“The tentative agreement brings some real improvements to work-life balance issues for our members, and some improvements to benefits for which we’ve been advocating for many years." — Mike Parker, HSAA President
Component Bargaining
"In other words, we’re being paid a fifth less for no good reason. That’s not only unjust — it will soon be illegal." — Mary Ellen Kelloway, OPSEU bargaining team chair
“This kind of silly game playing is just counterproductive. I hope they’re taking a more serious approach to negotiations with our correctional bargaining team, which is trying hard to fix the crisis in corrections.” — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President
"Strike action is never the first choice, but AYSP staff have shown they will do what is necessary to reach an agreement." — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President
"Bill 178 return-to-work legislation violates rights and freedoms that workers have fought to win for more than a century. OPSEU/NUPGE is committed to protecting those hard-won rights.” — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President
“When we first sat down at the table, the employer demanded a slate of concessions, including benefits cuts for most of the membership. But the bargaining team was able to remove every, single concession. This was a great victory.” — Julie Lenko, OPSEU Chair of the LHINs’ central bargaining team
“We work in volatile and violent workplaces. We find that giving back to the community is an effective means to cope with the daily stress we face. This outreach keeps us focused on the reason we do what we do every day.” — Chris Jackel, OPSEU's correctional bargaining chair
“Faculty are the real leaders trying to improve the college system, and I am immensely proud that we stood up for fairness for all faculty and a higher quality of education for our students.” — JP Hornick, Chair of the OPSEU college faculty bargaining team
"Our members' patience and commitment to the union's fight for a better deal were key to getting this deal." — Jason MacLean, NSGEU President
“This has been a long, arduous, and difficult round of bargaining" — Jerry Earle, NAPE President
“This just shows what faculty have been saying all along: college administrators are making decisions about academic programs that they are not qualified to make.” — JP Hornick, OPSEU/NUPGE
Thomas said it was “ironic, but not funny” that the government had passed Bill 148, which improves certain labour standards, “just a few days after it had walked all over the Charter rights of more than 12,000 workers.”
The contract will be presented to NBU/NUPGE members working as instructors in the community college sector.
“With cooperation from Council at the bargaining table I believe we can settle this strike in short order.” — JP Hornick, OPSEU's Chair of the faculty bargaining team
“If the minister can tell the colleges how to spend the money they’ve saved, she can tell them how to bargain fairly as well. I encourage her to do so this weekend.” — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President
"A year and a half may seem a long time, but there are important issues that require urgent attention. British Columbians can't wait a year and a half for real solutions." — Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President
“College presidents should get back to the bargaining table and settle this strike now before they do any more damage to a college system that students and our economy depend on.” — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President