Your union bargaining committee and the employer have been discussing essential service levels over the past 3 weeks with the assistance of a board officer. Levels have been agreed for most areas and a final meeting is scheduled for July 10th to finalize Abbotsford.

On Monday, July 10th your union and the employer with the assistance of a mediator will meet at the Labour Relations Board and work at moving past the current bargaining impasse. We hope your employer recognizes the seriousness of the situation and is prepared to make the changes necessary to their position which will facilitate an agreement. As you know the employer's wage proposal and concessions on the table are unacceptable. During our strike vote information meetings your support was overwhelming, we heard you loud and clear and valued your feedback. We left these meetings knowing the membership wants improvements to their working conditions and compensation. We also left these meetings with the knowledge the bargaining committee demands are fully supported by the membership and the employer's wage proposal and concessions are unacceptable. The 97% strike mandate to back up membership demands sends a very strong message, the employer must do better and provide an agreement that is fair to all employees.

We will be in contact with you following these meetings. Please note, should we be unable to come to an agreement we will serve 72 hour strike notice at some point following the impasse. The type of job action and when it's implemented will be determined by the union and bargaining committee. As preparation, the union is looking for picket captains should strike action be required. If you're interested please speak with one of your bargaining committee members.

As always, we hope these preparations are not necessary and we're able to find an agreement we can recommend to all BCGEU members at WE Care.

In solidarity

on behalf of your Bargaining Committee

Ellen Bellamy

Kelli Glover

Deborah Lee

Michele Reade

Gary Bennett, Staff Representative – Negotiations

Local 467/MoveUP