Update on placement of provincial public service workers impacted by Riverview Hospital closure

The B.C. Government is continuing towards the final closure of Riverview Hospital by June 2012. Thanks to your collective agreement, members impacted by the closure have strong job security and protections. 

On June 10, 2011, every impacted member received a notice of redundancy, effective June 13, 2011. This started the informal 90 day Phase 1 of the Article 13 process. During this phase, employees could be considered for vacancies within the public service or consider applying for a health authority position.

We are now in Phase 2 of the Article 13/Employment Security process. Members began receiving notice of the phase change in mid-September 2011. Under this phase, members have had the opportunity to select their options for placement OR severance under the terms of the collective agreement.

A joint workforce adjustment steering committee, known as JWASC, exists under the collective agreement to minimize the impact on individual employees affected by redundancy. It also coordinates the placement of surplus regular employees across ministries. The following is a summary of Riverview placement activities since members began making their selections following the receipt of their employment security notices.

• 178 employment security notices were issued to Riverview BCGEU members.
• 104 members selected placement as their option.
• 70 members opted for severance payments and are resigning their employment.
• Over 30 members have been successful, so far, in obtaining health authority employment via the RRL process.
• 4 members notified, but undecided.

JWASC has been meeting with the employer on a regular basis to coordinate placements. This includes both placement activity into vacant positions in the public service, as well as offers, in some cases, of displacement of under three year regular employees.

We know this is a difficult period of change and isn’t going to be easy for members or your families. The BCGEU will continue to monitor the closure process to support you and help you while you consider your options.

In Solidarity,
BCGEU Joint Workforce Adjustment Steering Committee (JWASC) Members
Lori Joaquin Administrative Services Component 12
Byron Goerz, ETO Component 20
Michael Eso, Staff Representative