As bargaining begins today, your bargaining committee, along with representatives from all nine unions in the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), met to align priorities and finalize the bargaining package ahead of the first day of negotiations with the Health Employers' Association of British Columbia (HEABC) on February 21. 

During the meeting, committee members discussed the bargaining demands submitted from each of the unions in the association and finalized the foundation of a package that aims to deliver meaningful gains at the bargaining table. 

The key priorities for members included fair wage increases to keep up with the rising cost of living, strengthening workplace safety measures, improving various paid leave provisions, increasing premiums and differentials, and various collective agreement language improvements to enhance member rights in the workplace. 

The committee also reaffirmed its support for wage grid adjustments based on the findings from the 2023-2024 wage comparability review that was undertaken by representatives of government, health employers and the FBA. In the last round of bargaining, the FBA negotiated a wage comparability process to address the impact of the BC Liberal wage rollbacks of 2004 that primarily targeted women and racialized workers. 

The multi-union FBA includes the Hospital Employees' Union (HEU) as the lead union, along with BCGEU and seven other unions: International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 882; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 230; BC Nurses' Union; United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local No. 1598; United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada Local No. 324; International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Local No. 138; and Public and Private Workers of Canada Local No. 5. 

In other bargaining news, the BCGEU has developed an information hub for members where significant bargaining updates will be posted. The site has six sections-one for each sector-as well as education materials and profiles of your bargaining committee.

In solidarity, 

Your BCGEU FBA Bargaining Committee 

Mahen Ramdharry, Local 403, bargaining chairperson 
Richard Ziemianski, Local 401
Micheil Bryson, Local 401
Sandy Barndt, Local 403
Jennifer Marquez, Local 403
Marzena Motz, Local 412
Angela Mahlmann, Negotiations 
 

P.S. Check that we have your personal email address here https://my.bcgeu.ca/signup and forward this link to any colleagues not receiving updates. 

UWU/MoveUP