NORTH VANCOUVER — CUPE 389 reached a tentative agreement on Thursday, October 3 following seven bargaining sessions with School District 44 in a marathon session with both parties committed to finding common ground.

“It took a lot of effort and persistence to resist concessions,” said CUPE 389 President Cindy McQueen. “I’m proud of our members for standing strong and our bargaining committee’s commitment that led to gains rather than concessions. Both parties are pleased to jointly recommend ratification.”

The K-12 Provincial Framework Agreement was approved by the K-12 Presidents Council in September and forms part of the tentative agreement. The current K-12 agreement expired on June 30, 2019. When ratified by CUPE locals and school districts, the provincial agreement will be in effect from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022.

Further details of the tentative agreement will not be available until after ratification by all parties, expected to be completed by the end of October.

CUPE 389 represents 1,100 K-12 workers in North Vancouver at SD44. CUPE 389 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students, include Education Assistants, Bus Drivers, Youth Engagement Workers, Indigenous Support Workers, Custodians, Trades, Clerical, Maintenance, IT, and Administrative Support. The composite local also represents workers at the City and District of North Vancouver, public libraries in the City and District, North Vancouver Recreation Commission, Northlands Golf Course, and the Village of Lions Bay.

PENTICTON — CUPE 523, K-12 support workers at School District 67 in Okanagan-Skaha reached a tentative agreement on Sept. 23, following five bargaining sessions that began June 20.

CUPE Local 523 Acting President Tammie Koroluk said that this round of bargaining was a new experience for the bargaining committee, who is bargaining separately with the three districts represented by CUPE 523 for the first time (SD 53, SD 67, and SD 83).

“We have a very dedicated bargaining committee who have spent parts of the summer and September bargaining three agreements,” said Koroluk. “Our team is thoughtful, resourceful and completely dedicated in making gains for our members. We negotiated language that will benefit our School District 67 members and we worked collaboratively with the employer in a respectful manner. We hope to build on this relationship as we go forward.”

The tentative agreement also incorporates the provincial framework agreement approved by the K-12 Presidents Council in September. The current K-12 agreement expired on June 30, 2019. When ratified by CUPE locals and school district Boards of Trustees, the collective agreement will be in effect from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022.

Further details of the tentative agreement will not be available until after ratification by all parties. Ratification is expected to be completed on Oct. 1.

CUPE 523 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students, include Education Assistants, Library Assistants, Grounds workers, Trades, Indigenous Support Workers, Bus Drivers, Custodians, Clerical, Maintenance, IT, Administrative Support, Strong Start and Supervision Assistants. They provide K-12 support services to students in and around Penticton and Summerland.

CUPE 523 is the only K-12 composite local in the province, representing K-12 workers in Okanagan-Similkameen (SD 53), Okanagan-Shuswap (SD 83) and Okanagan-Skaha (SD 67). In the past all three school districts bargained together but this year they are bargaining separately.

MAPLE RIDGE— After arduous bargaining sessions and mediation, CUPE 703, K-12 support workers at School District 42 in Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows reached a tentative agreement on September 6. Members ratified the collective agreement the next day with a large majority of members in favour.

The local began bargaining on December 3, 2018 and after 17 bargaining dates reached an impasse on July 5. They had three days of mediation in August and went back to the table where they were finally able to reach an agreement with the help of the mediator.

CUPE 703 President Leslie Franklin said that the employer had a lot of concessions on the table. “It was extremely difficult, a brutal round of bargaining,” said Franklin. “We did not bargain any concessions, not one.”

Franklin credits the local’s relationship with the district Superintendent and having conversations explaining the bargaining committee’s position with leading to the settlement. “There is something to be said for good relationships,” said Franklin. “We got something for all our classifications and the employer got some of the things they wanted. At the end it was a win-win.”

The tentative agreement also incorporates the provincial framework agreement approved by the K-12 Presidents Council in September. The current K-12 agreement expired on June 30, 2019. When ratified by CUPE locals and school district Boards of Trustees, the collective agreement will be in effect from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022.

Further details of the tentative agreement will not be available until after ratification by all parties. Ratification is expected to be completed this month.

CUPE 703 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students, include instructional support staff (i.e. Education Assistants, Aboriginal Support Workers), Custodians, Trades, Maintenance, Grounds, Clerical, IT, Administrative Support, Lunch hour supervisors and Child and Youth Care Workers. They support students in 23 elementary schools and 6 secondary schools in Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows.

SAANICH – CUPE 441 applied for mediation Friday, September 13 on behalf of K-12 members who work in Saanich School District 63.

CUPE 441 President Dean Coates said that the bargaining committee will be working hard to reach a settlement.

“Our members are dedicated and care deeply about the students they support, but need to be able to support their own children and families as well,” said Coates.

Members include Education Assistants, Technical Support, Library Techs, Youth and Family Counsellors, Clerical, Custodial, Grounds, Maintenance, Transportation, Trades and District Support staff.

The local represents nearly 500 K-12 support staff workers. The members voted overwhelmingly at the end of August to take job action if necessary.