This year has been an active year in regards to ETEA bargaining. We’ve had up to six locals bargaining (Locals 2, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 12) so far this year, with three of them working on achieving their first collective agreement. Two locals (Locals 6 and 7) have ratified collective agreements. Many thanks to the bargaining teams, local executives and FPSE staff representatives for helping us through this busy time.

Four locals choose to take strike votes this year in an effort to reach an agreement with their employers. Locals 9 (VEC) and Local 11 (Hanson International), each voted 100 % in favour of job action. Both these locals are attempting to reach their first collective agreement with difficult employers.  In the near future, we may be calling upon ETEA members to show solidarity and support should these locals need to commence job action in order to reach an agreement.

Local 7 ratified their agreement on May 1^st. The biggest gain from their new collective agreement is an increase in guaranteed prep time (equivalent to a 4.9% salary increase for full-time employees).

Local 6’s (KGIC) collective agreement expired in February of 2015. In an effort to get the employer back to the bargaining table, the teachers of KGIC voted 95% in favour of job action. This resulted in the employer agreeing to return to the table, and after some long evening sessions of bargaining the two sides reached an agreement. KGIC teachers recently voted to ratify their collective agreement which, amongst other gains, brings improvements to the pay structure of coordinators and bumping rights.

Local 2 (EC) has been in bargaining for seven months and recently voted 97.5 % in favour of job action. They have further bargaining dates scheduled for August, and are hopeful that the employer will present a package they can work with. However, the teachers are firm in their expectations for bargaining and may be considering their options should they reach an impasse.

Finally, Local 12 (Cloud 9 college, formerly ILI) is set to resume their bargaining. At this point they are working on scheduling bargaining dates in hopes of reaching a first collective agreement.

Our ETEA AGM will be held on Thursday May 12 at the YWCA (535 Hornby Street – 4th floor). Food and refreshments will be provided from 6:00 – 6:30 pm. The meeting will be called to order at 6:30 pm.

After difficult negotiations that led to job action and mediation, the teachers at PGIC Vancouver have finally reached an agreement with the Loyalist Group. Though not everything the teachers were looking for, the agreement does provide an average 15 per cent increase in the first year and reduced the employers proposed six step, 15 year pay grid to a five step, 10 year grid. Local 10 members voted in favour of ratification on July 24, 2015.

Local 10 (PGIC) Collective Agreement 2015 – 2018

We are proud to announce that the teachers at Hanson International Academy voted overwhelmingly to join the ETEA. On July 20, 2015 the Labour Board granted the certification making the instructors at Hanson Academy ETEA local 11. Hanson Academy is a career college offering business and hospitality and tourism programs. The instructors at Hanson ran a highly efficient organizing drive that garnered nearly unanimous support. We look forward to working with this motivated group and wish them success in negotiating their first collective agreement.