CEU History Timeline

50% increase in membership brings new problems

Board expands operations to other locations

Area offices open and Management picks names from a hat to move members – coined the “meat draw”

Management refuses to bargain second Collective Agreement

Achieved LTD for members

Created new employee types that had different
hours of work – A-Type; B-type and C-type

Ralph Burrows
1979 to 1980
President

Labour Relations got hot as disputes arose over wage increments only being granted if you received a favourable performance review.

Union successfully arbitrated the issue and instituted a process that removed bias.

Fresh off a 1983 election win, the
provincial government tabled a series of 26 bills slashing social services, public schools, and the rights of trade unions.

These bills enabled increased governmental control over school boards and colleges, less enforcement of employment standards, the abandonment of the province’s human rights
commission, less Medicare, increased wage control, and the ‘gutting’ of union contracts in the public sector, meaning employees could be fired without cause or in respect to seniority.

A furious backlash took place from unions and other activists that became known as Operation Solidarity. WCBEU members voted 95% to join in the Operation Solidarity Movement

Union office expenses average $10,000/mth over income. Dues increased to 1%

COLA clause lost at
Bargaining

Member anger at their treatment built up over the years. This resulted in a first strike, yet there was no strike fund. It lasted 3 weeks.

Achieved: Wage increases; Layoff and recall rights; Better temporary employee language (this was 10% of the membership at the time); Vacation increase



Gary Kreller
1989 to 1991
President

Bill Hawkins
1991 – 2003
President

1,000 outstanding Job Evaluations has Union and members frustrated with JE process

Defence fund established after 1989 strike reached the $1 million dollar mark.

EFAP program established following agreement in last round of Bargaining

Joint Harassment Policy being
developed

Claims Adjudicator to Case Manager; Claims
Officer 1 to CSR; and Claims Officers II to Entitlement Officer.

Board’s position was everyone would need to reapply and qualify for the new jobs. After much negotiation your Union is successful in securing an automatic rollover in to the new job, and an ability to opt “down”.

Assessments Department undergoes significant reorg with new “Employer Services Strategy” implementation

Union meets with Royal Commission on Workers Compensation

E-File system begins to roll out across the Province

Employment security renewed in early renewal bargaining

Expedited Job Evaluation Process begins to get rid of the huge backlog

CEU officially becomes part of the House of Labour as membership votes YES to signing an independent affiliation agreement with BCGEU.

CEU becomes active on the BC Federation of Labour Occupational Health & Safety Committee

Sandra Wright
2003 to 2019
President

Significant increases in extended
benefits – paramedical, psychologist, vision care, Dental C; Hearing Aides & others

Grid Collapse from 25 Pay Groupings to 11- results in wage increases for many

Completed Gender Neutral Review of Job Evaluation Plan- results in wage
increases for many

$3700 signing bonus

Achieved a Family Leave – Removed
requirement to link to an illness

Introduced Elder care

Clarified rights to apply on temp postings
for those in a job share

Achieved a Letter Of Understanding on
Joint Mental Health Committee

Lost Employment Security- replaced
with bumping process outlined under
article 70- the language that was
arbitrated many times in 2002

CEU Members ratify the 2014-2019 Collective Agreement 1 year after expiry of the earlier contract, following an overwhelming positive strike vote and successful job action within the workplace.

Laura Snow is elected as President of the CEU



Laura Snow
2019 – Present
President