Health Care Presidents Council prepares for 2022 bargaining

BURNABY—CUPE’s Health Care Presidents Council (HCPC) met today to discuss preparations for bargaining, review the existing cost share campaign, approve the strategic plan for 2022, and hold elections.

“We’re currently neck deep in preparations for bargaining for both provincial associations,” said CUPE Health coordinator Tanya Paterson. “Bargaining will be done virtually, and we’ll pass on more information about the process as we receive it.”

Contract talks for the Community Health Bargaining Association will begin on February 3 and continue until March 11 while the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association will be at the table from February 28 through March 11. CUPE Research and Human Rights representatives were invited to the meeting to discuss ways to support the bargaining process.

During an update on the cost-share campaign, HCPC members viewed the new campaign video, https://www.cupe.bc.ca/caring_in_a_pandemic_living_and_working_through_covid  “Caring in a pandemic: Living and working through COVID” and discussed plans for an ad campaign in the spring.

In Council elections, CUPE 1004’s Tuesday Andrich was acclaimed as the new HCPC chair, while CUPE 1978’s Kazuhiro Takeuchi was acclaimed for another term as treasurer. CUPE 15’s Benita Spindel and CUPE 3403-01’s Shaunah Cairney were acclaimed as trustees with CUPE 1978’s Lindsay Fumalle acclaimed as an alternate trustee. The recording secretary position left vacant and will be reopened at the next meeting of the council.