Last Friday, the nine-union Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) reached an important agreement with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) for additional wage increases covering two groups of members in the FBA based on the following wage-rated job classifications:

• Workers in the group with the lowest wage-rated classifications – Grids 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, SB18, SB20, SC18, SD15, SD16, SD16(A), SD18, and SD19 will receive a $0.25 per hour increase retroactive to April 1, 2023.  
  
• Workers in the next lowest wage-rated classifications -- Grids 22, 23 and SD22 – will receive $0.22 per hour increase effective April 1, 2024. 

This is a good interim step towards reversing some of the worst impacts of the BC Liberal's (now BC United) 2004 wage rollbacks. However, our union remains committed to the full restoration of pay equity across the entire facilities subsector. 

The wage comparability review was negotiated in the 2022-2025 FBA collective agreement and is being conducted by a working group made up of representatives from the FBA, the HEABC and the provincial government. This week, the three parties began talks on developing recommendations regarding additional wage adjustments. The recommendations will be provided to the provincial government to consider in the development of its next bargaining mandate, and for the FBA and HEABC to prepare and negotiate as part of the renewal of the 2022-2025 Facilities subsector collective agreement. 

You can expect updates on the working group's progress, as we prepare for the next round of public sector bargaining in 2025. 

If you have any questions, please contact Mahen Ramdharry ([email protected]).

 
In solidarity, 

Mahen Ramdharry 
Vice-President Health Services (Component 4) 

UWU/MoveUP