Community Health bargaining: a look at past gains made through negotiations

As we head into bargaining for a new Community Health agreement, it’s important to consider the gains that we have made in the last few rounds and think about what we need to achieve this time.

Here are some of the notable gains that we have made to our contract through collective bargaining:

• A reduction in availability from a 12-hour window to a 10-hour window
• 8 hour availability for members with a 30 hour or less position
• An increase in paid hours and break times for Live In workers.  Were previosuly 10 paid hours and 2 hour break for each 24 hour shift - now paid 13 paid hours and a 3 hour break
• An increase in overnight pay from 7 to 10 paid hours
• An increased benchmark for schedulers by including a scheduler 2 position 
• The Municipal Pension Plan
• Implementation of pilot projects to improve scheduling practices and provide better life/work balance for our members
• Improved casual language
• A drug card and improvement to vision care benefit
• After several years of shift differential language with no money attached, we finally have a figure attached
• Established the Joint Committee on Home Support Scheduling
• Maintained most rights of devolved members covered under the 11th master Memorandum of Agreement including STIIP provision
• Established Joint Community Health Retraining Fund to help members who want to enhance or improve their position with additional training

These important improvements were not given to us by the employer, they were achieved through negotiation. There’s power in numbers.

If you haven’t already, be sure to complete the Community Health Bargaining survey here.

In Solidarity,

Carla Dempsey
Component 8 Community Health Services Chair

More:

Here is a historical overview for devolved government employees.

Read about the union's positive outcome on 35 vs. 37.5 hour work week issue in the the Jan 2011 issue of Solidarity Report.