K-12 support workers in Okanagan-Similkameen reach tentative agreement

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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.

CUPE 593 K-12 support workers reach tentative agreement

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MISSION — CUPE 593, K-12 support workers at School District 75 in Mission reached a tentative agreement on August 28 following 14 sessions of bargaining that began in April.

CUPE 593 President Faye Howell said that bargaining was respectful, and that the employer wanted to listen. The local’s bargaining committee included both fairly experienced and new people, who worked together well.

“I’m really proud of the work we did. Everyone brought a lens to each proposal and their own thoughts,” said Howell, adding that bargaining was amicable. “Both sides knew that we had some very detailed work to dig into. We just went in and did our work.”

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 around mid-September.

CUPE 593 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students, include Education Assistants, Indigenous Liaison Workers, Bus Drivers, Custodians, Trades, Clerical, Maintenance, IT, Administrative Support, Supervision Assistants, and Youth Care Workers. They provide K-12 support service to students in Mission.

Kamloops school fire heartbreaking for community

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KAMLOOPS — Parents, children, support staff and teachers are trying to come to terms with a fire that burned down Parkcrest Elementary School on Thursday night. Two custodians and a teacher were inside the school when the fire broke out in one of the oldest schools in town. Alerted by the fire alarm, they were able to escape unharmed. Students, parents and support staff watched while their school burned.

“CUPE BC knows how important every school is to their community, the students who attend them, and the support staff who work there,” said CUPE BC General Vice President Nicole Edmondson.

“It’s a family school and now it’s gone. It’s sad,” adds Edmondson who is also president of CUPE 3500 representing approximately 800 K-12 support workers in Kamloops and surrounding communities including Chase, Barriere, Logan Lake, Westwold, Savona and Clearwater.

The fire directly affects 15 members of CUPE Local 3500 who support the 340 students in the community school. The District is working with the City on finding alternative space to hold classes as there is no space available in any other schools in Kamloops. Their priority is to keep families together and to find locations close to home.

Edmondson praised the quick response by the District. She noted that the District will also reimburse the losses to the two custodians who lost personal property and had possible damage to a vehicle.

CUPE 173 K-12 support workers reach tentative agreement

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GOLD TRAIL — CUPE 173, K-12 support workers at School District 74 in the northern Fraser Canyon reached a tentative agreement on August 28 following five sessions of bargaining that began in July.

“Because this time we actually could bargain, and both sides wanted to achieve a contract that met both our needs, bargaining was very productive and respectful,” said CUPE Local 173 President Janice Rittinger.

“Our bargaining team was wonderful,” added Rittinger. “They were there through thick and thin.”

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 by mid-September.

CUPE 173 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students, include Bus Drivers, Education Assistants, Indigenous Support Workers, Custodians, Trades, Clerical, Maintenance, IT, Student Supervisors and Administrative Support. They provide K-12 support service to students in SD74 which covers the northern Fraser Canyon including the communities of Ashcroft, Lillooet, Lytton, Clinton, and Cache Creek.

CUPE K-12 Local takes strike vote in Saanich

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SAANICH — CUPE 441 members who work in K-12 have taken a strike vote in support of their bargaining committee. Voting was held on nine occasions at two locations during the month of August, concluding on August 27. A large number of members voted with an overwhelming majority voting to take job action if necessary.

CUPE 441 President Dean Coates said that workers in School District 63 (Saanich) have received substantially lower wages than their counterparts in Sooke and Victoria for decades, and they want comparable wages with other districts on the South Island.

“The provincial framework agreement doesn’t meet the needs of our members. The employer recently began paying managers and administrators comparable wages because they see the value in attracting and keeping qualified people,” said Coates. “We want them to also recognize and value the contribution of support staff in Saanich schools.”

The local bargained with the employer on six occasions and held a strike vote so the employer would understand how important this issue is to members.

CUPE 441 members provide a wide variety of services that support students. Members include Education Assistants, Technical Support staff, Library Techs, Youth and Family Counsellors, Clerical, Custodial, Grounds, Maintenance, Transportation, Trades and District support staff. The local represents almost 500 K-12 support staff workers in SD63 (Saanich).