K-12 hits the big screen in B.C.

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BURNABY — K-12 education support workers will be featured on movie theatre screens in Cineplex theatres throughout B.C. starting on Friday, June 29, thanks to an animated spot promoting the important services they provide.

The 30-second animation features “Rachel” and some of the CUPE members she comes into contact with throughout her day at school. Featured CUPE workers include an education assistant, custodian, clerical worker, trades person and bus driver, who along with other education support workers, make great schools possible.

“It’s been tough for our members who have faced cuts over sixteen years of BC Liberal government,” said K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams. “This campaign will help build public understanding of the services our members provide and their importance to students in public education.”

The K-12 Presidents’ Council represents 57 CUPE locals in school districts across British Columbia. CUPE represents more than 27,000 education workers including: Education Assistants, School Secretaries, Caretakers, First Nations Support Workers, IT Workers, Strong Start Facilitators, Trades and Maintenances Workers and Bus Drivers.

K-12 Cineplex Schedule June 29 to July 5

June 30 deadline! Last week to nominate your favourite education support worker

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The deadline for nominations for the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education is Friday, June 30. This is the first time ever a category for support staff in public schools has been added to the awards.

The “Outstanding Support” category is open to support staff currently working in the K–12 public school system (i.e. bus drivers, crossing guards, student supervisors, educational assistants, aboriginal support workers, custodians, maintenance, and clerical).

The Premier’s Award is an opportunity for government to recognize “the enormous contribution of education professionals who go above and beyond to make life better for students in B.C.”

Get more information and nominate your favourite CUPE K-12 member in the category of Outstanding Support on the BC Government web site.

K-12 Presidents Council meets on June 21 to discuss framework agreement

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RICHMOND — The K-12 Provincial Bargaining Committee (PBC) presented the provincial framework agreement for recommendation to the CUPE K-12 Presidents Council.

The Council did not endorse the provincial framework agreement.

“The K-12 Provincial Bargaining Committee will be meeting in the near future to discuss next steps,” says K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams.

The tentative agreement was reached between the CUPE K-12 Provincial Bargaining Committee (PBC) and British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) on June 14, 2018. The current contract remains in effect until June 30, 2019.

For more information about K-12, visit the website at:  bcschools.cupe.ca

K-12 PBC Bulletin 6

K-12 sector reaches tentative agreement with BCPSEA

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VANCOUVER — A tentative agreement was reached between the K-12 Provincial Bargaining Council (PBC) and the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) late Thursday evening on a provincial framework agreement for K-12 support staff.

The three-year agreement takes effect on July 1, 2019 and remains in effect until June 30, 2022.

Highlights of the agreement include:

  • General wage increases of 2% in each year of the three-year contract
  • Language on violence in the workplace
  • Establishment of a Joint Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Taskforce
  • Right to refuse unsafe work language is now included in the agreement
  • Establishment of a Provincial Labour Management Committee
  • A skills enhancement fund
  • There is funding for local bargaining as part of the agreement

“The K-12 Provincial Bargaining Council and BCPSEA worked hard to reach this tentative agreement,” says K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams. “We were able to attain gains that strengthen our local bargaining ability and address some of the issues that are most important to our members.”

Further details on the tentative agreement will not be made public until CUPE K-12 members have the opportunity to review them. Once endorsed by the K-12 Presidents Council, it will form the provincial agreement portion of proposals that will go forward in local bargaining between CUPE locals and their respective school districts.

K-12 sector reaches tentative agreement with BCPSEA

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The K-12 Presidents Council executive board is pleased to announce that a tentative agreement was reached between the K-12 Provincial Bargaining Council (PBC) and the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) late Thursday evening on a provincial framework agreement. The three-year agreement takes effect on July 1, 2019 and remains in effect until June 30, 2022.

Highlights of the agreements include:

  • General wage increases of 2% in each year of the three-year contract
  • Language on violence in the workplace
  • Establishment of a Joint Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Taskforce
  • An OH&S evaluation to be conducted at each K-12 worksite (1,367 in total)
  • Right to refuse unsafe work language is now included in the agreement
  • Establishment of a Provincial Labour Management Committee
  • A skills enhancement fund
  • Additional funds have been committed to continuing the implementation of a province-wide, gender-neutral job evaluation program
  • For the first time in almost 20 years, there is new money for local bargaining as part of the agreement
  • Plus other language improvements

“The K-12 Provincial Bargaining Council and BCPSEA worked hard this week,” says K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams. “We were able to attain gains that strengthen our local bargaining ability and address some of the issues that are most important to our members.”

Further details on the tentative agreement will not be made public until CUPE K-12 members have the opportunity to review them. Once endorsed by the K-12 Presidents Council, it will form the provincial agreement portion of proposals that will go forward in local bargaining between CUPE locals and their respective school districts.

K-12 PBC Bulletin 5