Community Social Services Wage Increases to Take Effect on April 1, 2016
We're happy to announce that on April 1, 2016, the first of three compensation comparability wage increases for Community Social Services (CSS) workers will take effect. This 2.5% increase, combined with the Economic Stability Dividend of .45% will result in an increase for all members covered by the Community Living Services and General Services collective agreements.
Compensation comparability has been one of our long-standing bargaining goals, and we're excited that the process is beginning. Comparability is a process designed to compensate CSS workers at a closer pay rate to union members working in Community Health, who have historically been paid more for similar work.
We continue to meet with the employer association to determine the amount of future wage adjustments that are scheduled for April 1, 2017 and April 1, 2018. We do not expect future adjustments will be the same as this year's, and we will keep you up to date when agreements have been reached.
Not all job classifications will be a part of the entire comparability process, but all CSS members will receive the initial 2.5% raise, and all members will continue to see GWIs on the schedule indicated in Appendix A1 of your collective agreement.
By compensating CSS members fairly for the work that they do, we and the employer bargaining association hope that staff recruitment and retention will be improved, leading to improved consistency of care for the individuals we work with.
For more details on the compensation comparability project, click here to read a joint memo by the union and employer bargaining associations.