MDS Metro Bargaining Update

It was great to see so many of you last week when the committee did the road trip - thank you for taking time to attend the meeting(s) and for your comments and input.

For those of you who were unable to attend, we agreed to provide a summary of the outstanding issues:

UNION                                                  EMPLOYER

3 year term                                            4 year term

3%, 3%, 3%                                           1.5%, 1.75%, 1.75%, 1%

change 85% ER pd extended health          no change to current
                                                             extended health
benefit (including dental) to 100%
Employer paid

Market Rate Adjustment for analytical       Market Rate Adjustment
positions                                                 for analytical positions


Benefit improvements for:                  Concessions:

Orthodontics                                           change minimum pay
                                                             in Article 12.6 from 4 
                                                             hours to 3 hours
Basic Life Insurance and AD&D                 
Physio/Massage
Chiro/Naturopath                                     delete uniform payment
                                                              for analytical staff
delete 1,040 hours in order to receive 50
cents/hour in lieu of benefits 
                                                              daily overtime for regular
                                                              employees not counted
                                                              toward weekly overtime
shift premium increase
special leave increase for serious
household or domestic emergency
language improvements

MDS Pension Plan improvements               MDS Pension Plan
                                                              improvements in 2010

The Employer bargaining committee advised us on April 24th that what was on the table was the monetary mandate they were given (by the Board) but there was a "little" bit extra to table for a small improvement on something. The union committee advised the Employer committee that the Board mandate was insufficient to secure a Collective Agreement. We asked the Employer committee to seek a new mandate from the Board.

The Employer is on one hand stating they want to address the retention and recruitment problem for the analytical employees but is tabling a wage increase each year that is far below other settlements in the private sector. It is crucial during this set of negotiations to send a strong message to your new owner (OMERS) in Ontario that the MDS employees in BC deserve and expect a good Collective Agreement.

Since our meeting(s) last week, mediation has been set for Wednesday, May 9th. We will see what this process produces. We will be in touch by bulletin or meeting(s) after the 9th.

In solidarity

Rose Moore, Bargaining Committee
Rose Chee, Bargaining Committee
Mandy De Fields, Bargaining Committee
Barbara Offen, Staff Representative

Click to download PDF version of bargaining bulletin