HSPBA bargaining update: Slow progress on key issues

On Wednesday, your bargaining committee called off discussions for the remainder of the week because insufficient progress is being made on priority issues. The committee has tabled a wage proposal on behalf of HSPBA, but the employer has indicated they would not be responding to it this week. We will resume negotiations Monday with the hope of more meaningful discussions.

The bargaining committee welcomes last week’s news of a tentative agreement reached between BCGEU and the provincial government. Your bargaining committee believes this deal shows the provincial government is prepared to be flexible.

But there remains significant work ahead to achieve a deal which addresses the unique concerns identified by HSPBA members. With as many as 30% of B.C.’s frontline health science professionals saying they are so burnt out and demoralized they are considering quitting their jobs in the next two years, your committee is determined to push for real solutions. Your bargaining committee is committed to achieving them with hard bargaining and the support of all HSPBA members.

We want to thank all members once again for their continued support. Please make sure your contract information is up to date with your local, so we can keep you updated on next week’s discussion.

In solidarity,

Your CUPE representatives to the HSPBA bargaining committee

CBA Bargaining Update and Strike Vote Information

After nearly 20 days at the table your bargaining committee has not seen meaningful progress on your key priorities. As a result, negotiations with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) and the provincial government reached an impasse on October 3, 2025.

Because we have not been able to reach a deal at the table, your bargaining committee is asking members for a strong strike mandate.

The strike vote will be from Monday, November 3rd to Wednesday November 26th.

Voting opens: Monday, November 3 at 12:00 p.m. (PST)
Voting closes: Wednesday, November 26 at 5:00 p.m. (PST)

You will be receiving an email with your ballot to vote, or instructions if your local is conducting an in-person ballot box vote. For most members voting online, the vote will be conducted through Simply Voting, an independent, neutral third party. Individual responses will not be released; only aggregate results will be shared.

When you receive your ballot, please read and follow the voting instructions carefully and answer the question on the ballot by selecting one of the two choices provided.

***Once you have made your choice and submitted your vote, it cannot be changed.

Vote YES to authorize a strike. 

A strong “YES” vote sends a clear message to our employers: we are united, we are serious, and we are ready to fight for the fairness, stability and respect we need in our next collective agreement.

Our priorities are clear: 

  • Fair funding for our benefits. Just like the FBA and HSPBA, our benefit trust deserves full funding retroactive to 2021.
  • Fair access to overtime. We want to see the expansion of overtime by seniority to ensure overtime opportunities are allocated fairly, curtailing assignments offered by convenience or through personal relationships.
  • Equal pay for equal work. Wages, shift premiums, vacation, and other monetary entitlements must be brought up to the same level as other HEABC healthcare workers doing the same work, ensuring fairness and equity across the sector.

Remember: a vote in favour of a strike does not automatically mean a strike will happen. But a strong strike mandate is a powerful tool to help us negotiate the collective agreement we deserve.

Strike Vote Information Sessions

Have questions? Join an information session.

If you have questions about how we reached an impasse or why a strong “YES” vote is so important, join members of your bargaining committee at any of the following sessions.

Information Sessions (via Zoom) All times in Pacific Time 

  • Monday, Nov 3 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov 4 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov 6 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov 12 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Monday, Nov 17 – 6:30 p.m.

CLICK HERE to join the Zoom Session (all sessions can use this link) 
Meeting ID:  843 0607 0328
Passcode: 392101

 

The public service tentative agreement
On October 26, the BCGEU reached a tentative agreement with the provincial government for public service workers. We applaud the BCGEU members for their strength and unity throughout their eight-week strike. Your bargaining committee is optimistic their gains pave the way for meaningful improvements at our own bargaining table.

Keep your contact information up to date
Please make sure your local has your current personal contact information, including personal email and phone number. Encourage your co-workers to do the same – especially if they aren’t receiving union emails.

Stand up for fairness and respect
Your support is crucial to our collective success. This strike vote is our opportunity to stand up for what’s right — fair pay, fair treatment, and real respect. Working together, we’ll show the employer that community health workers across the province are united and ready to fight for the agreement we deserve.

In solidarity,

Your CUPE delegates to the Community Bargaining Association bargaining committee

 

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Impasse reached with employer

This afternoon your CBA bargaining committee declared an impasse in bargaining with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) and the provincial government.

After almost 20 days at the bargaining table, we have been unable to address the most acute bargaining priorities identified by members. Specifically:

  • The retroactive removal of the Investment Return Guarantee Adjustment (IRGA) that has transferred millions of dollars from your benefit trust back to HEABC employers that would otherwise be used to solidify and expand your health benefits and avoid falling further behind other healthcare workers, most of which work for the same employers.
  • The expansion of overtime by seniority to curtail the offering of overtime by convenience and relationships.
  • Giving Community Health Workers (CHWs) the security of fixed shifts and breaks that other health care workers have had for decades and ensuring employers can’t revert to the ‘gig work’ scheduling that CHWs endured for 30 years.
  • Fixing the wages, shift premiums, vacation, and other monetary entitlements to the same rates of other HEABC healthcare workers doing the same work.

We have not taken this decision lightly. Your bargaining committee, however, believes we may need a strong strike vote mandate from members to pressure HEABC to properly address our priorities at the bargaining table.

Over the coming weeks CUPE will be working with the other six constituent unions of the Community Bargaining Association on our next steps, including preparing for a strike vote across all CBA unions.

Now more than ever, your continued engagement and support is critical at this point in bargaining. It is crucial for your bargaining committee to get all members updates. If any of your colleagues and fellow union members are not receiving these email updates, please urge them to update their contact information with your local.

Together, we will get the deal we need and deserve.

In solidarity,

Your Community Bargaining Association (CBA) Negotiating Committee

CBA Bargaining Continues

After a pause in negotiations, your CBA bargaining committee met with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) on September 24, 25, and 26, 2025.

Since March, your CUPE bargaining committee delegates, along with delegates from the six other constituent unions, has spent 19 days bargaining with the employer. Despite having exchanged full non-monetary proposals, progress had been limited to minor administrative updates. Going into this latest bargaining session, we demanded meaningful progress by the employer on three key priorities:

  • Improved overtime language
  • Greater mobility between employers
  • Contract language equal to workers covered under the Facilities agreement

We also asked the employer to address the historic underfunding of the Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) and for a final resolution to the funding of your benefit plan in line with that of other healthcare workers.

We are pleased to report that thanks to your support, and the resolve of your bargaining committee representatives, progress has been made. Although we have a long way to go, your bargaining committee feels this progress warrants further talks with HEABC.

There are two more days scheduled for talks on October 2 and 3, 2025, with more planned for the weeks of October 13 and 20. Your continued support and engagement is critical to our collective success at the bargaining table. Please watch out for more updates as negotiations progress.

 

In solidarity,

Your CUPE delegates to the Community Bargaining Association bargaining committee

HSPBA Bargaining Update: Important Survey on Contract Negotiations

Bargaining Association bargaining committee is very concerned that the government is looking to address fiscal uncertainty on the backs of frontline workers who keep our health care and community social services running.

We are being asked to do more with less support, and this simply isn’t sustainable. We need a fair deal, one that invests in the services that matter, and the people in our community who deliver them.

We’re reaching out to all members covered by the HSPBA collective agreement with a short but important survey to get updated information on your concerns, priorities at the table, and about the action you want to take at this critical moment in bargaining.

LINK TO SURVEY

Please complete this survey before noon Pacific time on October 3, 2025.

Your continued support and engagement is critical to our collective success at the bargaining table. Please ensure that your contact information is up-to-date with your local, and that you continue to monitor your email for updates.

 

In solidarity,

Your CUPE representatives to the HSPBA bargaining committee

CBA Bargaining Update

Your CUPE delegates, along with the delegates of the six other constituent unions in the CBA, have spent 16 days at the bargaining table with HEABC. Although we have had a full exchange of non-monetary proposals, we have made very little progress outside of administrative updates to the agreement.

Our goal is to make progress on the priorities you identified – this includes improving overtime language, enhancing mobility between employers, and ensuring language that is equal to that of workers covered under the FBA Collective Agreement.

Your committee is frustrated with the lack of progress and does not believe any meaningful momentum will be achieved during our remaining dates in July. Therefore, we have cancelled the remaining five days and informed HEABC that we will have to reconvene in September.

Although we have not yet begun discussing monetary proposals at the table, HEABC presented some monetary proposals on June 25, including those related to wages and low compensation redress. They are similar proposals that have been tabled at other provincial public sector bargaining tables.

Please note that this is the opening proposal, and it has not been accepted. However, we want to ensure you’re aware of the offer that was made — and to assure you that we know it falls short of addressing the priorities members like you have consistently raised.

The HEABC tabled monetary proposals include a proposed two-year agreement with the following General Wage Increase (GWI):

Year 1: The employer proposed two options for year one of the GWI: 

Option A

  • April 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.5% plus $0.15 per hour
  • October 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.5% plus $0.15 per hour

Option B

  • April 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.75%
  • October 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.75%

Year 2: 

  • April 1, 2026: increase rates of pay by 1.0%
  • October 1, 2026: increase rates of pay by 1.0%

It’s important to emphasize that this is the opening proposal, and it has not been accepted. This offer falls far short of recent wage settlements reached by CUPE locals across our province.

We have reiterated to the employer that any path to a tentative agreement must include a monetary offer that meaningfully addresses the affordability crisis facing public sector workers. We know from the last round of provincial negotiations that collective bargaining is a process, and that there is still plenty of work to be done before we reach a tentative agreement.

Your resolve and support are crucial to achieving positive results at the bargaining table, particularly in relation to non-monetary language and your rights under the collective agreement.

Please ensure that your contact information is up-to-date with your local. You can look forward to hearing from your committee when we resume bargaining in the fall.

 

In solidarity,

Your Community Bargaining Association (CBA) Negotiating Committee

HSPBA Bargaining Update: bargaining committee wraps third round of talks

The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) bargaining committee has completed the third round of negotiations with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC), held May 20-23.

To date, the bargaining committee has tabled more than 50 proposals, each of which is based on specific ideas submitted by members and prioritized in discussions last fall. Bargaining committee members are working to make progress at both the main table, and in small table discussions focusing on key issue areas.

Bargaining committee members come from a range of professions and bring a diversity of perspective and experience to the discussions, ensuring the needs of all professions are being addressed. The HSPBA joint bargaining committee includes representatives from unions covered by the collective agreement, including CUPE, HEU, HSA, BCGEU and PEA. While the economic landscape is challenging, the committee is dedicated to securing the improvements needed to address critical issues like shortages, fair pay, and improved care for patients and clients.

Bargaining is set to resume June 16-20.

HSPBA Negotiations Update: Second session of talks complete

The bargaining committee for Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) contract members has wrapped up three days of negotiations with the employer running April 22-25. This is the second round of talks with the employer.

Negotiations first began in March. At this early stage, talks are focusing on non-monetary priority areas, and we are making progress. More substantive subjects like pay and benefits are usually tackled near the end of the negotiating process, which can take many months, and in extraordinary circumstances, longer than a year.

Given the economic uncertainty caused by the global trade war, we expect the negotiations to proceed slowly in the coming months. The committee is working to achieve a deal as soon as possible and is resolute in its determination to secure terms that recognize the value of your work.

The next session of negotiation meetings is scheduled for May 23-25. We will provide the next update at that time.

What are the bargaining committee’s priorities?

Negotiations are guided by input from the union membership. Last year, members from CUPE and the other constituent unions across all professions and regions submitted hundreds of bargaining proposals, and elected delegates carefully prioritized these.  These priorities are guiding your elected bargaining committee.

New Mental Health Support Fund to Top Up Benefits

A new Mental Health Support Fund is now available to help Health Science Professional Bargaining Association (HSPBA) members.

Your union has negotiated this funding with the BC government as part of our ongoing work to provide greater support for members, especially for those dealing with the impact of significant shortages and excessive workload. This one-time $11 million grant through BC’s Ministry of Health will fund up to $5000 worth of enhanced mental health and wellness support for HSPBA members like you.

The fund will be available to members as supplementary benefits as part of the Joint Health Science Benefits Trust (JHSBT), which provides health benefits to HSPBA members – essentially raising the limit on benefits to allow more time with psychologists, clinical counsellors, online cognitive behavioural therapy and social workers, and adding coverage for dietitians for the duration of the fund.

The fund is open to all HSPBA members who are regular full-time, regular part-time, and casual employees covered by benefits. It does not extend to spouses, dependents or other family members.

BENEFITS ELIGIBLE FOR TOP UP

The fund will top up your coverage by up to $5000 over the lifetime of the fund for the following supplemental benefits:

  • Psychology benefit enhancement: Registered social workers will be added as an ongoing approved service provider under the existing $900 annual psychology benefit of the JHSBT plan effective June 1, 2025. For claims incurred between April 1, 2025 and May 31, 2025, please see the information below about that reimbursement process.
  • Psychology top up: Once a member reaches the $900 per calendar year combined maximum psychology benefit, they will have access to an additional $1,100 per calendar year combined maximum at 100% reimbursement, subject to Pacific Blue Cross’s reasonable and customary limits, for registered social workers, registered clinical counsellors, registered psychologists, and online cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) programs available through Pacific Blue Cross. The HSA supplementary top-up will be available effective April 1, 2025.
  • For claims made between April 1 and May 31, 2025 only: During the months of April and May 2025, the HSA supplementary psychology benefit will be available to members through an interim reimbursement arrangement with the Healthcare Benefit Trust.  For more information about claims made April 1, 2025 – May 31, 2025, please email HSPBA.SupportFund@hbt.ca.
  • For claims made June 1, 2025 onward: Effective June 1, 2025, the HSA supplementary psychology coverage may be accessed by submitting receipts for reimbursement to Pacific Blue Cross as per the usual claims process.
  • Registered Dietitian: $600 per calendar year at 100% reimbursement and no annual deductible, subject to Pacific Blue Cross’s reasonable and customary limits, effective April 1, 2025, and submitted to Pacific Blue Cross via the usual claims process.

There is more information, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions, available on the CUPE Healthcare website.

HOW TO APPLY

You do not need to apply to access this funding. Simply claim your benefits mostly as usual, with the exception of benefits in April and May of this year.

  • Claims made for benefits during April and May 2025 will have to be submitted to the Healthcare Benefit Trust.  For more information about claims made April 1, 2025 – May 31, 2025, please email HSPBA.SupportFund@hbt.ca.
  • Starting June 1, 2025, you can claim as usual through Pacific Blue Cross. The additional funding will allow you to claim more time with the professionals listed above.

HOW LONG WILL THE FUNDING BE AVAILABLE?

The $11 million in funding will be available to top up benefits starting April 1 and will remain available until individual members have incurred $5,000 in supplementary benefit claims, or all funding is depleted.

When the funding is depleted, coverage levels will return to the current limits. The registered dietitian benefit will only be available for the duration of the fund, after which that coverage will be discontinued.

Bargaining underway, working through dozens of proposals

The CBA Bargaining Committee met for six days over the past two weeks with the Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC) to begin the process of renewing our collective agreement.

We have tabled substantial proposal packages related to non-monetary items and health and safety. We have been able to reach agreement on a number of administrative changes to the agreement and are actively working on dozens of other proposals.

Your desire for fair wages, benefit improvements, and mental health supports remains our focus along with general parity with other health care workers.

We are scheduled to meet again with HEABC in the first week of April and we will continue to update you as this process unfolds.

In solidarity,

Your Community Bargaining Association (CBA) Negotiating Committee