The Report: February 2012 vol.33 num.1

Collective agreements covering the vast majority of HSA members working in health sciences and community social services expire on March 31, and HSAs negotiators have already begun work on the next agreements.

HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS

Bargaining for the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association was scheduled to begin February 27.

HSA priorities for bargaining were set at a three-day bargaining proposal conference in November.

Community social service workers across British Columbia are returning to the bargaining table. The current collective agreement expires on March 31, 2012.

The first dates for bargaining with the employer have now been set for the week of February 27.

With the Community Social Services Bargaining Association contract set to expire March 31, 2012, work is already underway to prepare HSAs priorities to the joint bargaining association.

HSA stewards will be calling chapter meetings to be held by November 25, 2011 to discuss bargaining proposals.  All HSA members covered by the Community Social Services Bargaining Association collective agreement are urged to attend the chapter meeting. Your negotiating team needs to hear from you.

Community Social Service workers are essential to building strong communities and making life better for families and individuals. Yet workers in this sector are often as invisible as the members of the society they support.

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has made a commitment to raise the profile of community social service workers.

British Columbia's frontline community-based social service workers have approved their new collective agreements. The vote was 88% in favour for General Services and 79% in favour for Community Living Services.

HSA President Reid Johnson is not optimistic about media reports for a -new government mandate" for collective bargaining in 2012 after yesterdays Throne Speech from the BC government.

The lead union in the Community Social Services Bargaining Association, the BCGEU, has extended the deadline for ratification votes to take place on the proposed collective agreement reached last month. The bargaining committee unanimously recommended ratification of the agreement, and HSAs Board of Directors recommends HSA members support the terms of the agreement.

Additional opportunities to vote on the tentative agreement have been scheduled as follows for HSA members covered by the CSSBA collective agreement:

The one-time,$6 million in new funding announced today for Community Living BC (CLBC) is inadequate to stem the crisis in support and funding faced by the families of adults with developmental disabilities, says the BC Community Living Action Group (BCCLAG).

The six million dollars will provide support for a total 123 adults with developmental disabilities for one year, based on CLBCs average costs of $48,800 for providing supports and services per adult per year.

HSA is a member of the Community Living Action Group.

HSAs board of directors has voted to recommend members vote ‘yes in favour of the tentative collective agreement reached last month between the Community Social Services Union Bargaining Association of the Community Social Services Employers Association (CSSEA).

The tentative agreement was supported unanimously by the multi-union bargaining committee, and was reached without third-party involvement for the first time in the sector's bargaining history.

The BC Community Living Action Group (BC‐CLAG) strongly urges Premier Christy Clark to act immediately to approve $70 million in new provincial funding to stem the provinces growing community living crisis.

A BC‐CLAG analysis of Community Living BC (CLBC) projections shows that at least $70 million is needed immediately to address the existing support backlog. Each year, hundreds of youths with developmental
disabilities reach the age of 19 and turn to CLBC as they age out of supports funded by the Ministry for Children and Families.