HSPBA Bargaining Update: Progress at the table as negotiations resume

Members standing together have made all the difference

Negotiations resumed this week in response to a significant new commitment from government, one that acknowledges key priorities identified by members.

This commitment was laid out in a bargaining framework that provides a monetary package equal to that offered to other public service workers in BC, with wage increases as well as additional dollars for priorities addressing working conditions and service improvements. This includes the need to address professional shortages driving wait times and cancellation of services for the public.

Your bargaining team is now hard at work to determine how those priorities will be achieved in this contract.

Member support and action has made all the difference in this difficult round of negotiations.

Hundreds of you have been busy on local job action planning committees, doing an incredible amount of planning and prep work.

Hundreds of you have taken the time to write directly to your local MLA to share stories about what you are seeing on the frontlines, dealing with shortages and long wait times and cancellations.

And thousands of you have been supporting the work of the negotiating committee — by participating in the strike vote last month, by talking to your stewards, and by sending your questions to the union.

Members like you have pulled together, standing shoulder to shoulder, bringing us closer to the deal we need.

Please keep sending your letters. You can find the campaign page here. And keep celebrating the amazing work our members do every day to keep our health care system working for the people that need it.

There is a lot of hard work yet to be done, but we believe we are on the path to an agreement that improves working conditions for members, and for the public who depend on their care.

Just a reminder that HSA is the lead union in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA), which also includes over 5,000 health science professionals represented by BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Professional Employees Association (PEA), and Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU). We are working with these constituent unions to achieve a contract that works for everyone.

We will share more information as it becomes available.