The multi-union Community Bargaining Association (CBA) has spent 16 days at the negotiating table with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) to renew a collective agreement covering 21,000 workers in the community health subsector, including 2,300 HEU members.
Their current contract expired on March 31, 2025. All collective agreement provisions will remain in effect until a new deal is negotiated and ratified by the membership.
So far, the parties have made little progress outside of administrative (“housekeeping”) updates to the contract.
All non-monetary proposals have been tabled.
The CBA’s mandate – as prioritized by the membership – includes improved overtime provisions, greater mobility between employers, and language equal to workers covered under the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) contract.
Due to the lack of progress in negotiations, the parties have cancelled previously scheduled bargaining dates in July. They plan to return to the table in September and October.
Although monetary proposals have not been discussed, the provincial government’s public sector wage mandate – shared at other bargaining tables – applies to CBA as well.
The bargaining association agrees with public sector union allies that the offer falls short of addressing members’ needs or the affordability crisis facing public sector workers.
What the employer is offering the public sector
On June 25, HEABC tabled monetary proposals, including wages and low compensation redress. This included a proposed two-year collective agreement with the following General Wage Increase (GWI):
Year 1: The employer proposed two options for year one of the GWI:
Option A
April 1, 2025: increase of 0.5 per cent plus $0.15 per hour
October 1, 2025: increase of 0.5 per cent plus $0.15 per hour
Option B
April 1, 2025: increase of 0.75 per cent
October 1, 2025: increase of 0.75 per cent
Year 2:
April 1, 2026: increase of one per cent
October 1, 2026: increase of one per cent
This is an opening proposal, and significant work remains.
HEU’s community health members are encouraged to keep their contact information up-to-date to stay informed on the bargaining process. Visit our homepage at https://www.heu.org/change-contact-information to update your info.
The Community Bargaining Association includes BCGEU (the lead), CUPE, HEU (2,300 members), UFCW, HSA, BCNU, and USW, covering 21,000 workers across the province.