Health employers, government running out the clock at Facilities table

B.C.’s health employers are continuing to stall on providing any concrete responses to union proposals at negotiations for a new Facilities agreement covering 46,000 health care workers.

The multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) returned to bargaining last Wednesday with an expectation that employers and government would be ready to negotiate on a number of important union proposals on healthy and safe workplaces, seniority rights, job security, and a fair and reasonable wage increase.

“It is time for government and health employers to engage in meaningful bargaining,” says BCGEU President Darryl Walker. “Our unions are preparing for strike votes beginning next week, and we will be looking for a strong strike mandate from members to continue to oppose employer demands that would shift hundreds of dollars in benefit costs onto the shoulders of individual workers.”

Facilities negotiations began last February 8.

The collective agreement covers a diverse health care team that includes workers in hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostic treatment centres as well as emergency health services and shared services such as logistics and supply operations.

In addition to BCGEU, the FBA is represented by HEU, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 873, and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 882/882H. Eight other unions in the association represent one per cent of workers covered by the talks.