You must have a signed approval form from the BVTU President before entering any union-paid release time in Atrieve. Email the president first at lp54@bctf.ca — the president tracks all union releases centrally to ensure accuracy and avoid over-claiming.
Receive Signed Form
Wait for a signed approval form from the BVTU President confirming the release is authorized.
Enter in Atrieve
Log in to Atrieve and enter the leave using the correct leave code for the event type.
Keep Documentation
Retain your signed approval form. HR may request it as verification of the authorized release.
What is Atrieve? Atrieve is SD54's employee self-service system used to record leave, review pay stubs, and manage time-off requests. Union-paid release time is a specific leave category that must be entered with the correct leave code so that the union — not the district — is billed for your absence.
These events are organized and funded by the BC Teachers' Federation. Use the BCTF Business leave code when entering these in Atrieve.
| Event | Frequency | Typical Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Zone Meetings | 2× per year | Fall & Spring |
| Representative Assemblies (RA) | 3× per year |
October, January, May
Three-day events in Vancouver
|
| Annual General Meeting (AGM) | Yearly | Spring (typically May/June) |
| Bargaining Training | 2× per year | As scheduled by BCTF |
| Summer Conference | Yearly | August |
| Federation Leadership Institute (FLI) | Yearly | Winter (typically February) |
| Women's Institute | Yearly | February |
These events are organized by BVTU locally. Use the BVTU Business leave code when entering these in Atrieve.
| Event / Activity | Notes |
|---|---|
| SURT Events School Union Rep Team |
School-level union representative activities and meetings |
| Executive Committee Visits | BVTU executive members visiting schools on union business |
| Local Office Work Days | Authorized work days at the BVTU local office for union administration |
When entering your leave in Atrieve, select the appropriate leave type from the dropdown. Common codes used for union release time:
| Leave Type | Used For |
|---|---|
| BCTF Business | All provincial BCTF events — RA, AGM, institutes, zone meetings, bargaining training |
| BVTU Business | All BVTU local events — SURT, exec visits, local office work days |
⚠️ Do not use a personal sick day or professional development code for union release time. Using the wrong code means the district absorbs the cost instead of the union — which can cause accounting errors and may affect your leave balance.
Cody Lind — BVTU President
Email to request approval for release time: lp54@bctf.ca
All union release time requests must go through the president. The president tracks all releases centrally to ensure the union budget is managed correctly and members are not over-claiming.
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