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"Maintaining successorship ensures that well-trained, experienced workers will continue to keep the traveling public safe throughout the province.” — Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President
Vancouver (11 April 2017) — A landmark agreement has been reached that ensures the retention of over 2,000 experienced workers maintaining roads and bridges throughout British Columbia. Through labour succession, successful bidders on new highway service contracts will be required to honour the terms of labour agreements bargained with existing workers.
Agreement ensures well-trained, experienced workers continue caring for B.C. highways
“Thanks to the hard work of our highways bargaining committee, this agreement will ensure the job-security of highway workers throughout B.C. for years to come,” said Stephanie Smith, President of the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE). “Maintaining successorship ensures that well-trained, experienced workers will continue to keep the travelling public safe throughout the province.”
Negotiations for the agreement involved the BCGEU/NUPGE, the B.C. government, and the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, who represent the service contractors. The agreement has been accepted by the BCGEU highways bargaining committee and will be finalized once ratified by individual service area bargaining units.
Possible 15 years of labour peace
B.C.’s highway maintenance system is divided into 28 service area contracts, 27 of which are due to expire soon and will be put out for proposal starting in the fall of 2017. New service contracts will be for 10 years, with an optional 5-year extension.
This agreement represents a significant win for both workers and operators in the sector by providing up to 15 years of labour stability for workers and their families in 140 B.C. communities. That stability will also go a long way toward training and establishing the next generation of highway workers in the province.
The BCGEU/NUPGE represents 73,000 workers in B.C., including 2,200 in highways maintenance across the province.