June 13, 2012
Negotiations aimed at concluding a new contract covering 16,000 health care and administrative workers in the Community Health sub-sector continued this week in Vancouver. Talks are scheduled to continue over the weekend and into next week.
On Monday and again on Wednesday the Health Employers’ Association of British Columbia (HEABC) presented a broad based benefits proposal. The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) is reviewing the proposals and we will provide you with the details when we have been able to get clarity.
This week the two parties also discussed issues and exchanged amendments to previously tabled proposals. HEABC and CBA tabled and discussed the grievance and arbitration procedures and continued to discuss the scheduling provisions.
Talks are scheduled to continue for one more week.
The primary non-monetary issues remaining are scheduling, grievance and arbitration procedures, health and safety, anti-bullying and allowances.
“This week, while we made some progress, the bargaining committee is now working to fully understand the employer’s benefits proposal,” said Pat Taylor, CUPE bargaining committee member. “We are working through the weekend to narrow the issues.”
Jill Stromnes, CUPE bargaining committee member, says that the bargaining team continues to wait for a fair and reasonable wage offer from HEABC.
CUPE represents approximately 500 members in the CBA which has over 14,000 members, the majority of whom are represented by the BCGEU. Other Unions at the table are UFCW, HEU, HSA, and USWA.