Community health services and support: HSA members overwhelmingly reject tentative agreement
Health services and support workers represented by HSA voted 91 per cent in favour of rejecting the tentative agreement reached in December between the bargaining associations lead union, BCGEU, and the provincial government.
This follows last months recommendation by HSAs board of directors, who agreed with the unions negotiating team: the agreement asked members to give up too many hard-won benefits.
HSA President Reid Johnson said the proposal to gut Long Term Disability coverage was the deciding factor for HSA members. -Members at workplace meetings spoke out passionately against the proposed erosion of their LTD coverage," he said. -Eliminating coverage to colleagues with pre-existing conditions was a deal-breaker for our members. The agreement also didnt offer wage increases, and raised the extended health deductible by $75 per year, in exchange for a weekend shift premium ... for a group who typically dont work weekends."
HSA is a member of the Health Services and Support (Community Subsector) Bargaining Association. The voting results for each component union will be compiled later this week, and an announcement of tallied results is expected early next week.
To keep up to date on developments, sign up on HSAs website with your member ID number (on your mailing label of The Report magazine).