Sectoral Agreements Ratified
As announced on May 22, the sector’s three collective agreements, valid from 2025–2029, were ratified by an overwhelming majority of members. This significant milestone marks the successful conclusion of a year-long bargaining process. We extend our appreciation to CSSEA’s Bargaining Team, our government partners, the Community Social Services Bargaining Association and the broader membership for their commitment, collaboration, and dedication in helping to achieve these agreements through a respectful and constructive process.
CSSEA recently posted the April 1, 2025 and April 1, 2026 wage grids and asks employers to implement the new wage rates and then calculate and pay retroactivity as soon as the corresponding funding becomes available. Members should also familiarize themselves with the updated agreements by reviewing this Summary of Changes document, along with the key implementation dates outlined in this accompanying Information Update.
2026 AGM and Conference: Save the Date
This year’s AGM and Conference will be taking place in Vancouver from October 14 to 16 at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel. We expect to launch registrations in the coming weeks and ask members who plan to attend the event to save those dates and watch out for a launch communication to arrive around the end of this month.
2026 Compensation and Employee Turnover Report
Members are reminded that this year's Compensation and Employee Turnover Report is due on June 30. CSSEA will be working closely with funders and providing information and costing analyses to support the distribution of funding across the sector. Timely submission of your report will help ensure that the most current and accurate information are available to inform this process.
This submission is a key input into government's funding and compensation decision-making framework. CSSEA is supporting government in costing and funding allocation activities, and the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of the data submitted will directly inform funding decisions. In the context of the recent ratification of the three collective agreements, this information is particularly important.
We strongly encourage members to submit their reports by the June 30 deadline. For any questions regarding report completion, please contact research@cssea.bc.ca.
Upcoming Joint Job Evaluation Plan (JJEP) Webinar
Managers and Human Resources practitioners are encouraged to attend a complimentary webinar on June 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The session will provide an overview of the Joint Job Evaluation Plan (JJEP), with a focus on the development and revision of job descriptions and the collective agreement processes that support classification activities. This session will be particularly valuable for organizations preparing for job evaluations, updating existing job descriptions, or seeking to strengthen internal capacity in classification and compensation matters. The webinar will be led by Karen May, Classification Analyst, and Jon Paul Dicks, Compensation Consultant. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss common challenges and best practices.
Registration is required and can be completed here.
NIDMAR and CSSEA Joint Project - Funding Deadline Extended
Members are advised that funding for disability management (DM) and return-to-work programs (RTW) is still available as part of our joint pilot project with the National Institute of Disability Management and Research.
We encourage interested members to learn about the following funding opportunities:
- Workplace Disability Management Assessment (WDMA)
Participating organizations receive a confidential assessment report that identifies current strengths, gaps, and recommendations they can use to enhance DM/RTW in their workplace. The application form can be found here.
Please note that remaining funding is for BC workplaces across all industries and that applications are accepted first-come, first-served basis until the funds are committed. If you have questions about the project please contact Steve Inouye, NIDMAR Director, Program Assessments, at: 778.421.0821, Ext. 218 and or via e-mail at: steve.inouye@nidmar.ca
Get Featured in CSSEA’s 2026 Annual Report
As CSSEA begins work on its 2026 Annual Report, we once again invite members to send images from their agencies over the past year for potential inclusion. Photos that showcase agency events, team members out in community, with individuals served, and the like, will be gratefully accepted. We ask that everyone pictured in your submitted photos consent to their image(s) being published online and in print. Please e-mail your photos to Doris Sun, Director of Communications, at dsun@cssea.bc.ca. by July 31.