A recent communication from the Public Service Agency has been causing some confusion. In 2007, Memorandum of Understanding 24, Re: The Recruitment and Retention of Court Clerks (R11) and Child and Youth Mental Health Social Workers (SPO24) stated that Child and Youth Mental Health Social Worker clinicians were to receive an adjustment equating to Grid 25. This was always a Temporary Market adjustment (TMA).

This means that your position was never classified as a Grid 25 as the base pay. The CYMH classification has always been a Grid 24 base pay with a 1 Grid TMA and then a subsequent TMA to Grid 26. After the latest round of public service bargaining (ratified last October), your classification received another 2 grid TMA to bring you more in line with the nurses pay doing the same job as you. In order to account for this increase, MOU 24 is cancelled. As a result, you are now at SPO24 (CYMH) with a 4-grid TMA to Grid 28, therefore there is no reduction of base pay.

Historically, TMAs have rarely been rolled back. In the instance of the CYMH classification, there was an administrative error caused by your employer. Your union fought to make sure your classification received an additional pay bump beyond the general wage increase. Your union also ensured this TMA would not be discontinued for those that are already in receipt of a TMA with the negotiated language set out in Memorandum of Understanding 22 , Re: Temporary Market Adjustments which states the following:

4. Except in cases of temporary appointments and substitution pay, an eligible regular employee in receipt of a TMA will continue to receive the TMA should it be discontinued pursuant to #5 below so long as they remain in the position and the principal duties of the position remain unchanged."

5. Any temporary market adjustment is subject to mutual agreement between the Bargaining Principals for the term of the 19th Main Agreement except that the Employer may terminate the payment of any TMA with 60 days' notice to the Union. Except as provided in #4 above, payment of the TMA will cease on the expiry or termination date.
 

We hope this clears up any confusion.

In solidarity,

Your BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee

Stephanie Smith, President and Committee Chair
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
Kayla Woodruff, First Vice President - Component 6
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
DJ Pohl, First Vice President - Component 12
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Lead Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff