RICHMOND— The union bargaining committee tasked with negotiating a new collective agreement for community social services workers met with the employers’ group CSSEA (Community Social Services Employers’ Association) this week in Richmond.
Your bargaining committee tabled a focused package of proposals aimed at making real gains and restoring your rights after years of cuts and concessions. Your committee is seeking – among other things – full sick leave provisions and wage parity with the community health sector. The proposal package covers community social services workers in the Community Living Services and General Services sub-sectors. A separate package covering the Aboriginal Services sub-sector will be tabled later.
CSSEA tabled its own concessionary package, 21-pages in length, that offered no monetary gains.
Community social services workers are the lowest paid unionized workers in B.C.’s broader public sector. Historically these workers have received lesser improvements in bargaining over the years and the gap continues to widen. Your bargaining committee continues to work hard on your behalf to change that.
We expect this will be a tough round of bargaining and we need your support. Stay informed and get involved. Keep checking the union website for updates. Make sure that your local has your non-work email addresses. Talk about the CSS sector and its issues with your family and friends.
More bargaining dates are set for June 2010. The current agreement, which expired on March 31, 2010, remains in effect while a new collective agreement is being negotiated.
Stickin’ with a paycheque for life!
By now, you should have received a ‘Welcome’ package confirming your enrolment in the Municipal Pension Plan. Check to ensure you have named a beneficiary, either your spouse, estate or another person.
Members who declined to enrol in the pension plan can change their mind at any time. Simply inform your employer. Casual and part-time employees are eligible to enrol in the pension plan in most cases.
The union is strongly encouraging members to stick with the pension plan – a paycheque for life!
If you have any questions and/or concerns you can reach the bargaining committee through Michael Lanier, President CUPE Local 1936 at cupe1936@telus.net.
