Friday, April 22, 2022 – The BCGEU-represented librarians at Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) have a new four-year contract. On Wednesday, April 20, VIRL’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to accept the ratified offer and put an end to the labour disruption that has impacted services at VIRL branches since March 8.
“As a Board, we are thankful to both sides of the bargaining table for their commitment and dedication to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement,” says Gaby Wickstrom, Chair of the VIRL Board of Trustees. “With the strike now behind us, it is time to look forward and begin the important work of ensuring our libraries are safe and healthy environments for our staff and the diverse community members who use our spaces every day.”
The agreement equates to a 12% increase over four years and breaks down as follows:
- January 1, 2021: 3% (retroactive)
- January 1, 2022: 3% (retroactive) with a $500 signing bonus
- January 1, 2023: 3%
- January 1, 2024: 3%
In addition to its monetary provisions, the agreement also holds new language for greater bargaining unit/employer collaboration on issues of shared priority.
With an agreement now in place, all VIRL librarians have returned to their branches and resumed the community-focused work they are so passionate about. This includes the full resumption of in-branch and virtual programs and services, reference questions, and the many other critically important services librarians provide every day.
Full details about upcoming programs and events are available on VIRL’s online event calendar.
Media Contact
David Carson, Director, Corporate Communications
250.327.3651
dcarson@virl.bc.ca
Updated April 9, 2022 – Following a productive discussion at the April 9 Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) Board of Trustees meeting, VIRL is re-engaging the assigned Labour Relations Board mediator in hopes of ending the ongoing impasse and labour disruption impacting VIRL branches and communities.
“I know I speak for my fellow Trustees when I say we care deeply about all VIRL employees,” says Gaby Wickstrom, Chair of the VIRL Board of Trustees. “We are grateful for staff’s tireless commitment through the pandemic, and the many challenges they face in their service to the public. As Trustees in charge of administering VIRL’s budget, part of our job is to ensure fair wage increases for staff while balancing the financial burden to our communities. The long shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbates these challenges, but the Board is confident that a resumption of cooperative bargaining will lead us to a mutually acceptable outcome.”
VIRL is committed to ending this impasse at the bargaining table and is hopeful BCGEU will be amenable to recommencing discussions in the days ahead. The next step will be to re-engage the mediator and find mutually agreeable dates and times for bargaining.
It is noteworthy that since all BCGEU members went on strike on March 30, unpicketed VIRL branches have remained open and accessible thanks to the efforts of VIRL’s CUPE staff, including Circulation Supervisors, Library Assistants, and Information Technicians. These frontline CUPE staff and Library Pages have ensured our communities continue to receive critical library service, with non-branch support from CUPE and Exempt colleagues in numerous departments.
BCGEU issued strike notice on February 25 and picketing began on March 8 at rotating locations. Since then, the strike has escalated with all BCGEU members now on strike and multiple locations impacted daily. VIRL has made several attempts to end the impasse with what it believes are fair and competitive offers. This has been a challenging time for all, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience to our communities and library users.
Further updates will be provided when dates for bargaining are set.
More information about the strike is available at virl.bc.ca/updates.
Updated March 26, 2022 – On Thursday, March 17, the members of BCGEU Local 702 wrote the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) Board, specifying the range of Librarian wage increases that would end the strike.
At mediation on March 22, VIRL offered a four-year proposal within the BCGEU-specified range, and with reasonable expectation that an agreement would be achieved. Instead, BCGEU rejected the proposal, escalated its service-impacting strike, and is now seeking an unspecified increase.
Today, BCGEU will close the following 10 VIRL locations due to picket lines:
- Lake Cowichan
- Nanaimo North
- Nanaimo Harbourfront
- Creativity Commons
- Port Alberni
- Qualicum Beach
- Port McNeill
- Courtenay
- Cowichan
- Sooke
VIRL encourages BCGEU to suspend its service-impacting strike and reconsider VIRL’s March 22 proposal. The proposal exceeds historically negotiated adjustments, meets BCGEU’s stated expectation, and spares communities and residents from new taxes. The offer still stands.
More information will be provided as it becomes available. For the latest updates, including the current strike locations, visit virl.bc.ca/updates.
Updated March 24, 2022 – BCGEU has rejected the latest offer from Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL). Following two nights of VIRL-requested mediation, during which VIRL put forward an offer it considers fair and respectful to our librarians, and sustainable for the communities it serves, regrettably the offer was rejected by the BCGEU bargaining committee.
BCGEU escalated its service-impacting strikes this morning, closing the following branches today:
- Campbell River
- Courtenay
- Cowichan (Duncan)
- Nanaimo North
- Sidney/North Saanich
- Sooke
VIRL’s fair and reasonable offer remains on the table and VIRL is committed to the Collective Bargaining process.
More information will be provided as it becomes available. For the latest updates, including the current strike locations, visit virl.bc.ca/updates.
Updated March 17, 2022 – This evening, BCGEU announced that tomorrow’s picket lines will be at Comox, Port Hardy, Qualicum Beach, Sooke and South Cowichan branches.
Learn more:
https://www.bcgeu.ca/bcgeu_librarians_expand_pickets_and_escalate_job_action
Updated March 15, 2022 – Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) is standing by for a revised counter-proposal from British Columbia General Employees Union (BCGEU) Local 702 and looks forward to negotiating a mutually respectful agreement.
Updated March 7, 2022 – The District of Sooke is sharing this message from Vancouver Island Regional Library:
With picketing slated to commence later this week, the British Columbia General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) Local 702 has counter offered with wage increases greater than those the union had previously identified it would accept.
BCGEU has communicated its intent to picket VIRL locations on Wednesday, March 9 that will result in disruption of library services.
Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) is disappointed that BCGEU appears to be moving away from the opportunity to achieve an agreement which is in the interest of all parties.
More information, including service impacts, will be provided as it becomes available. For all the latest updates, please visit: https://virl.bc.ca/updates/.
Updated March 7, 2022 – The District of Sooke is sharing this message from Vancouver Island Regional Library:
With picketing slated to commence later this week, the British Columbia General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) Local 702 has counter offered with wage increases greater than those the union had previously identified it would accept.
BCGEU has communicated its intent to picket VIRL locations on Wednesday, March 9 that will result in disruption of library services.
Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) is disappointed that BCGEU appears to be moving away from the opportunity to achieve an agreement which is in the interest of all parties.
More information, including service impacts, will be provided as it becomes available. For all the latest updates, please visit: https://virl.bc.ca/updates/.
Updated March 4, 2022 – The District of Sooke is sharing this message from Vancouver Island Regional Library:
Late yesterday, VIRL learned that members of the British Columbia General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) Local 702 at Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) had rejected the employer’s March 01, 2022 proposal. BCGEU members may legally strike at any time.
It is regrettable that an agreement has not yet been achieved. VIRL remains focused on the mediation process. The latest VIRL proposal included two term options, each featuring compensation increases beyond those previously tabled, and an agreement would have included the numerous non-monetary provisions recently bargained.
VIRL and BCGEU had been bargaining the expired BCGEU Collective Agreement (January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2020) since September, 2021. The negotiations reached an impasse over wages and term, despite substantive agreement on numerous non-monetary components. On February 22, BCGEU notified VIRL that its members had voted in favour of a strike mandate. On February 25, BCGEU filed 72-hour strike notice. On March 01, VIRL offered a new proposal through the assigned Labour Relations Board mediator.
More information, including impacts to our ability to deliver critical library service, will be provided at virl.bc.ca/updates. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this labour dispute may cause.
Updated Friday, March 4, 2022 – The District of Sooke is sharing this message from Vancouver Island Regional Library:
Early on Tuesday, March 1, Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) offered a new proposal to British Columbia Government Employees Union (BCGEU) Local 702 via the assigned Labour Relations Board mediator. VIRL is awaiting an update from the mediator.
VIRL and BCGEU have been bargaining the expired BCGEU Collective Agreement (January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2020) since September 2021. The negotiations reached an impasse over wages and term. On Tuesday, February 22, BCGEU, notified VIRL that its members had voted 95% in favour of a strike mandate. On the afternoon of Friday, February 25, BCGEU served 72- hour strike notice.
On Monday, February 28, 2022, VIRL’s Executive Committee provided guidance to management on a renewed bargaining mandate. The assigned Labour Relations Board mediator was re-engaged soon thereafter.
VIRL remains committed to working with BCGEU on a solution to this impasse and is hopeful its members will accept the new offer, thereby avoiding a strike.
VIRL understands that job action will commence this morning, with BCGEU members wearing buttons. Library services are not expected to be impacted today. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
The latest updates will be shared at virl.bc.ca/updates.
Monday, February 28, 2022, 12:19 p.m. – Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) and BC General Employees’ Union Local 702 (BCGEU) have been bargaining the expired BCGEU Collective Agreement (January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2020) since September 2021. On Tuesday, February 22, BCGEU notified VIRL that its members had voted 95% in favour of a strike mandate. This morning at 08:00, BCGEU served 72- hour strike notice. Job action may start as soon as 15:00 Pacific, Thursday, March 3.
Job action may include primary, secondary or rotational picketing at VIRL locations. As a result, we regret that VIRL’s service delivery will be impacted, though precise impacts remain unclear at this time. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and commit to continuing constructive efforts towards bargaining resolution with our valued colleagues.
BCGEU Local 702 represents 42 fulltime employees, 12% of VIRL’s permanent workforce. These employees are professional librarians and colleagues who work at 20 of 39 branches, and in Information Technology, Collections, and Support Services divisions. VIRL’s CUPE Local 401 employees, representing 55% of VIRL’s permanent workforce, will be honouring any BCGEU picket lines. VIRL jointly ratified a Collective Agreement with CUPE 401 in late 2021.
VIRL’s 2022 operating budget is $31 Million. 95% of the budget are fixed costs, and 65% of those are wages and benefits. Now in our 86th year, VIRL provides critical and accountable services and resources to communities throughout the region.
Updates will be provided as they come available.
Media Contact
David Carson, Director, Corporate Communications
250.327.3651
dcarson@virl.bc.ca