CBA UPDATE: Negotiations continue at both tables where CUPE members are represented

 

May 22, 2012

Negotiations continue at the Health Science Professionals and Community Health bargaining tables, but there is limited progress to report.

Both bargaining tables in the health sector report slow negotiations. Bargaining at the Health Sciences Professionals table continues this week and the Community Health table resumes talks next week.

CUPE has ensured that all essential service levels are in place in the event that negotiations do not continue to progress, and the bargaining associations consider other options, including strike votes, to support the work of the bargaining committees.

News this week of a strike vote by BCGEU members has heightened awareness about negotiations. The strike mandate returned by BCGEU members is in the union’s master contract governing wages and working conditions in the direct government service contract, which includes ministry staff and liquor distribution board workers. No CUPE members are covered by this contract.

We will continue to update you as bargaining continues.

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.

CBA UPDATE: Community Health table talks continue

May 3, 2012

The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) met last week in Vancouver for four days to exchange and discuss proposals with the Health Employers’ Association of British Columbia (HEABC).

The two parties discussed a wide range of issues and exchanged amendments to previously tabled proposals. We’ve now tabled and discussed all of the non-monetary issues. Last week, we were able to narrow the differences or gain agreement on many issues our members have identified as important. 

The primary topics now being discussed are scheduling, grievance and arbitration procedures, health and safety, bullying and allowances. We’ll be discussing benefits and compensation after we’ve dealt with the non-monetary items.

The committee expects to move to monetary issues in the coming weeks.

“We’re hoping the HEABC comes to the table with a fair and reasonable wage offer,” said CUPE bargaining committee member, Pat Taylor.

Community health bargaining will continue in a few weeks in Vancouver. 

CUPE represents approximately 500 members in the Community Bargaining Association, 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.

Important message about the public service (direct government bargaining unit) strike vote

Members have been asking whether they’re participating in the current strike vote being held by the BCGEU. You are not. The BCGEU is a large union with many sectors that negotiate separately and hold separate strike votes. Right now, BCGEU members who are direct government of B.C. employees are participating in the strike vote. You – members of the Community Health Bargaining Association – work under the terms of the Health Services & Support Community Subsector Collective Agreement. You remain at the bargaining table.

CBA UPDATE: Unions and employer return to community health table and resume talks

 

April 23, 2012

The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) resumed bargaining last week in Vancouver exchanging and discussing proposals for four days with the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC).

The two parties discussed several issues and exchanged proposals on previously tabled proposals and have now canvassed most of the non-monetary issues. This week both parties will continue to work to narrow the differences or gain agreement on many issues members have identified as important.

“During bargaining we try to resolve the non-monetary issues first,” said Pat Taylor, CUPE bargaining committee member.  “After we have dealt with the non-monetary issues, we will move on to discuss issues like benefits and wages that have a monetary component.”

“We have made some progress and the employer is showing a willingness to discuss the issues we have put on the table,” said Jill Stromnes, also a CUPE bargaining committee member.

Community health will continue bargaining this week in Vancouver with additional dates set for the following week.

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.

CBA UPDATE: Unions in community health table benefit proposals

The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) met again last week in Vancouver and exchanged and discussed proposals for three days with the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC).

The CBA tabled proposals related to health and welfare benefits including a proposal for a Short Term Illness and Injury Plan. The CBA also tabled proposals on job postings while the employer tabled their own proposals on the vehicle allowance and job postings.

“We have now tabled all of our non-monetary proposals and we have started to discuss the issues in more detail,” says Carla Dempsey, chair of the BCGEU Community Health Services component.

Talks in community health will break for two weeks and are scheduled to resume in Vancouver for three weeks starting on April 16, 2012.

CUPE represents approximately 500 members in the Community Bargaining Association 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. 

CBA UPDATE: The Community Bargaining Association stands in solidarity with teachers

 

The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) met again this week in Vancouver. The union bargaining association exchanged and discussed proposals for three days with HEABC. 

The unions have been at the table for four weeks and are taking a two-week break to review the proposals and prepare for two weeks of bargaining at the end of March.

The CBA tabled proposals on workplace conditions, job security, training, as well as bereavement and special leaves. 

The union and the employer have agreed to some housekeeping items.

The CBA spent some time discussing the government’s planned intervention into the teachers’ dispute and the teachers’ job action.  All the Unions expressed solidarity and support for the BCTF.

Community health will resume bargaining for 2 weeks commencing March 19 in Vancouver. Additional dates are set for the last two weeks in April.

The Community Bargaining Association represents over 14,000 members, the majority of whom are represented by the BCGEU. Other Unions at the table are UFCW, HEU, CUPE, HSA, and USWA. CUPE represents 500 members in this association.

CBA UPDATE: Third week of community health bargaining

Unions seek agreement on health and safety and scheduling

The third week of Community Health bargaining ended last week after three days of meetings between the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and the Health Employers Association of BC.

The CBA tabled proposals on occupational health and safety, which included specific proposals on aggressive behaviour, investigation of accidents and working alone or in isolation and communicable diseases.

The unions also tabled proposals aimed at reducing the time it takes to process grievances and discussed the issue of scheduling community health workers.

The employers tabled housekeeping proposals, in addition to housekeeping proposals previously tabled by the CBA. The parties agreed to some of these proposals last week.

“Health and safety issues were tabled early on because our members identified them as important issues,” said CUPE bargaining committee member Pat Taylor. “We are anxiously waiting to hear back from the employer, but so far negotiations haven’t been moving very quickly.”

“We are committed to negotiating a fair and reasonable collective agreement for our members and we have presented proposals to deal with longstanding workplace issues,” said Jill Stromnes, also a CUPE bargaining committee member.

“The committee is looking forward to the employers’ quick and positive response to these initiatives.”

Talks are scheduled to continue for two more weeks in Vancouver with additional sessions scheduled through to the end of March.

The Community Bargaining Association represents over 14,0000 health care workers who provide home-based medically-related support services to seniors and persons with disabilities. Workers in the sector also provide community-based health services including mental health and addictions services and administrative support to home support agencies and health authorities.

CUPE represents approximately 500 members in the CBA and other unions in the association include BCGEU, UFCW 1518, HEU, HSA, USWA and CLAC. 

Community Health negotiations slowed by employers’ lack of preparation

Unions in the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) are disappointed by the pace of talks so far with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) after a second week of negotiations in Vancouver.

The CBA has tabled housekeeping proposals, language on bullying and harassment, live-in and overnight shifts as well as proposals to renew many of the existing Memorandum of Agreements without changes. However, HEABC has yet to table any proposals or to respond to the majority of what the CBA has presented.

“The slow response to our proposals seems to be due to a lack of preparation on the employers’ side and that’s disappointing,” said Jill Stromnes, CUPE bargaining committee member, “our contract expires at the end of March and we don’t see signs that we will reach agreement anytime soon.”

“We came ready to bargain because it’s important that our members get a fair deal in a reasonable amount of time,” said Pat Taylor, CUPE bargaining committee member

Talks resume February 14 in Vancouver and additional dates have been set through to the end of March.

The CBA represents health care workers who provide home-based medically-related support services to seniors and persons with disabilities. Workers in the sector also provide community-based health services including mental health and addictions services and administrative support to home support agencies and health authorities.

CUPE represents approximately 500 members in the CBA and other unions in the association include BCGEU, UFCW 1518, HEU, HSA, USWA and CLAC. 

Workers in Community Health begin tabling bargaining proposals

CUPE Health Care Workers began bargaining last week, joined by over 13,000 workers employed in the Community Health sector. Talks commenced between the multi-union Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and the Health Employers’ Association of B.C. (HEABC) on January 23 with the exchange of opening remarks and the initial tabling of proposals.

The CBA presented a summary of the priorities identified by health care workers and proposals related to housekeeping issues, harassment and bullying. Last Thursday the CBA also tabled proposals related to employer and union relations.

Pat Taylor, one of CUPE’s representatives at the table, noted that under the net zero mandate imposed by the provincial government in the last round of bargaining, health care workers’ wages have not kept up with the rate of inflation.

“Over the last two years, our members have suffered a real wage cut of 5 percent. We must achieve a fair and reasonable agreement for our members during this round of bargaining, one that takes into consideration the sacrifices that they had to make in 2010 bargaining,” said Taylor.

At the CUPE bargaining convention in October 2011, members identified wage increases, job security, benefits and scheduling as their main contract priorities.

Taylor also spoke about the importance of community health and the savings that the sector provides in provincial health care spending.

“The services that Community Health Workers provide keep seniors and other clients in their homes and out of expensive acute care beds,” said Taylor. “If our government invests in community health and in recruitment and retention of workers in the sector, it will save big money in other areas of the health care system.”

Negotiations resume in Vancouver on February 6for four more weeks of bargaining. Additional dates have been set through to the end of March.

The CBA represents health care workers who provide home-based medically-related support services to seniors and persons with disabilities. Workers in the sector also provide community-based health services including mental health and addictions services and administrative support to home support agencies and health authorities.

CUPE represents approximately 500 members in the CBA and other unions in the association include BCGEU, UFCW 1518, HEU, HSA, USWA and CLAC.