An inflationary wage increase for qathet Regional District’s (qRD) Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) members is not part of City of Powell River’s collective agreement, city councillors were told.
At the April 6 city council meeting, councillor George Doubt, one of the city’s two representatives on qRD’s board of directors, outlined the wage increase in his report on the regional district’s March 22 board meeting.
From the rise and report out of an in camera session, Doubt said the board approved a non-obligated collective agreement wage increase for CUPE 798 workers with the regional district, which brings the total increase for CUPE workers to 6.9 per cent for 2023.
“The increase matches the BC consumer price index at December 31, 2022, and the increase will be backdated to January 1, 2023,” said Doubt. “The collective agreement between qathet Regional District and CUPE 798 expires on December 31, 2023.”
Councillor Jim Palm said the developments at the regional district were very interesting with regard to the CUPE contract.
“Knowing that we are going into negotiations shortly with our CUPE staff, could you just explain to the public the rationale for the increase for CUPE at the qRD?” asked Palm.
Doubt said he had to stick with the rise and report from the closed meeting. He said it was a mid-contract increase.
Palm said he wanted to make sure the public is aware this is not just happening in Powell River, it is happening elsewhere.
Doubt said it’s not uncommon in times of inflation spiking up considerably higher than expected.
“We’ve been looking at inflation that is close to zero, or around one or two per cent, and you go from there to six per cent and that’s a significant change,” said Doubt. “That starts to pinch. If you’re a worker and your wages aren’t going up, and the cost of broccoli is going up, you need some way to buy your broccoli at the end of the week.”
Palm said he wanted to explain to the public one other important point: the regional district has a clause in its policy and bylaws that allows opening up and making that contribution on its own collective agreement.
“However, the city does not, I believe, have that type of clause,” said Palm.
Acting chief administrative officer Alex Bjelica said that is correct for the current contract.
A media release from qRD stated that in 2018, a collective agreement was negotiated between the local union, CUPE Local 798, and qRD, which established annual wage rates from 2019 to 2023. The wage increase for 2023 was negotiated at 2.25 percent, the release stated.
However, due to a sharp rise in inflation of more than six per cent, the board decided to raise unionized staff wages to 6.9 per cent, matching the BC consumer price index as calculated on December 31, 2022. This increase will account for a 0.13 percent increase to the total 2023 budget, according to the release.
“We firmly believe that our employees are the foundation to successful and sustainable service delivery and ensuring that our staff wages keep up with the cost of living is vital to the overall health of our organization,” stated regional board chair Clay Brander. “Approving the wage increase for CUPE 798 union members is not only the right thing to do, but it also ensures that we attract and retain the best talent to continue maintaining services to our residents.”
CUPE 798 president Fred Stutt explained that union members, like all residents in the region and province, face affordability challenges and are struggling with rising inflation.
“We are pleased that the qathet Regional District Board has recognized and addressed these affordability challenges with this wage increase,” stated Stutt. “It is proactive actions like this that make it clear that the roles our members serve for the residents and businesses in our community continue with mutual respect and value.”
