Community social services: support your bargaining team
The unions bargaining on behalf of 15,000 community social services workers will be meeting November 4 with the employer to begin discussions on essential services.
'Essential services' is the labour relations term to describe which services must be maintained during a strike or lockout by both employees and employers. Typically, services that are vital to protecting the health and safety of vulnerable people are considered essential. For example: some basic residential services will still be provided for the developmentally disabled.
To help members support the bargaining team, a kit has been mailed to all HSA chief stewards in the community social services sector. The kit contains
- 'Fairness' lapel stickers
- a copy of an open letter to employers, which can also be viewed at www.cssfairdeal.ca
- copies of recent polling data showing that the public supports adequate funding for effective community social services
Please wear the lapel stickers to show your support for the union bargaining team working hard on your behalf.
The Community Social Services Bargaining Association of Unions collectively represents nearly 15,000 frontline workers in the sector who are members of the Health Sciences Association, BC Government and Service Employees' Union, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Hospital Employees' Union, Construction and Specialized Workers' Union, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, United Steelworkers of America (Canada), BC Nurses' Union, and the Christian Labour Association of Canada. The BCGEU is the lead union in the association.
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