GOLDEN — CUPE 440, K-12 support workers at SD6 (Rocky Mountain), reached a tentative agreement on June 24. Bargaining began in May and the local met with the employer for a total of five sessions.
“This was a tough round,” said CUPE 440 President Ann Purvis. “Some concessions were brought forward, but in the end we were able to find a balance and a good compromise that was fair to both of us – without concessions.”
Purvis said that their bargaining committee was fantastic and very supportive. “We did a really good job together and made good gains for our members,” added Purvis.
The tentative agreement also incorporates the provincial framework agreement approved by the K-12 Presidents Council in September. The current K-12 agreement expires on June 30, 2019. When ratified by CUPE locals and school districts, the collective agreement will be in effect from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022.
Further details of the tentative agreement will not be available until after ratification by all parties. Ratification is expected to be completed in June or early July.
CUPE 440 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students, include Education Assistants, Youth Care Workers, Intervenors (who work primarily with hearing- and sight-impaired students), Custodians, Trades, Clerical, Bus Drivers, Maintenance, IT, Administrative Support and Grounds Workers.
The local represents about 165 full-time members as well as some casual and temporary workers. They provide K-12 support service in Canal Flats, Edgewater, Golden, Invermere, Kimberley, and Windermere (SD6 – Rocky Mountain).
To find out more about CUPE members working in K-12, visit bcschools.cupe.ca.
