Attracting and keeping members in the health system is an ongoing challenge, that’s why your bargaining committee again focused efforts to secure new and expanded measures to make workplaces more sustainable and fulfilling.
Recruitment and retention
Job sharing provides flexible arrangements that can benefit workers and the health care system by retaining skilled staff, preventing burnout, and improving the delivery of care. This new agreement now allows two eligible employees to share one full-time job.
The Rotation Support Fund has been renewed so members can continue to access the expertise of HEU-based rotation specialists to create new rotations, when the majority of workers on a unit or department are interested, and the employer is in agreement. More resources and information on how to access this support can be found online here.
Continuity of care plays a critical role in good health outcomes, and regularization of positions supports that through better retention of employees. Coming out of this agreement, a joint working group will be created to identify key issues, considerations and concerns, and explore options with a goal to regularize more positions.
Career advancement
The $4.5 million FBA Education Fund has been renewed and through the fund, regular and casual FBA members can access financial assistance so that they may enroll in educational programs to upgrade professionally and enhance their careers. More information on the criteria and applications for the FBA Education Fund can be found online here.
In addition, a new joint working group of union and employer representatives will be established to study how mentor roles currently function in the union and collect feedback on what is working or needs improvement.
More highlights
- This new agreement creates a provincial working group of union and employer representatives to explore how members can move more easily between different health authorities. The working group will examine how to make province-wide mobility possible.
- Underway since April 1, 2026, workers who leave one employer and are rehired by the same or another employer will now have 18 months – instead of 12 months – to keep their benefits, seniority, and service banks, once they complete their probationary period.
- There is revised language that clarifies the process for implementing extended workday, or compressed work week, schedules.
- Newly added language ensures that through Regional Workload Committees, the union can request information it needs to support regularizing hours, including past schedules.
If you have questions about any of these provisions, please contact your HEU staff representative.