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Community Living and General Services deal includes pay increase, labour market adjustment.
Vancouver (05 March 2013) – After a marathon bargaining session of 13 days, the multi-union Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) has reached a tentative collective agreement with the employer.
The two-year proposed agreement is fair and reasonable and achieves our members' key priorities, including an across the board wage increase while protecting health and welfare benefits. Highlights include:
A wage increase for all employees:
- 1.5% on April 1, 2013;
- 1.5% on January 1, 2014;
- an extra one per cent wage increase for all Step 1 employees on April 1, 2013; and
- a labour market adjustment review for all General Service and Community Living classifications.
Further details will be announced shortly. The proposed agreement covers community-based social services workers in community living and general services only. Aboriginal Service workers remain at the bargaining table.
“We continue to believe that the government must provide proper funding for the programs that support vulnerable families in B.C., and the workers that provide them,” says Darryl Walker, President of the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU/NUPGE). “Despite the government’s restrictive mandate, the bargaining committee fought to get the best agreement possible for the caring professionals that support vulnerable B.C. families.”
The bargaining committee is recommending that members vote in favour of the proposed settlement.
“Our three months of rotating strike action sent a clear message to government. We want to express our gratitude and thanks to all the workers who took to the picket lines in support of our sector and our bargaining objectives,” says CSSBA Chair Patsy Harmston.
The multi-union bargaining association will seek ratification by members in the month ahead. Full information packages will be circulated to all affected members.
Workers in community social services were without a contract since March 31, 2012 and are the lowest paid in the broad public service.
Community living workers are represented by BCGEU/NUPGE, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Hospital Employees' Union (HEU), Health Sciences Association of B.C. (HSABC/NUPGE) and six other unions, which together make up the CBSA. There are 15,000 unionized community social services workers, and two-thirds of them work in community living.
More information:
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