A delegation from the constituent unions of the CBA met with HEABC and a representative of the Public Sector Employers’ Council Secretariat (PSEC) on November 3, 2022.
 
It was our goal to impress upon PSEC that the CBA was unable to meet the core priorities we had established based on the monetary offer we have received. In particular we outlined the dramatic differences in compensation between CBA and FBA workers and the impact it has had, and will continue to have, on recruitment and retention in the CBA.
 

The CBA bargaining committee resumed negotiations with HEABC on October 19 – 21, 2022.

We have made some progress and are close to resolving outstanding non-monetary matters and we’re currently working to reach an agreement on changes to hours of work in both Article 14 and 15.

Bargaining committee members, along with the committee members from other unions, have been bargaining for the last three weeks. Discussions are now on hold while we look at scheduling new dates, and we anticipate talks will resume in late October or early November.
 

For most of the last two weeks the HSA, along with seven other constituent unions of the CBA, has been at the bargaining table with the Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC) working towards a tentative agreement.

We had hoped to have good news about progress but, unfortunately, we are not satisfied with where negotiations stand at this time.

In recognition of the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II, the government of BC has advised provincial public sector employers to honour Monday, September 19, 2022 as a holiday. 

Since pausing negotiations in June, six working groups made up of representatives from the union and employer side have been working to develop recommendations around new certifications, occupational health and safety, decolonizing the collective agreement and more. This work will now help streamline the bargaining process as the committee heads back to the table on September 12.
 

The Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC) tabled their initial wage proposal for the Community Health agreement, and we are deeply disappointed. We need a significant investment in front-line workers to address the staffing crisis in community health and we won’t accept anything less.
 
We expect challenging monetary negotiations, but the last weeks of bargaining have shown us that when we stand together, with your support, we can achieve important improvements for our sector.
 

The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) tabled proposals last week as talks began with the Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC).
 
At this point in time, we are pushing to achieve non-monetary priorities that members identified as important measures to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector.
 
The employer has recognized that we share some common goals. They are aware of the dire situation caused by short-staffing and made worse by the pandemic.
 

Essential Service Negotiations

Chief Steward Workshop/Planning Time

VARIOUS DATES: see options below
TIME: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
LOCATION: Virtual – WebEx details to follow
 

A message from HSA President Kane Tse

Labour Day is usually a time spent reflecting on the past. We remember the contributions of working people, celebrate the many victories, and remind ourselves and the world of the importance of collective action.

But this has been a very different year. We don’t have to recall the distant past to see the remarkable commitment of working people in BC. We’re seeing history being made, all around us, in real time.