Let’s Get Ready to Bargain! Meetings Coming this Fall for HSA Members to Set Contract Priorities

With collective agreements covering HSA members working under public sector contracts expiring in March 2025, work is underway to set priorities for bargaining for HSA members working under the Health Science Professional (HSPBA) Community Health (CBA), Community Social Services (CSSBA), and Nurses (NBA) collective agreements.

Your collective agreement is the most important tool you have to define and enforce your legal rights. Contract negotiations are critical to your working conditions and rights. All members are encouraged to participate in setting the direction for your next contract. Watch your union bulletin board and email for information about important meetings coming this fall. 

How does bargaining work?  This 4-minute video takes you through HSA’s bargaining process

Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSBPA)

A majority of HSA members are covered by the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) collective agreement. Every member is encouraged to participate in local worksite-based meetings to suggest and vote on proposed contract changes. These meetings are organized by local steward teams. All contract proposals must be voted on by members at the worksite to be forwarded to the bargaining proposal conference November 6 – 8 in Burnaby in the Lower Mainland. About 100 delegates elected from around the province will set the priorities for bargaining at this conference. 

Deadline for submission of bargaining proposals to the HSA office is October 11, 2024.

Delegates to the November bargaining proposal conference will be elected from HSA’s 10 geographic regions at the union’s annual regional meetings. Members interested in serving on the bargaining committee are strongly encouraged to attend their local annual regional meeting, and stand for election as a delegate to the November bargaining proposal conference. Nominations must be submitted in writing in advance of the regional meeting. The schedule of regional meetings and nomination deadlines is here.

At the November conference, delegates will elect seven members to sit on the union bargaining committee. The bargaining committee will include one member from each of the province’s health authority employers, one member representing affiliated worksites, and if among those committee members, there is no representative representing community-based worksites, an additional member representing community-based members will be elected. In addition, two members of the Board of Directors will serve on the bargaining committee, one of whom will chair the committee.

Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA), Community Bargaining Association (CBA), Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA)

The bargaining proposal conference for HSA members covered by the Community Social Services (CSSBA), Community Health (CBA), and Nurses’ (NBA) contracts is set for October 28-30 in Vancouver.

Delegates to the bargaining proposal conference are appointed or elected from each worksite to attend.

At the conference, delegates will elect one member representative to participate on the bargaining association negotiating committee with HSA’s staff negotiator. The union leading bargaining for CSSBA and CBA is the BCGEU. The union leading bargaining for NBA is the BC Nurses’ Union.

Deadline for submission of CSSBA, CBA, and NBA bargaining proposals to the HSA office is October 4, 2024.

Submitting Bargaining Proposals

Members may not submit bargaining proposals directly to the union.

Throughout the fall, HSA worksite chapters will hold local meetings for members to propose and vote on bargaining proposals to forward to the bargaining proposal conferences. Delegates from across the province will consider the proposals to take forward to the negotiating table and vote on setting the bargaining priorities for the HSA representatives on the four bargaining committees. 

Deadline for submission of HSPBA bargaining proposals to the HSA office is October 11, 2024.

Deadline for submission of CSSBA, CBA, and NBA bargaining proposals to the HSA office is October 4, 2024.

Annual Regional Meetings Fall Schedule

Delegates to the HSPBA bargaining proposal conference will be elected at the union’s regional meetings. Delegates to the CSSBA, CBA, and NBA bargaining proposal conferences are decided at the local chapter level.

The schedule of regional meetings is here.

More questions?

Check our FAQ document here. Or drop us an e-mail at @email