CBA

Community Health Bargaining Update

A third week of bargaining between the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC) concluded in Vancouver on June 1 with talks aimed at concluding a new collective agreement for members in community health.

“Progress is being made,” said CUPE Health Care Presidents’ Council chair and bargaining committee alternate Jill Stromnes. “Two sub-committees have been meeting to deal with health and safety, and EDMP, the Enhanced Disability Management Program. The CBA is committed to working weekends to get a new agreement in a timely fashion. I’d like to thank the CUPE bargaining committee for its dedication to members.”

The Community Bargaining Association represents roughly 16,000 employees working in community health around the province, the majority of whom are represented by the BCGEU. Along with CUPE, which has 528 members in the sector, the other CBA unions at the table are HEU, HSA, UFCW, USWA, CLAC and BCNU.

Your existing collective agreement expires on March 31, 2019.

We’ll keep you updated on the progress.

 

In solidarity,

 

Your CUPE CBA Bargaining Committee:
Shaunah Cairney, Local 3403
Allison Bell, Local 15
Jill Stromnes (alternate), Local 4816
Chris Losito, CUPE Health Coordinator

Community health bargaining begins

VANCOUVER—Bargaining representatives from CUPE and seven other unions met this week with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) to review priorities and begin negotiations to achieve a new collective agreement with members in community health. Bargaining proposals were tabled on Thursday morning.

“We’re off to a very positive start,” said CUPE Health Care Presidents’ Council chair and bargaining committee alternate Jill Stromnes. “After 16 years of neglect of the community health services that British Columbians rely on, we have now entered into a more positive negotiating climate, with the employer making clear that the work of community health workers is valued.”

Bargaining proposals will push for increased funding and benefits and seek to address the critical issues of recruitment and retention, as well as precarious work schedules. It was also recognized by both parties that building a more robust community health sector is essential for accommodating an aging population.

The Community Bargaining Association represents roughly 16,000 employees working in community health around the province, the majority of whom are represented by the BCGEU. Along with CUPE, which has 528 members in the sector, the other CBA unions at the table are HEU, HSA, UFCW, USWA, CLAC and BCNU. The existing contract between the CBA and HEABC expires on March 31, 2019.

Bargaining is scheduled to continue for approximately five weeks, and we will keep you updated on the progress.

In solidarity,

Your CUPE CBA Bargaining Committee:

Shaunah Cairney, Local 3403

Allison Bell, Local 15

Jill Stromnes (alternate), Local 4816

Chris Losito, CUPE Health Coordinator

 

Workload high on the agenda as health care presidents meet

NANAIMO—The critical issue of how to address workload in CUPE’s community health and health science professionals sectors was prominent on the agenda at a recent meeting of the union’s Health Care Presidents Council (HCPC).

At CUPE’s area office in Nanaimo on May 11, health care presidents from Victoria, mid-Island and Metro Vancouver met to discuss ongoing business, including a review of the council’s protocol agreement, trustee vacancies, and how to improve member access to the sector’s Enhanced Disability Management Plan advocate. They also reviewed a strategic plan for bargaining in the sector, which begins this week.

But workload was foremost on the agenda, with discussion focused on next steps after a strong member response to a workload survey conducted by CUPE Research. Survey results revealing chronic understaffing, unpaid overtime and systemic burnout across the sector led to a series of meetings with members and local union officers that began with worksite visits and culminated with highly attended workload strategy sessions on April 30 and May 2.

“If we are encouraging members to put in for overtime—and we are—then we need to develop a tracking system for this,” said CUPE 1978’s Lindsay Fumalle, the Local’s chair for the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

“Shop stewards have already requested a tracking system, so we need to gather the right stats and have a user-friendly tool not only to track overtime hours but cases where overtime is denied.”

The HCPC meeting also featured an update on a member awareness campaign with CUPE National, including member videos and a revamped CUPE Health website, to be rolled out shortly.

Workload strategy sessions well attended by CUPE health members

BURNABY—CUPE community health members in Victoria and Metro Vancouver showed up in big numbers this week for two evening workshops aimed at tackling the growing problem of workload in their sector.

At CUPE’s B.C. regional office on Wednesday (May 2), more than 50 members turned out to discuss the results of the union’s recent workload survey and develop solutions for building safer, healthier workplaces. That session followed a similar event in Victoria two nights earlier in which CUPE members filled a meeting room at the Local 1978 office, with two members from Port Alberni joining the proceedings via Skype feed.

The workload strategy sessions followed a series of health sector work site meetings held over several weeks earlier this spring. For those sessions, CUPE staff and local union officers met with members working under the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) to discuss the results of a CUPE Research survey on workload in the sector. Those discussions lay the groundwork for this week’s meetings.

Wednesday’s strategy session began with CUPE Union Development representative Vanessa Wolff providing a brief overview on workload as it relates to health and safety. CUPE Research representative Sarah St. John followed with a summary of the survey results, noting how excessive workload and understaffing, systemic unpaid overtime, and systemic burnout have had a negative impact on health service delivery and patient care.

Participants then formed breakout groups, based on CBA and HSPBA job classification, to discuss major workload issues in their workplaces and explore some of the causes and contributing factors. After reviewing employer responses to date, if any, each group came up with possible solutions to share with the larger group in the closing plenary. Finally, a point person was identified for each classification, so that CUPE staff and union officers will be able to follow up and recommend further action.

“The members who attended these meetings were completely engaged in the discussion and very proactive about changing their workplaces for the better,” said CUPE Health Coordinator Chris Losito. “This will help us moving forward, as we’re committed to working with the point persons to develop additional strategies.”

Members are encouraged to follow guidance documents for CBA and HSPBA provided at the strategy session, refuse unsafe work where their workloads have become excessive and unsafe, and stay tuned for further updates on the CUPE health website.

View the photo gallery.

Community Bargaining Association and Health Employers Association of BC to commence bargaining for health workers on May 14

BURNABY—The Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) has served notice to bargain with the Community Bargaining Association (CBA), and the two parties will begin contract negotiations on May 14.

The current contract between the HEABC and CBA expires on March 31, 2019. It covers 528 CUPE members among a total of 15,880 unionized workers within the provincial CBA. Along with CUPE and the lead union, BCGEU, CBA members include the HEU, HSA, UFCW, the United Steelworkers, and other unions.

“We’re pleased to be begin negotiations for the next contract,” says CUPE Health Coordinator Chris Losito.

“It’s important to recognize the important role that public sector employees play in both the fabric of our province and the improvement of public services. We look forward to addressing critical issues in Community Health, and the early start to contract talks will hopefully allow us to address these significant issues and conclude negotiations before the current agreement expires.”

CUPE has been preparing for a return to the bargaining table since late last year, identifying priorities through member surveys and worksite meetings.

We will post more information as it becomes available. Please make sure your contact information is up to date by e-mailing your local.

Registration deadline extended for Health Bargaining Conference

BURNABY – The deadline to register for CUPE’s Health Care Bargaining Conference has been extended to January 29.

The conference, a one-day gathering for CUPE members in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association and Community Bargaining Association, will be held on Tuesday, February 6 at the Inn at the Quay in New Westminster.

To register for the conference, please complete this form and forward by January 29 to CUPE Health Sector Coordinator Chris Losito: closito@cupe.ca
 

CUPE health sector to hold bargaining conference in February

BURNABY – Registration is now open for the CUPE Health Care Bargaining Conference, a one-day gathering for CUPE members in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association and Community Bargaining Association.

The conference, to be held on Tuesday, February 6 at the Inn at the Quay in New Westminster, will feature a guest speech from BC Health Coalition Co-chair Edith MacHattie and include sector breakouts sessions for HSPBA and CBA delegates.

The conference is aimed at ratifying proposals for submission to the Associations Negotiating Committee for its consideration and to elect representatives to the Associations Negotiating Committee.

To register for the conference, please complete this form and forward to CUPE Health Sector Coordinator Chris Losito by e-mail: closito@cupe.ca
 

Changes to improve access to EDMP assistance

On January 22, two significant changes are being made with regard to how CUPE administers the Enhanced Disability Management Program for its members.

For the first time since the launch of the program in 2014, CUPE’s EDMP Advocate will be assisting CUPE members in the Community Bargaining Association with the EDMP process. As well, CUPE will be increasing the availability of its EDMP Advocate to a Monday-Friday basis. This will immediately result in increased access to EDMP assistance for our members and for employer-requested EDMP meetings.

 

“We are extremely excited about these changes and trust that our members enrolled in EDMP will benefit from them,” said CUPE Health Coordinator Chris Losito.

 

“The CUPE Health Care Presidents’ Council deserves credit for making these changes possible. We also thank the BCGEU for assisting our Community Bargaining Association members enrolled in EDMP.”
 

CUPE Health members Workload & Bargaining survey: Deadline extended to January 16

BURNABY – Thanks to all CUPE members in both the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association and Community Bargaining Association who completed the workload and bargaining survey. To date we have received responses from more than a quarter of the membership, with a lot of information that will better prepare us for bargaining.

For those interested who were not able to complete the survey by December 19, there’s still a chance to participate: the deadline has been extended to January 16.

You can complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CUPEhealth

Thanks again for taking part. Your participation is very important, as this survey will help us collect the evidence we need to successfully fight for improvements that reflect your priorities.
 

CUPE Health Members’ workload and bargaining survey now open

BURNABY – With the HSPBA and CBA collective agreements expiring on March 31, 2019, the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) has expressed interest in commencing bargaining in 2018. To collect input and the evidence needed to successfully fight for improvements that reflect members’ priorities, CUPE’s Health Care Presidents’ Council is conducting a workload and bargaining survey.

The results of this survey will form the basis of CUPE’s proposals and will be subject to amendments, additions and final approval by the membership at the Health Sector Bargaining Convention to be held early in 2018.

CUPE’s health care locals in B.C. have heard that workload is a very important concern for CUPE health members leading up to this round of bargaining. A significant amount of this survey is dedicated to finding out more about the workload issues you are experiencing, and collecting data to demonstrate the importance of workload as an issue.

Responses to the bargaining and workload survey will be confidential.
Additionally, any contact information you provided will be separated from the responses received.

CUPE members from the CBA and HSPBA are asked to complete this important survey by December 19th.

Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CUPEhealth