What's up and what's not with union actions and grievances

The Report: February / March 1999 vol.19 num.6

Y2K bug = vacation ban? 

Some health employers have stated recently that they will be banningall vacations for employees from December 31, 1999 to March 15, 2000. The employers arguethat the potential effects of a Y2K disaster on health care delivery warrants this move,and that health facilities may need staff available to institute manual systems in case ofa system crash.

HSA Membership Services Coordinator Brian McConville said he hasserious concerns about this unreasonable employer position, and that HSA will considerfiling a policy grievance if employers proceed with the ban. -Its ludicrous toban well-deserved vacations for a problem that may well never happen," he said.-This is a clear violation of the collective agreement. And in the event that theproblem actually does arise despite years of planning and trouble-shooting, hospitals canrevert to their established disaster plans for staffing instead of this vacationban."

Employers who have expressed an intent to ban vacations so far include:

-HSA will be monitoring this situation closely," McConvillesaid, -and well keep members as informed as possible."

Cooperation key to successat AIDS Van

Health Services and Support workers at AIDS Vancouver workedsuccessfully with their employer to arrive at fair Long Term and Short Term DisabilityPlans.

HSA Negotiator Dawn Adamson said that while it was a long road, shecommends the employer for recognizing the importance of a secure and viable disabilityplan. -This deal provides a good security net for our members at AIDS Van," shesaid. -Since a number of AIDS Van workers could themselves face the prospect ofimmunosuppression and other health complications, both a Long and Short Term DisabilityPlan was of particular importance."

In the past, employees were struggling to pay for both the Long andShort Term Disability Plans, and even more so recently when the costs of these plansskyrocketed. With the new agreement, the employer will pay for a SUB top up plan for shortterm disability where the employee receives 75 per cent of full wages for the two weekwaiting period and 66 2/3 per cent of full wages for the remainder of the 17 weeks.

Welcome! to new members atDeltassist

HSA celebrates our joint certification with the Canadian AutoWorkers Union for 63 members at Deltassist Family and Community Services. Our newmembers work at 14 sites in Delta, Surrey, Tsawwassen and Vancouver, providing counsellingand other programs. Some services include those for seniors, alcohol & drugoutpatients, family enhancement, outreach family counselling, sexual abuse counselling,suicide prevention, residential programs for youth, and support for pregnant and parentingteens.

CAW originally represented 11 bus drivers at Deltassist, and thesemembers will continue to remit dues to CAW.

HSA Organizer Janice Davis said HSA and CAW Local 4100 applied jointlyto the Labour Board for a poly-party certification. -This is a new and excitingdevelopment for HSA," she said. -This new joint certification means that therewill be one collective agreement negotiated to cover all employees working at Deltassist,including the 11 original CAW members. The existing CAW collective agreement remains inforce for the CAW members until a new collective agreement covering all employees isratified."

Davis added that HSA and CAW will jointly administer the new collectiveagreement, once it is ratified. HSA and CAW will also bargain jointly in all futurecontract talks with the employer ... represented by the Community Social ServiceEmployers Association ... and have agreed to articles of association that governhow the two unions will cooperate in representing the employees.