CEO Update - July/August 2020

This has been a busy and most unusual time for the sector and more than usual I want to be concise in my report. This month’s focus is providing an update on various programs and initiatives and inviting the membership to register for our first virtual AGM in October.

Isolation Pay

At CSSEA’s recent Board Meeting, the issue of expenses relating the reconciliation process of pandemic-related isolation pay was discussed. Further clarity was sought with government and CSSEA has been advised that members with expenses associated with isolation pay should be discuss them with their funding ministry or agency as part of the existing service contracts. Members with further questions should contact their respective contract manager.

Temporary Pandemic Pay

Provincial funders are currently working with the Ministry of Finance to create a streamlined approach for agencies to receive pandemic pay funding for eligible employees, and anticipate more details will be available by mid-August. In the meantime, employers are asked to begin gathering the following information for the period March 15 to July 4, 2020:…

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CEO Update - May/June 2020

As the province moves to phase two of the pandemic plan there have been a number of initiatives announced by various ministries, including the Ministry of Health, on how we will move forward in safe and measured ways. Employers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with those plans, which include the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19: Going Forward, as well as the Province of BC’s COVID-19 Go-Forward Management Strategy.

Temporary Pandemic Pay

In follow-up to our recently distributed FAQs on May 28, 2020 regarding the provincial government’s temporary pandemic pay program, CSSEA has now confirmed specific job classifications that are eligible to receive those funds. Click here to view the list of included and excluded classifications. Note that Integrated, Unique and Layered Over jobs are included but the following classifications are excluded:

• Child care Resource and Referral Worker
• Crisis Line Coordinator
• Early Childhood Educator
• Early Childhood Educator Assistant
• Early Childhood Educator
• Senior Employment Counsellor
• ESL Instructor…

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CEO Update - April 2020

COVID-19

Since my last communication, the world around us has changed dramatically with the COVID -19 pandemic, and it has impacted the community social services sector profoundly. In this new reality, CSSEA has endeavoured to keep the membership informed of evolving government policies and more specifically, relevant updates and strategies from the office of the Provincial Health Officer, as well as resulting implications to the sector. We have also continued to work with individual unions and the bargaining association to build workforce flexibility and resiliency to enable continuity of service, and remain in close regular contact with WorkSafeBC, ministries, CLBC and other key stakeholders as the situation is fluid and continues to change weekly, and sometimes daily. One of our primary directives is to provide sector data and analysis to inform discussions in government and with the Provincial Health Officer so we can quantify the impact of decisions and anticipate unintended consequences. I am gratified and impressed with the resiliency of the sector and the selfless sacrifice of our staff in the face of a national shortage of PPE. I also continue to be impressed with how the sector is working together to ensure continuity of service for our clients and employment security for our employees.

During the past weeks we have sent numerous communications articulating government’s position and providing clarification and interpretations of Provincial Health Officer orders. We have heard from some of our members that “we don’t communicate enough” and from others that “we communicate too much.” Both points of views are valid, as our communications strive to be relevant to a broad base of our membership who, frankly, are very individualized and often have specific needs. CSSEA has made the conscious decision to be timely with its communications and to focus on providing advice that is directly applicable to members’ operations including: relevant human resources and labour relations direction; interpreting and providing clarity on applicable Provincial Medical Health Officer orders; and keeping members informed of WSBC guidelines and how they apply to the social services sector during COVID-19. With everyone working at full capacity, we are mindful of only adding relevant, timely information to the discourse.

On a sad note, we express our condolences to Shannon Crofton and the staff at Richmond Society for Community Living who lost a staff member to COVID-19. As you are likely aware, our benefit plans do not include survivor benefits language. To that end, CSSEA has had discussions with the three benefit providers about the feasibility of offering survivor benefits, limited to extended health and dental, for families of COVID-19 victims for the duration of the provincial health emergency. The Federation Plan and CSBT have indicated the costs to the agency would be minimal and if employers are interested in providing the additional coverage for their staff they should contact them directly.…

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CEO Update - February/March 2020

COVID-19

With the spread of COVID-19 continuing to be a fluid situation, CSSEA is actively monitoring provincial health updates. At this time, the risk of spread continues to remain low and we are recommending that employers, first and foremost, increase cleaning and hand hygiene availability at their worksites, and to make employees aware of the organization’s protocols when dealing with virus outbreaks. Employers are also advised to plan for allowing employees to work remotely if necessary and where it is feasible. Employees displaying flu-like symptoms should be encouraged to stay home and those who have travelled to affected areas should contact the public health unit in their region to determine if quarantine is the appropriate course of action. CSSEA is coordinating our strategies with health and the broader public service and as further information becomes available, we will notify the membership.

Awards of Excellence

CSSEA is now accepting nominations for the sixth annual Community Social Services Awards of Excellence, sponsored by TELUS. We encourage anyone who knows an outstanding representative of BC’s publicly funded social services sector to complete the brief online nomination before April 3, 2020. To access the nomination form or to obtain more information on eligibility and previous winners, go to our Awards website. Anyone with questions are asked to contact Doris Sun, Director of Communications, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Your Input is Needed in 2020 Compensation and Employee Turnover Report

The 2020 Compensation and Employee Turnover Report is now available to complete. Government discussion of the next mandate will begin in 2021, and this year’s data will be the basis of all costing and analysis. Therefore, it is very important that all members complete the report. The deadline for completion will be May 31, 2020.…

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CEO Update - January 2020

Upcoming Collective Agreement Updates

In addition to a comprehensive CSSEA Info that discussed 2020 Collective Agreements monetary increases, a few additional increases will take effect soon. As a result of leftover funds that required agreement before being allocated, coverage for hearing aids will increase effective February 1, 2020 to $1,500 every 48 months for adults and every 12 months for children, with reimbursement at 100%. Also, physiotherapist coverage will increase to $700 effective April 1, 2020. In the Indigenous Services Collective Agreement, Delegated Program Assistants (Resources, Guardianship and Child Protection) will move from a Grid 7 to Grid 9 in the Delegated Programs wage grid.

Union Voluntary Recognition

We expect to receive PSEC’s response to the funding question for union voluntary recognition later this month. Until then, the union bargaining association agreed not to undertake organizing activity at CSSEA member agencies with a non-union employee component. Once we know the government’s position on the funding question we will be in contact with the 76 impacted agencies.

Distribution of 2019-22 Collective Agreements Books

CSSEA has recently received hard copies of the Indigenous Services, Community Living Services and General Services Collective Agreements and is currently preparing to mail them to agencies. Please note we only have sufficient numbers for management staff, as the union is responsible for distributing the books to their members. CSSEA members should expect to receive their copies before the end of January. If you have any questions or require extra copies, please contact Vangie Johnson at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .…

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CEO Update - November/December 2019

Member Satisfaction Survey

We thank all members who took the time to provide feedback on CSSEA’s service through the Member Satisfaction Survey. We have shared the results at our recent Board and Panel meetings and have discussed ways CSSEA can continue to improve. Because the survey was completely anonymous, we would like to invite those who wish to have a more fulsome discussion of their comments to contact Doris Sun, Director of Communications, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . A copy of the survey results can be found here.

Voluntary Recognition Update

Since CSSEA’s last update on the unions’ plans to launch a unionization campaign at the CSSEA agencies with a non-union employee component, we have worked with government and PSEC to determine whether it is feasible to entertain voluntary union recognition if there is new money available for the impacted agencies to fulfill the monetary obligations of levelling up to the collective agreements. PSEC has indicated that government is considering the additional funds but likely will not make a decision until early 2020. We have met with the unions and requested an extension of the current Memorandum of Understanding, including a moratorium on union organization at CSSEA agencies until Jan 31, 2020, by which time we should know government’s decision. The unions agreed to the extension, which provides members with certainty over the holiday period and into the New Year, assuring there will be no disruption to service delivery.

Upcoming Collective Agreement Updates

Employers are reminded that a number of collective agreement provisions are to be implemented on April 1, 2020. These include updates to mileage rates, a 2% general wage increase, as well as the distribution of a second of three Low Wage Redress (LWR). CSSEA and CSSBA have agreed on the allocation of the $20 million in LWR, and provide full details in this recent CSSEA Info. A copy of the April 1, 2020 wage grid can also be found online. In addition, CSSEA hosted a very well attended funders meeting in Victoria to ensure the various ministries and funding agencies are aware of all the collective agreement funding commitments for 2020/21, as well as the cost pressures the social services sector will face in the upcoming year. A copy of the presentation and a list of invitees can be found here.…

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CEO Update - October 2019

2019 AGM and Conference 

On behalf of CSSEA’s staff, I would like to extend my thanks to all who attended this year’s AGM and Conference and helped us celebrate our 25th year anniversary. All available workshop presentations have now been posted on the conference website. I would once again like to congratulate this year’s Telus Awards of Excellence recipients: Alicia Erenli, Rising Star; Lora Church, Hero; Jessica Denholm, Leader; and Patricia Woroch, Legend, as well as those who were nominated. You are encouraged to view the video vignettes of each award recipient on our Awards of Excellence website to learn more about each winner’s achievements. For attendees who have not yet filled out a conference e-evaluation, you are invited to do so at your earliest convenience. We will be hosting you in Vancouver once again for the 2020 AGM and Conference, from October 13-15, at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel.

2019-2020 Board and Panels Elections

Your Board and Panel members were selected at CSSEA’s Annual General Meeting on October 8 in Vancouver. We are pleased to announce your divisional representatives: (Note: members elected this year are in bold and Board representatives are marked with a*)

Community Living Services
Tammy Khanna (Chair), Independent Living Housing Society of Greater Victoria
Janice Barr*, Richmond Society for Community Living
Fernando Coelho*, posAbilities Association of British Columbia
Dawn Hein (Vice Chair) *, Mission Association for Community Living
Tanya Sather, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion
Anita Sihota, Delta Community Living Society
Ellen Tarshis, Victoria Association for Community Living dba Community Living Victoria
Julie Unger, Chilliwack Society for Community Living…

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CEO Update - July/August 2019

Special Meeting for Non-Union Employers

A special meeting was recently held in which 76 CSSEA employers who have a non-union employee component doing union type work (totalling 2,766 employees) were invited. The purpose of the meeting was for CSSEA to inform those members of the BCGEU’s stated intention to organize a unionization drive at their agencies. While not part of CSSEA’s mandate, several Associates and non-CSSEA employers also learned of the meeting and attended for informational purposes.

At the meeting, I along with representatives from the Board, discussed the possible implications of the unionization effort on service delivery, business models and funding. CSSEA is now preparing a response to the BCGEU and plans to hold a meeting with PSEC and the BCGEU to ask for further clarity on the issues that are important for the membership, including NPF programs. Funding will be paramount in all future discussions and CSSEA will work with government and continue to keep impacted agencies updated on developments. Those wishing to view a copy of the presentation can do so by logging in on our website and going to Resources/Members Home/Bargaining.

Staffing Announcement

After serving as a CSSEA Consultant for 14 years, Anne Campbell has retired effective July 26. Anne has been an integral member of the HRLR team and has served agencies — primarily in the Okanagan region — with diligence, professionalism and competence. We thank Anne for her years of service and wish her every happiness as she embarks on her travels and other interests.…

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CEO Update - June 2019

Sectoral Activity

The last month has seen a lot of activity in the sector on topics mostly related to funding, some which are not in CSSEA’s mandate but still of interest as they impact the membership. In these types of situations, CSSEA can be of most assistance by providing aggregate sectoral data and analysis to PSEC and government ministries, as well as our Board and Panels, to help the decision makers come to well-informed decisions on matters that affect the sector and can impact service delivery.

We have also spent significant time resolving funding issues that inevitably occur with every new collective agreement but more so this year where the implementation of Low Wage Redress, particularly for programs with paraprofessionals, presents challenges for some funders. In addition to issues around funding the collective agreement, we also informed government of the challenges agencies face to the viability of many programs that fall outside CSSEA’s mandate but nevertheless present a risk to the sustainability of service delivery.

2019 AGM and Conference

Registration is now open for CSSEA’s 2019 AGM and Conference, Imagining the Next 25 — in celebration of our 25th year anniversary. We are pleased to offer a solid lineup of future-focused sessions that will examine various ways the sector can position itself for longevity in the face of change. Our keynote speaker — a nationally-renowned Millennial Engagement Expert — will share her knowledge on how to reach and empower young people entering the profession. I encourage you to register early, as both hotel rooms at our discounted group rate and spaces in sessions are limited. To further incentivize early registration, we have introduced new early bird rates that will take effect until August 30.…

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CEO Update - May 2019

Occupational Health and Safety Council

CSSEA is pleased to report that the inaugural meeting of its newly created CSS Occupational Health and Safety Council (OH&S Council) will be taking place on June 6. The council consists of 15 representatives from employers (union and non-union), unions and WorkSafeBC, and will be chaired by Fernando Coelho, CEO of posAbilities. The first goals of the Council will be to secure ongoing annual funding from WorkSafeBC and to set its priorities for the next two years. I thank all organizations that sent us letters of support for both the pilot project and more recently, the official establishment of the OH&S Council for the sector. For members who haven’t yet sent their letters of support — especially those with employees in Counselling Social Services Classification Unit (766007) — we encourage you to do so, as your formal support will be impactful in the start-up of the Council. Letters of Support can be emailed to Denise Subotin, WorkSafeBC’s Manager of Industry and Labour Services at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . If you have other OH&S Council-related questions, please contact Satvinder Basran at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LRB Appeal

CSSEA will be appealing two recent Labour Relations Board rulings that permit more than one union to represent unionized employees at a single employer. The LRB ruled in both an initial certification hearing, and on appeal by CSSEA, that an additional union could organize unrepresented employees at an agency even where an incumbent union already represents other employees. CSSEA did not oppose the unionization of additional unrepresented employees at an agency; it opposed the certification of additional unions that result in an employer having to deal with more than one union for different groups of employees under the same collective agreement, which can be administratively challenging and negatively impact service delivery.

In a similar bargaining structure in the health sector, the LRB recently issued a series of cases that prohibit additional unions from being certified in these circumstances, on the basis that it is assumed this would lead to an increase in industrial instability. However, in the social services sector, the LRB is not applying these recent cases and still allows for the proliferation of unions at a single employer.…

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