Members standing together have made all the difference
Negotiations resumed this week after a significant new commitment from government—one that acknowledges key priorities identified by members.
This commitment was laid out in a bargaining framework with a monetary package equal to that offered to other public service workers in B.C., with wage increases and additional dollars for priorities addressing working conditions and service improvements. This includes the need to address professional shortages, which are driving wait times and service cancellations for the public.
Your bargaining team is now hard at work to determine how those priorities will be achieved in this contract.
Member support and action have made all the difference in this difficult round of negotiations. Locals have been finalizing job action details and completing extensive planning and preparation. And thousands of you have been supporting the work of the negotiating committee — by participating in the strike vote last month, talking to your coworkers and stewards, and attending the CUPE virtual information meetings. Members like you have pulled together, standing shoulder to shoulder, bringing us closer to the deal we need.
There is a lot of hard work yet to be done, but we believe we are on the path to an agreement that improves working conditions for members, and for the public who depend on their care.
We will share more information as it becomes available.
In solidarity,
Your CUPE representatives to the HSPBA bargaining committee