B.C.'s 22,000 specialized health professionals working in hospitals and communities around the province reached a tentative agreement on the evening of Wednesday, November 2, 2022, after more than eight months of negotiations between the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC).
 
The HSPBA bargaining committee went to the bargaining table with strong direction from members to address wages that have fallen behind their colleagues across the country, recruitment and retention strategies to support specialized health care professionals working under crushing workloads, and respect for the critical contributions of specialized health care professionals on the health care team.
 
The tentative agreement provides general wage increases on par with recently ratified public sector agreements under the government's wage mandate, which protects workers against the rising cost of living. Importantly, it also provides a new wage structure that makes B.C. wages for health science professionals competitive with their counterparts across the country.
 
Important features of the tentative agreement include:

• General wage increase that acknowledges the impact of the rising cost of living.
• Overhaul of an outdated job classification system to better recognize the complexity and scope of the work of HSP members on the specialized health care team.
• Provisions to address the recruitment and retention crisis.
• Addressing occupational health and safety issues ranging from workers' mental mental health, unsafe workloads, improved infection control standards, access to personal protective equipment and violence prevention.
• Acting on recommendations from the In Plain Sight report on the experience of Indigenous workers, patients, and clients in the health care system to work toward reconciliation and culturally safe health care.
• Plotting a roadmap for improved inclusion within the health care workforce for communities that experience marginalization.
• Scheduling and leave provisions to improve work-life balance.
• Improvements to continuing education and recognition of professional status.

Complete information about the tentative agreement will be provided to members across the province in the coming weeks, with dates for an online ratification vote to be determined.
 
In solidarity,

Your Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association

UWU/MoveUP