The BC Housing Management Commission and the BCGEU have reached two tentative agreements under the 2014 Economic Stability Mandate, Minister of Finance Michael de Jong announced today.

The tentative agreements cover approximately 362 employees with the BCGEU Administrative/Clerical Division and approximately 148 employees with BCGEU Service/Maintenance who provide a variety of services in the administration of subsidized housing, the administration of the Homeowner Protection Branch, and building management and maintenance services.

The government’s Economic Stability Mandate provides public-sector employers the ability to negotiate longer-term agreements within a fixed fiscal envelope, and offers employees an opportunity to participate in the province’s economic growth through the Economic Stability Dividend. Settlements are expected to be unique and to reflect priorities negotiated to ensure labour stability and affordable service delivery throughout B.C.

More than 150,000 public-sector employees are now covered by tentative or ratified agreements under the Economic Stability Mandate. Overall, this represents about half of all unionized public-sector employees in B.C.

Details of the two agreements will be available once the ratification process is complete.

Quotes:

Minister of Finance Michael de Jong -

“These agreements show that when parties come to the bargaining table with reasonable expectations, it is possible to reach a deal that benefits employees and employers, and is affordable for taxpayers.”

“We are making steady progress towards labour stability as more agreements continue to be reached and ratified in multiple sectors. More than half of all unionized public-sector employees are now covered by ratified or tentative agreements negotiated under the Economic Stability Mandate.”

Minister of Natural Gas Development and Responsible for Housing Rich Coleman -

“Today’s agreements support stability in the social housing sector so that we can continue to provide quality service to British Columbians most in need of housing.”

Quick Facts:

• The new 2014 Economic Stability Mandate applies to all public-sector employers whose collective agreements expired on or after Dec. 31, 2013.
• If the province’s real GDP growth exceeds forecasts over the terms of the agreement, the agreement provides for the sharing of some benefits of that growth with the public-sector employees who work on behalf of British Columbians and help make that growth possible.
• Under this proposal, employees would receive a conditional, incremental wage increase equal to half of any percentage-point gain in real GDP growth above the Economic Forecast Council’s forecast published in the February budget.
• For example, if real GDP growth is one percentage point above forecast real GDP growth, then a 0.5% wage increase would result, beyond whatever wage increase had been negotiated in the contract.

Learn More:

An up-to-date listing of tentative and ratified agreements under the Economic Stability Mandate is available at:  http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/psec/

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Glen Plummer
Ministry of Finance
250 357-3514

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Sandra Steilo
Ministry of Natural Gas Development and Responsible for Housing
250 952-0617