BURNABY—CUPE has reached a tentative Provincial Framework Agreement with the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association (BCPSEA). The Framework Agreement was unanimously endorsed by the CUPE BC K-12 Provincial Bargaining Committee after two more full days at the bargaining table on December 13 and 14. The agreement was presented to the CUPE BC K-12 Presidents’ Council on December 15 and it was overwhelmingly endorsed by council members. The Presidents’ Council is made up of presidents from 55 CUPE K-12 locals and is the body that set the priorities for the bargaining committee. The Framework Agreement was endorsed by 90 per cent of the local presidents representing 90 per cent of members.
Read the original communiqué on the Framework Agreement at www.cupe.bc.ca/news/2411 where you can also find the Letter of Agreement and Letter of Understanding.
Key Provincial Framework Agreement Details
- The agreement’s term is July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012.
- There are no concessions for CUPE and other support staff unions.
- $7.5 million in new, ongoing funding to recognize and correct unpaid work for Education Assistants from the government’s Class Organization Fund. Funding will commence in September 2012, and continue each year thereafter. This translates to about 45 minutes of extra paid time per week for each eligible Education Assistant.
- $550,000 in new funding for the Support Staff Education and Adjustment Committee (SSEAC) for skills enhancement. The funding will also be used to study wage regionalization and other key issues. Distribution is subject to mutual agreement between the two parties.
- A commitment, including $200,000 in financial support, to solidify a framework for provincial bargaining, a key goal of CUPE since 1999.
- CUPE gains access to sector demographic and classification information for research purposes.
- A wage reopener clause in the event the public sector wage mandate changes over the life of the agreement.
Next Steps
Each CUPE local must now reach a tentative agreement at the local bargaining table with their individual school district by February 29, 2012. The completed local agreement, once ratified by the local, will together, with the Provincial Framework Agreement, make up each new collective agreement.
