Tentative Agreements Reached in Community Social Services Sector

CSSEA is pleased to announce that our Employer Bargaining Committee and the Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) have reached tentative agreements for all three of its membership divisions, the culmination of one year of dedicated negotiations and an intensive series of meetings over the past two weeks.

The tentative agreements were made under the Shared Recovery Mandate, which advances government’s key priorities to improve public services and the health-care system, while supporting the province’s continued economic recovery for all.  The tentative agreements also support Employers’ and Unions’ shared key priorities to improve upon recruitment and retention, enhance mental health benefits, and advance Reconciliation with our Indigenous employees and peoples.

The tentative agreements are effective from April 2022 to March 2025 and include the following highlights:

• Effective the first full pay period following April 1, 2022: 3.24% increase to all wage grids
• Additional Low Wage Redress increases, to achieve top step wage comparability with similar classifications in the health sector (to be finalized by the parties)
• $0.25/hour increase to all wage grids
• Effective the first full pay period following April 1, 2023: 5.5% increase, plus up to another 1.25% if the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) clause is triggered*
• Effective the first full pay period following April 1, 2024: 2.0% increase, plus up to another 1.0% if the COLA clause is triggered**
• Increase in transportation allowance to 61 cents/km, effective the date of ratification
• 100% paid sick leave, effective April 1, 2024 and adjustment to employee sick banks
• Psychologist benefits up to $1000/year and the introduction of an Employee and Family Assistance Plan

In addition, the following are highlights of the improvements to the Indigenous Services Collective Agreement:

• Wage parity for all classifications with Main Public Service collective agreement
• Retention incentive payment for all classifications
• Commitment to continue discussions on the Indigenization of the Collective Agreement, facilitate service improvements, and enhance recruitment and retention 

CSSEA is in the process of organizing both in-person and online member meetings in order to share key details of the tentative agreements and address any questions members may have. Dates and registration details will be circulated as soon as they are confirmed. In addition, the ratification package is currently being prepared and details on the ratification process will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

We thank all parties involved, including the Public Sector Employers’ Council Secretariat, for conducting this challenging round of bargaining with patience and respect. In particular, we are grateful to our Employer Bargaining Committee for volunteering their time and expertise to ensure the interests of Employers were pursued throughout the bargaining process. 

CSSEA Bargaining Team

Indigenous Services

Melanie Hudson, Island Metis Family and Community Services
Adam Calvert, Metis Family Services

General Services

Ann Kutcher, Westcoast Family Centre Society
Sanjeev Nand, Langley Community Services Society
Judy Valsonis, Touchstone Family Association

Community Living Services

Fernando Coelho, posAbilities Association of British Columbia
Tammy Khanna, Independent Living Housing Society of Greater Victoria
Tanya Sather, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI)
Anita Sihota - Delta Community Living
Dawn Hein - Mission Association for Community Living

CSSEA

Vangie Johnson (administration)
Gentil Mateus (CEO)
Eric Peraro (Research and Knowledge Management)
Mark Slobin (lead negotiator)

*If the 2023 Annualized Average of BC (AABC) Consumer Price Index (CPI) exceeds the April 2023 General Wage Increase (GWI) of 5.5%, then, on the first pay period after April 1, 2023 the April 2023 GWI will be adjusted upwards to reflect a COLA equal to the difference between the April 2023 GWI and the 2023 AABC CPI up to a maximum of 1.25%.

**If the 2024 AABC CPI exceeds the April 2024 GWI of 2.0%, then, on the first pay period after April 1, 2024 the April 2024 GWI will be adjusted upwards to reflect a COLA equal to the difference between the April 2024 GWI and the 2024 AABC CPI up to a maximum of 1.00%.