Health science professionals off the job Tuesday on Vancouver Island

Health science professionals will withdraw services to essential service levels on Vancouver Island Tuesday, May 29. The walk-out will be marked with a rally at the legislature at noon. About 2,200 health science professionals work on Vancouver Island.

"The employer claims were the highest paid health science professionals in Canada. While were slipping in some of our professions, that has traditionally been the case. And in order to keep highly skilled and educated health care providers here in BCs public system, we need to offer the wages and benefits that will attract them," Health Sciences Association (HSA) President Cindy Stewart told striking members at a Kelowna rally today.

Stewart said a majority of health science professionals are recruited from outside the province. For example, of the 1,400 physiotherapists represented by the HSA, 74 per cent were recruited from outside BC.

HSAs Rick Lampshire, chief negotiator for the health science professionals, said the competition for trained health science professionals does not come just from other public sector jurisdictions across Canada. Higher wages offered in the private sector within the province in many professions, including pharmacy and physiotherapy, is also a key benchmark in negotiating for competitive wage levels.

"While the HEABC thinks our members ... the majority of whom have at least four years post-secondary education training ... arent worth the kinds of wage increases being considered for other health care professionals, our members know they are. They just have to look at the wages being paid in the private sector for the evidence," Lampshire said.

The Paramedical Bargaining Association represents 14,000 health science professionals in the Health Sciences Association, Canadian Union of Public Employees, BC Government and Services Employees Union, Professional Employees Association, and the Hospital Employees Union. The bargaining association represents professionals who work in about 100 different health science professions, including pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, radiation therapy, x-ray technology, public health inspection and facility licensing.

For more information, contact:
Miriam Sobrino, Director of Communications
(604)439-0994 or 328-2886