Langley, March 27, 2025 – The Bargaining Committee of Local 258 IBEW is pleased to announce that, after months of negotiations, a tentative agreement has been reached with the signatory employers of the Master Line Agreement. The Bargaining Committee is unanimously recommending acceptance of this agreement to the membership.

Bargaining has been ongoing since October, with multiple offers from the employers being rejected by the committee. The tentative agreement was successfully reached on the third day of mediation.

The proposed agreement includes a three-year term, featuring a 12% general wage increase spread over the duration of the contract. Other key highlights include:

·        New Classifications: Introduction of Hydrovac Operator and Try-a-Trade classifications.

·        Probationary Period: Trades trainees will see a shorter probationary period.

·        Personal Vehicle Use: Employees are no longer required to transport employer tools, equipment, or materials in their personal vehicles.

·        Access to Safety Regulations: Employers must now ensure employees have access to Safety Practice Regulations and WorkSafe regulations/manuals.

·        Layoff Notification: New language establishes clear procedures for notifying employees of layoffs.

·        Termination Protocol: Strengthened language ensures that IBEW members cannot terminate the employment of other IBEW members, except in the case of owner-operators.

·        Reporting Union Dues: Employers are now required to report union dues on employees’ T4 slips.

·        Dues Remittance Process: Streamlined processes for better efficiency of processing employer remitted dues.

·        Leave of Absence: Members elected as Business Manager may now take a leave of absence for their first two terms.

·        Dispatch List: Improved understanding of how dispatch lists relate to the name call process.

·        Shop Stewards: Strengthened language ensures Stewards have time to conduct their union duties.

·        Housekeeping Items: Various updates to clarify and refine contract language.

Throughout negotiations, the Bargaining Committee successfully fended off numerous concessionary demands from the employers. One of the key issues was the employers' push to eliminate the 7.5-hour workday. In response, the union reached a compromise with a Letter of Understanding (LOU), effectively pausing any headquarters currently on a modified work week from transitioning back to a regular work week for the term of this agreement unless there is mutual consent from both the employer and the union. Any headquarters already operating on a regular work week will remain on that schedule.

Details regarding the ratification vote will be provided to membership shortly.

For further information, please contact your bargaining committee members:

Ken Mitchell, Assistant Business Manager

604-880-9630 / kmitchell@ibew258.bc.ca

Jim Greenwell, Senior Assistant Business Manager

604-515-3241 / jgreenwell@ibew258.bc.ca

Nico Geelhoed, Allteck

604-209-7347

Pat Hagel, Arctic Arrow

778-888-6410

David Bentley, Graham Construction/42 West

403-848-4761

Jean-Guy Sinclair, Pacific Electrical Installations

604-996-6437