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.
 

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
 

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.

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

As you know, members of CUPE Local 1816 have been involved in a lengthy labour dispute with Pacific Blue Cross over the company’s decision to claw back retiree benefits for current employees. PBC has refused to withdraw this serious concession and will not attend the bargaining table unless the union concedes it.

Since July 7, these workers have been locked out by the company. During this period, all benefit claims for PBC members have been processed by non-union exempt employees of Pacific Blue Cross.

Members looking for ways to support CUPE 1816 are being asked to forgo using online services of Pacific Blue Cross and instead submit their claims by paper only via postal service. While this may result in payment delays, it is the Local’s belief that this action will hasten a resolution to the labour dispute and a return to normal service levels.

You can also send a message to PBC by visiting www.PBCproblems.ca

CUPE 1816 wishes to thank PBC members who have shown their support in various ways, including attendance at the picket line.

Since July 7, these workers have been locked out by the company. During this period, all the benefit claims for PBC members have been processed by non-union exempt employees of Pacific Blue Cross.

Members looking for ways to support CUPE 1816 are being asked to forgo using online services of Pacific Blue Cross and instead submit their claims by paper only via postal service. While this may result in payment delays, it is the Local’s belief that this action will hasten a resolution to the labour dispute and a return to normal service levels.

CUPE 1816 wishes to thank PBC members who have shown their support in various ways, including attendance at the picket line.