Pace picks up at facilities bargaining table

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Momentum is building in talks for a new facilities subsector collective agreement as health employers responded last week to a number of union proposals including health and safety, recruitment and retention, and access to job training and education.

HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard, spokesperson for the multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), says she is encouraged by the number of counter-proposals tabled by the employer this past week.

“Until last week, the pace of negotiations has been frustrating for our bargaining committee, with the employer slow to respond to the FBA’s comprehensive package of proposals,” says Brisard.

“I’m encouraged by the determination of the bargaining committee to get a good deal for our members as momentum develops at the table.”

A full five days of bargaining is scheduled for this week.

“A new collective agreement must protect wages against rising costs,” said Brisard.

The compensation package remains an outstanding issue. HEU continues to coordinate with other public sector unions that are in bargaining on the issue of compensation.

HEU has joined CUPE BC, BCGEU, PEA, BCTF, UFCW, and Move Up in placing ads in several B.C. newspapers over the past two weeks to press for fair compensation for public sector workers. You can share a video version of this ad from facebook.

The BCGEU recently announced a successful strike vote for its members in negotiations with the Public Service Agency (PSA). Negotiations at the FBA table and at most other public sector tables are at earlier stages than at the BCGEU-PSA table. 

The nine-union Facilities Bargaining Association represents 58,000 health care workers. HEU represents more than 90 per cent of these workers. Health employers are represented by the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC).

See all Facilities bargaining updates.