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Facilities (health) talks resume this week: employers slow to disclose data essential to making progress on key issues
Vancouver (22 May 2012) - After a scheduled two-week break, negotiations for a new Facilities collective agreement in British Columbia resume.
Talks began four months ago. The multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), of which the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) is a member, said progress is slow, in part because health employers have limited authority to engage in bargaining under the government’s strictly controlled negotiating mandate.
The last main proposal from the Health Employers Association of B.C. (HEABC) was its position on merging collective agreements covering employees of the BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) into the Facilities agreement. The BCAS transferred into the health sector in 2010.
One significant stumbling block in talks is the lack of disclosure by health employers of information and other data related to issues such as the casual addendum, part-time employment, benefit costs and how employers intend to operationally integrate the ambulance service into the health sector.
“We need the employers’ side to supply this information. It’s fundamental to making any progress at the bargaining table,” said BCGEU President Darryl Walker.
The two sides have yet to discuss monetary issues.
The collective agreement covers a diverse health care team. It includes workers in hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostic treatment centres, as well as emergency health services and shared services such as logistics and supply operations.
More than 270 occupations are represented in the talks including care aides, licensed practical nurses, lab assistants, pharmacy technicians, admitting clerks, medical transcriptionists, trades and maintenance workers, sterile supply technicians, dietary staff and many others.
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