Welcome to the CUPE BC K-12 Presidents’ Council site
The K-12 Presidents’ Council represents 57 CUPE locals in school districts across British Columbia.
CUPE represents more than 30,000 education workers including: education assistants, school secretaries, custodians/caretakers, Indigenous support workers, IT workers, Strong Start facilitators, trades and maintenance workers, and bus drivers.
We strive to protect quality public education for all.
Words cannot express our sadness about yesterday’s tragedy at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, part of SD #59 – Peace River South.
Our thoughts are with the victims, and our condolences go out to their families and the people of Tumbler Ridge in this deeply troubling time.
Our thoughts are also with our fellow public education workers and union friends in Tumbler Ridge and SD #59 – CUPE 4992, representing district maintenance workers; the Peace River South Teachers’ Association; BCGEU Local 70, representing school support workers; and Teamsters 31, representing district bus drivers, mechanics and custodians. They are also with the emergency services workers and health care workers that responded to this tragedy and were there when people needed them most.
Please be assured you are not alone as your district and communities deal with the aftermath of this unthinkable tragedy. We know there can be much harm caused from the trauma of experiencing violence like this, particularly when it is in a public school and our workplace. You can count on our support in any way that we can.
To all members across the province, we know you’ll keep Tumbler Ridge and our friends in SD #59 in your thoughts and will offer the support you can too. But please remember that seeing and hearing news and social media about violent events like this in our schools and workplaces can also be traumatic.
Please take care of yourselves and take care of each other. Don’t ignore the signs that you or a co-worker needs help. Reach out to your Employee Assistance Program (if available) or a health care professional if you need help.
BC Mental Health Support Line
Call 310-6789 (no area code). The BC Mental Health Support Line can help when you’re really upset or scared, but you can also call if you just need to talk with someone. They can also connect you to help in your community. It’s free, anonymous, confidential and available 24/7.
HealthLinkBC mental health supports and resources
KUU-US Crisis Response Services (culturally safe support for Indigenous people)
1-800-KUU-US17 or 1-800-588-9717 24hrs & toll-free
On behalf of over 30,000 school support members, the K-12 Presidents Council is pleased to congratulate the BC Teachers’ Federation and its members on reaching a tentative agreement.
CUPE and the K-12 Presidents Council is proud to stand in solidarity with the BCTF. We are even more proud of the support and solidarity our members have shown to their teacher colleagues in this round of bargaining. We hope our support has helped secure a fair deal for teachers and advanced our shared goal of strengthening this province’s public education system.
Our own provincial bargaining committee is set to return to the bargaining table with the with BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) on February 17. We are encouraged by the progress the BCTF has made at the table, and hopeful this means our employer and the province are ready to acknowledge the vital role school support workers play in our public schools.
The BCTF’s tentative agreement shows a fair deal is within reach at our own table. While we are please the BCTF was successful, your bargaining committee and the K-12 Presidents Council are not taking anything for granted in preparing our return to bargaining. We are firm and resolute – we will not accept any less than what other public sector unions have gained at the table. We will not let our members be short-changed in wages and our ability to support our families in the communities we serve.
Now more than ever we must show the employer and the province we are united and determined to get the fair deal we need and deserve.
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Please ensure your emails and other contact information is up to date with your local and encourage co-workers to do the same. Updates can also be found at bcschools.cupe.ca and on our Facebook page @CUPEK12BC.
Your K-12 provincial bargaining committee will be returning to the bargaining table February 17 with the BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA). As you heard from the Presidents Council in its last bulletin, we are at a critical point in our bargaining for a provincial framework agreement.
Over the past few months, some public sector unions have reached agreements with their employers, fully funded by the provincial government. At our table, however, the employer’s current proposals do not address our key priorities, and the funding being offered by the province falls far short of what other public sector unions have received.
Your bargaining committee is united that we will not accept proposals that continue the chronic underfunding of our public schools. We will not accept an agreement that does not include increased earning potential and more sustainable workloads for school support workers. We will not accept less for our members then what has been given to other public sector unions.
If nothing changes in the employer’s positions on February 17, an agreement will not be within reach at the table. Your bargaining committee believes we will need to consider escalating pressure on BCPSEA and the provincial government.
Your bargaining committee is busy preparing for this important bargaining session. The locals of the Presidents Council, along with CUPE leaders and staff are ready to support the bargaining committee at this critical stage and have the plan ready to ensure our union and our members are ready to do what it takes to get an agreement that addresses our key priorities.
Your bargaining committee knows it can count on the support of members and locals across the province. We know we can count on CUPE BC, the national union, and more than 800,000 CUPE members to have our backs. Together, we will get the fair deal we deserve.
We will provide an update as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your local. Please also ensure your local has your current contact information.
As you may have heard from our teacher colleagues, the BCTF provincial bargaining committee is returning to negotiations. We hope this is a positive development for them and all public sector unions in bargaining with the province. We know you’ll join the Presidents Council in wishing them good luck and solidarity in getting the fair deal they deserve.
We also want to thank you all for showing your support to our fellow union members in the BCTF this past week. At rallies, social media and in the workplace, CUPE and other unions have shown we can work together on our collective goals – better schools, a stronger public education system, and respect for all public education workers.
Our own provincial bargaining committee is also preparing for a return to the table with BCPSEA (BC Public School Employers’ Association). We believe our next bargaining session will be crucial to getting the fair deal we deserve—a collective agreement that recognizes the vital role K-12 school support workers play in the success of B.C. students, families and communities.
A fair deal is within reach. Your provincial bargaining committee is ready to do what it takes to get an agreement that provides for more resources and supports for our members. We will not let our members be short-changed in wages and our ability to support our families in the communities we serve.
Your support and engagement is more important than ever. The Presidents Council and union staff are working to ensure our bargaining committee and all K-12 school support locals have the support they need for the work ahead.
Please ensure your emails and other contact information is up to date with your local and encourage co-workers to do the same. Updates can also be found at bcschools.cupe.ca and on our Facebook page @CUPEK12BC.
As you will have heard from our teacher colleagues, their union – the BC Teachers’ Federation – has reached an impasse in their bargaining with BC Public School Employers Association (BCPSEA).
CUPE has been working closely with the BCTF and the other provincial public sector unions throughout this current round of bargaining. And we will continue to be in close contact during this important phase of bargaining.
CUPE and the K-12 Presidents Council are committed to supporting and standing in solidarity with the BCTF. We are working together on our shared goals of strengthening our public education system with better funding and resources for our schools.
We will also let members know what supports our colleagues in the BCTF need to get the deal we all deserve. Our own K-12 provincial bargaining committee will be making a determination on securing future bargaining dates.
We will be updating all K-12 school support locals and members as soon as new information comes available. The Presidents Council and National Representatives are working together to ensure locals have the support they need.
Please ensure your emails and other contact information is up to date with your local and encourage co-workers to do the same. Updates can also be found at bcschools.cupe.ca and on our Facebook page @CUPEK12BC.
