Bargaining between the colleges and faculty unions began on March 16, 1998. Key negotiation issues are expected to be wages and benefits. Support Staff - Camosun College and support staff workers represented by CUPE are in bargaining. Their current agreement expires on Mar 31, 1998. The union has scheduled a strike vote for March 24, 1998.
Key issues are wages and benefits.
Bargaining will begin within the next four weeks at eight large tables covering 55 per cent of the certifications in this sector. The Poly Party, representing electrical and maintenance workers, has reached a tentative settlement with Simon Fraser University. Although costing is yet to be completed, the settlement is expected to be within PSEC's compensation guidelines of zero and delayed one per cent. The Chinese government just announced a downsizing program that will eliminate numerous ministries and approximately four million jobs. The public service unions state that the APS shrunk by 62,500 jobs alone between May 1996 and August 1997.