members.  

Negotiations for three agreements have already started: 

• The Health Services and Support—Community Subsector (Community Health) agreement is a multi-union agreement covering more than 13,000 BCGEU members. Negotiations opened on Thursday, February 3rd. 
• The Main Public Service agreement covers approximately 31,500 BCGEU members who work for the provincial government. Component tables opened on Monday, January 31st. Main table negotiations open on Tuesday, February 8th.  
• The Community Social Services agreement covers more than 11,000 BCGEU members. Negotiations opened on Wednesday, February 2nd.  

Bargaining dates have been set for the other three agreements, all of which are multi-union agreements: 

• The Health Facilities and Health Science Professionals agreements, which cover a total of nearly 5,000 BCGEU members, are set for February 11th and February 28th respectively. 
• Agreements in the post-secondary sector cover a total of approximately 6,000 BCGEU members. Negotiations for Instructors are set for February 28th. Negotiations for Support staff are still to be determined. 

Key issues for BCGEU members covered by all agreements include: 

• Compensation that addresses the rising cost of living as well as persistent recruitment and retention issues in these critical sectors. 
• Working conditions that protect the physical, psychological, and mental health of workers. 
• Agreement language that respects workers; promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion; and supports the long-term sustainability of BC’s public service.  

Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU and chair of the union’s public service bargaining committee, will be available for media interviews by Zoom on Monday, February 7th between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. 

Please click here to read background information on bargaining

For more information contact: 
[email protected]  or (604) 291-9611

UWU/MoveUP

Component bargaining for the Environmental, Technical and Operations Component will begin Monday, January 31, 2022 and run until Friday, February 4, 2022.
 
Your bargaining committee is comprised of: 

• Robert Davis – Agriculture Food and Fisheries - Local 2004 (Component 20 Vice President)
• Ryan Wiederick – Environment and Climate Change Strategy - Local 2001
• James Moe – FLNRORD Cariboo Regional Operations - Local 2006
• Thierry Rouget – FLNRORD BC Timber Sales - Local 2002
• Dimitri Vaisius – FLNRORD BC Wildfire Service - Local 2001
• Frank Anderson – BCGEU Regional Coordinator

Your committee has put together a comprehensive package of proposals to address key issues put forward by members of the component through their local executives.

Members will be provided with regular updates throughout the bargaining process.

UWU/MoveUP

Component bargaining for the Retail Stores and Warehouse Component will begin Monday, January 31, 2022 and run until Friday, February 4, 2022.
 
Your bargaining committee is comprised of:

• Kusam Doal – Component 5 Vice President
• Erica Cardarelli – Member at Large
• Keith Stone- Member at Large
• Kelly Smith – Component 5 Treasurer
• Shannon Dudley- Member at Large
• Christine Peters – BCGEU staff
• Britt Skinner – BCGEU staff 

Your committee has put together a comprehensive package of proposals to address key issues put forward by members of the component through their local executives.
 
An update will be provided to all members at the conclusion of component bargaining.

Component bargaining for the Corrections and Sheriff Services Component will begin Monday, January 31, 2022 and run until Friday, February 4, 2022.
 
Your bargaining committee is comprised of:

• Dean Purdy – Component 1 Executive Vice President (Local 101 Chair)
• Shane Rush – Component 1 Executive 1st Vice Chair (Local 102 Chair)
• Andrew Stevens – Component 1 Executive 2nd Vice Chair (Local 111 Chair)
• Ira Kibbe – Component 1 Executive Treasurer (Local 104 Chair)
• Edmund Quan – Component 1 Executive Recording Secretary (Local 103 Chair)
• Mehdi Salem – Component 1 Executive Member at Large (Local 105 Chair)
• Mike Swanson- Component 1 Executive Member at Large (Local 107 Chair)
• Danielle Vander Voort – Component 1 Executive Member at Large/Youth Custody (Local 103)
• Dave Iorizzo – Component 1 Executive Member at Large/Sheriffs (Local 103)
• Brittney Buss – BCGEU Staff Representative

Your committee has put together a comprehensive package of proposals to address key issues put forward by members of the component through their local executives.
 
An update will be provided to all members at the conclusion of component bargaining.

UWU/MoveUP