VICTORIA—CUPE 50 members have ratified a new three-year collective agreement with the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BCSPCA).
The new agreement, reached earlier this month after three days of bargaining, is retroactive to January 2023 and expires at the end of 2025. Wage increases will range from 8 to 24 per cent in year one, depending on classification, and 3 per cent for both of the final two years.
“We were seeking wage fairness in this round of bargaining, so we feel that we achieved that,” said CUPE 50 President John Burrows. “With the first year in particular, the new contract addresses wage disparity between positions within the BCSPCA, as well as regionally. Some classifications also required adjustment to support recruitment and retention.”
The contract also includes the addition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday, and improvements to benefit access for part-time temporary employees.
“We are pleased that we were able to negotiate benefits for long-term temporary appointments—a step towards improving benefits for all,” said Burrows.
CUPE Local 50 represents employees of the BCSPCA working in the Capital Regional District at the Victoria Centre on Napier Lane, The Wild ARC, and in Prevention & Enforcement. The membership consists of approximately 40 members providing various services including animal welfare and protection, rehabilitation, and shelter support.
