BURNABY—More than 20 employees of United Way of British Columbia (UWBC), an amalgamation of the non-profit society’s Lower Mainland entity with five other United Ways in B.C., will now become members of CUPE 1760 following a ruling by the Labour Relations Board of B.C. this week.
In July this year, United Way of the Lower Mainland (UWLM) in Burnaby merged with United Way subsidiaries in Trail, Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, and Nanaimo. CUPE filed a Section 35 (Successorship) application with the Board when UWLM refused to voluntarily recognize CUPE 1760 as the automatic representative of the newly amalgamated workers.
The Board’s decision, released on Tuesday (September 28), confirms Local 1760 as the bargaining agent for all UWBC employees except those excluded by the Code as management positions.
“We are very satisfied with this decision and thrilled to welcome these workers into our union, their natural home as employees of United Way,” said CUPE 1760 President Debra Elless.
“Employees working for the same organization and doing the same work should be compensated with the same wages and benefits, and under the same working conditions, whether they’re working in Burnaby or in Trail. This decision is not only good for these workers and our Local but also for United Way’s brand as a community-based non-profit society.”
Elless said the Local now looks forward to building on a positive and progressive relationship with UWBC as the parties head into the first round of bargaining with the new entity in place.
