HSA REPORT, MARCH 2014

BY VAL AVERY, PRESIDENT, HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION

Negotiating contracts is a big part of what unions do for their members. But it's not the only thing.

Members of the multi-union Community Health Bargaining Association (CBA) – including almost 800 HSA members -- have voted 78.7% in favour of accepting a new collective agreement with the Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC).

The five-year collective agreement expires on March 31, 2019 and covers over 15,000 union members working in community health across the province.

HOW TO VOTE

HOW TO VOTE ON COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES CONTRACT

All HSA members covered by the Community Social Services Bargaining Association have been mailed an information package via personal email or Canada Post.  Information and voting meetings will be held over the next few weeks, and members are now being contacted with information about where and when they are being held. You can also see the full list below.

The Community Health Bargaining Association (CBA) reached a tentative agreement in late November for the over 15,000 union members working in the community health sector across the province.

It is a five-year agreement effective April 1, 2014 until March 31, 2019 and your HSA Board of Directors supports your bargaining committee’s recommendation that members VOTE YES to accept the agreement.

The Community Health Bargaining Association (CBA) has reached a tentative agreement for the more than 15,000 union members working in the community health sector across the province.

It is a five-year agreement effective April 1, 2014 until March 31, 2019.

"This tentative agreement provides stability for the community health sector for the next five years and takes an important first step in bringing members' wages and benefits in-line with other health care workers doing the same type of work," said HSA President Val Avery.

HSA members gathered in Richmond last week to consider HSA members’ priorities for bargaining in the Community Health sector. Wages and benefits are the priorities for HSA’s more than 700 members who work under the Community Bargaining Association collective agreement.

The week of November 19, HSA will hold bargaining proposal conferences related to the four public sector contracts under which members work.

Local union meetings are being held for members to discuss proposals for consideration at the conferences, which will set the direction for bargaining new collective agreements. The contracts all expire March 31, 2014.

A policy grievance arbitration over the unprecedented Influenza Control Program Policy introduced by the Health Employers' Association of BC (HEABC) last August will open tomorrow in Vancouver.

On April 28, workers and their families are invited to pay tribute to those who have been injured or killed on the job, or stricken with occupational disease.

Every day in Canada, three workers are killed on the job and 685 workers suffer work-related injuries or occupational diseases. Last year in British Columbia, 181 workers died as a result of workplace accidents or diseases and more than 17,000 BC workers were injured.