FAQS - Tentative 2014 – 2019 Collective Agreements

Last updated Wednesday, January 22, 2014.

New - Have provisions been made for funding non-union staff?

Yes. The costing CSSEA provided to PSEC for the tentative agreements included compensation increases for union, non-union and excluded staff for all CSSEA members, with the exception of Executive Directors and Chief Executive Officers. EDs and CEOs are subject to the current provincial salary freeze in the public sector for senior management. Employees in non-provincially funded programs are also not covered by the funding agreement.

Is my ability to select a benefits provider limited by these agreements?

Absolutely not.  Unlike other deals reached  in the health sector, the community social services sector's tentative agreements do not restrict the choice of benefits service provider and will continue to allow CSSEA members to choose between Community Services Benefits Trust, Health Benefits Trust and the Federation Association Benefit Plan. Ratifying the tentative agreements would also ensure these rules will remain unchanged in the collective agreements until  2019.

Are the agreements fully funded?

Yes. The government has committed to fully fund these tentative agreements for provincially funded programs. To provide additional certainty to our members, CSSEA requested and our Board Chair, Anne Nikon, has received, a letter from government assuring the 2014-2019 agreements are fully funded. To be clear, all new collective agreement cost increases for 2014-19 are fully funded per s. 21 of the Financial Administration Act including: wage increases, benefit improvements and mileage and meal expense reimbursements. 

This commitment from government was a key factor in our Bargaining Committee’s decision to recommend ratification of these tentative agreements.

When is the ratification vote?

The ratification vote will be held between February 3 - 7. 

Members can cast their vote online or by phone starting at 8:00 AM on Monday, February 3 until 4:00 PM on Friday, February 7. 

More information regarding the voting procedure will be provided at the ratification meetings and will be sent to all members by email later in January. 

Please ensure that CSSEA has up-to-date contact information for the primary contact in your agency. 

When are the ratification information meetings?

A ratification information meeting for all members will be held on Monday, January 20, 2014 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Hotel, 1128 West Hastings Street, Vancouver. 

Decision makers from your organization – including executive directors, chief executive officers, board members and senior management – are encouraged to attend.  

CSSEA has requested representatives from the funding Ministries and agencies to be present to answer funding related questions related to the 2014-19 tentative agreements.

In addition, a conference call meeting has also been scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 10:00 am for those members who are unable to attend the meeting on January 20 in Vancouver. Dial-in information will be sent to individuals registered prior to the call.

To register online click here or respond to this email with your name and which meeting you will be attending.

Will the funders be participating in the conference call meeting?

No, the funders will not be participating in the conference call.  A summary of the questions and answers of the January 20 meeting will be provided to the conference call participants.

What if I can’t attend the ratification information meeting or participate in the conference call?

CSSEA is committed to accommodating your agency’s needs and providing you with the necessary information to help you make your decision.

Please contact Thomas Marshall at 604.601.3127 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for assistance.

What percentage is required to ratify the tentative agreements?

 If fifty percent of the votes plus one vote are cast in favour of a tentative collective agreement, then the agreement is deemed to have been ratified by the employers in that division.

The CSSBA undertakes a similar balloting process and requires the same threshold for ratification.

What happens if the tentative agreements are not ratified?

If the tentative agreements are not ratified the parties must return to the bargaining table before March 31, 2014 and strive to negotiate new agreements under the 2014 PSEC mandate.   

Under these circumstances, a no vote jeopardizes the recent gains made and it is unlikely a comparable or better deal will be possible in the near future due to the foreseeable economic climate in the province.

Furthermore, if the tentative agreements are not ratified, it could result in labour and service delivery disruptions after April 1, 2014, if new tentative deals are not reached.

What is the Community Social Services Bargaining Association’s (CSSBA) ratification process and what is the employer’s role?

Over the next five weeks, each union within the CSSBA will communicate with their members about the tentative agreements recommending ratification and will conduct  a vote.

The procedure will be determined by each union and local and may include some or all of the following:  emails, bulletin board postings, off-site meetings, requests for on-site meetings and distribution of information packages. Attendance by union staff representatives and/or requests for union leave to conduct the voting should be arranged in advance.

This process is intended to convey information and ensure employees can exercise their voting rights; as such it should be cooperative in nature and not result in any alteration of services or anything more than minor inconveniences.  Employers are asked to be respectful of the union ratification process and to facilitate the distribution of the union information to their members and voting process.

If an issue should arise, please contact your HRLR Consultant. 

Where do I find more information regarding the tentative agreements?

Visit CSSEA’s website regularly or click one of the links below:

Summary of Changes to the Tentative 2014-2019 Collective Agreements (Must be logged in to access webpage)

Highlights of the Tentative 2014-2019 Collective Agreements (PDF)

2014 Ratification Information Meeting

If you have any other questions please contact Thomas Marshall at 604.601.3127 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .