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
 

MSP premium reduction savings must be passed onto members – HSPBA

BURNABY – The savings resulting from the 50-per-cent reduction in Medical Services Plan premiums introduced by the BC government on January 1, 2018 must be directed to employees, says the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA).

 

Under the HSPBA collective agreement, employers pay 100 per cent of MSP benefits, representing a benefit negotiated on behalf of members. HSPBA’s position is that savings realized by employers by the reduction in premiums must be passed onto members and not put into employers’ coffers.

 

The HSPBA, which includes health science professionals represented by CUPE, HSA, PEA, BCGEU, and HEU, has requested that employers hold the savings in trust until such time as agreement is reached on how to pass the savings onto members.
 

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
 

Economic Stability Dividend and general wage increases set for February

The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and Health Science Professionals’ Bargaining Association (HSPBA) have been notified that the next Economic Stability Dividend (ESD) increase will be 0.4 per cent.  This increase will be added to a 1.0 per cent general wage increase the first pay period following February 1, 2018, resulting in a total wage increase of 1.4 per cent at that time.

As a reminder, the ESD is calculated based on 50 per cent of the positive difference between the Economic Forecast Council (EFC) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecast and the data released by Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada recently reported that the B.C. economy grew by 3.5 per cent in 2016, exceeding the forecast provided by the EFC of 2.7 per cent.

The difference of 0.8 per cent translates into an increase of 0.4 per cent for unionized provincial public sector employees who have reached agreements under the Government’s Economic Stability Mandate for collective bargaining, which includes the CBA and HSPBA.  The dividend is cumulative and is in addition to the general wage increases contained in the Collective Agreements.

The increase of 0.4 per cent ESD plus the scheduled 1.0 per cent general wage increase will be applied to the current salary grids.  Once applied, those grids will be revised and posted for our members so that you are able to easily view the accurate wages.

CUPE welcomes new health authority board appointments

Today’s announcement by the BC NDP Government that four new chairs and 11 new members have been appointed to provincial health authorities’ boards of directors is an encouraging development for health care in British Columbia.

Dr. Doug Cochrane, Leah Hollins, Colleen Nyce and former BC Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair have been appointed as new board chairs for Interior Health, Island Health, Northern Health and Fraser Health, respectively. They join Tim Manning of Provincial Health Services Authority and Kip Woodward of Vancouver Coastal Health as board chairs of British Columbia’s six health authorities.

“The new and existing board chairs share a long history of public service, community work, and experience in the private sector, labour, health care and research,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a government release. “Our goal as a government is to provide leadership for a strong, innovative and responsive public health-care system, and we are confident that these appointments will support this goal.”

In addition to the new board chairs, Willie Charlie and Opreet Kang have been named as board members for Fraser Health; Selena Lawrie and Cindy Stewart have been named board members for Interior Health; Ron Mattson has been named as a board member for Island Health; Frank Everitt has been named as a board member for Northern Health; Sherry Ogasawara and Gary Pooni have been named as board members for Provincial Health Services Authority; and Wendy Au, Dr. Margaret McGregor and Vi Nguyen have been named as board members for Vancouver Coastal Health.

For the full release, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017HLTH0098-001619