Vancouver—The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) has called off rotating strikes planned for this week.

Following three round-the-clock days of talks mediated by veteran labour mediator Vince Ready, the government tabled a proposal just before midnight Saturday for a wage increase and massive concessions. The proposal adds up to a general wage increase of 1.4 per cent over two years – and some health care workers could be facing wage roll backs.

“In our view the government’s proposal was put on the table to force us into taking additional action” says CUPE bargaining committee member Chris Losito. “This would give the government an excuse to recall the legislature to impose a contract. We’ve called off job action to prevent that from happening.”

“We are committed to delivering health care services to British Columbians. Our dispute isn’t with the people who need those services. After nine months of bargaining we still don’t have a contract and it is now clear what the government thinks of the value of health science professionals in the public health care system,” he said.

Losito says the next step is for their bargaining committee to go back to members, share this offer and take direction for next steps from them.

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.

For all bargaining updates and information on CUPE’s health sector in BC visit http://bcchs.cupe.ca/

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December 7, 2012

VANCOUVER – Health science professionals began rotating strikes yesterday to put pressure on government to get serious about bargaining a new collective agreement with the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA).

Yesterday pharmacists reduced services to essential services only, while today public health inspectors and licensing officers are reducing their services to essential services only.

The union association advised today that it plans to continue the rotating strike action next week, reducing hospital lab services to essential services at midnight Sunday. There will be no picket lines.

“Health science professionals have waited long enough for a fair and reasonable agreement,” said CUPE National Representative Justin Schmid. “It took nine months of bargaining and the assistance of mediator Vince Ready to get the government to come to the table with their proposals.”

“We will continue to exert pressure to encourage government to work towards achieving an agreement,” he 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 are BCGEU, PEA, and HEU.

December 5, 2012

VANCOUVER – After nine months of bargaining health science professionals are frustrated with the lack of progress in bargaining and lack of willingness from the employer to negotiate a fair and reasonable agreement.

Job action will continue this week starting tomorrow at 9 a.m. when hospital pharmacists will reduce work to essential services only. Thursday at midnight, the rotating job action will move to all public health inspectors and licensing officers, with staff performing only essential services. Medical and diagnostic imaging will also reduce services.

“The government showed little interest in bargaining until we announced that strike action would commence,” said CUPE bargaining committee memberChris Losito. “It was only this week, with the help of mediator Vince Ready, that the government tabled its position at the bargaining table. After seeing their position it is clear we have a long way to go, however we hope that this week is the beginning of meaningful negotiations.”

“Pharmacists will kick off the job action tomorrow,” said Losito. “Friday Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) and Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) and Licensing Officers will take action to highlight the almost $17 per hour difference in wages between these professionals in BC and Alberta.”

Losito says that EHOs and PHIs work to protect public health through efforts to prevent the spread of communicabledisease, highlight food safety and ensure safe drinking water and that they also oversee air quality, land use, tobacco control, emergency response, and emerging environmental public health initiatives while Licensing Officers protect children and adults receiving care in licensed community care facilities.

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.

December 2, 2012

VANCOUVER-As health science professionals return to the bargaining table today, plans to begin rotating strikes have been delayed one day to demonstrate good faith in the bargaining process. Talks between the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association and Health Employers Association of BC are scheduled to continue through the week.

With the change, the rotating strikes will begin Thursday, December 6. That day, pharmacy services at BC hospitals will be reduced to essential service levels only from 9 a.m. to midnight.

There will be no picket lines.

“Pharmacists are especially frustrated with the lack of progress at the bargaining table. This is the group of highly trained and specialized members of the health care team who government targeted for a 15 percent wage cut earlier this year – even as recruitment and retention continues to be a growing problem as the retail sector pays more competitive wages,” said CUPE National Representative, Justin Schmid.

The second group of health science professionals scheduled to take job action are all public health inspectors and licensing officers.

They will reduce their work to essential services only from midnight Thursday to midnight Friday. Medical imaging technologists will also reduce services to essential service levels that day.

“After eight months of negotiations health science professionals still don’t have a collective agreement. While the government has backed off on the wage rollback we still have not seen any type of wage offer. Health science professionals continue to fall behind while other members of the professional health care team continue to receive wage increases. Our members say it’s time their contribution to the modern health care team is recognized,” said Schmid.

CUPE health members are encouraged to visit www.modernhealthcare.orgto send a letter to the minister of health and others decision makers encouraging a concerted effort at negotiating a fair and reasonable contract.

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.

November 22, 2012

VANCOUVER– Bargaining for a new contract for BC’s health science professionals was to resume yesterday for the first time since health science professionals delivered a 90 percent strike vote to support the bargaining committee’s proposals for a fair and reasonable collective agreement. Bargaining had broken off October 31.

The employers’ bargaining agent, Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC), called the unions back to bargain Thursday. But as hour after hour passed, the employer did not make an appearance at the bargaining table. While two days of bargaining were scheduled for this week, HEABC reported at  5 p.m. Thursday that its bargaining committee could not guarantee an appearance at the bargaining table until next Friday, November 30.

“Health science professionals are the members of the modern health care team who doctors and nurses depend on to diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate patients. Without us, the health care system cannot work,” said HSPBA Chief Negotiator Jeanne Meyers.

“The government has to get serious about making sure that we keep these highly educated and skilled members of the health care team here in BC, instead of losing them to other provinces where they can earn up to $12 an hour more to do the same job with better working conditions, including enough staff. Adequate staffing levels is a critical element of working conditions since our members are working to fill the gaps created by chronic shortages. HEABC has told us there is currently a shortage of 2,000 health science professionals province-wide. All our members feel the effect of those shortages with increases in workload and stress. And every vacancy means delays in diagnosis and treatment for patients,” she said.

“CUPE members have clearly spoken and they are prepared to take strike action. The complete lack of respect for the bargaining process that the employer has demonstrated leaves us no choice but to act on member’s wishes and issue strike notice,” says CUPE bargaining committee member Chris Losito.

Under the BC Labour Code, issuing 72 hours strike notice puts the employer on notice that unions will be in a legal strike position 72 hours after issuing the notice. The strike notice is in effect for 90 days from the date of the vote, which was November 19. This means the unions have three months to exercise their right to strike.

“Our bargaining committee plans to be back at the table for the next scheduled week of bargaining December 3 to 7. We’re committed to negotiating and fair and reasonable agreement, but we need to see that same commitment from HEABC and the government as well,” said Losito.

CUPE BC’s Health Coordinator Justin Schmid says that health science professionals have issued strike notice to draw attention to the fact that HSPBA is disappointed in HEABC and the government and they hope that this action will show that health professionals are serious about getting back to the bargaining table.

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.

November 20, 2012

VANCOUVER – Health science professionals have delivered a resounding 90 percent strike vote to back their bargaining committee in negotiations with BC’s health employers.

“This strong vote sends a clear message to government and health authorities that it’s time to come to the table and negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement,” said Chris Losito, CUPE bargaining committee representative.

“After seven months both the government and the health authorities have nothing to offer. They have not responded to a wage demand, they refuse to respond to repeated requests for costing on budget-saving measures, and they have not dealt with important issues that matter to patients and the modern health care team we all count on for our good health,” Losito said.

The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) has been at the bargaining table working to negotiate a new collective agreement since February. Talks broke down October 31. 

“Our bargaining committee has worked hard to propose reasonable improvements that that will help keep these highly specialized health science professionals from going to other provinces to work,” said Losito. “We know, our members know, and the public knows that without members of the modern health care team, the health care system doesn’t work.”

CUPE National Representative Justin Schmid said the strike vote delivers a strong message to government and health authorities that it’s time to negotiate under the government-imposed “cooperative gains” mandate, not hide behind that mandate.

“We’ve seen other employers able to work within the government mandate, and reach agreements that provide fair and reasonable settlements in the public sector. Health science professionals deserve no less,” he 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 are BCGEU, PEA, and HEU.

VANCOUVER  Hundreds rallied in support of health care workers last Wednesday afternoon and sent a strong message to Christy Clark and the BC Liberals: “health care workers deserve a fair deal too!”

The rally was held for the 70,000 BC health workers who are still without a contract and have been without one for more than ten months now.

Both CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill and CUPE National president Paul Moist attended the rally to show their support for the 1,000 CUPE workers in the health sector.

CUPE Health Coordinator Justin Schmid says that health care workers are looking for the same deal that many other public sector workers have already received.

“We’re seeking a fair and reasonable deal with no concessions,” says Schmid. “It was very apparent at the rally that workers in this sector are prepared to stand up to the Liberals to achieve a fair contract.”

Schmid says that the CBA has taken a successful strike vote and HSBPA is in the midst of taking a strike vote.

Preparations continue through this week setting up the strike headquarters and organizing picketing plans. The Union will provide 72 hours notice of picketing to the employer and members should job action be necessary.

CUPE represents approximately 1,000 members who are part of two bargaining associations- the CBA and HSPBA. Other unions involved in these bargaining associations include BCGEU, UFCW, HEU, HSA USWA and PEA.