To:     BCGEU Component 10 Members - Highways
Re:     Highway Maintenance Service Area Bargaining

This bulletin is meant for BCGEU members in the highway maintenance sector.

As you are aware, there is a contract reopener in all Highway Maintenance Service Area Collective Agreements. That reopener is set to take place this month (Oct 2016). However, as part of the process in preparing for this the union has been pursuing, with the BC Government, the possibility of including successorship in the next round of contracts.

The first set of those contracts are expected to be released in Requests for Proposals (RFPs) at the end of the summer/early fall 2017. These are for contracts that are expiring in 2018.

As part of this process, and with the encouragement of government, we have set up meetings with representatives of the BC Road Builders. We met with them on Oct 5, 2016 and we have further dates scheduled for Oct 23 & 24. You are represented at these meetings by Rory Smith, BCGEU Vice-President –Operational Services Component (Highways); Dave Maki, Provincial Bargaining Council Chairperson; and representatives from across the province that were elected at the Bargaining Conference held in June. Those individuals are all listed below.

As part of this process, we have an agreement with the BC Road Builders to hold the reopeners in abeyance while talks regarding successorship continue. The intention would be to have the successorship talks expand to an agreement that would include the reopener. However, if those talks are unsuccessful, we will then take the reopener out of abeyance and proceed with bargaining.

We will continue to update you on this as matters proceed. In the meantime, you will be hearing from your bargaining council chair, your steward or another representative of the BCGEU on a short questionnaire related to bargaining. Please ensure you participate in this.

In solidarity

Rory Smith, Vice President, Operational Services Component
Dave Maki, Provincial Bargaining Council Chair
Frank Anderson, Regional Coordinator

Provincial Bargaining Committee:
Rory Smith – Vice President, Operational Services    Earl Haward – Committee Member
Dave Maki – Provincial Bargaining Council Chair        John Cantlon – Committee Member
Scott Bumphrey – Committee Member                    Reg Dyer – Committee Member
Bob Cristofanetti – Committee Member                   Kelly McDonald – Committee Member
Dan O'Hanley – Committee Member                   Frank Anderson – BCGEU Regional Coordinator

Download PDF of notice here

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