Bargaining
BCAA – Service Locations – Bargaining Update – January 11
January 11, 2019
To: All BCAA Service Location members
The parties resumed negotiations on January 10, 2019. BCAA began by tabling what it advised would be its last and final offer.
Details of the offer are as follows:
- 4 year renewal (until 2022)
- 2% wage increase per year of the agreement (retroactive to October 1, 2018)
- 1 paid personal day per employee, per year
- 1 additional day of bereavement leave (from 3 to 4 days)
- Nominal increases to per diems and reimbursement rates mentioned throughout the agreement
- Increase prescription dispensing fee coverage to $10
- Increase eye exam coverage to $100
And language improvements, including:
- Leaves of absence for job stewards
- New employee union orientation time
- Discrimination & harassment protections
- Job posting provisions
- Other religious observance leave
- Gender transition leave
What is missing from the employer’s current offer that was part of the mandate we received from you includes:
- Fair and reasonable wage increases that keep you up with the future cost of living
- 3 year term of renewal
- Improvements to pension contributions
- Improvements to job security and layoff provisions
As such, we advised BCAA that we would not be recommending their offer to you. You deserve better. We know BCAA can do better. As mentioned previously, BCAA has experienced tremendous growth and success over the last few years and it’s because of your hard work. We remain very disappointed that BCAA continues to ignore this in terms of a genuine response to our remaining bargaining proposals that are important to you.
Negotiations ended in the early afternoon with BCAA advising us that it would not be amending its offer. The parties will be resuming negotiations for the Road Assist Contact Centre and Administration Collective Agreement on January 21, 2019. We expect to receive a similar low-ball offer at that time and if so, will be considering further steps, including asking for you to support your bargaining committees with a mandate to take job action.
If you have any questions, please speak with a member of your bargaining committee.
In solidarity,
Robyn Sabiston, Executive Councillor
Paul Bachin, Executive Councillor
Trevor Hansen, Union Representative