The Hospital Employees' Union today called on the BC government to treat health care and other public sector workers in a fair and equitable manner at the bargaining table after legislators today voted themselves a 15 per cent wage hike.
"We don't begrudge our elected representatives a reasonable wage increase," says HEU secretary-business manager Judy Darcy.
"Still, the irony of today's 15 per cent wage hike won't be lost on our members who, by legislative fiat, had their pay cheques slashed by the very same amount last year.
"We'll take today's move by MLAs as an indication that health care workers will also be treated in a fair and equitable manner when they and other public sector workers head to the bargaining table in the next few months."
In April, 2004, the BC government through an act of the legislature slashed the wages of nearly 40,000 HEU members by 15 per cent.
The wage cut affects a wide range of workers including licensed practical nurses, trades workers , cardiology technologists, operating room booking clerks, lab assistants, care aides, pharmacy technicians, patient records clerks and many others.
The contract covering these workers expires on March 31, 2006, the day before the MLA pay hike goes into effect.