On October 2, collective bargaining negotiations between the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) and the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) resumed for two days. Following talks, the FBA bargaining committee spent three days refining and finalizing remaining monetary proposals.
“After pausing talks for almost five weeks, we know the FBA’s 67,500 members are keen for their bargaining committee to get back to bargaining and resolve remaining proposals for the next collective agreement,” says Lynn Bueckert, FBA lead negotiator and HEU secretary-business manager. “During our two days with the employer, your FBA bargaining committee focused on pushing for non-monetary improvements involving health and safety, workload, the provincial nominee program and accessing vacancies.”
“In addition to last week’s meetings with health employers, the FBA bargaining committee met October 6-7 to continue finalizing remaining monetary proposals,” says Bueckert. “Over two days, the committee – with the support of staff in servicing, legal, occupational health and safety, and research departments – reviewed options for enhancing leaves, premiums and other compensation provisions to table when talks resume in late October.”
Outside of FBA bargaining, talks between the BC General Employees’ Union – which represents 34,000-plus direct public service workers and is currently in week six of job action – and the B.C. government resumed briefly on September 29 before negotiations broke off again. The Professional Employees Association, which represents more than 1,800 public service workers has not returned to the table and many of its members remain on the picket line since their job action began on September 2.
"While public service unions remain on strike, HEU continues to encourage members to support striking workers by joining their picket lines and respecting them by not crossing,” says Bueckert. “If an employer insists you cross a picket line, please remember that refusing to cross is not grounds for discipline.”
At other public sector bargaining tables, bargaining hit an impasse last Friday at the Community Health table after the Community Bargaining Association was unable to see progress on several top priorities from health employers for its 23,000 members. At the other public sector tables, including Health Science Professionals, Community Social Services, Nurses, Paramedics and B.C.’s K-12 sector, talks are still in progress or set to take place with employers later this fall.
The FBA bargaining committee and HEABC representatives will return to the table for the next session of negotiations October 20-24.