For almost 20 years, provincial governments in B.C. worked deliberately to drive down wages for health science professionals in B.C.

In many cases they succeeded, leaving health professionals earning some of the lowest wages relative to their colleagues across Canada. It was a misguided attempt to control health care costs; instead, it slowly undermined the health care system, even before the pandemic created the current crisis of dire shortages and crushing workload.

With the tentative agreement just secured on behalf of all health science professionals, this begins to turn around.

• For the first time in decades, this proposed agreement provides significant pay increases, delivering members an increase of approximately 12 to 14 per cent more, at the minimum, over three years.
• Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) are built in to protect pay against longer-term increases in inflation.
• Improvements to premiums for on-call, short-notice, super shifts, and weekend shifts will put more money in many members' pockets.
• A long-overdue update to the classification system provides more recognition of the complexity and scope of work, more opportunity for career advancement, and more respect.
• Specific provisions address the recruitment and retention crisis.
• Occupational health and safety changes address mental health under duress, unsafe workloads, infection control standards, access to personal protective equipment, and prevention of violence in the workplace.
• Leaves for enhanced education support professional development.
• A new focus on implementing recommendations to support the inclusion of Indigenous workers, patients, and clients will work toward reconciliation and culturally-safe health care.
• Inclusion of communities that experience marginalization in the health care system is a major priority.

The bargaining committee strongly recommends voting in favour of ratification of this tentative agreement. Voting details are below.

In the coming weeks, we will be conducting a series of telephone town halls, inviting all members to call in to listen to reports, hear questions from other members, and ask questions themselves. More information on that will be coming soon, and in the meantime, here's how you can learn more about the details of the tentative agreement:

• Link to Comprehensive Report booklet
• Link to FAQs
• Link to wage calculator

Contact us with your questions

To find out more about how this tentative agreement will affect your position, send your questions to [email protected].

Voting information

Voting on the tentative agreement is open to all members covered by the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association and will be held online. Voting will be open from 9 a.m., December 6 to 5 p.m., December 20.

You will need a voting credential to cast your vote, and these will be sent out by email.

In solidarity,
Your Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association


UWU/MoveUP