Two agreements between BC Housing and the BCGEU reached under the 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate have now been ratified, Energy, Mines and Natural Gas Minister Rich Coleman announced today.

The two-year agreements with staff in the Administrative/Clerical Division and the Maintenance/Service Division provide for modest wage increases of two per cent effective April 1, 2012, and two per cent on April 1, 2013, which are being funded from savings found within BC Housing's existing administrative budgets, as required under the 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate.

Both staffing groups provide a variety of administrative services and work in direct property management positions that are responsible for the development, management and administration of subsidized housing and the administration of the Homeowner Protection Branch.

More than half of the people working in B.C.'s public sector now have tentative or ratified agreements settled under the 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate. This represents about one-third of all agreements.

Funding for this agreement will not affect the delivery of housing services and programs. In addition, funding to partner organizations providing housing and support services will not change as a result of this agreement. 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 Energy, Mines, and Natural Gas Rich Coleman -

"I am pleased to hear that BC Housing and the BCGEU in these two divisions have ratified these agreements under the Cooperative Gains Mandate."

"I would like to thank the negotiators on both sides of the table for their hard work in making these agreements happen."

Minister of Finance Michael de Jong -

"More than half of unionized employees in the B.C. public sector are now covered under negotiated settlements, despite the challenging fiscal climate. These agreements show significant progress is being made under the Cooperative Gains Mandate."

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

Quick Facts:

• The 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate applies to all public sector employers whose collective agreements expire on or after Dec. 31, 2011.

• About 300,000 unionized workers are employed in the public service, at Crown corporations and agencies, and in the kindergarten-to-Grade-12, post-secondary, health and community social services sectors.

Learn More:

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

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Finance
250 356-9872

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas
250 952-0617