Grievances to proceed on 37.5-hour work week: HSPBA

December 9, 2014

Expedited hearing dates to begin in 2015 for health science professionals

BURNABY – The process to deal with more than 1,500 grievances filed by health science professionals will kick into gear early in 2015, with expedited hearing dates to address implementation of the 37.5 work week. CUPE health science professionals have initiated 133 of those grievances.

Due to the heavy-handed 2013 interpretation of how the 37.5-hour work week should occur, CUPE members have seen significant impacts on their work and schedules, as well as on the delivery of services to patients and clients, resulting in widespread frustration, confusion, and concern. On March 10-12 this year, the parties took the matters before arbitrators Vince Ready and Corrin Bell. On April 7, the HSPBA constituent unions received the arbitrators’ awards(view Part A, view Part B).

Transition to the 37.5-hour-work-week continues to be a colossal task as we continue to attempt resolution of more than 1,000 grievances (including 125 original CUPE grievances) across all health authorities.

“The arbitrators’ awards were substantive, as they validated members’ concerns,” said CUPE BC health science professionals coordinator Troy Clifford. “The number and scope of the grievances, and the magnitude of the process and timelines, point to how disruptive and upsetting the whole process has been for our members.”  

The original award outlined a process to review and attempt to resolve grievances moving forward. On October 29, a subsequent clarification award was announced. On December 3, CUPE in conjunction with HSA went before arbitrators Bell and Ready in a case management hearing specific to issues involving VCH and CUPE 15 grievances. Mediation/arbitration dates have been set to deal with overarching issues at the BC Cancer Agency in PHSA (June 11) and VCHA (June 12). 

Including the June dates, the parties have agreed that expedited hearings will be held in 2015 to address any outstanding grievances.  Sixteen dates have been set through the end of 2015 for expedited hearings,as outlined in the awards of April 2014.

CUPE represents 725 members under the HSPBA represented in CUPE Locals 15, 1978 and 4816. The Health Sciences Association is the lead union in the 17,000-member bargaining association. Other unions in the bargaining group are HEU, BCGEU and PEA.

Health Sciences Professionals roll out Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP)

BURNABY – Members of the BCGEU, CUPE and PEA who belong to the Health Sciences Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) each have a negotiated employee program for Enhanced Disability Management (EDMP) that is being rolled out this month. 

HSA conducted the initial roll-out on November 1, 2013.  Following the addition of FTEs during bargaining, the remaining constituent unions are now working with the HSPBA EDMP coordinator to roll out the program to their members.

The EDMP is a holistic disability management program that works collaboratively with the employee, employer and union to ensure that employees return to work in a safe and timely manner.  It is a required program for all regular employees who are part of the HSPBA bargaining association and have either taken time off with a work-related illness/injury (WCB) after one day or are off due to a non-work related illness or injury for five days or more.

The goals of the EDMP are to:

  • Support employees who are struggling at work, possibly preventing them from being off work;
  • Facilitate early intervention and effective rehabilitation to ensure that employees either remain on the job or have access to early-return-to-work programs;
  • Promote safe, accessible, and healthy workplaces;
  • Encourage health promotion and employee wellness;
  • Ensure a process that applies to potentially all incidents of inability to work as a result of illnesses, injury, disability and impairment; and
  • Reduce the costs of sick, LTD and WorkSafeBC leave

The EDMP is intended to assist regular full-time or regular part-time employees in accessing services which can help to address medical, workplace or personal issues that represent barriers to an employee’s ability to return to work on a regular basis. It is designed as a plan the employee can use from the time they step out of the workplace through the treatment, possibly LTD, GRTW and accommodation, if required.  Referrals can come from a variety of sources, including central call-in systems, employees, unions, managers, WCB, or LTD carriers.

For more information on the Health Sciences Professionals Bargaining Association CUPE, BCGEU and PEA EDMP program, please contact:  Benita Spindel, your CUPE HSPBA EDMP representative at: health.sciences@hsp-edmp.caor via telephone at (778) 968-4411. 

Comparability Increases – Call for Submissions

July 11, 2014

During bargaining, the parties agreed to provide “comparability increases” to 80 per cent of the bargaining unit.  If the benchmark your position is matched to has a comparator in the Health Services and Support Facilities Subsector collective agreement, and if 1.) the difference in wage rates is adversely affecting the provision of service to clients; 2.) there is a reasonable expectation that the comparability wage adjustment will reduce this adverse impact; and 3.) the comparability wage adjustment will not create additional demands in other sectors, you may be entitled to the comparability increases.

The Community Health Worker 2 benchmark covers approximately 51 per cent of the bargaining unit and meets the three factors above. Therefore, it has been agreed that these workers will receive the comparability increases.

All other Community Subsector benchmarks will be included in the review, and we would like to ensure that our members whose positions are attached to those other benchmarks have the opportunity to have input into the process through written submissions to the committee. Please ensure that your submission includes information on the factors identified above and which Community benchmark your position is attached to, as well as the Facilities benchmark you think is the correct comparator. The Community Subsector benchmarks can be found at http://www.bcgeu.ca/component-8-resources  at the bottom of the page. The Facilities Subsector benchmarks can be found at http://www.bcgeu.ca/component/04/resources .

Please note that if you believe that your job has been improperly matched to a Community Subsector benchmark, this process will not address that issue.  It is the occupations (benchmarks) that will be compared, not the individual positions.  To file a classification review you must determine which Community Subsector benchmark you feel is more appropriate for your job and base your appeal on the duties you are required to perform as compared to it.  The classification review form and benchmarks are posted on the BCGEU website  http://www.bcgeu.ca/component-8-resources .  A Classification Review form can be filled out online and printed, and the benchmarks are available in pdf format.

Submissions to the Occupation Comparability Review Committee should be sent to BCGEU Representative Laura O’Neill (via e-mail at Laura.O’Neill@bcgeu.ca or via facsimile at 1-604-294-5092), with a copy to Troy Clifford, CUPE National Representative & Health Coordinator (via e-mail at tclifford@cupe.ca or via fax at 1-604-291-1194).

Members who have any questions about comparability are asked to contact one of the following:

Pat Taylor – Chief Shop Steward CUPE Local 15 / VCH
Email: Pat.Taylor@vch.ca

Jill Stromnes – CUPE Local 4816 / FHA
Email: Jill.Stromnes@fraserhealth.ca

Terry Howard – CUPE Local 3495 / Positive Living BC
Email: terryh@positivelivingbc.org

Cherilyn Bray – CUPE Local 3403 / VIHA
Email: cherilyn007@hotmail.com

To be considered by the committee, all submissions must be received by September 15, 2014.

Five-year tentative agreement reached in community health services

December 3, 2013.

The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) has reached a tentative agreement for the 15,000 union members working in the community health sector across the province. The CBA entered into early talks with the Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC) as part of a multi-sector bargaining strategy with bargaining associations representing workers in community social services and the provincial government. 

Among other things, the five-year agreement closes wage gaps between health workers with equivalent positions. 

Highlights of the tentative agreement include: 

· Wage increases that total 5.5 per cent over five years for all members; 

· Additional wage comparability adjustments totaling 2 per cent over three years for members with occupations similar to those covered by the facilities subsector agreement; 

· Increased health and welfare benefits to equal benefits in the facilities subsector agreement; 

· Examples of benefit improvements include: removal of the pre-existing condition restriction for LTD, Medical Referral Transportation benefits unlimited for a beneficiary’s lifetime and increased coverage of hormone-replacement medication; 

· Increased mileage and meal allowances to the level of the public service agreement; and 

· Maintained current provisions for employment security and protection against contracting out.

 Also agreed to by the parties is the establishment of a Joint Community Benefits Trust. The jointly-run trust will take over the management and decision-making of community health benefits starting on April 1, 2016.

 The joint benefits trust in community health contains the following assurances:

 · HEABC will provide $2.4 million in leveling funds to cover benefit cost increases over the term of the agreement. This way, the trust has the money to maintain benefit levels without increasing costs to members.

 · An additional Long Term Disability (LTD) cushion. Though projections show that the leveling funds should more than cover the cost of benefits, the first 2% of increased premium costs caused by increased use will be absorbed by HEABC.

 The new community health agreement expires March 31, 2019.

 CUPE community health workers will receive a more detailed report and information on ratification balloting in the coming days.

 The Community Bargaining Association bargains on behalf of 15,000 unionized community health workers in British Columbia.

 

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Amendment to tentative agreement

On November 21, the Health Sciences Association (the lead union in the Health Professionals Bargaining Association) issued a letter amending the tentative agreement so that the “Economic Stability Dividend” will apply to the final four years of the agreement. (To read see attachments.)

Your Presidents Council continues to recommend that CUPE members vote NO on the tentative agreement.

If the Dividend had been in place over the previous collective agreement a member with an annual wage of $50,000 would have seen an “increase” of between $2-6 per month.

Our concerns continue to be that the tentative agreement’s minimal wage increases don’t even keep pace with inflation. We all know that times are tough, but why should you accept a pay cut?

The proposed new benefits trust could put more risk and liability on YOU, potentially leading to either higher premiums or reduced benefits.

As mentioned above, the so-called “Economic Stability Dividend” is a red herring. Regardless of how long it’s in place in this tentative agreement, it doesn’t make your life any better.

It’s essential that all CUPE members in the sector vote NO, and we remind members that the BCGEU and the PEA are also recommending a “NO” vote to their members.

The votes will be held as follows:

  • Local 1978 Wednesday, December 11 and Thursday, December 12
  • Local 4816 Monday, December 16
  • Local 15 Tuesday, December 17 and Wednesday December 18

(Members should contact their Local for time and place.)

 

To read the tentative agreement see here.

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Agreement reached on process to implement 37.5 hour work week

The spirit of the negotiated agreement surrounding the change from a 36-hour to a 37.5-hour work week was confirmed this week as the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) reached agreement on a process to implement the 37.5 hour work week agreed to in the recently ratified collective agreement.

“While at least one health authority had jumped the gun and advised staff that the change required the elimination of EDO (earned days off) or ATO (accumulated time off) schedules, this is not the case,” said HSPBA Chief Negotiator Jeanne Meyers.

The implementation process, signed off April 15, allows for flexibility, including the elimination of extended hours schedules, and for modified schedules with similar or different extended hours schedules.

“The key to the process is that employers and employees engage in a cooperative dialogue that results in scheduling that ultimately meets the needs for delivery of health care services, while accommodating the specific needs of individual worksites and departments,” Meyers said.

CUPE represents over 500 members in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA). HSA is the lead union in the 17,000 member bargaining association. Other unions in the bargaining association include the BCGEU, PEA, and HEU.

Please see the attached documents for more information.

Health science professionals ratify collective agreement

 

March 6, 2013

VANCOUVER – Health science professionals have voted 83 percent in favour of accepting a new contract that includes wage increases totaling three percent, and protects the wages of hospital pharmacists who were threatened with wage rollbacks of up to 14 percent. The agreement was reached between the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC.)

The agreement includes wage increases totaling three percent, and makes permanent a market adjustment of between 9 and 14 percent for pharmacists.

The agreement brings a return to a 37.5 hour work week for health science professionals, includes a modified Pharmacare tie-in with full implementation delayed to the end of August, and a joint process which will realize savings in extended benefit coverage. Union members will benefit from the return of a pay-direct at the pharmacy card instead of the current system of reimbursement of payment for prescribed drugs.

CUPE represents over 500 members in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA). HSA is the lead union in the 17,000 member bargaining association. Other unions in the bargaining association are BCGEU, PEA, and HEU