TO: All BCGEU Local 503 Members – Retail Stores and Warehouse

RE: Local 503 General Meeting & Call for Bargaining Proposals

DATE & TIME: September 8, 2024, | 1:00pm – 3:00pm

PLACE: By Zoom and at Headquarters Office – 4911 Canada Way, Burnaby, BC, V5G 3W3 in the Tom Kozar Room (B & C)

Hello Local 503 Members!

You are invited to the next Local 503 General Meeting on Sunday, September 8, 2024, which will be focused on developing proposals for the next round of bargaining

Your contract expires on April 30, 2025, so the next round of Public Service bargaining will start early next year. The BCGEU is beginning preparations for bargaining well in advance, including by developing bargaining proposals in autumn 2024. This notice is your call to submit your bargaining proposals. This meeting is your opportunity to have your say on bargaining priorities for your next contract.

Please note that for proposals to move forward, they must be voted on and passed at a local meeting by a majority of those in attendance.

What is (and is not) a bargaining proposal?

A bargaining proposal is a written submission for a proposed change to either the Main Public Service Agreement or the Component 5 Agreement in the next round of bargaining. This can be a change that adds something new or removes (or modifies) what is currently there. Bargaining proposals are about the conditions of our employment (wages, vacation time, benefits, hours of work, etc.). Bargaining proposals are not about changes to internal union policies or processes.

In drafting a bargaining proposal, you should be as specific as possible with the change you would like to see and provide a justification (or several) for why the change is necessary. A proposal should specify which article (or articles) it is modifying, adding, or deleting, what the current text is, and the exact language you would like to see added, changed, or removed.

The local meeting will include a presentation on the bargaining proposal process and how to write an effective proposal.

Bargaining Proposals Instructions

· All local 503 members must use the attached mandatory form to develop their bargaining proposals. There is one form for Main Public Service Agreement proposals and another form for Component 5 bargaining proposals.

· Proposals should be sent to [email protected] no later than 48 hours in advance of the meeting, i.e. by no later than Friday, September 6th at 1pm.

· Proposals can also be submitted at the meeting.

· For a proposal to move forward and be considered at the next step, they must be voted on and passed at the local meeting by a majority of the members in attendance. You should make a plan to speak in support of your proposal at the meeting.

Local 503 Bargaining Proposal Meeting Details

The full meeting agenda can be found below.

This will be a hybrid meeting occurring both in person and online, with zoom meeting details available below. The Zoom meeting will be opened shortly before 1pm.

Whether you are attending in person or virtually, please RSVP by September 6, 2024, at 1pm 

In the RSVP notes section, please indicate whether you are attending virtually or in person.

Agenda

Call to Order

First Nations Land Acknowledgement

Approval of the agenda

Approval of minutes of previous meeting

Local 503 bargaining proposals

Summary and timelines of the bargaining proposal process

Development of bargaining proposals – using FA-792 Bargaining Proposal Form, attached

Voting on all bargaining proposals submitted

Reports

New business

Steward elections – Fall 2024

Good & Welfare

Next Local 503 Meeting

Adjournment

Zoom meeting information

Meeting: https://bcgeu.zoom.us/j/84973463491

Join by Phone: (778) 907-2071

Meeting ID: 849 7346 3491

We look forward to seeing you on September 8, 2024.

In solidarity,

Kusam Doal

Local 503 Chair & Component 5 Vice-President

Katie Marvin

Staff Representative