Classification updates deliver improvements to pay

Changes effective first pay period after April 1

Upcoming changes to classifications in the Health Science Professionals collective agreement will provide significant pay increases for some Early Child Educators and increased pay for more than 30 different health science professions when they work without general supervision.

As part of the 2019-2022 Health Science Professionals Provincial Agreement, a $10 million fund over three years was established to address decades-old inequities in job categories through restructuring of the classification system.

Phased in over three years, the Memorandum of Agreement re: HSPBA Classification Redesign – Interim Agreement (Appendix 21.1 of the collective agreement) has already implemented numerous classifications and pay adjustments in 2019 and 2020.

Allocation of the $3.33 million to be rolled out for the third and final year has just been agreed upon by members of the joint employer/bargaining association working group. The money will address anomalies flowing from the transition of professions not previously specified in the Industry-Wide Miscellaneous Rates, and introducing new classification and compensation provisions for working without general supervision in more than 30 health science professions.

There are two notable improvements that will be effective in April 2021:

1. Working Without General Supervision

All new working without general supervision (WWGS) classifications established pursuant to Appendix 21.1 will be implemented effective the first pay period after April 1, 2021 and apply to the following professions/classifications:

Anesthesia Assistant
Aquatic Therapist
Art Therapist
Biomedical Engineering Technologist
Cardiac/Exercise Physiologist
Cardiology Technologist
Cardiopulmonary Technologist
Child Life Specialist
Dental Hygienist
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Discipline Allied to the Social Work Discipline
Early Childhood Educator
Environmental Health Officer
Genetic Counsellor
Infant Development Consultant
Licensing Officer
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist
Massage Therapist
Music Therapist
Orthopaedic Shoemaker
Orthoptist
Orthotics Technician
Polysomnographic Technologist
Prosthetics Technician
Public Health Inspector
Recreation Therapist
Remedial Gymnast
Seating Devices Technician
Supported Child Development Consultant
Tobacco and Vapour Products Enforcement Officer
Tobacco and Vapour Products Reduction Coordinator
Vocational Counsellor

WWGS pay applies to staff level positions on any day where the majority of hours of the shift are worked without practical access to general supervision provided by a bargaining unit supervisor of the same profession. WWGS pay is then applied on a payroll coding up basis for the entirety of the shift.

In cases where a staff level position always works without practical access to general supervision as above, the position will be reclassified and paid per the appropriate new WWGS classification and corresponding salary structure.

The respective new WWGS salary structures are as per the pay grid level of the Sole Charge classification for each applicable profession. This means that when staff level positions in the above professions work without general supervision they will see an hourly increase of 3.8% or more.

2. Salary Structures Improvements for Early Childhood Educators

Early Childhood Educator classifications and corresponding salary structures are revised effective the first pay period after April 1, 2021 as follows:

LEVEL 2
Early Childhood Educator 1 – Staff
Early Childhood Educator Certificate 

LEVEL 3
Early Childhood Educator 1 – Sole Charge

LEVEL 3
Early Childhood Educator 1 – Student Supervision

LEVEL 3
Early Childhood Educator 1 – Working Without General Supervision

LEVEL 4
Early Childhood Educator 2
Early Childhood Educator Certificate plus Special Needs/Under 3 years old Certificate

LEVEL 5
Early Childhood Educator 3
Early Childhood Educator 2 plus Supervision

LEVEL 6
Early Childhood Educator – Preschool Supervisor/Coordinator

As with all previous Appendix 21.1 improvements that increase rates to a higher pay grid level, an individual's initial placement in the higher grid level shall be at the rate that results in a minimum monthly increase of $82. This means that the above salary structure increases will be realized incrementally over the next few years with the end result being pay increases ranging from 7.7% to 15% (plus any general wage increases attained in the next collective agreement commencing in April 2022).

In all cases where the application of this agreement results in movement to a higher pay grid level, placement at the higher grid level shall be at the rate that results in a minimum monthly increase of $82.

Questions can be directed to @email.