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Improvements in this collective agreement demonstrate how valuable community health care workers are to British Columbians who rely on them for support and community services.
Vancouver (05 Feb. 2014) — Members of the multi-union Community Health Bargaining Association (CBA) have voted 78.8 per cent in favour of accepting a new collective agreement with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC).
The five-year collective agreement expires on March 31, 2019 and covers over 15,000 union members working in community health across the province.
Collective agreement gives more recognition to the valuable work of community health workers
“Community health is a vital and growing area of the province’s health care sector,” says Darryl Walker, President of the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE).
“This agreement is an important first step in recognizing the value of community health and the quality care that members in the sector provide for seniors and other British Columbians who rely on home support and other community services.”
Members negotiated wage increases, improvements to health and welfare benefits and job security language
The agreement provides a guaranteed wage increase for all members of 5.5 per cent over the term of the agreement with the possibility of additional wage increases under the Economic Stability Dividend.
Additionally, the new agreement includes wage comparability adjustments totaling two per cent over three years for members with occupations similar to those covered by the facilities subsector agreement.
Other highlights include improvements to health and welfare benefits and maintained provisions on employment security and protection against contracting out.
“Our bargaining committee worked hard to reach this agreement,” says Carla Demspey, Chair of the CBA and of BCGEU/NUPGE's Community Health Component.
“I want to thank them and all the stewards and local officers who made a special effort to talk to members about the agreement and answer questions during the ratification process.”
The CBA is led by BCGEU/NUPGE, and includes workers in community health throughout B.C. represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 1518, the Hospital Employees' Union, the Health Sciences Association of B.C., the Canadian Union of Public Employees and other unions.
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