On July 10, the B.C. Minister of Finance formally signed an Order in Council declaring 39 supportive housing agencies as “health employers”.
That means those employers will be joining the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC), and members will transfer from the Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) to the Community Bargaining Association (CBA).
This impacts about 15 HEU members working at Amata Transition House in Quesnel.
HEABC and the lead unions of the affected bargaining associations have agreed on a transfer date of April 1, 2026.
Prior to the transition, members will continue to be covered by the CSSBA collective agreement, with no changes to their working conditions.
The full terms and conditions of the transfer have yet to be determined, but the unions will be engaging in meaningful conversations with members at the 39 work sites before solidifying a full transition plan.
This fall, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) – the lead union at the CSSBA and CBA bargaining tables – will host a virtual town hall for shop stewards and activists at the affected workplaces to answer any questions.
More details to come.
Background
On June 12, the Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) informed 39 supportive housing agencies that they will be moving into the HEABC.
Through this process, about 3,200 supportive housing workers across five different unions will move from community social services to community health. This is the first time supportive housing workers will be joining forces under one collective agreement.
Between decades of underfunding and a patchwork of collective agreements, insufficient pay, and inequities across employers, the province’s supportive housing services have suffered, and workers have been bearing the cost.
This move is the first step unions are taking to grow bargaining power in the community health subsector.
HEU members are encouraged to keep their contact information updated to stay informed on the bargaining process and union news.