Your Union has had numerous inquiries from members regarding the monetary changes to your agreement and when members will see the actual changes on your pay cheque.

There are three different stages to the changes and some members have already seen some or all of them. These changes take time due to the complexity of some of the changes when taking into consideration the vast number of different employers impacted, the number of workers impacted, and scale of monetary changes.

Effective Dates – these are the dates that changes are effective. This means that although there was a general wage increase on April 1, 2023, you may not have seen a change on that day. It does mean that you are entitled to retroactive pay back to that date.

Implementation Date – these are the dates that your paycheque actually starts to reflect new rates of pay, premium increases, or the elimination of Step 1. If an increase is implemented after the date it was effective you are entitled to retroactive pay.

Retroactive Pay Date – this is the date that all the money that you are paid when the 'Implementation Date' was not the same day as the 'Effective Date'. These monies are usually paid out once all the changes have been implemented moving forward and employers can then determine what they owe you going back to the 'Effective Date'.

It is always our hope that these changes happen quickly, however, we generally don't have the ability to expedite this process or compel a specific date except in extreme circumstances. Although it may not be of comfort, most other bargaining associations either already have had to go through this process or are going through it at the same time impacting virtually every employee in the Province of BC that is paid via government funding. This includes at least five healthcare bargaining associations, the public service, and community social services.

There have also been some concerns raised about the latest published wage table that still includes Step 1. Rest assured that regardless of the inclusion of Step 1 on that table, any employee being paid at Step 1 on or after April 1, 2023 is entitled to have their pay adjusted and will likely occur in the same way as other monetary changes. This means there will be an 'Implementation Date' and retroactive pay back to the 'Effective Date'.

The BCGEU has, on behalf of the seven constituent unions of the CBA, written a letter to HEABC asking them to ensure employers are (if they haven't already) clearly communicate when all three stages will, or are expected to, occur.

If your employer has yet to clearly communicate when these changes occurred, or are expected to occur, please contact your payroll department. If you have seen changes to your pay and you do not believe they are correct, also contact your payroll department for an explanation. If you are not satisfied with the explanation, please contact a steward.

In Solidarity,

Scott De Long
Vice-President – Component 8

Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP