Unions table wage package
Employer response expected Monday
Negotiations at the health science professionals table continued this week with the union bargaining association tabling a wage package that rectifies the A/B wage split, provides a fair wage increase for all health science professionals and returns the LTD plan to the employer.
-Health science professionals are in demand all over the world and BC needs to stay competitive in order to recruit and retain these professionals now and in the future," says chief negotiator, Ron Ohmart.
-If the government and employers want to ensure that BC is providing the best diagnostic, clinical and rehabilitative services possible ... then we need to make sure that we have the professionals to deliver those services."
While the two sides have not reached agreement on many issues, talks have been respectful and there has been good discussion on subjects including hours of work, scheduling, and transportation issues.
The bargaining association and HEABC have agreed to break for two days while the employer develops a comprehensive response to the unions monetary proposals. Talks are expected to resume Monday. It is still the goal of both parties to reach a settlement in time to meet the governments deadline of March 31.