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To: All
Spectrum Employees From: Ernie
Baatz, Executive Director We have received confirmation of funding
increases for 2008 and 2009, allowing us to provide 2% increases to our wage
grids effective April 2008 and again in April 2009. Spectrum Society is committed to fair
wages for our employees. Although our funders provided the increases to address “cost pressures”
we have continued to apply all of this new funding to wage increases. How much of an increase will Spectrum be
getting? A three-year funding plan has been
approved, with 3.2% being added to the total service contract amount on April
1, 2007, approximately 1.6% more on April 1, 2008 and April 1, 2009. Approximately 80% of Spectrum’s funding
goes toward wages. As we will be
applying all of the new funding to wages, this works out to about a 2% wage
increase this year, and 2% increase next year, after
last year’s 4% increases. How will the wage increases be determined? Wage
increases could be applied in a variety of ways. This will be determined by Spectrum’s
Policy Committee on April 16, 2008.
Some of the ideas already suggested at the last Policy Committee
meeting in January included: ·
Across
the board increases to each pay rate ·
Higher
starting wage – less of an increase at the top end ·
Lower
starting wage – bigger increase to employees with 4,500 hours or more ·
Focus
some of the increase specifically to the asleep overnight rate ·
Add
more to benefits / less to wages – increase Spectrum’s contribution to RRSP
to a maximum 4% matching contribution instead of the current 3% matching
amount Will I have any input? A web survey is available for Spectrum employees to give
input on which options they prefer. We
encourage you to complete this survey before April 16. The survey is available on the Policy
Committee website, or Click Here for a
direct link. THE NEW WAGE RATES will be applied effective
April 9, 2008. Is the funding for the April 2009 increase
guaranteed? CLBC always reserves the right to change
funding decisions until government has announced the budget in February each
year. While the first few years of
community living funding in this decade were much more volatile, CLBC has
seemed to provide a more stable environment for our funding increases. What are the future plans for wages and
benefits for Spectrum Employees? Spectrum is working
with other non-union employers from across the Province to form a new
association of employers dedicated to ensuring that we get equitable funding
increases so our employees can receive similar wages and benefits to others
in the Community Living sector. This
new association is called Community
Living Agencies Network (CLAN) and has a website at www.clanbc.ca . They are just getting started, but will be
ensuring that as government begins negotiating collective agreements for
April 2010 with unionized employers, they are also negotiating funding
increases for non-union employers. The
other priority for CLAN is the introduction of a pension plan for unionized
employees. CSSEA and employers are
beginning to discuss the April 2010 implementation with their employees, and
we are committed to ensuring our employees have equivalent options. If you have questions or concerns,
please speak to your Policy Committee representative. Thank you all for your support, and
congratulations to everyone on our successful advocacy efforts.
Policy Committee Website: www.spectrumsociety.org/policy
Community Living Agencies Network: www.clanbc.ca |
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