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"The HSPBA believes it is possible to get to a deal that does not erode benefits, and will take that message to the table,” said Jeanne Meyers, HSABA lead negotiator.
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Vancouver (11 Oct. 2012) - In the wake of tentative agreements reached in the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) master provincial government for government workers and nurses’ bargaining, the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) returned to the bargaining table on October 9.
Jeanne Meyers, chief negotiator for the HSPBA, said the bargaining association is optimistic that the tentative agreements achieved at those two tables signals a willingness by government to return to the health science professionals bargaining table with an appetite to bargain.
“Both those tables have achieved tentative agreements under the cooperative gains mandate. And while the nurses’ agreement includes an attack on benefits that we cannot support, the direct government service tentative agreement does not. The HSPBA believes it is possible to get to a deal that does not erode benefits, and will take that message to the table,” she said.
Meyers added a significant win in the continuing dispute regarding the application of interim classification modifications agreed to in the 2010-2012 collective agreement should also help kick-start concerted bargaining at the health science professionals’ table.
Bargaining continues this week and next.
HSPBA represents 17,000 health science professionals working in hospitals and communities throughout B.C. The Health Sciences Association of B.C. is the lead union and members are also represented by the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Professional Employee Association (PEA), and the Hospital Employees Union (HEU).
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE