Bulletin #29 Union’s Fight for Fair Compensation

Bulletin #29
May 27, 2022

UNION’S FIGHT FOR FAIR COMPENSATION

The Union is aware that there are many dissatisfied and under compensated Union members province wide.

The Union has consistently advocated for wages and working conditions to be improved. However, the Employer has yet to action what we believe are the most effective recommendations for recruitment and retention. Despite their refusal, the Union will continue to advocate for across the board pay increases as dollar value, wage percentage increases, and mileage increases to match those enjoyed by excluded employees.

Contrary to consistent rumours from non-union employees, the Union is not and has not been obstructing pay increases or job postings. Why would we?

We have pressed BCFS on the importance of income for members every single month, in multiple meetings per month, as we will again at the upcoming Senior Union Management Consultation meeting. We understand and feel the purchasing power of our earnings shrinking, our members who used to donate to community services are now accessing those same services.

While the Union does and will continue to make the case for improvements in our daily lives, we currently cannot force BC Ferries to pay us more through job action. A strike or job action arising from frustration with the slowness of collective bargaining, a “sitdown”, “study session” or other concerted work stoppage by some or all employees arising from a dispute in the work place is unlawful if it occurs before the right to strike has been acquired.

The Employer has unilaterally decided to provide new employees and employees who defer or come back from retirement up to ten thousand dollars. The Employer has not offered similar considerations for the existing workforce, the backbone of the service that keeps the ferries operating to keep the provincial economic recovery on track. This is likely a violation of the Collective Agreement and will be addressed with the Employer.

 

To view as a pdf: Bulletin #29 Union’s Fight for Fair Compensation