The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) has reached a tentative agreement with Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3799, negotiated under the Economic Stability Mandate.

This five-year tentative agreement covers about 380 non-faculty staff, including inside and outside support staff and English Language Studies instructors.

More than 230,000 public-sector employees are now covered by tentative or ratified agreements under the Economic Stability Mandate. Overall, this represents nearly three-quarters 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 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: www.fin.gov.bc.ca/psec/bargaining/2014%20Bargaining%20Status.pdf

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Brennan Clarke
Ministry of Finance
250 387-3514

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