On November 3, a delegation from the eight-union Community Bargaining Association (CBA) – covering 21,000 health care workers, including about 2,300 HEU members – met with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) and a representative of the Public Sector Employers’ Council Secretariat (PSEC).
It was the CBA’s goal to impress upon PSEC that based on the employer’s monetary offer, the unions are unable to meet the core membership priorities. In particular, the CBA outlined the dramatic differences in compensation between CBA and Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members and the impact it has had, and will continue to have, on recruitment and retention in the community health bargaining unit.
Although the multi-union bargaining team clearly demonstrated the disparity, there was no indication that the provincial monetary offer will change.
The bargaining committee is deeply disappointed and feels there’s no purpose in further meetings with HEABC until the bargaining team has a chance to speak directly to members.
Over the next several weeks and into the new year, CBA locals will be reaching out to the membership.
This will be an opportunity for members to learn more about what a deal based on the current offer would mean, what essential services are and how they work, and what a potential strike vote and resulting job action would look like. More importantly, it will be an opportunity for members to voice their opinions.
This process will be completed in mid-January, and the constituent unions of the CBA will reconvene at that time.
The community health collective agreement expired on March 31, 2022.
The B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) is the lead union at the CBA table.