Remarks by Cindy Stewart, in reaction to Health Care Services Continuation Act

I want to start by thanking all the HSA members and the other union members of the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association for the determination they have shown today in response to the heavy-handed legislation passed early this morning.

It has been a very difficult day• for the union, and for all of our members.

Employers have been threatening our members and our members have been forced to make personal decisions about what the legislation means to them.

Today has been testament to the determination health science professionals have to get a collective agreement.

We have had several meetings of the union's leadership throughout the day to determine how we would proceed in light of the legislation and the minister's order today.

We had a range of options to consider• everything from embracing the legislation to outright defying it.

We have not embraced the legislation.

We had several legal opinions to consider including challenging a piece of legislation which we believe has some fundamental flaws.

We considered long and hard what the consequences of the legislation are - the consequences of supporting it as well as the consequences of defying it.

We as a union agreed that what had to drive our decision was what our job action since May 22nd has been all about. It's been about getting a collective agreement that values the work of health science professionals in the health care system.

That's what our 90 per cent strike vote gave us• A mandate to go out and get the kind of wages that would address the crisis of shortages in the health science professions.

And that continues to be our priority.

In the recent election, Gordon Campbell said a Liberal government would be a government that would respect health care professionals.

He said we are important.

He said we are valuable.

Well, Gordon Campbell and his caucus didn't speak for those values last night in the legislature.

But we are willing to give Gordon Campbell a chance to prove himself and deliver on the promises he made to health care professionals.

Because we agree that British Columbians should have access to health care when they need it• and where they need it• delivered by the professionals with the training, experience and compassion to deliver quality care.

With a mandate from the government the employer can go back to the table and negotiate a collective agreement that values health science professionals.

Today our executive made the difficult decision that we will go back to the bargaining table.

But we expect to see an offer that allows us to achieve a collective agreement that values our members' work.

Based on our fundamental goal to achieve a collective agreement, we are directing our members to return to work at 6 a.m. tomorrow.

We will comply with the legislation and we will be contacting special mediator Stephen Kelleher to discuss a return to the bargaining table.

But do not interpret this as acceptance of the legislation.

We have serious reservations about the legislation.

We don't believe that the process imposed by this government is the best way to achieve a collective agreement.

It strips us of our fundamental right to collective bargaining.

And it nullifies our democratic strike vote.

We're going back to the table to get a collective agreement that values the contributions health science professionals make to the health care system.

The ball is in the government's court.

With a position that allows for serious negotiations, we can get that agreement.

It's up to the government to send a message to the employer that there is something to negotiate

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