Preparations underway for ratification votes in Community Social Services

Representatives of the Community Social Services Bargaining Association met earlier this week to plan for upcoming ratification votes, which will be held between mid-March and the third week of April.

A vote schedule, and a comprehensive report outlining the terms and conditions of the proposed collective agreement, will be made available to members later next week.

In addition to producing written documents detailing the contents of the tentative contract, CSSBA will be holding a one-hour telephone town hall on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m.

The town hall provides all CSS workers in CSSBA's ten member unions with an excellent opportunity to hear background information on the proposed contract and to ask questions of bargaining team representatives.

In preparation for the town hall, members are asked to make sure your union has your up-to-date phone contact information. Please send your full name and personal phone number to @email.

The tentative agreement was reached early on March 3, following a marathon 13-day bargaining session.

Highlights of the agreement include:

• a wage increases for all employees
• 1.5% on April 1, 2013;
• An extra 1% wage increase for all step 1 employees on April 1, 2013;
• 1.5% on January 1, 2014;
• a labour market adjustment review;
• mileage increases to $0.45 per kilometre;
• meal allowance increases;
• Employer paid Criminal Record check for continued employment;
• improved coverage for hearing aids;
• improved language for Union Rights and Layoff and Recall.

Stay tuned for more detailed information on the proposed contract and the ratification vote schedule next week.

The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) is the multi-union bargaining committee for BC's unionized community social service workers. The CSSBA includes ten unions with a combined membership of about 15,000. HSA members are represented at the negotiating table by Margaret Blair-Cook (supported child development consultant, Central Okanagan Child Development Association) and Sharon Geoghegan (labour relations officer). The BCGEU is the largest union in the community social services sector. The bargaining association also includes HSA, CUPE, HEU, UFCW, and other unions.