2023
Vancouver
City-Wide
Bargaining

SuMMARY
WORKERS VOICES
UPDATES
STRIKE FAQ

Show your support for Vancouver’s Janitors, share our story:

Deal Ratified! See CBA Highlights

Read Here

Summary

Over 2500 SEIU janitors from across Metro-Vancouver are in first Central Bargaining Contract Negotiations to win much needed improvements – cost of living wage increases, improved benefits, a pension plan, better health & safety measures, and job security!

We’ve all been experiencing first-hand an unprecedented rise in the cost of living and inflation: housing, groceries, transportation, gas, everything! At our current wages, even basic necessities are out of reach. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) as calculated by Statistics Canada has annual inflation at 6.8%, the highest we have seen in 31 years!

We clean public transportation systems, commercial office buildings, government buildings, shopping malls, food courts, post-secondary institutions, private schools, healthcare facilities, courthouses, and more. Janitors working for eight of Canada’s largest cleaning contractors will be at a central bargaining table for the first time together – Bee-Clean Building Maintenance, Best Service Pros, GDI Integrated Facility Services, Alpine Building Maintenance, Ultratech Cleaning Systems, Hallmark Housekeeping Services, BGIS Integrated Facility Management and C&W Services.

We know that only by coming together and fighting for what we deserve can we win a strong union contract, and SEIU members are ready to do just that.

Ready to Take Action!

Over 97% of janitors surveyed have indicated they are ready to take action to win a strong contract.

April 2023
Meet your Central Bargaining Action Committee Members

April 2023: Meet your Central Bargaining Action Committee Members

Workers Voices

“We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Now is our time, and we are ready to stand up for what we deserve.” – Agnes Estimo, Best Service Pros - Metropolis Metrotown
“We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Now is our time, and we are ready to stand up for what we deserve.”

– Agnes Estimo, Best Service Pros - Metropolis Metrotown
“Winning a pension plan is one of our top priorities this coming central bargaining. For all the work we do, companies need to contribute more for our future security when we retire.” – Ariel Dela Riarte, GDI – Gordon & Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre
“Winning a pension plan is one of our top priorities this coming central bargaining. For all the work we do, companies need to contribute more for our future security when we retire.”

– Ariel Dela Riarte, GDI – Gordon & Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre
“Having a union is so important to protect us from contract flips. Without a union, companies and property managers don’t have to rehire us when contracts do change. Because we are Union, now is our chance to negotiate and raise the bar for everyone.” – Bimbo Marcellana, Best Service Pros – BCIT Richmond  
“Having a union is so important to protect us from contract flips. Without a union, companies and property managers don’t have to rehire us when contracts do change. Because we are Union, now is our chance to negotiate and raise the bar for everyone.”

– Bimbo Marcellana, Best Service Pros – BCIT Richmond  
“Cleaning companies will try to employ many different tactics to try to intimidate and scare us. We need to stick together to win significant gains in central bargaining. We have nothing to lose, but we have everything to gain!” – Catherine Bussey, Bee Clean – Skytrain
“Cleaning companies will try to employ many different tactics to try to intimidate and scare us. We need to stick together to win significant gains in central bargaining. We have nothing to lose, but we have everything to gain!”

– Catherine Bussey, Bee Clean – Skytrain
“English is not my first language. It’s a challenge for me to find jobs with better pay. Being part of a union is the only way for me to get better wage and health benefits as a single earner in my household” – Emma Echemendia, Ultratech – 1333 W Broadway.
“English is not my first language. It’s a challenge for me to find jobs with better pay. Being part of a union is the only way for me to get better wage and health benefits as a single earner in my household”

– Emma Echemendia, Ultratech – 1333 W Broadway.
“We need to raise the standards for janitors. We are all ready to come together and if necessary strike  to show these companies that we are serious about making positive changes.” – Gregory Merkel, Best Service Pros – University of British Columbia, Okanagan
“We need to raise the standards for janitors. We are all ready to come together and if necessary strike  to show these companies that we are serious about making positive changes.”

– Gregory Merkel, Best Service Pros – University of British Columbia, Okanagan
“Working on the Skytrain exposes us to a lot of health issues. We deserve more paid sick days so we don’t have to go to work sick.” – Jaspreet Singh, Bee Clean – Skytrain
“Working on the Skytrain exposes us to a lot of health issues. We deserve more paid sick days so we don’t have to go to work sick.”

– Jaspreet Singh, Bee Clean – Skytrain
“We deserve an extended health and dental benefits that is fully-paid by the employer so that we don’t have to worry about taking these extra expenses out of our own pockets.” – Jinky Alviar, Bee Clean – ICBC
“We deserve an extended health and dental benefits that is fully-paid by the employer so that we don’t have to worry about taking these extra expenses out of our own pockets.”

– Jinky Alviar, Bee Clean – ICBC
“Cleaning the public transit means putting ourselves at risk to many things. As frontline workers, we are the ones that makes sure that the Skytrain is clean for the public to use and enjoy. We need to negotiate  better health and safety protocols.” – Lenna McVeety, Bee Clean – Skytrain
“Cleaning the public transit means putting ourselves at risk to many things. As frontline workers, we are the ones that makes sure that the Skytrain is clean for the public to use and enjoy. We need to negotiate  better health and safety protocols.”

– Lenna McVeety, Bee Clean – Skytrain
“We deserve better wages for the hard work we do. We know what needs to change in order for us to support our families.” – Rekha Chander, Ultra-tech – Brian Canfield Centre
“We deserve better wages for the hard work we do. We know what needs to change in order for us to support our families.”

– Rekha Chander, Ultra-tech – Brian Canfield Centre
“Many of us are working two or more full-time jobs just to survive in Vancouver. Having our union gives us the power to negotiate for more so we can provide better for our families.” – Vibhu Gour, Alpine – HSBC Tower (Cadillac Fairview)
“Many of us are working two or more full-time jobs just to survive in Vancouver. Having our union gives us the power to negotiate for more so we can provide better for our families.”

– Vibhu Gour, Alpine – HSBC Tower (Cadillac Fairview)

Updates

June 20, 2023

*** DEAL RATIFIED!!!! ***

Check out the highlights of your new CBA.

See Full Updates

Calendar

Deal ratified by SEIU Local 2 janitors. Congratulations on your new CBA!

12pm to 5pm at Burnaby Central Park
Picnic Area #2

Food, snacks, and soft drinks provided!
Many raffle prizes to be won! Games for kids!

VOTE

Employers’ offer will be presented which the negotiating committee is unanimously recommending you RATIFY (vote YES).

Every member should attend Sunday’s event.

**Note that the picnic will go on in rain or shine and we will have a giant tent set up at the event.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Minister of Labour Hon. Harry Bains and Mayor of Burnaby, Mike Hurley.

Bargaining Committee returns to the negotiation table armed with an overwhelming strike mandate.

Bargaining Committee reports to the membership on where we are in Collective Bargaining and holds strike vote. 

(NOTE: Hundreds of SEIU members voted 99% YES in favour of a strike.)

June 3
10:30am-12:30pm
500 Granville St, Vancouver
SFU Vancouver Segal Building
Room 1200-1500 | Main Floor

Central Bargaining Continues

Bargaining Committee meets to finalize monetary bargaining proposals

Central Bargaining continues.

Central Bargaining commences.

The Bargaining Committee meets to finalize non-monetary bargaining proposals.

A Town-Hall meeting in Vancouver for members from across the eight contractors to discuss bargaining priorities and plan for negotiations.

Action committee members meet in Vancouver to review thousands of bargaining surveys. The sub-committee that comprises the Bargaining Committee is elected.

Over 300 worksite meetings and thousands of janitors surveyed to identify membership priorities for the upcoming negotiations.

How Strikes work in British Columbia

Your Employer continues to take an unrealistic approach in bargaining and ignore our key priorities. We need a strike mandate to show them how serious we are about winning a fair Union contract.

A vote to withhold our labour is what gives us the most power to put economic pressure on Employers and return to bargaining with a fair deal.

Yes. Workers who participate in the strike will receive strike pay. Strike pay is also non-taxable income according to Canada Revenue.

No. It is your legal right to strike in Canada and you are protected by the law. It is illegal for your Employer to retaliate against you in any way.

No, the labour law in BC has anti-scab legislation. This means your Employer cannot bring in “scabs” to replace your labour and do your work to make your strike less effective.

Contact

For more information speak to your steward, contact an organizer or your Union Representative.

Jorge Villatoro
604.540.7774 ext 206
jvillatoro@seiulocal2.ca

Christine Bro
604.540.7774 ext 207
cbro@seiulocal2.ca

contact an organizer