Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and the Opening Learning Faculty Association (TRUOLFA) have ratified their tentative agreement negotiated under the 2014 Economic Stability Mandate.

The five-year agreement covers approximately 240 Open Learning faculty members who
provide education services through distanced education at TRU. The Open Learning faculty
provide instruction on 57 Open Learning programs, from trades to traditional academics,
certificates to bachelor and graduate degrees, academics as well as professional career paths, plus a growing number of interdisciplinary choices.

The term of the agreement is from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2019. The agreement provides
for a 5.5% wage increase over the five years of the term with potential for additional increases
if the B.C. economy exceeds the annual forecasts set by the Economic Forecast Council during the last four years of the agreement.

Approximately 200,000 public-sector employees are now covered by tentative or ratified
agreements under the Economic Stability Mandate. Overall, this represents about two-thirds of all unionized public-sector employees in B.C.

The government’s Economic Stability Mandate gives 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.

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 publicsector
  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
Jamie Edwardson
Ministry of Finance
250 356-2821

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Stacey McGaghey Jones
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400