I work for a large company in BC which is both union and non-union. I am non-union employee working on a non-union site, but what the union negotiates seems to effect us all. According to the Labour's Standards Act, after 10 years with the same employer, I am entitled to a min of 4 weeks paid vacation per year. I have only been receiving 3 weeks and I've been with the company for 20 yrs. Can a union negotiate lower than the LSA minimum, say, for some other concession? Or is the minimum the minimum and they owe me some back pay? Thanks!

Thank you for your question. Regardless of whether employees are unionized or not, every employee is owed their minimum entitlements under employment standards legislation. If you are not receiving the proper amount of vacation pay, you should speak with your employer about this first. If they refuse to pay you properly, you can contact the labour board in your province. Labour boards are useful for matters such as vacation pay, overtime pay and unpaid wages, but are not helpful for matters related to severance. If your employment is terminated, or if you have any other issues with your employer, you should speak with one of our employment lawyers in BC as soon as possible. Do not hesitate to give us a call at the number below.