Health science professionals have voted 90 per cent to accept a four-year agreement.

-Health science professionals play an essential role in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients," said Health Sciences Association of BC President Cindy Stewart.

-This agreement recognizes the skills, training, and expertise that they bring to the job and is an important first step in ensuring that BC has the health science professionals we need now and in the future."

An application by HSA to change the name of the bargaining association covering health science professionals has been approved by the Labour Relations Board.

Effective immediately, the bargaining association will be known as the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association — a name that better reflects the work of the professionals covered by the contract. It was previously known as the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association.

With contract ratification meetings being scheduled for next week, the week of March 27, HSA has produced a comprehensive Report to Members on the Proposed Terms of Settlement. The booklet is available for download here.

All members are encouraged to review the detailed summary of the proposed collective agreement. Booklets will also be available at the ratification vote meetings being held throughout the province.

Ratification vote meetings are being held throughout the province the week of March 27, 2006.

Click here for schedule - updated March 30

After almost two months at the bargaining table, your HSA bargaining committee has achieved a tentative agreement for a four-year contract.

The HSA Board of Directors and your bargaining committee strongly recommend that you vote YES in favour of the contract, as it goes a long way toward addressing the key bargaining priorities identified by members.

A number of HSA members have contacted the office with questions about the tentative wage package for health science professionals. In particular, members are inquiring about how they will benefit from the cost-shared LTD plan.

Attached is a table outlining both the wage increases and the net benefit of the reduction in LTD premiums.

A tentative agreement has been reached between the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association and the Health Employers Association of BC following intense negotiations over the weekend.

Download complete text as PDF (includes highlights of the four-year agreement)

A tentative agreement has been reached between the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association and the Health Employers Association of BC following intense negotiations over the weekend.

Highlights of the four-year agreement include:

A tentative agreement has been reached between the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association and the Health Employer\s Association of BC for a four-year contract.

Chief negotiator Ron Ohmart says the union bargaining association made gains on all of the key bargaining objectives. More details will be made available tomorrow.

While the union bargaining committee is still awaiting a revised monetary proposal from the employer, a number of long-standing issues for health science professionals have been resolved in bargaining between the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association (PPBA) and HEABC.