Bargaining
BC Transit – Update on Public Sector Bargaining
September 20, 2022
To: All MoveUP members at BC Transit
As many of our members may be aware, the BCGEU and the Facilities Bargaining Association (led by the Hospital Employees’ Union) both recently announced they had reached tentative deals with their respective public sector employers.
Those unions are recommending that their respective members vote yes to accepting their deals. The ratification date has not yet been set, but we expect to see it soon.
How does this affect our members at BC Transit?
As BC Transit is in the public sector, assuming that the tentative agreement is accepted by the members of the BCGEU or HEU, it means their wage package will serve as the template for all public sector collective agreements in this year’s bargaining.
Does this mean this will be our wage package in our next collective agreement?
Generally, once one public sector union has struck a deal, the wage terms in that agreement serve as the template for others to follow. We expect that to be the case again this year.
What is the wage package that was tentatively agreed to?
Both the BCGEU and HEU announced identical wage package as follows:
Year 1 – Effective April 1, 2022 increase all rates of pay by 25 cents per hour and then increase all rates of pay by 3.24%.
Year 2 – Effective April 1, 2023 increase rates of pay by the annualized average of BC CPI over 12 months starting on March 1, 2022 to a minimum of 5.5% and a maximum of 6.75%.
Year 3 – Effective April 1, 2024 increase rates of pay by the annualized average of BC CPI over 12 months starting on March 1, 2023 to a minimum of 2% and a maximum of 3%.
If those other unions’ deals are ratified, what else is left to negotiate for us?
Although our members have repeatedly told us that wages are the most important thing, there are many other areas that are also of concern to our members. These include working conditions (including overtime and vacation), benefits, health & safety, and more. All these are issues that we will be addressing at the bargaining table.
When will we be going to the bargaining table?
We will begin bargaining on October 18-21 and then every second week throughout the fall until we have reached a recommended settlement.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact Shawn Lakusta at slakusta@moveuptogether.ca.
In solidarity,
Shawn Lakusta, Union Representative