BURNABY – On Saturday, June 7, 2014 the K-12 Presidents’ Council and the BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) reached a tentative provincial framework agreement.
“We’re pleased to conclude a strong agreement that improves education for students and benefits our 27,000 members,” said K-12 Presidents’ Council Chair, Marcel Marsolais.
The tentative agreement fits within the provincial government’s current mandate. Additional details of the agreement will be released tomorrow morning, after the K–12 Presidents’ Council has reviewed it.
Once the agreement is ratified by K-12 Presidents’ Council members, it will form the basis of local agreements between K-12 local unions and their respective school boards.
“I want to thank the members of our bargaining committee,” said CUPE K-12 Sector Coordinator Rob Hewitt. “We bargained hard to arrive at a settlement that recognizes and respects the work our members do and improves the learning environment for students in B.C. schools.”
CUPE represents more than 27,000 education support workers in 59 locals and 53 school districts throughout B.C. including: education assistants, school secretaries, caretakers, First Nations support workers, IT workers, Strong Start facilitators, trades and maintenance workers, and bus drivers. CUPE members do many different jobs to provide safe, clean, well-run and supportive education for students of all ages.
The current contract would have expired on June 30, 2014. The K-12 Presidents’ council represents K-12 support staff unions, with CUPE being the largest. CUPE members will vote on the provincial agreement as part of their package after local bargaining with their respective school boards is concluded.
