Your bargaining committee for VSOCC is pleased to report that it has reached a tentative agreement with the employer. This agreement will provide substantial gains for members.

Highlights include:

- Term of three years, from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2026-practically a term of ~two years from ratification later in March

- General wage increases of 12.5% cumulative, non-compounded (13% cumulative, compounded) over the life of the agreement, with retroactivity, as follows:

o July 15, 2023 – 6.5%

o July 15, 2024 – 3%

o July 15, 2025 – 3%

- Additional classification-specific wage increases in year one:

o Clerical – 7.1%

o Cook – 7.2%

o Program Supervisor II – 5%

- New long-service recognition for 20-year+ employees of 1% added to wages, effective July 15, 2024

- Employer matching RRSP contribution maximum increased by 33.3% (now 4%) effective January 1, 2025

- Employer assumes payment of 100% of health and welfare benefit premiums-worth between, e.g., 0.8% and 1.8% of annual pay based on 2022 wage rate of ECE +1 Certificate classification, depending on whether single, couple or family coverage

- Sick leave cumulative maximum increased by three days or 9% (now 35 days)

- Two days' additional paid time off provided to regular employees to cover winter closure (worth 0.8% of annual pay)

- Benefit eligibility for regular employees effective after three months' continuous employment-used to be tied to probation which could last up to 12 months

- Cost of certain required courses no longer deducted from employee professional development fund, equating to an increase in those funds

- Casual pay in lieu of vacation and paid holidays increased by 21.4% (now 11.2%)

- Casual pay in lieu of vacation, paid holidays, and benefits while in temporary posted position increased by 23.5% (now 12.6%)

- Grandparents included in paid bereavement leave for immediate family

- Improves vacation selection and carryover timelines

- Joint Labour/Management Committee now has workload issues as a standing agenda item

Your bargaining committee enthusiastically encourages you to vote "yes" to ratify this tentative agreement.

We will send a complete ratification document and information on the ratification information meeting and vote within the next week or so.

In solidarity,

Jasna Lugonjic, Bargaining Committee Member

Charlotte Mangilit, Bargaining Committee Member

Ryan Stewart, Staff Representative, Negotiations Department

Download PDF of bulletin here

UWU/MoveUP