HEU continues efforts for Facilities members when it comes to work underway to ensure wages in this sector are comparable to those of workers in the rest of B.C.’s public service.
To recap, in the last round of bargaining, HEU negotiated a wage comparability process to address the impact of the vicious BC Liberal wage rollbacks of 2004 that primarily targeted women workers.
Coming out of that process, funds secured in that last round of bargaining to boost the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) pay rates of lower-waged classifications were allocated this past December. In all, a total of $26.27 million was awarded to a majority of members in permanent ongoing wage increases in 2023 and 2024.
In addition to these wage increases, a working group formed in January 2023 made up of HEU representatives, employers and government. This group then began developing recommendations to the province – in advance of the next round of bargaining – to ensure wage comparability between FBA members and BC General Employees’ Union members who work in the public service.
Over 16 months, the working group focused on three tasks:
1. Reviewing HEU’s historical wages – including the 2004 wage cuts and increased weekly hours of work;
2. Reviewing past pay equity and wage comparability adjustments; and
3. Identifying any wage comparability issues, especially for gendered and racialized workers.
"It’s HEU’s position to fully restore what members lost two decades ago," says Lynn Bueckert, HEU interim secretary-business manager. "Unfortunately, the Health Employers Association of B.C. does not agree."
"This leaves the wage comparability process stalled – for the moment. And, with a provincial election coming soon, there is not enough time left in this government’s mandate to move this issue forward."
The next best opportunity to push for wage redress will be through bargaining the next FBA collective agreement added Bueckert. Members can expect that once the FBA bargaining committee is elected later this year, HEU's recommendations for wage redress will be a cornerstone of the 2025 Facilities bargaining demands.
"This initiative to right this wrong for our members has been over 20 years in the making," says Bueckert. "But as history has shown our union, your collective agreement is one of the most powerful tools to improve your workplace – and your life."
Please stay tuned for further updates on the wage comparability process and other bargaining matters as HEU heads towards the Facilities bargaining conference in November.
If you have any questions about the wage comparability process, please speak to your staff representative.