The Public Service Agency has calculated the Economic Stability Dividend (ESD) for 2017, which will amount to an increase of 0.35 per cent on hourly wage rates, effective the first pay period after February 1, 2017.
This will affect about 1,500 HEU members covered by the multi-union Community Social Services Bargaining Association, led by BCGEU.
A general wage increase of one per cent (1%) is also in effect on the same date, raising hourly wage rates for all community social services (CSS) members by a total of 1.35 per cent.
The new wage grids apply to all members covered by the Community Living, General Services, and Aboriginal Services collective agreements.
The ESD was negotiated in collective agreements covering workers in direct government, health, social services, crown corporations, universities, K-12 and other post-secondary institutions in a Memorandum of Understanding – and applies to all HEU members in the facilities, community health and community social services sectors.
The Economic Stability Dividend is calculated on the variation between the actual growth in provincial real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the projected real GDP growth, provided by the provincial Economic Forecast Council. Real GDP is adjusted for inflation and is measured by Statistics Canada. It’s published on a provincial basis in their report titled Real Gross Domestic Product at Market Prices in November of each year.
BCGEU – as the lead CSS negotiator – has independently confirmed the employer’s ESD calculation of 0.35 per cent.
Similar calculations will be conducted over the next two years, and may result in ESD pay increases in February of 2018 and 2019.