BURNABY – The union representing ICBC employees is sounding the alarm over plummeting employee engagement scores. The Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378 (MoveUP) is concerned that the 20 point drop in most departments points to a dysfunctional workplace, a problem which has worsened over years of government inattentiveness.
Employee engagement scores, broadly defined, measure how involved in and enthusiastic employees are about their work.
“The engagement score is down over 20 per cent overall since this time last year,” said MoveUP President David Black. “ICBC wasn’t exactly a paragon of organizational health with 2011’s mediocre score of 54. But their current score of 33 per cent points to serious workplace dysfunction.”
It has been a difficult 18 months for the union’s membership at ICBC. MoveUP began bargaining before many of B.C.’s other public sector unions, in January of 2011, but were unable to conclude an agreement until very recently, and after substantial job action. The government review of ICBC revealed since 2007 ICBC’s management ranks had grown, while the unionized group had shrunk. However, the government is allowing serious problems to continue. ICBC’s Transformation Program is reducing the overall workforce while many ICBC employees struggle under crushing workloads.
“ICBC’s response to this crisis is as flat and uninspiring as their employee engagement score,” continued Black. “They promise only to renew their commitment to their employee engagement strategy – in effect, saying we’re not going to do try anything new, the status quo is ok. Well, the status quo is not ok for our members.”
During bargaining MoveUP managed to secure a new workload study – the Corporation’s first in nearly 20 years. Yet systemic problems remain.
“Our members at ICBC care deeply about providing safety and security to B.C.’s drivers. But they feel belittled and undervalued by this employer and the government,” said Black. “This employee engagement score is a call to action for ICBC. This is their chance to turn things around by working with, not against their employees.”
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Media contact: Jarrah Hodge, jhodge@moveuptogether.ca
