Contract negotiations

HSA REPORT, MARCH 2014 Ok, so we have a five year deal. How do you propose to take advantage of the break from bargaining? Despite the fact that we won't be at the bargaining table, we have some important work to do. The workloads for many professions are causing our members a lot of stress. And when people are under...

HSA REPORT, MARCH 2014 BY JEANNE MEYERS, LABOUR RELATIONS AND LEGAL SERVICES As many members know, the process of transitioning to a 37.5 hour work week has been frustrating. From the beginning, employers have misunderstood and misinterpreted the terms of the negotiated agreement. They have attempted to reduce hours of work, eliminate earned days off and even layoff members. None...

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. Yet for the last several years, HSA and other unions have expended the bulk of their resources and time negotiating contracts with governments intent on imposing austerity terms on public...

HSA REPORT, MARCH 2014 BY DENNIS BLATCHFORD Q: Now that the collective agreement has been ratified, how will HSA go about moving to a joint governance model for delivering health and welfare benefits? And what does it mean in the short-term? A: Allow me to answer the second question first. It means no change to your health and welfare benefit...

Agreement includes wage adjustments and pay increases Community social service workers have voted by 85 per cent in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement that includes wage adjustments and increases of up to 11.5 percent over five years. The new collective agreement will be in effect from April 1, 2014 until March 31, 2019. Community Living workers ratified the...

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. “BC’s health care...

Under the 2014-2019 collective agreement recently ratified by health science professionals, improvements in drug coverage are now in effect. Every member covered by the Health Science Professionals contract should be receiving a letter outlining the changes from Pacific Blue Cross in the coming days. A sample letter is attached here. The plan now covers 100% of eligible expenses for drugs...

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...

Health science professionals have voted 76 per cent in favour of accepting a new five-year contract. The agreement was reached in advance of the expiry of the current agreement, set to run out on March 31, 2014. "This agreement meets our shared objectives for stability in the health care system, and recognizes the importance of a commitment to recruitment and...

The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association tentative agreement has been amended to reflect two developments that have flowed out of review and discussion of the agreement. First, under wages, an Economic Stability Dividend payout was left out of the original document. This was an error of omission which came to our attention November 21, 2013. It was corrected that same...