The Public Service Agency has now concluded bargaining in the Public Service sector under the 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate with settlements reached with Queen's Printer employees and Public Service nurses, Finance Minister Michael de Jong announced today.

The settlement has been ratified by approximately 55 Queen's Printer employees represented by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Local 2000 and Local 525G. Queen's Printer employees provide printing services for government ministries, including document management, graphic design, web page hosting and design, typesetting and production design, as well as press and bindery operations.

A tentative agreement was also reached with members of the Union of Psychiatric Nurses and BC Nurses Union representing almost 650 nurses employed by the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission and working within the Public Service, primarily in the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Both two-year agreements include four separate general wage increases of one per cent each funded from within existing budgets, as required by the Cooperative Gains Mandate.

The B.C. government has been clear that there is no new money to fund wage increases and there is no desire to download these costs onto families or future generations. The Cooperative Gains Mandate provides public-sector employers with the ability to negotiate modest wage increases funded from savings within existing budgets, not adding costs to taxpayers and ratepayers, and not sacrificing services.

Settlements under the 2012 mandate are expected to be unique between sectors and between employers in some sectors.

Quotes:

Minister of Finance Michael de Jong -

"These two settlements represent the conclusion of bargaining in the Public Service sector under the 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate."

"I would like to thank the negotiators from both sides of the table who worked hard to bring these agreements forward."

"A number of agreements have now been reached under the Cooperative Gains Mandate, and this shows significant progress is being made, despite the tough fiscal environment."

"Under the 2012 mandate, we are going to see unique settlements in every sector and with each employer."

"I encourage employers and unions across the public sector to continue negotiating because agreements can be reached."

Quick Facts:

• The new 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate applies to all public-sector employers whose collective agreements expire on or after Dec. 31, 2011.
• The key feature of the Cooperative Gains Mandate is that it provides public-sector employers with the ability to negotiate modest wage increases savings within existing budgets.
• To date, over one-third of people working in B.C.'s public sector now have tentative or ratified agreements settled under the 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate.

Learn More:

Updated bargaining information is available at: http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/psec/

Media Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Finance
250 356-2821