Questions of the Week – September 2023
2023-09-08
Q: What is the status of my retro pay, negotiated in the most recent contract, and dating back to July 1, 2022?
A: BCIT updated its pay scales at the end of August, and members should already see their new salary reflected on their pay stub. The process of calculating and then delivering retro pay is, likewise, under BCIT’s control. We want the employer get things right when retro pay is issued and anticipate that this will take some time.
2023-09-15
Q: Since the bargaining communique came out I’ve wondered: which FSA positions fall into hourly rates and which fall into annual salary scales?
A: Our members with PTS contracts receive hourly rates, which now includes a one-time 3.9 percent increase on top of general wage gains. Guest lecturers, student employees, and markers also receive an hourly rate and overtime is calculated on an hourly basis. All other members receive an annual salary, although that scale can also be broken into hourly rates. See Article 15 of the 2019-22 Collective Agreement for more details.
2023-09-22
Q: I was reading the details of our new contract and saw that the shingles vaccine is now covered by our extended health benefits. Does this mean that I’m able to claim my August 2022 vaccination?
A: Wages are back dated to the beginning of the new agreement (July 1, 2022) but benefits are not. Instead, our new benefits became available with ratification in the summer.
2023-09-29
Q: This is my 18th year working at BCIT as a part time/flexible learning instructor. My years of service have never been acknowledged by the institute. I think there are many valuable and talented instructors like me that are overlooked and underappreciated. Is there anything that can be done to celebrate our membership in the BCIT community?
A: From the union perspective, the best way to force the employer to treat our members in PTS with the same dignity they do other employees is to make your voices heard. The FSA is co-hosting a pub night with the UBCFA, FPSE, and CUFA BC in October. This event will provide an opportunity for our members in PTS to get together with others from the Lower Mainland to strategize around how best to put our common issues on the agenda. All our members working in PTS are welcome to attend.