
May 10, 2022
HSPBA Bargaining update - Third round of discussions now underway - BC Genera...
The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) resumed talks last week with the Health Employers' Association of BC (HEABC). Discussions are scheduled to continue next week.
Negotiations are currently focussed on non-monetary matters, but during the last round of talks ending April 14, HSPBA proposed wage increases needed to make meaningful improvements to professional shortages, workload, the rising cost of living and the wage gap with other provinces. The proposal seeks a two year agreement with a wage increase of 5 per cent – or COLA (cost of living adjustment), whichever is greater – in each of the two years.
HSPBA has also proposed a number of other measures which would bring greater equality to job classifications across different health science professions in BC and greater comparability to pay in other provinces, improve on call and call-backs, improve overtime pay and shift premiums, provide more funding for professional development, improve vacation and holiday leave, paid and unpaid pandemic leave, and provide a bank of paid time for gender affirming surgeries.
We expect HEABC to provide a response to the wage proposal during this round, and will provide an update at that time.
In solidarity,
Your Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association
UWU/MoveUP

May 06, 2022
Health employers need to do better for your health and safety - BC General Em...
Health employers returned to the facilities bargaining table this week with disappointing responses to our proposals addressing the growing staffing crisis and rising levels of stress on frontline health care workers.
The Facilities Bargaining Association had proposed stronger measures to resolve workload concerns, including those arising from unfilled vacancies and inadequate baseline staffing levels.
Recognizing that high workloads, pandemic-related stress and other workplace hazards undermine the mental health of workers, we also proposed a collaborative process to identify hazards related to psychological health and safety in the workplace.
But the employer rejected those proposals and others that would improve the ability of shop stewards to represent members and resolve workplace issues.
In the face of a real crisis in our health care system, we have put forward concrete measures to tackle unmanageable workloads. We’ve clearly highlighted how these added pressures are burning out our frontline workers, putting the sustainability of our health care system at risk.
The underwhelming response on these critical issues by health employers is disappointing. We’ll continue to press employers at the bargaining table for solutions that will ease the pressure on the frontlines.
The pandemic and multiple climate emergencies demonstrated how much our communities rely on our health care system. But they have also revealed that our system is under stress with workers at their breaking point. Health employers need to face this reality.
As you continue to struggle with pandemic-related shortages, and prepare for another summer of heat domes, fires and resulting floods, health employers are providing a lukewarm response to our proposals on pandemic and emergency disaster response. Proposals that include establishing a process for the redeployment of staff.
We have scheduled bargaining dates through June and we’ll keep you updated as talks progress.
In solidarity,
Your Health Facilities Bargaining Association
UWU/MoveUP

April 22, 2022
Health Facilities bargaining slowly progressing - BC General Employees' Union...
Your health facilities bargaining team met with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) again this week, but negotiations are moving slowly.
We remain committed to reaching a deal that secures better working conditions for health care workers and a compensation package that protects wages against inflation.
Progress is slow, but the committee is working hard formalizing responses to proposals and developing strategies to move negotiations forward.
We have no update on the wage proposals that we exchanged two weeks ago. Bargaining will continue with dates scheduled until the end of May.
We'll keep you updated as talks progress.
In solidarity,
Your Health Facilities Bargaining Association
UWU/MoveUP

April 08, 2022
HSPBA Bargaining update – Wage proposal on track to be tabled next week - BC ...
The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) is preparing to table a wage proposal for health science professionals next week that addresses staff shortages, the rising cost of living, and closes the wage gap between B.C. and other provinces.
Meanwhile, your fellow BCGEU members in the public service have reached an impasse over wages in their negotiations with the provincial government. The Public Service Bargaining Committee announced yesterday that after nine weeks of talks it will take a break from bargaining to focus on negotiating essential services levels required to keep necessary government services running in the event of a strike or lockout, and preparing to take a strike vote to back contract demands. The break in bargaining was precipitated by the failure of the government to table a wage package that protects government workers from the skyrocketing cost of living in British Columbia.
HSPBA's bargaining committee has been in active contract negotiations with HEABC since March 28, and is scheduled to pause for a break at the end of next week. To date, the bargaining committee has made proposals addressing a number of priorities identified by members, including occupational health and safety matters related to workload, discrimination and harassment, facilitation of health sector-wide action on OHS issues, and classification proposals addressing concerns with employer-wide initiatives.
The bargaining committee is also committed to change addressing colonial features of the collective agreement. In the current round of talks, the bargaining committee is tabling equity and inclusion initiatives as well as removing colonial language.
Unions covered by HSPBA have been actively negotiating essential services levels since January, and are watching developments at other public sector bargaining tables closely. A number of public sector agreements expired on March 31, 2022.
We will continue to work to achieve fair contracts for all workers who have been on the frontlines of protecting and serving British Columbians through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the opioid and climate catastrophes.
Important: Is your contact information up to date?
You could miss important bargaining updates unless we have your correct personal email and phone number on file.
The updated BCGEU Member Portal makes it easy to review manage your contact information and it will be an important resource for you during bargaining.
Please log into the Member Portal as soon as possible to review and update your contact info. If you don't have a Member Portal account yet, click here to request an account, and then watch for an email with instructions on how to activate it.
In solidarity,
Your Health Science Professionals Bargaining Committee
UWU/MoveUP

March 15, 2022
HSPBA bargaining update – initial round of talks complete - BC General Employ...
The HSPBA Bargaining Committee has concluded the initial round of discussions with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC), which began March 3.
To date, the Committee has tabled language in three areas:
- Housekeeping and non-monetary language, including amendments that will address outdated and colonial language in the collective agreement;
- Occupational health and safety matters related to workload, discrimination and harassment, and facilitation of health sector-wide action on OHS issues; and
- Classification proposals addressing concerns with employer-side initiatives.
The union and employer sides have agreed on some important changes to address the colonization of the collective agreement. Our occupational health and safety and classification proposals are complex and under consideration by the employer caucus during a two week hiatus in negotiations. The union caucus will be focusing on developing a monetary package in light of information emerging about signs of a restrictive wage proposal from government.
Negotiations will resume when the Committee and HEABC return to the table on March 28. At that time we will be tabling equity and inclusion initiatives and exploring monetary discussion.
It's important that we have your up-to-date contact information to make sure you don't miss important updates during bargaining. Click here to update your contact information in the BCGEU Member Portal. If you don't have an account, you can sign up at https://my.bcgeu.ca/signup.
If you have a co-worker who is not receiving these updates, it means either that we don't have their email address or that they have unsubscribed from emails. Please encourage them to visit the Member Portal to update their contact information or subscription status.
In solidarity,
Your Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA)
UWU/MoveUP

January 26, 2022
Health Essential Services for CBA, FBA and HSPBA - BC General Employees' Unio...
As negotiations are soon set to start for members covered by the Community Health, Facilities and Health Science Professionals collective agreements, the Unions are commencing Essential Service negotiations with your Employers.
The Union and Employer are required to negotiate and establish the healthcare services that will be provided in the event of any job action. This process usually begins around the time that negotiations are set to begin. Essential services are those services necessary or essential to prevent immediate and serious danger to the health, safety or welfare of the residents of British Columbia. Providing essential services is meant to achieve a balance between allowing the Union to have an effective strike and providing emergency services to the public. If a job is determined to be non-essential this does not in any way imply the job is not important.
BCGEU Area Office Staff Representatives will be conducting the negotiations for your worksites, and may be reaching out to your Local Executive and Stewards for assistance and feedback. If you are asked by your Employer to negotiate the essential services at your workplace, please advise your Steward or Local Executive member so your Employer can be redirected to the Staff Representative for your worksite.
In Solidarity,
Monique Wemhof
Staff Representative, Negotiations
Download PDF of notice here
UWU/MoveUP
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