2024 Annual Report Now Available

CSSEA’s 2024 Annual Report, containing excerpted highlights of our approved audited financial statements, is now available here.

If you have any questions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Director of Communications.…

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Final Call for Early Bird Conference Registration

Members and Associates are reminded that the discounted early bird conference rate ends at 5pm tomorrow, September 10, 2024. If you plan on attending this year’s CSSEA AGM and Conference, Fresh Perspectives, taking place October 9-11 at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel, you are encouraged to register now to take advantage of preferential pricing and to secure space at your desired sessions.

CSSEA’s discounted hotel room block is now largely sold out. A few rooms remain at our contracted rate of $319/night for October 8 and October 11 but rates will be significantly higher for October 9 and 10. If you still require a room, please check availability and pricing here. If you have any questions, contact Doris Sun, Director of Communications, at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver next month!…

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Supportive Housing MOA: Questions and Answers

On July 25th CSSEA distributed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) dated July 23rd, 2024 which advanced pay equity for supportive housing roles. CSSEA has now distributed an amended MOA dated August 28th, 2024. How does this second MOA impact the first MOA?

Both MOAs were developed based on direction by government to advance parity between CSSEA’s collective agreements and the Community Health Sub-Sector collective agreement. Earlier work in 2023 and the July 23rd MOA improved parity yet gaps still remained; government is seeking to close them with the August 28th MOA which replaces the July 23rd MOA. As the August 28th MOA includes new concepts such as shift premiums and additional monies for temporary market adjustments (TMAs), employers have been provided additional time to implement the updated terms (no later than the beginning of the first full pay period following October 1, 2024).

The identification of the eligible employees for the TMAs is complicated. Can you clarify who is eligible for the TMAs?

This initiative’s aim is to better compensate employees in job classifications that are performing similar work to classifications in Community Health. The specific CSSEA job classifications that are eligible for parity funding are listed in the MOA, and the following approach is used to identify them. All of these criteria must be satisfied in order for an employee to be eligible for the TMAs.

1. Employers - Eligible employees must work at one of the employers listed in the MOA. Each of the employers listed has a BC Housing contract for services according to data submitted to CSSEA for the 2022 fiscal year. If your agency is on this list of 50 employers, the data you provided to CSSEA indicates that your agency has at least one job classification as identified in the MOA. Only employees who work at one of the listed employers are eligible.
2. Programs - Eligible employees must work in a “supportive housing” program as it is defined by BC Housing. The BC Housing website defines supportive housing as
   
   … subsidized housing with on-site supports (shelters and housing programs) for single adults, seniors and people with disabilities at risk of or experiencing homelessness. These supports help people find and maintain stable housing…Supportive housing provides a range of on-site, non-clinical supports such as: life skills training, connections to health care, mental health or substance-use services.
   
   This definition was adopted by the parties in the MOA for the purpose of the TMAs. The government, unions, and CSSEA recognize that this definition may create divisions between employees who are eligible and those who aren’t. We are interested to hear from you if this is the case to explore if it is possible to reduce these inequities. The MOA is expected to be a temporary measure while more permanent solutions are explored in the next round of bargaining.
3. Funder – While the definition of supportive housing originates from BC Housing, employers may operate supportive housing programs funded by other provincial entities, most notably a Health Authority. As a result, eligible employees may work in a program other than a BC Housing funded program. Nevertheless, government and BC Housing have committed that BC Housing will be responsible for funding the cost of the TMAs for all such eligible employees/programs. The only caveat is that the other program must be funded in full by a provincial source. The amount of funding to be distributed to employers is based on employer data provided to CSSEA for the 2022 fiscal year.
4. Classifications - Eligible employees must work in jobs or classifications within the identified Grid 11 benchmarks as listed in the MOA. Job description names and responsibilities may vary, but they must be matched to the specified benchmark. The benchmarks identified as eligible are as follows:
   
   a) Adult, Youth and/or Child Worker – Grid 11;
   b) Residential Child and Youth Worker – Grid 11;
   c) Special Services Worker – Grid 11;
   d) Victim Service Worker – Grid 11;
   
   Unique positions comparable to Community Health Advocate, Detox Worker 2, Shelter Support Worker, or Support Worker 2 and paid at Grid 11 that are working on-site in fully provincially funded supportive housing programs are also eligible for funding under this MOA. If you are not sure of eligibility, please contact David Lin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
5. Location - To be eligible, the location of the job must involve regular reporting to work on-site for at least part of the time, and will not be eligible if the job exclusively performs outreach off-site.…

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Announcing 2024 Community Social Services Awards of Excellence Recipients!

It is with joy and excitement that CSSEA announces this year’s Community Social Services Awards of Excellence recipients. Now in their ninth year, this awards initiative recognizes individuals in various stages of their careers who have made outstanding contributions to the social services sector. CSSEA thanks TELUS for its tremendous support in sponsoring these awards since the program’s inception.

On behalf of CSSEA’s member panel who reviewed and shortlisted all nominations, as well as an external judging committee who evaluated and ultimately selected the four winners, we congratulate the following recipients:

Rising Star

Darshan Nickolchuk - Family Support Worker, Nelson Community Services Society General Services
As a soon-to-be father, Darshan Nickolchuk came to Nelson Community Services Society as a young 16-year-old seeking housing and support. Thirteen years later, after a series heartbreaking personal losses, his life came full circle when he returned to the agency as a practicum student. Darshan’s ability to triumph over life’s adversities primed him for a career in social services, as he demonstrated a natural ability to connect with individuals, be they youth in distress, women fleeing violence or homeless individuals. Darshan approaches individuals with authenticity and kindness, using his warmth to forge relationships with community, colleagues and other agencies. His willingness to help, whether it involves moving furniture or providing vacation coverage, has not gone unnoticed amongst his colleagues and is why the management team simultaneously and unanimously decided to submit his name as this year’s Rising Star.…

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Time-Sensitive Update for Supportive Housing Members

Further to the Information Bulletin issued on July 25, 2024, and at the initiative of the provincial government, the agreement that was reached on behalf of eligible CSSEA supportive housing members to pay a temporary market adjustment (TMA) to better achieve parity with the health sector has been revised with important details of note below. The amended Memorandum of Agreement can be found here. 

Due to a comparability adjustment that took place in the health sector under the community health collective agreement, wage rates were increased for jobs classified as Shelter Support Worker at Grid 33 and Support Worker II at Grid 34 in the community health sub-sector, and as a result certain community social services classifications fell behind. The impacted classifications are:

• Adult, Youth and/or Child Worker;
• Residential Child and Youth Worker;
• Special Services Worker;
• Victim Service Worker; and
• All unique Grid 11 positions that meet the definition outlined in #4 of the Memorandum of Agreement.…

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Negotiation of Local Issues Agreements Under MOA #1

Memorandum of Agreement #1 Re: Local Issues states that if either the union or employer wishes to renegotiate local issues, the union or employer must serve notice to amend the local issues and include with the notice the specific proposals for changes sought to existing MOA’s by September 15, 2024. Should the notice and proposals not be tabled by September 15, the unaddressed provisions of the local issues MOA will automatically be renewed and will continue to apply during the term of the next collective agreement.

Timelines and Procedures for Negotiating Local Issues

1. Notice plus proposals must be provided to the union by September 15, 2024. You may use this Local Issues Notification Template Letter and send it with your proposals to your Union Area Representative (not the shop steward) with a copy to your HRLR Advocate/Consultant.
2. Negotiations will take place until December 15, 2024. Negotiations occur with your Union Area Representative and may occur with or without the assistance of CSSEA based on employer preference. If you wish CSSEA to represent you, please contact your HRLR Advocate/Consultant early in the process so that we may schedule negotiations in a timely manner with all employers participating.
3. Local issues must be approved and signed by CSSEA and the Union before they are finalized. As a result, it is recommended you keep your HRLR Advocate/Consultant informed on all developments, including the drafting of proposals and counterproposals prior to you tabling them.
4. Local issues that are not concluded between the parties by December 15, 2024 are subject to an interest arbitration process to finalize outstanding provisions.
5. All negotiations, including interest arbitrations, must be concluded by January 31, 2025. The aim is to have all local issues negotiations concluded by January 31, leaving CSSEA and the CSSBA with two months prior to the expiration of the collective agreements to address in provincial bargaining any issues of common concern amongst employers and unions that may have emerged in the local issues negotiations process.

Automatic Renewal

If the notice plus proposals are not served by either party by September 15, 2024, your agency’s previous local issues will be renewed automatically and remain in effect until the expiration of the 2025 collective agreements (still to be negotiated). For clarity, proposals must accompany the notice otherwise your agency’s previous local issues agreement will be renewed automatically. Also, any items not addressed in the notice plus proposal letter will be renewed automatically. Employers and their union(s) may also agree to renew (or “roll over") their current local issues agreement(s). These will still need to be dated and signed by all parties, including CSSEA.
Next Steps…

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Sectoral Implications of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Rescission

BC’s Public Health Officer declared an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency on July 26, 2024 and as a result, legal restrictions against unvaccinated employees working in this sector have been lifted.

The following provides preliminary directions. CSSEA will continue to have discussions with a number of parties including members, funding representatives and unions to address emerging issues, and will update you on these directions when there are further developments.

Employees Terminated Due to Unvaccinated Status

Former employees who were terminated and do not have an outstanding grievance are eligible to apply for employment as new employees. They are to be treated like external applicants.…

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Temporary Wage Adjustments Negotiated for Supportive Housing Members

At the initiative of the provincial government, an agreement was reached on behalf of eligible CSSEA supportive housing members to pay a temporary market adjustment (TMA) in addition to specific Grid 11 wage rates that have fallen behind wage rates paid in the health sector for comparable jobs.

Due to a comparability adjustment that took place in the health sector under the community health collective agreement, wage rates were increased for jobs classified as Shelter Support Worker at Grid 33 and Support Worker II at Grid 34 in the community health sub-sector, and as a result certain community social services classifications fell behind. The impacted classifications are:

• Adult, Youth and/or Child Worker;
• Residential Child and Youth Worker;
• Special Services Worker;
• Victim Service Worker; and
• All unique Grid 11 positions that meet the definition outlined in #2 of the Memorandum of Agreement.…

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CSSEA Employee Classifications Among Those Included in Expanded Mental Health Presumption

BC’s Ministry of Labour recently announced that 11 more occupations were added to the “mental health presumption” under the Workers Compensation Act. This presumption means that if an employee develops a mental health illness or injury that is recognized as being associated with that occupation, then the condition is presumed to have been due to the nature of their work, unless otherwise proven.

This means more workers from select occupations will be provided with easier and faster access to workers’ compensation for psychological injuries caused by work-related trauma. The 11 new occupations include:

• community-integration specialists
• coroners
• harm-reduction workers
• parole officers
• probation officers
• respiratory therapists
• shelter workers
• social workers
• transition house workers
• victim service workers
• withdrawal-management workers.…

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2025 Bargaining Feedback and Opportunity to Meet New CEO

Employers are invited to attend a series of upcoming town hall meetings that will collect suggestions on member bargaining proposals and also allow attendees to meet new CEO, Sandra Case.

These meetings are open to leaders and managers who are excluded from the bargaining unit and who would like to provide direct feedback to the CSSEA spokespersons who will be conducting negotiations on your behalf. We also encourage feedback and discussion on members’ challenges with their collective agreement, as common themes will inform the drafting of our next bargaining plan. 

If you are interested in attending, please register here. All meetings will start at 930am and will take place in the following locations:…

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