What We Do

CUPE Local 454, Delta Public Employees has been in existence since 1951, and now has over 900 members.

The union’s main purpose is to represent members in their workplace, and to make sure the Collective Agreements negotiated with their employers are followed by them. Our two Collective Agreements (City of Delta and Delta Police Board) provide members with fair wages, benefits, working conditions, job security and a voice in their workplace.

If you have questions about your rights in the workplace, or what programs the union has available, you should talk with your local job steward or executive member. They will do their best to answer your question and to assist you in any way possible. You can find a list of current executive members and stewards on the union bulletin boards, or on this website.

We hold membership meetings on the 3rd Wednesday of each month except July and August. It is at these meetings that decisions are made on how our union is run. It is direct democracy in action. You should attend these meetings.

What does your Local expect from you? It’s simple really:

  • To support your fellow union members
  • To attend union meetings
  • To abide by your Collective Agreement
  • To not make private deals with management
  • To not cross any picket lines
  • To abide by our Constitution and Bylaws
  • To see your Job Steward or Executive member if you have questions or concerns
  • To file a grievance to defend your rights when you need to

Member Services – What We Do…

Grievance Processing

If you feel that you have suffered a violation of the collective agreement or policy, the union can file a grievance to pursue a remedy. You need to discuss the issue with a job steward, and they can then initiate the process by contacting the union office. Once a grievance is filed, it is owned by the union. The union is responsible for processing the grievance, and the union decides if the issue will be arbitrated.

We have to file a grievance within 30 days of the union becoming aware that the violation has taken place. Communicate with your job steward immediately upon learning of the violation.

Your Union Executive & Job Stewards are available to assist you. Call us and we’ll do everything we can to solve the problem.

Member to Member Mediation

Are you having difficulties with a fellow CUPE member? Don’t get along with a co-worker? Your Union is there to help.

These situations can and should be solved before you get management involved. Your Union Executive & Job Stewards are available to assist you with these member to member conflicts. Call us and we’ll do everything we can to solve the problem BEFORE management gets involved.

What have you got to lose in trying? Call 604-943-4526

Reclassification/Revaluation

We will assist members who wish to have their job reclassified or revalued. The request can come from the individual member, the union or the employer to initiate the review. The process is quite involved, and we encourage you to contact the union office for further details.

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

For our City and Police board members, we jointly support with management the EFAP for the benefit of members and their families. You, or an immediate family member, can use this 100% confidential counselling service if you need someone to talk to. Our provider, Brown & Crawshaw, have trained professionals who can assist with a wide variety of issues. They may also refer you to an outside agency that may be better suited to helping you with your issue.

Call Brown & Crawshaw at 1-800-668-2055, 24 hours a day, to speak with someone.

Union Representation in Meetings

You have the right to a union representative when you are called into a meeting with management if the meeting may lead to discipline. If you are called into such a meeting, contact your job steward immediately, and do not say anything until they arrive.

We strongly recommend you do not attend any meetings without your union representative, as they will be able to assist you through the process and protect you from potential abuse and misleading questioning from the manager.

Collective Bargaining

You elect a bargaining committee whose job is to re-negotiate the collective agreement when they expire. Your committee will pursue the proposals that are ratified by the membership in the final year of the collective agreement. They will negotiate with the employer for as long as it takes to reach a tentative agreement. That is sometimes easier said than done, and it is imperative that members stay informed about what is occurring during the bargaining process.

Any agreement that your bargaining committee reaches will be brought before you for ratification by secret ballot.

To assist you in knowing where your fellow members work, here is a listing of our worksites:

Boundary Bay Cemetery/North Delta Cemetery
Delta Community Animal Shelter
Firehall #1
Kennedy Seniors’ Recreation Centre
Kin House
Kinsmen Recreation Centre
Ladner Community Centre (LCC)
Ladner Leisure Centre (LLC)
Ladner Outdoor Pool (summer only)
McKee Seniors’ Recreation Centre
Municipal Hall
North Delta Outdoor Pool (summer only)
North Delta Public Safety Building (NDPSB)
North Delta Recreation Centre (NDRC)
Pinewood Leisure Centre
Police Headquarters
South Delta Recreation Centre (SDRC)
Sungod Recreation Centre (SRC)
Tilbury Ice
Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre (WAFC)
Worksyard
Worksyard (North Construction Crew)
Worksyard (South Construction Crew)