Your bargaining committee is pleased to present the highlights of the tentative agreement reached with your Employer to renew your collective agreement that includes a signing bonus, an increase to the night shift premium, clarification of regular hours of work, and Employer paid sick notes.

This was a very difficult round of bargaining, especially since negotiations were conducted online, instead of in person. We are pleased with the final results and encourage you to vote "yes" and ratify the new collective agreement!

Ratification Meeting Details

Date: Thursday, May 13, 2021

Time: Drop in between 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Ratification highlights will be explained at 2:30 and 3:30 pm, and members can ask questions at any time.

How: Zoom video or telephone

Check your email or contact a member of the bargaining committee for details to join the ratification meeting.

Ratification Document

The full ratification document can be found here. When you vote, you will be voting to accept all the changes in the entire document. New language that would be added to the collective agreement is in bold, underline and highlight, like this. Language that would be deleted from the collective agreement will have a line through it.

The ratification document contains many important changes. We will outline the highlights in the meeting and answer questions you may have. We strongly encourage you to read the entire document in advance so you can ask questions at the meeting and be prepared to vote on ratifying the new collective agreement.

Tentative Agreement Highlights

• Length of Agreement: The agreement will be at most three years, until March 31, 2023. If wage leveling by the Government of BC ends before that date, then your collective agreement will expire, and we will meet your Employer again to bargain new wages only.
• Signing Bonus: Employees who are currently on staff at Royale Peninsula, and who have been working since May 15, 2020 will receive $350 for full-time employees, $200 for part-time employees, and $50 for causal employees.
• Wage Increases: Because of wage-levelling, there are no wage increases in this round. Any increases in wages that were less than your wage-leveled rate would not have gone to employees, therefore the Union did not focus on wages.

If wage levelling ends, your collective agreement will expire, and we will go back to the bargaining table with your Employer to fight for fair wages.

• Increased Night Shift Premiums: Starting two pay periods from the date of ratification, the night shift premium will apply to hours worked between 5:00 pm (instead of 11:00 pm) and 8:00 am. The premium will increase to $0.55 per hour, up from $0.50 per hour. As of April 1, 2022, the premium will increase to $0.60 per hour.
• Clarification on Regular Hours Worked: The collective agreement is now clear that regular hours of work are 7.5 hours per day and 37.5 hours per week for most employees, except the night Care Aides. Overtime rates will apply to hours worked above your regular hours.
• Improvements to Access Your Union: The Union will now be permitted to conduct a full staff meeting once a year, and employees can attend without loss of pay. Union leave will now be credited towards seniority hours.
• Employer Paid Doctor's Notes: If the Employer requires you to provide a medical note for sick leave or in case an employee is terminated for missing three or more shifts without notice, the Employer will now reimburse that cost up to $25.
• Seniority: Leaves of absence due to illness or injury will now be included in seniority hours for up to 20 consecutive shifts. The Employer will now post the seniority list on the Union bulletin board.  
• Vacancy Postings: The Employer clarified that they may not be able to post the exact date when vacant positions will start, but committed to posting the pay period it will start in. This might be affected by unforeseen circumstances, for example if they are posting a vacant position related to a leave of absence.
• Permanent Schedule Changes: The Employer must now seek input and feedback from regular employees when they are considering a permanent change to a scheduled line, including the hours worked.
• Employer Provided Meals: Employees may purchase a meal while on shift, but the cost will change and depend on the meal. The details will be worked out on site.
• Vacation: No increases to vacation, but the language was clarified on how vacation accrues and how vacation requests that are received after November 1^st are approved.
• Leaves of Absence: Employees can now access bereavement leave and have vacation credits restored if they experience a death in their family while on vacation.

The leave period for compassionate care leave has been increased in line with the changes to the Employment Standards Act.

Critical illness and injury leave is now included in the collective agreement.

• Pregnancy and Parental Leave: Leave periods have been increased to reflect the longer leaves in the Employment Standards Act.
• Joint Occupational Health and Safety: The Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) Committee language has been improved to clarify how often the committee meets and how many representatives are on the committee. The language has also been improved to show that the Employer has an obligation to orient new workers before their first shift, and to reduce or eliminate hazards to employees.
• Benefits Payment on Leave of Absence: The current practice of the Employer requiring employees to pay their share of the premiums for health and welfare benefits upfront has been included in the collective agreement.
• Harassment: Definitions of sexual harassment and bullying have been included in the collective agreement.
• Inclusive Language: The new collective agreement will have gender neutral language.

Please keep in mind this is only a summary of the changes to the collective agreement. Please read the full ratification document before you vote.

Voting Information

Voting will open on Thursday, May 13 at 3:00 pm. You will receive an email with a link to vote online and your unique voting credentials. Voting will close on Tuesday, May 18 at 5 pm. We strongly encourage you to vote, as this will be your only method to cast a ballot.

A member who does not receive a voting credential (likely because BCGEU does not have their personal email address), or who experiences problems casting their vote, should contact [email protected], or Sheila Matthen (Staff Representative) by calling 604-291-9611 or 1‑800-663-1674 ASAP after voting opens, but no later than Tuesday, May 18 at 12 pm. This will allow enough time to issue a voting credential that day before voting closes. Please note that phone support is available during regular BCGEU office hours from 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Please log into the Member's Portal here to ensure BCGEU has your correct email address for voting credentials to be emailed to you.

Ratification results will be announced on Wednesday, May 19.

We encourage you to vote to vote yes and ratify your new collective agreement.

In solidarity,

Tereasa Greco, Bargaining Committee Chair
Erlinda Frijas, Bargaining Committee Member
Darlene Thomas, Bargaining Committee Member
Sheila Matthen, Staff Representative – Negotiations

Download PDF of notice here 

UWU/MoveUP