Telework Extension, Upcoming Bargaining and Common Employer Application Update

As we stated in our May 13, 2022 bulletin, the re-integration and return to work agreement has been extended until the end of June 2022.  Unfortunately, your employer has advised us that they do not intend to extend the agreement further, which will result in full return to office on July 4, 2022.  Rest assured that your union is open to discussing further extensions should your employer change their position on this agreement.  As a matter of fact, the ability for Home Agents already exists as an option for your employer in the FortisBC-CSC collective agreement under Letter of Understanding #4 (View Here) and does not require to be part of the bargaining process.  If you have any questions about whether your employer anticipates utilizing this LOU in the future, we encourage you to reach out to them.

The FortisBC-CSC collective agreement expired on March 31, 2022.  In anticipation of a favorable outcome from the BC Labour Relations Board on the common employer application to bring the CSC group into the already amalgamated Fortis Energy Inc. and FortisBC Inc. agreement (FortisBC), your union proposed to roll over the agreement pending the decision from the hearing which was completed the week of May 26, 2022.  While awaiting a response to the union’s rollover proposal, there was an understanding between the parties to hold bargaining in abeyance pending the outcome of the union’s common employer application with the BCLRB.

Last week your employer reached out to us and requested that the parties do not postpone but move forward and begin the bargaining process for the FortisBC–CSC collective agreement.   Although we do not believe this is in the best interest of the parties to move forward prior to the ruling on the common employer application, we will prepare to move forward to bargain a full scope of negotiations.  The FortisBC collective agreement expires June 30, 2023 and will not be discussed at this time.

Further updates on upcoming bargaining will follow shortly.

In solidarity,

Cheryl Popeniuk, Senior Union Representative
April Young, Union Representative