Hospital Employees’ Union members at Sharondale Lodge and Sunrise Manor in Langley unanimously ratifed a new collective agreement on August 31, giving them substantial pay and benefit increases.
The wage increase of approximately $5 per hour goes into effect immediately. The wages for residential care workers will rise to $15.00 per hour retroactive to certification. There will be further increases: Oct. 1, 2000 to $15.81, Oct. 1, 2001 to $16.32 and Oct. 1, 2002 to $16.83.
The benefits package is considerable for a group of workers who had virtually no benefits previous to signing with the union. Employer-paid medical, vision care, a dental plan, life insurance, a long-term disability plan, a group RRSP and access to the Healthcare Labour Adjustment Agency programs are some of the benefits they won in their first contract.
“This collective agreement will help lift these caregivers out of the wage and benefits ghetto they found themselves in before they became part of HEU,” said HEU secretary-business manager Chris Allnutt. “And becoming part of the Community Social Services sector affords them a measure of stability in their jobs.”
The 14 workers, now members of the Langley (Sharondale and Sunrise) local, certified with HEU in Sept. 1999. The private, for-profit facility is owned by Yoo’s Holdings Ltd.