We are continuing our monthly series about the renewed Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) collective agreement. Making working conditions safer was a key priority for your bargaining committee, and this agreement improves preventative measures and provides better supports for members injured at work.
This update covers improvements in workplace health and safety and expanded union representation to empower you in your day-to-day work.
Workplace health
There is a new pilot project for regional joint health and safety committees to provide greater oversight and coordination of psychological health, violence prevention and joint occupation health and safety (JOHS).
Two temporary, full-time occupational health and safety advocate positions will be created in two health authorities to support members on JOHS committees. The advocates will also provide information and increase awareness among FBA members about their workplace safety rights and the importance of reporting incidents.
There is also a new measure to provide members with access to paid occupational health and safety training, when they have duties that include supervision, instruction or direction of other staff.
Union rights and representation
Following the success of the dedicated HEU shop stewards bargained in the 2022-2025 collective agreement, more positions have been added.
In addition to the 21.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions already established, 4.8 FTEs will be added on April 1, 2026, and 3.0 FTEs will be added on April 1, 2028. This brings the total from 21 to 29 FTE positions.
There is also a new provision that ensures locals have the right to hold discussions with the employer about improving union-related activities. Reasonable paid-time off for some union activities, rest space, and the allocation of union office space are just some of the topics that locals can discuss with employers to address issues at the local level.
More highlights
Collective agreement language has been broadened so that employers must now make critical incident stress defusing support available to employees who have been either involved in, or witness to, a serious work-related traumatic incident.
New language about working alone or in isolation makes it clear the employer must actively communicate to members about the working alone risk assessment, as well as how they may escalate concerns.
Provisions have been strengthened so that when an employer is aware of a patient or resident with a history of aggressive behaviour, it must provide information in the employer’s possession for members to safely perform their duties.
A shop steward or union committee member will now be paid their applicable rate of pay, if they attend an employer-initiated meeting during their time off.
Updated workload language now gives the union the right to request more information on past schedules from the employer to assist in workload discussions.
The time a Letter of Expectation remains on an employee’s personnel file is reduced to 18 months, down from 36 months.
Meanwhile, if you have questions about any of these provisions, please contact your HEU staff representative.