BURNABY—CUPE locals in the CUPE Colleges Bargaining Council (CCBC) have returned to local bargaining tables to resume bargaining discussions.

The College and Institute Support Staff Bargaining Association (CISSBA) met with the Post-Secondary Employers’ Council (PSEA) last week and after joint discussions the parties agreed to resume provincial talks at a later time.  CISSBA includes CUPE (CCBC) members as well as BCGEU and FPSE support staff.

CCBC Chair Michelle Waite says that CUPE locals hope to have some good discussion and find solutions to in-house issues.

COURTENAY—Last night, the city workers of Courtenay, represented by CUPE 556, voted 92 per cent to strike for fairness and respect on the job.  Despite huge budget surpluses, exorbitant managerial wages and substantial boosts to private contractor pay, the city workers are frustrated by the employer’s argument that they cannot afford to properly compensate city workers.

“Everyone deserves a fair share,” says Melissa Moroz, CUPE National representative and negotiator for CUPE 556.  “City workers are a proud part of what makes Courtenay work and it only makes sense that they

VANCOUVER — CUPE National President Paul Moist was just in Vancouver to speak at the CUPE BC annual convention. He has a strong message for community social services workers and for the employers’ association:

 “Community social service workers provide support and frontline services that maintain our social safety net. They are the people who are in daily and direct contact with children, people living with disabilities, the homeless, those with addictions, new Canadians, families in crisis, women experiencing abuse and others facing traumatic situations.

BURNABY—Members of CUPE 7000, SkyTrain workers, have ratified a three-year agreement with the British Columbia Rapid Transit Company (BCRTC).

The agreement includes improvements to language such as shift differentials; a comparator wage adjustment of three per cent with a one-half per cent lift for trades in the first year; wage increases in years two and three will match those of other transit workers under Translink who are currently in negotiations; and the creation of a joint committee to examine and recommend a pension plan for CUPE 7000 members.

“Our members want to mo

BURNABY— CUPE members in the community social services sector will begin taking strike votes throughout B.C. tomorrow (April 7), a process made inevitable by the last proposal tabled by the Community Social Services Employers Association on March 30.

All nine member unions in the Community Social Services Bargaining Association walked away from the bargaining table last week when CSSEA proposed concessions on bumping and promotions/transfers and failed to include real employment security.

BURNABY—The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) has notified the Community Social Services Employers Association (CSSEA) today that its members are walking away from the negotiating table.

On two key priority language articles, the employer continues to table concessions, and no real employment security has been tabled. Due to the fact that the CSSBA was unable to negotiate a tentative MOA under the mandated subcommittee, all proposals from both parties will revert back to the December 15, 2010 package.

BURNABY— Members of the community social services bargaining committee returned to the bargaining table earlier this week in an attempt to reach a new collective agreement. Despite being subject to the forced mandate of the bargaining sub-committee, CUPE remains actively involved in representing its members’ rights at the table.

The bargaining sub-committee resumed negotiations on Monday (March 21) with talks scheduled until Friday (March 25). An update will be provided at that time.

Participants at the three-day KDC meeting reviewed and discussed contract language in preparation for upcoming bargaining.CRANBROOK—CUPE members from municipalities throughout the Kootenays met this weekend in Cranbrook to review collective agreements and plan for municipal bargaining.

BURNABY— The community social services bargaining committee for the BCGEU today tabled and passed a proposal for a special negotiating subcommittee which sets minimal limits on bargaining member representation.

Under the GEU’s proposal, which passed under the endorsement of the Health Sciences Association, UFCW and CLAC, the negotiating subcommittee would be comprised of four members from the BCGEU and only one member from each of the other unions.

The GEU tabled the proposal “for the purpose of bringing back to the Negotiating Committee for approval a recommendation for ten

REVELSTOKE—The City of Revelstoke and members of CUPE 363, municipal workers, have ratified a four-year collective agreement. CUPE 363 ratified the agreement on Saturday, March 5 and the City ratified on Tuesday, March 8.

“I’m extremely happy with this co-operative partnership with CUPE,” says Revelstoke Mayor David Raven.

The new agreement includes wage increases of 1.25 per cent in each of the first two contract years and 1.5 per cent in the last two years of the four-year agreement.