BCER Bargaining Update: Tentative Deal and Ratification Vote
Publish date: Tuesday, August 01, 2023
BCER - British Columbia Energy Regulator
Oil & Gas Commission
Dear BCER members,
The bargaining committee is very happy to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached. Highlights from the agreement include:
- Creation of a 6th Step to Grid Level OGC 4
- New recruitment and retention support
- New leave language
- New Communicable Disease language
- Improvements to Extended Health Benefits
The Memorandum of Settlement can be read here.
Member Meetings: Thursday, August 3, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Please plan to attend the ratification meeting this week via Teams where we will discuss the tentative agreement in depth and answer your questions. The following conference rooms have been booked:
- VIC Meeting Room 610
- FSJ Meeting Room 227
- KEL Meeting Room 229
Please check your emails for a link to the Teams call.
Ratification Vote: August 1-14, 2023
Voting on ratification of the tentative agreement will open today, August 1 at 4:30 p.m. and close on August 14 at noon. Scrutineering will take place at 12:30 p.m. on August 14, and the results will be announced that afternoon.
Members will receive an email from the PEA with their voting credentials to their preferred email address. The email will contain a link to the voting site and your unique credential information (login and password).
If you do not receive the email from Simply Voting, please check your junk mail folder. If it isn't there please contact the PEA via email voting@pea.org or by calling 1-800-779-7736 ext # 200. Adding pea@simplyvoting.com to your address book can facilitate the delivery of your voting credentials.
Thank you again for all of your support. We are unanimously recommending ratification of this tentative agreement.
Suzanne Mathews
Stu Venables
Rhiannon Bray, Labour Relations Officer
In this section
The PEA was formed in 1974, by a group of professionals working in the public sector. The story goes that the founders of the union mortgaged their houses to fund negotiations of the union’s first collective agreement.
Now, the PEA is BC’s union for professionals. We represent a wide range of professionals including lawyers, foresters, engineers, agrologists, teachers, veterinarians, fundraisers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists program managers, librarians and more.
Our union is led by the PEA Executive. They represent members from across the chapters of the PEA and set the overall vision and direction for our union.
Resources for our members
Navigating a union can sometime be a challenging process. Under this section of the website you will find resources to help you navigate the PEA. In the members section you'll find expense claim reimbursements, information on the PEA's scholarship and bursary program and our grants and donations program.
Collective bargaining and job action resources explain the process of collective bargaining and what to do in the unlikely event of job action.
Local reps can also find resources to help them complete their job more effectively. This includes ways to welcome new members, how to take notes in investigation disciplinary meetings and more.
The heart of our union
The PEA is made up of nine chapters, or groups of members who either work for the same employer or are in the same field of work. Each chapter has an elected executive tasked with running the affairs of the chapter. Each chapter is entitled to representation at the PEA Executive, the governing body of the union.
Our members work for a range of employers: the Province of BC, the University of Victoria, St. Margaret's School, the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, the Oil and Gas Commission, the Law Society of BC, Legal Services Society, the Okangan Regional Library and health authorities across BC.
Professionals need unions now more then ever
Since the 1970’s, when the PEA was formed, our mission has been to ensure our members can work in safe, productive environments and receive fair and reasonable wages and benefits for the valuable work they do. We help individuals and groups of professional workers to understand the challenges they face in their workplaces and some of the solutions available to them.
We work with potential members to become certified as a union and achieve the wages, benefits and respect they deserve.
