CSS Bargaining Update: Monetary package tabled, bargaining will continue in January

Since our last update in October, your bargaining committee has continued to work hard at the negotiations table.

The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) has met with your employers over the past several weeks and have shifted into negotiations on monetary issues.

Your committee has already tabled their monetary proposals, and we have now received the employers’ monetary proposals. We have done a lot of work together to make sure our collective agreement will better meet the needs of our members. But we want to acknowledge that we still have a lot of heavy lifting to do.

We are not able to share the full details of the proposals while we are in active negotiations. This is because we believe that the best agreements are reached at the bargaining table, not in backroom deals or bargaining through the media or public forums. 

We can assure you that we are entirely focused on the priorities of our members in community social services, and we are prepared to do the hard work needed to achieve gains for all members.

Negotiations are now paused for a year-end break, but bargaining dates are already confirmed for mid-January.

While CSSBA has been negotiating for your next collective agreement, other sectors of workers have also been bargaining for their agreements. A recent highlight is that on November 27, workers in the community health sector (CBA) delivered a strong strike vote mandate with 92.3% voting YES to authorize strike action if needed to secure meaningful improvements to their collective agreement — a powerful show of unity across community health and supportive housing.

Workers standing together in solidarity is how real progress is made. We thank you for your support of all workers and for your support for your bargaining committee.

We wish you a safe and healthy holiday season!
 
In solidarity,
Your Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA)