Four more K-12 support staff collective 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 79 (Cowichan Valley) and CUPE Local 5101, representing 406 employees, negotiated to provide two year-end days for elementary clerical, careers and library clerks, as well as increase staff professional development opportunities;
• SD 79 (Cowichan Valley) and USW1-1937, representing 118 employees, negotiated to establish a joint professional learning committee as well as a dirty work premium for plumbers and grounds persons;
• SD 82 (Coast Mountain) and CUPE Local 2052, representing 388 employees, negotiated two Professional Development Days for education assistants and positions directly supporting students, with residual amounts to target wage increases for qualified trades staff to address recruitment and retention challenges; and
• SD 85 (Vancouver Island North) and CUPE Local 2045, representing 139 employees, negotiated to provide additional training and professional development opportunities for employees.

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 the 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