BC/YT locals urged to continue action around collective bargaining

National President Jeannette Meunier-McKay met recently with local presidents in the British Columbia/Yukon Territory region to underline the importance of remaining active on the collective bargaining front. Our bargaining team met with the employer in early February and will meet again between March 4 and 7. To succeed, the team needs continued support from the union’s locals.

BC/YT local presidents met February 14 to 17 to review collective bargaining issues as well as those specific to their region, including the devolution of labour market activities to the provincial level.

Meunier-McKay thanked National Vice-President Pat Wakefield for organizing an effective Local Presidents Conference to discuss the pressing issues facing her members. She went on to stress the need for increased awareness and action at the local level on the current round of bargaining. “The employer is not responding favourably to our proposals and is pushing instead an agenda of concessions in important areas like hours of work. If they succeed, it will have a negative impact on the quality of working life for many members.” She went on to praise the work taken by CEIU locals so far. Most recently locals in Quebec demonstrated their support for bargaining team members when they met with the Treasury Board earlier in February. BC locals had taken action on earlier occasions and she urged them to continue their work: “Showing support sends important messages. It tells our bargaining team—made up of members like you—that we’re behind them. And it tells the employer that we’re aware of what’s at stake and that we expect nothing less than a fair contract.”

As part of the drive to inform and engage members around negotiations, bargaining team members are available as guest speakers at local membership meetings. The national president encouraged BC/YT local presidents to take up this offer, saying “Our members need to be prepared if they want a fair contract. No one wants a strike, but the best way to avoid a strike is to show the employer you’re prepared for one. Locals can use bargaining team visits to boost the enthusiasm and commitment of their members.”

The BC/YT local presidents also reviewed current issues of importance in their region. Chief among them was the expected announcement of an agreement to devolve labour market activities from the federal to provincial level. The deal would see the movement of an undetermined number of CEIU members to the provincial government. The terms under which members make the move would be established in an Employee Transfer Agreement (ETA) and the union would play an active role in shaping it. A similar devolution may take place in Nova Scotia, following one in Ontario that became effective January 1, 2007. Meunier-McKay pledged the support of CEIU for those members who will be affected by the devolution: “Pat Wakefield has got her region off to a strong start on this issue. We negotiated a good ETA for our members in Ontario and we aim to do the same in the BC/YT region.”