Seven more K-12 support staff agreements have been ratified by the local union, the local School District and the BC Public School Employers’ Association board of directors under government’s Sustainable Services Negotiating Mandate.

The agreements focus on improving services for people and ensuring fair and affordable compensation, and include:

• three-year terms of July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022;
• general wage increases of 2% per year;
• SD 51 (Boundary) and CUPE Local 2098, representing 121 employees; SD 57 (Prince George) and CUPE Local 4991, representing 69 employees; SD 58 (Nicola-Similkameen) and CUPE Local 847, representing 140 employees; SD 59 (Peace River South) and CUPE Local 4992, representing 67 employees; and SD 91 (Nechako Lakes) and CUPE Local 4177, representing 489 employees. Each negotiated to establish a professional learning fund for all CUPE employees in the district;
• SD 59 (Peace River South) and BCGEU, representing 49 employees, negotiated to support professional development opportunities for education assistants; and
• SD 71 (Comox Valley) and CUPE Local 439, representing 446 employees, negotiated in-service training days for education assistants, program/support/Indigenous education workers and continuing temporary employees, as well as a streamlined post and fill process for continuing temporary employees to address recruitment and retention challenges.

The ratifications complete the process begun by the September 2018 Provincial Framework Agreement, which paved the way for collective agreements to be negotiated between K-12 local support staff unions and the 60 public school district employers throughout B.C.

The Sustainable Services Negotiating Mandate supports government’s commitment to improve the services people count on, make life more affordable and invest in sustainable economic growth. The mandate is consistent with B.C.’s commitment to balanced budgets and sound fiscal management. Currently, there are more than 226,000 public sector employees covered by tentative or ratified agreements reached under the mandate.

Learn More:

Learn more about public sector bargaining in B.C.: www.gov.bc.ca/psecbargaining