Bargaining
BCGEU Bargaining Update #5
December 5, 2023
To: All MoveUP Members at BCGEU
We wanted to provide the members with an update on upcoming bargaining in response to the email put out by the employer yesterday, December 4.
We have been in full preparation mode to commence collective bargaining since the spring. We attempted to set bargaining dates in December and we tentatively had December 11, 13, 15, 18 and 21 set aside to meet. The issue with these dates that the employer pushed across was that we have two of our committee members coming from outside of the lower mainland and not meeting on consecutive days did not make logistic or financial sense.
We emailed the employer on multiple occasions to attempt to set consecutive dates but was unable to get them to confirm the ability to do so. As such, the bargaining committee and myself met and decided collectively to wait to get started in January on the confirmed, consecutive days. This would also allow us to use the time to continue to meet as a committee to review our package and consider any further proposals that we would like to add.
At the moment we have dates set to commence collective bargaining January 8 to 10 and January 23 and 24. We will be providing regular updates throughout bargaining as well as holding a virtual general membership meeting before we meet with the employer in January.
I want to thank your bargaining committee for all of their hard work in preparing to commence bargaining and look forward to negotiating a fair and prosperous agreement for the membership.
In Solidarity,
Phil Bargen
Union Representative