Contract for B.C.'s health science professionals gets underway

"Years of erosion in our health care system can’t be fixed overnight, but achieving a contract that addresses those issues and supports improvements to the health care service British Columbians expect and deserve will be a priority at the bargaining table." — Val Avery, HSABC President

Vancouver (11 Sept. 2018) — Bargaining for a new collective agreement for B.C.’s 18,000 health science professionals working in hospitals and communities throughout the province gets underway this week. Bargaining representatives for the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers’ Association of B.C. (HEABC) are set to begin contract negotiations in Vancouver.

Bargaining brings opportunity to address erosion in health care

Led by Health Sciences Association of B.C. (HSABC/NUPGE), which represents the majority of health science professionals in BC, the union negotiators will focus on achieving a collective agreement that helps to address years of erosion in the health care system.

“We have heard from our members that workload, challenges in recruitment and retention, and recognition of the value of health science professionals on multi-disciplinary health care teams are all important elements in delivering the best services to B.C. patients, and must be priorities in this round of bargaining,” said Val Avery, HSABC President.

“Years of erosion in our health care system can’t be fixed overnight, but achieving a contract that addresses those issues and supports improvements to the health care service British Columbians expect and deserve will be a priority at the bargaining table,” she said.

HSPBA represents 18,000 union members, the majority of whom are represented by HSABC/NUPGE.  Other unions at represented at the bargaining table are CUPE, BCGEU/NUPGE, PEA, and HEU. The current collective agreement expires in March 2019.