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July 2, 2003
All BCNU staff back to work
All BCNU staff returned to work on Thursday, June 26. Members of OPEIU Local 15, which represents clerical and secretarial staff in the BCNU office, removed their picket lines from the BCNU office after the Labour Relations Board ordered OPEIU Local 15 to immediately cease their "illegal strike and picketing."
The LRB decision states: "I find that a collective agreement is in full force and effect between the parties and that the Union and the employees represented by the Union have contravened and are continuing to contravene Sections 57 (1) and 67 of the Code. Accordingly, I order the Union, its officers, members, employees and agents to immediately cease their illegal strike and picketing."
Under the new BCNU-OPEIU contract reached in mediation, BCNU clerical staff will receive improvements in wages totalling 14.74 per cent over three years. They will also receive improvements in health and welfare and dental benefits, and vacation improvements totalling 18.32 per cent over three years. In exchange they will move from a 32.5 hour work week with an extra day off every second week, to a 35 hour, five day work week with no extra days off.
By reaching this agreement, the BCNU hopes to reduce relief clerical staffing costs, which in 2001 totalled $473,224. The ongoing annual cost of improvements for clerical staff will be $246,053.
The settlement was negotiated by the BCNU Personnel Committee whose responsibilities include "ensuring BCNU members are provided with quality services in a timely and cost effective manner, and promoting positive and constructive labour relations with an emphasis on timely problem solving."
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