Collective bargaining is the process in which employees, through their unions, negotiate terms and conditions of employment with the University.
In British Columbia, public sector bargaining is governed by the Provincial Government, through the Public Sector Employers’ Council Secretariat (PSEC). PSEC establishes the provincial government’s bargaining mandate which outlines the broad terms for collective bargaining across all sectors.
In preparation for bargaining to begin, CapU is required to submit its bargaining plans to PSEC for approval, as PSEC oversees all public-sector human resources.
In the post-secondary sector, universities must balance competitive compensation to attract and retain talent with limited funding and operational sustainability. Collective agreements at CapU also reflect the institutional priorities set forth in Envisioning 2030, Illuminating 2030, the People Plan, and Chén̓chenstway, which address academic and administrative needs.
CapU is a unionized environment. MoveUP represents support staff and the Capilano Faculty Association (CFA) represents faculty. CapU is also supported by a non-unionized complement of administrators and exempt employees, as well as specialized consultants and contract workers in some areas.
Each employee union group at CapU operates under a collective agreement in effect for a defined period of time. Prior to the expiry of the agreement, either the union or the employer can provide notice of their intent to negotiate a new agreement.
Once the mandates are established and the bargaining process begins, both parties present their proposals, supported by relevant data, and engage in discussions to negotiate terms. Counter-proposals are exchanged until agreements are reached on all components, which are then consolidated into a tentative collective agreement.
The collective bargaining process is a critical period during which CapU and employee union groups collaborate to address both monetary and non-monetary matters. These discussions are guided by the provincial mandate and cover topics such as wages, work hours, working conditions, and benefits. The final result of this process is a ratified collective agreement.
Additional resources
- Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC)
- Post-Secondary Employers’ Association (PSEA)
- BC Labour Relations Code
Collective agreements at CapU
- CFA Collective Agreement (pdf)
- MoveUP Collective Agreement (pdf)