BURNABY- Kris Billy, your NVITEA (FPSE Local 19) representative, along with other members of the College and Institute Support Staff Bargaining Association (CISSBA), met with the Post-Secondary Employers' Council (PSEA) on Tuesday April 19, 2011 to negotiate a set of common and important issues that affect all Support Staff employees.

After some discussions, the parties agreed to resume provincial talks at a later time. CISSBA members have returned to their locals and will focus on local bargaining.

NVITEA and the local employer have not yet begun local bargaining. Though no plans have been made, it is expected that local bargaining will open in the fall of 2011.

CISSBA members hope that when they engage in local bargaining, their local employers will work seriously in good and productive discussions. CISSBA members agree that the goal is to achieve collective agreements that allow each local to support education that meets the needs of our students and communities.

Along with NVITEA (FPSE L19), the CISSBA includes Support Staff Unions representing Support Staff employees at twelve other institutions: Camosun College (CUPE), North Island College (CUPE), Vancouver Island University (CUPE), College of the Rockies (CUPE), College of New Caledonia (CUPE), BCIT (BCGEU), Kwantlen Polytechnic University (BCGEU), Douglas College (BCGEU), Justice Institute of BC (BCGEU), Northern Lights College BCGEU), Northwest Community College (BCGEU), Okanagan College (BCGEU).

Workers covered by these agreements provide important services at colleges and institutes across the province, including maintenance, administrative support, custodial support, food services, horticulture, child care, teaching assistance, IT services/technical support and library services. They also staff print shops and book stores on campus.

The NVITEA collective agreement expired on March 31, 2010. All others expired June 30, 2010.

For more information contact Jeff McKeil, FPSE Staff Representative at 604-873-8988