Community health workers vote to support new collective agreement
Community health sector workers, including 1000 HSA members, have voted in favour of a tentative agreement reached with health employers. The three-year will take effect April 1, 2019 and expire March 31, 2022.
The new collective agreement brings in yearly wage increases of two per cent in each of the next three years in addition to enhanced benefits, provisions for improved scheduling, and steps to address staff retention. Employees covered in this agreement work in mental health and addiction services, community service agencies, health authorities, provide services to seniors, and home care support services.
"Our members deliver critical services to some of the most vulnerable British Columbians," said HSA President Val Avery. "This agreement is an important step forward for our members and the communities they serve."
Today's vote announcement comes after a tentative agreement was reached in mid-June, the result of weeks of negotiations between the Community Health Bargaining Association (CBA), and the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC). HSA members were represented at the bargaining table by staff negotiator Jessica Derynck and member representative Katherine Oliver, a child care assistant at Thompson Nicola Family Resource Society.
Highlights of the agreement include:
- Wage increases of six per cent over three years for all workers
- Improvement of employment security provisions
- Creation of task force to investigate guaranteed hours and other issues
- Additional funding for Enhanced Disability Management Program
The Community Bargaining Assocaiton represents roughly 16,000 employees working in community health around the province. In addition to HSA, members are represented by the following unions: BCGEU, which is the lead union in bargaining, UFCW, HEU, CUPE, USW, CLAC and BCNU.