CUPE 748 reaches tentative agreement with Kootenay Lake School District

NELSON, BC, Nov. 26, 2019 /CNW/ - CUPE K-12 Local 748 reached a tentative agreement with School District 8 (Kootenay Lake) following two days of mediation on November 23.

CUPE 748 President Michelle Bennett characterized bargaining as challenging, noting that in her experience it was one of the hardest rounds ever.

"We could not have gotten to a collective agreement without our bargaining team," said Bennett. "They were amazing."

Bennett said that the local was able to deal with existing language on overtime for Education Assistants and Bus Drivers. Further details of the tentative agreement will not be available until after ratification by all parties. Ratification is expected to be completed by November 30.

The tentative agreement also incorporates the provincial framework agreement approved by the K-12 Presidents Council in September. The current K-12 agreement expired on June 30, 2019. When ratified by CUPE locals and school district Boards of Trustees, the collective agreement will be in effect from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022. CUPE represents 57 K-12 locals and 56 have reached agreements, with one local still at the table.

CUPE 748 represents more than 400 K-12 support workers. They provide a wide variety of services that include Education Assistants, Youth Care Workers, Indigenous Support Workers, Custodians, Trades, Clerical, Maintenance, IT, Administrative Support, and Bus Drivers. Members support students in the communities of Crawford Bay, Creston, Kaslo, Meadow Creek, Nelson, Salmo, Slocan, Winlaw, and Wynndel.

SOURCE Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)