Collective Bargaining FAQs
Please note that some of this information relates to the 2019 round of bargaining. CUPE 2950 ratified a new agreement in 2023.
What is collective bargaining?
- Collective bargaining is the process of negotiations between the union and the employer to develop and maintain the collective agreement.
Who bargains for CUPE 2950?
- The Contract Committee is made up of members who have been elected to the committee. To find out who is on the committee, visit https://www.cupe2950.ca/committees/contract/
Who bargains for UBC?
- The University’s bargaining committee consists of Employee Relations and a number of managers from different departments.
How and where can I get information about bargaining?
- For information related to CUPE 2950 bargaining, please follow the website. We will also send bargaining bulletins out via email.
- To follow bargaining of other CUPE locals please visit www.universitieswork.ca
When is the union going to meet with the University?
- We will meet with the employer in the fall after the membership ratifies the contract proposals at the September General Membership Meeting.
What are the proposals?
- We sent out bargaining surveys to the membership to canvas issues – the contract committee will take the results of the survey along with feedback gathered along the way to develop proposals for the membership to vote on.
- At the September 26th Membership meeting the committee will be putting forward concept proposals. Once the membership has voted on the proposals, the committee will develop the contract language to put across the table to the employer.
Our collective agreement has expired. What does that mean?
- The collective agreement remains in force until the next one is negotiated.
When do we vote on the contract?
- All members of CUPE 2950 are eligible to vote on the memorandum of agreement. The committee will present their recommendation at a membership or a special meeting.
Who is the Public Sector Employer’s Council (PSEC)?
- The Public Sector Employer’s Council falls under the Ministry of Finance. The Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) supports government in setting and coordinating strategic directions in human resource management and labour relations for the broader public sector.
- They have to approve UBC’s proposals and contract before it goes to the Board of Governors for approval.
- They have been directed by the Ministry of Finance to implement and force mandated wage increases and term, not open for negotiation.
Will we go on strike?
- The members decide whether we go on strike or not.
- A strike vote is when the membership authorizes the union to take job action. In BC, the union has to give the employer 72 hours notice of job action and we have 90 days to invoke some sort of job action after the strike vote is taken.
Steps for Collective Bargaining
- Election of Contract Chair
- Election of bargaining committee
- Contract committee presents and recommends concept proposals to the membership.
- CUPE 2950 and UBC exchange proposals
- Both parties continue to meet – this constitutes bargaining
- Once the parties agree, the memorandum of agreement is sent to government for final approval, the union then takes the agreement to the membership and it’s voted on.
