Dear members,
CUPE is aware of the news that some nurses in the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) are receiving a premium as of April 1, 2020.
Early this morning, senior staff from CUPE held a phone call with the president and CEO of the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC). The purpose of this call was to seek an understanding of what the NBA and HEABC agreed to and the reasons why, and to request that the employer and government take certain actions.
The premium paid to nurses has been mischaracterized as a ‘COVID-19 premium’ or similar reference. CUPE has confirmed that the premium has no relation to COVID-19, but rather was collectively bargained by the HEABC and NBA in their last round of negotiations. This is an important distinction: just as CUPE and the other unions in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Community Health Bargaining Association (CBA) were able to bargain improvements within the government’s Sustainable Services Negotiating Mandate, so were the nurses and the other unions of the NBA.
This “working short” premium was to be paid to nurses identified as working short as of April 1, 2020, following a collaborative assessment and implementation process with the health authorities and Providence Health Care. However, that process was suspended due to the emergence of COVID-19 and instead the Parties agreed to implement the premium as a temporary measure until the process can resume. The result is that all nurses who provide direct patient care will be paid that working short premium of $3.00/hour for nurses in units with 11 or more nurses and $5.00/hour for nurses in units with 10 or fewer nurses. This agreement is in effect for the month of April.
CUPE expressed to the CEO that the impact of this premium is to further the disparity in compensation between nurses and our members in the HSPBA and the CBA. CUPE noted that this inequity is felt by our members as undervaluing their critical roles in the public health care system, which has an especially harmful impact on morale during this public health emergency. CUPE also pointed to wage disparity as being a major cause of chronic staffing shortages and excessive workloads, which have existed for years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CUPE also made the following two requests:
- That the employer and government make it priority to address the wage disparity between jobs in the NBA and those professions within the other health sector collective agreements; and
- To ensure safe workplaces for our members at all times, but especially during this public health emergency. We specifically called on the employer to provide personal protective equipment and an expedited accommodation process for members who require an accommodation as supported by their primary care provider.
CUPE members in the health care system serve the public with professionalism and dedication. Our members are providing frontline care and vital services during this pandemic, just as nurses are. We take your concerns seriously and will continue discussions with government and the HEABC to achieve recognition and equity for the services you provide.
In solidarity,
Chris Losito
CUPE Health Sector Coordinator – B.C. Region