Friends,

Thank you to everyone who attended the October 29 Town Hall.  What a wonderful turnout!

For anyone who could not make it, here’s a recap of everything we discussed, including a bargaining update and the next steps we must all take to win a truly fair contract. We have now received the Employer’s response to our wage demands, jointly sponsored defined benefit pension proposal and health and welfare benefits. We are preparing a comprehensive response to present when we next meet, but at this stage we are far apart.

Everything your committee has proposed reflects what you told us you need to support yourselves and make Vancity a better credit union.

General Wage Increases



Health & Welfare Benefits

The Union’s proposal has two components: obtaining a real say in the benefits (so Vancity cannot unilaterally change our plan without our input) and enshrining in the collective agreement certain basic benefits such as dental and prescription drug reimbursement, which you ranked as a high priority in your compensation surveys.  The Employer has offered to consult but declined to consider the rest of the proposal.

Jointly Sponsored Defined Benefit Pension Plan

The BCGEU president, Paul Finch, spent most of the day with us and the Employer on Monday, October 28, discussing the pension proposal and answering questions. Unfortunately, the Employer has said that it is not interested in our proposed protections. These protections are critical because they would give us an equal say in our plan, so we can advocate for all the features members have said they value (such as defined and guaranteed pension income, inflation protection on that income, and extended health benefits in retirement).

What Next?

We will present our response to the Employer when we next meet on December 9.  We are also scheduled to bargain December 10, 11, 12 and 13.  Those sessions will determine if we can achieve a tentative settlement at the bargaining table. If we are unable to achieve a tentative settlement at the bargaining table because we remain too far apart, the only option is to put more pressure on Vancity, up to and including a strike vote if necessary. Our power is in our numbers, so we must speak up together.

Many of you asked how you can support the bargaining process. By tuning into the town hall, asking questions, talking to your colleagues and providing feedback to your committee you’ve already started laying the foundation.  Continue with these actions and encourage your friends to do the same. This will augment the work of our contract action team of Vancity staff who have also been meeting and strategizing.  Should we ask you for a positive strike vote, vote yes. If we ask you to engage in other actions that show solidarity, participate. We must show the Employer that we’re united.

We will continue to reach out as necessary.  In the interim, please feel free to reach out to any of us with any questions or concerns.

If you know of anyone who is not receiving these emails, share these updates with them and remind them to update their contact information at https://members.bcgeu.ca/signup.

In solidarity,

Samantha Moskie, Bargaining Committee
Susan Adams, Bargaining Committee
Andrew Becket, Bargaining Committee
Jason Lin Bargaining Committee
Norman Mah, Bargaining Committee
Zoe Towle, Staff Rep, Negotiations

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