CSS joint union bargaining team calls on employer to bargain this week
The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) is urging the employer group, the Community Social Services Employers Association (CSSEA), to commence bargaining on Thursday, May 13, 2010 in Richmond.
The CSSBA expects the first meeting will entail establishing a protocol agreement and setting dates and locations for a full exchange of proposals for the Community Living Services and General Services collective agreements.
The bargaining association decided to call the meeting after CSSEA distributed an update to its members announcing its readiness to begin bargaining.
-Our members are anxious for us to begin the bargaining process on a new collective agreement," said Brent Camilleri, chief spokesperson for the CSSBA. -We want a fair deal and we want it sooner rather than later."
HSA senior labour relations officer Josef Rieder -- who serves as the alternate spokesperson for the unions bargaining association ... agreed.
"Bargaining representatives made attempts to reach an agreement before the contract expired at the end of March," he said. "We were happy to learn that the employer is ready to negotiate -- we urge them to come to the bargaining table to discuss the issues our members want addressed."
The CSSEA has not yet confirmed its attendance at the meeting.
The CSSBA bargains on behalf of 15,000 unionized community-based social services workers in BC. The BCGEU is the lead union at the table. HSA represents several hundred members in the community social services sector.