The BC General Employees’ Union says it has reached a tentative three-year agreement with the provincial government on behalf of its 33,000 bargaining unit members.
After negotiations broke down in August, the union entered into two weeks of Phase One in their job action plan, which involved picketing outside four major liquor and cannabis warehouses in the province.
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“After almost two weeks of job action and nine consecutive days at the table, enough progress was made that the committee decided it was time to let our members see what’s on offer and have their say,” BCGEU president Stephanie Smith said in a statement Wednesday (Sept. 7).
Highlights from the tentative agreement include a 25-cent hourly raise within the next year, followed by an increase to all pay rates by 3.24 per cent. From there, pay increases will increase between 5.5 per cent to 6.75 per cent in Year Two, followed by 2 per cent to 3 per cent in Year Three.
As well, all employees will get two additional paid days of leave per year and Indigenous employees will receive a further two days of cultural leave.
Next steps include a ratification vote by the union members in order for the tentative agreement to go ahead.
More to come.
@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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