Strike votes scheduled for HSA members working in community social services

Following more than a year and a half of negotiations, members of the community social services bargaining committee have been unable to reach a tentative collective agreement.

Members gave the unions bargaining representatives direction to negotiate improvements in layoff and bumping language, and improved job security.   The committee made heroic efforts to negotiate improvements that protect members against job loss, and work within the governments "zero mandate".

The employer provided the bargaining committee with a glimmer of hope during the bargaining committee's most recent efforts at the end of March, offering improvements to harassment language, selection disputes, and removing some concessions.

That hope ended March 30, 2011 when the employer's final proposal did not meet the bargaining association's needs regarding key language provisions for posting, layoff, and job security.

The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) recommended a strike vote to back bargaining demands; and HSAs board of directors last week approved a recommendation by HSAs representatives in the multi-union bargaining association to take a strike vote.

Details of proposals from the employer will be available on HSA's website at www.hsabc.org, and will be discussed at  HSA's strike vote meetings over the coming weeks.  Members are encouraged to attend any of the strike vote meetings to receive information and cast a ballot.

HSA members covered by the CSSBA collective agreement are urged to contact the office by email at @email if you have any questions or difficulty getting to the polls.

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