Update from Community Social Services bargaining
The community social services bargaining committee was back at the bargaining table last week. A number of significant items were worked through, including further discussions on the monetary priorities put forward by community social service workers from all three sub-sectors - Community Living Services, General Services, and Indigenous Services.
Discussions around compensation and wages at the bargaining table have been challenging. The bargaining committee remains focused on advancing the priorities of members, including equitable wages and improved working conditions.
More meeting dates are scheduled over the summer to continue discussions.
Essential Services Negotiations
Everyone’s job is important. However, under the BC Labour Relations Code, some work can be designated as ‘essential’. This is different from when the government determined what jobs were essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. Deciding what work is essential is a standard part of the bargaining process and it is done in a way that ensures the safety of members and their clients, while identifying the minimum level of work that is required in the event of a job action.
The process of identifying essential services levels is done through negotiations between designated union representatives and employer representatives in a clearly defined process. This does not necessarily mean that job action will be taken. However, it is a way to be prepared for any scenario.
If you are being approached by your employer to sign-off on anything or discuss essential services, please advise your employer that you are not authorized to sign-off, and advise your shop steward or someone from your bargaining committee about the employers request.
Section 72(2) of the Labour Relations Code defines essential services as “facilities, productions and services” that are “necessary or essential to prevent immediate and serious danger to the health, safety or welfare of the residents of British Columbia.”
There is a provincial CSSBA Essential Services committee with representatives from each union who will coordinate essential services negotiations for their union. Each of these representatives will receive the proposals from the employers and then coordinate and distribute to the local union representatives. The committee then reports to the lead negotiator of the CSSBA bargaining committee, who will ensure that the rest of the bargaining committee is informed and up to date on the progress of essential services negotiations.
Here is the CSSBA Essential Services committee:
• HEU – Robbin Knox and Christina Lloyd Jones
• BCGEU – Shelly Appleton and Deb Wilson
• CUPE – Michael Reed and Sheryl Burns
• HSA – Colin Brehaut
• CSWU – Shelley Moore
• CLAC – Aleasha Wegner
• USW – Marty Gibbons
• BCNU – Carolin Bleich and David Ling
Sign-up yourself and your coworkers
Community social services is still actively at the negotiating table and our bargaining process is ongoing. However, you may have heard that there are other sectors that have already taken a strike vote. Solidarity is a key value of the union movement and although we continue to have positive, but challenging negotiations, we also support other members of the public sector who may be at different stages of the bargaining process.
Please make sure we have your up-to-date contact information so we can keep you up to date on progress. Please also check in with your coworkers to make sure they are receiving these updates.
You may update your information here: https://www.heu.org/change-contact-information