On November 21, the Health Sciences Association (the lead union in the Health Professionals Bargaining Association) issued a letter amending the tentative agreement so that the “Economic Stability Dividend” will apply to the final four years of the agreement. (To read see attachments.)
Your Presidents Council continues to recommend that CUPE members vote NO on the tentative agreement.
If the Dividend had been in place over the previous collective agreement a member with an annual wage of $50,000 would have seen an “increase” of between $2-6 per month.
Our concerns continue to be that the tentative agreement’s minimal wage increases don’t even keep pace with inflation. We all know that times are tough, but why should you accept a pay cut?
The proposed new benefits trust could put more risk and liability on YOU, potentially leading to either higher premiums or reduced benefits.
As mentioned above, the so-called “Economic Stability Dividend” is a red herring. Regardless of how long it’s in place in this tentative agreement, it doesn’t make your life any better.
It’s essential that all CUPE members in the sector vote NO, and we remind members that the BCGEU and the PEA are also recommending a “NO” vote to their members.
The votes will be held as follows:
- Local 1978 Wednesday, December 11 and Thursday, December 12
- Local 4816 Monday, December 16
- Local 15 Tuesday, December 17 and Wednesday December 18
(Members should contact their Local for time and place.)
To read the tentative agreement see here.
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