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.

OLIVER — CUPE 523, K-12 support workers at School District 53 in Okanagan-Similkameen reached a tentative agreement after five sessions of bargaining that began in early June. The tentative agreement was reached Tuesday following a 14-hour bargaining marathon.

CUPE 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).

“It’s definitely made things really interesting. Although there were lots of challenges, our bargaining committee rose to meet those challenges,” said Koroluk.

She said that the bargaining team worked really hard not only during the bargaining process, but in preparation leading up to it. “The bargaining committee worked diligently.”

CUPE 523 Okanagan-Similkameen Unit Chair Sean Harris was also impressed with everyone’s hard work. “We had our issues with the school district that we worked through. We had a great group of people on the CUPE side and we were able to work through to an agreement that met the needs of both sides,” said Harris, giving kudos to everyone at the table.

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 in September.

CUPE 523 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students, include Education Assistants, Grounds workers, Indigenous Support Workers, Bus Drivers, Custodians, Trades, Clerical, Maintenance, IT, Administrative Support, Supervision Assistants, and Youth Care Workers. They provide K-12 support services to students in Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Cawston, and Keremeos.

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.