This week, the British Columbia Business Council (the "BCBC") released its latest Collective Bargaining Bulletin containing collective agreement wage settlement data up to the end of November 2018 (the "Bulletin"). The Bulletin provides useful information for employers preparing for collective bargaining in 2019.
Key highlights from the Bulletin include:
- For the period November 2017 - November 2018, the average first year wage increases negotiated in the private sector were 1.8% and 1.9% in the public sector.
- The average scheduled wage increases for British Columbia's unionized employees in 2019 are 2.1% in the private sector and 2% in the public sector.
- The average annual increase in the consumer price index over the past 12 months is:
- 2.3% in Canada;
- 2.6% in British Columbia; and
- 2.9% in Vancouver.
- There are a number of organizations currently in collective bargaining, particularly in the forestry, manufacturing and food & beverage industries.
If you have any questions regarding, wage settlements in a particular industry, please do not hesitate to contact any member of our Labour and Employment Law Group.