Tentative deal reached for health science professionals
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:
Chief negotiator Ron Ohmart says the tentative agreement goes a long way toward meeting the unions key bargaining objectives, including a competitive wage increase and rectifying the wage split imposed by the provincial government in 2001.
-Our members play an essential role in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients," says Ohmart. -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."
The tentative agreement covers more than 14,000 health science professionals working in BC hospitals and community health facilities ... including laboratory and medical imaging technologists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, dietitians, respiratory therapists and public health inspectors.
The majority of health science professionals are represented by the Health Sciences Association of BC. Other unions in the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association are the BC Government and Service Employees Union, Professional Employees Association, Canadian Union of Public Employees and Hospital Employees Union.
A MORE DETAILED OUTLINE OF THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WILL BE PUBLISHED LATER THIS AFTERNOON.