Here are some answers to questions you might have about the agreement. Please consult the Facilities Comprehensive Report for a more in depth analysis and the full language of the agreement.
- Is the FBA getting the same general wage increase (GWI) as the BCGEU?
Yes, the GWI is the same as the recent settlement with government workers. General wage increase is three per cent in each year for a total of 12 per cent over the four-year term.
- Is the wage increase retroactive? When will it be paid out?
HEU members will get retroactive wage increases back to the first pay period after April 1, 2025. This includes anyone who worked after April 1, even if they are now retired or quit.
It is up to the employer when retro pay is issued, but we know how important it is, and we will push health employers to have the pay issued as soon as possible.
- Why didn’t we negotiate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)?
The cost-of-living adjustment can vary from year to year and is only meant to keep up with inflation. COLA increases would only be triggered if inflation rises higher than the negotiated increase. For the past 12 months, the B.C. inflation rate has been 2.2 per cent, lower than the negotiated GWI of three per cent.
The 2022 – 2025 COLA clause was triggered by inflation numbers and not guaranteed. We bargained a cost-of-living adjustment in the 2022 contract because of economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID pandemic. A COLA clause is not a typical part of wage settlements, especially where we don’t expect unusual inflation rates.
The pattern of 3 per cent over four years was first set by the BCGEU, and our bargaining committee supported a similar approach where the wage increase is fully secured for members, rather than a COLA that isn't guaranteed.
- Do the wage increases apply to those on long-term disability (LTD)?
For members on LTD, a general wage increase does not apply. Instead, for members who went on LTD after April 1, 1998, any increases to the LTD benefit are made every four years on the anniversary of the date of disability.
On that anniversary date, their monthly benefit for the next four years will be the higher amount of either: 70 per cent of the first $2,800 of the current monthly earnings of your pre-disability job, plus 50 per cent of the current monthly earnings above $2,800; or 66.7 per cent of current monthly earnings of your pre-disability job.
If a member went on LTD before April 1, 1998, there are no wage adjustments.
- What premium improvements did we get?
All shift premiums are increasing, along with trade qualification premiums.
Shift premium increases would be:
- Night shift differential increased to $3.40, effective first pay period after April 1, 2026.
- Evening shift differential increased to $2.05, effective first pay period after April 1, 2028.
- Weekend premium shall be increased to $2.30, effective first pay period after April 1, 2028.
Plus, we gained a peer-to-peer support allowance for members mentoring new workers.
- What other provisions were negotiated?
The tentative agreement also adds another day to the bereavement leave, increased unused sick leave payouts to 50 per cent, and expanded registration fee reimbursement to members who incur the cost of regulatory fees for their job.
Work-life balance: There are new provisions to support job sharing and stepping up efforts to regularize positions. As well, improvements were made to portability and mobility provisions, and we renewed the fund to support employee proposals for revised rotations.
Better union representation: There will also be more dedicated shop stewards bringing the total from 21 to 29 full-time equivalent positions at the largest sites and two new, temporary occupational health and safety advocates.
- What about health and safety?
There are two new provisions that address health and safety: (1) a pilot regional joint health and safety committees to provide greater oversight and coordination of OHS, psychological health and violence prevention; and (2) there will now be paid OHS training for members in supervisory roles.
There are also improvements to preventative measures that deal with violent patients, manual lifting, working alone, workload prioritization and exposure to biological agents, chemicals or substances.
- What will members get in terms of wage restoration?
There are additional wage adjustments that will be funded by the $60.5 million wage comparability fund that members will receive throughout the four years of the agreement. By June 30, 2026, health employers and the FBA will determine the fund allocation to make permanent adjustments on the general wage schedule, effective the first pay period after April 1, 2025 and April 1, 2026.
For the remaining two years of this agreement, the parties will meet annually, prior to Feb. 1, to determine the allocation of the funds each year.
- When will the wage restoration take place?
The wage restoration process has not been determined but has to be worked out in the new year by June 30. The adjustments for 2025 and 2026 will be determined by then. The remaining adjustments will be made over the course of the life of this collective agreement.
- Did we make any advances on seniors’ care?
This is one of the most historic elements of the tentative agreement. We were able to make meaningful progress on reversing the BC Liberals’ privatization and fragmentation of the seniors’ care system in B.C.
For the first time since seniors’ care was removed from the common FBA collective agreement, we secured a commitment from government, through the Facilities framework negotiated in August, that many seniors’ care facilities would be brought back into the FBA.
- Why a four-year term?
The public sector workers under BCGEU ratified a four-year term after an eight-week strike. The FBA bargaining committee considered its option and determined that it made sense to follow the template to secure a strong wage package and because it’s best when all public sector unions remain in the same bargaining cycle. It gives workers more power.
- Will there be a “me too” clause?
Yes, we have a “me too” clause in our agreement that if any other BC public sector union bargains higher wage increases during this round, FBA would get that same wage increase.
- How does ratification work?
We’ll be reaching out to members in many different ways over the next two weeks, to make sure everyone has the chance to read and understand the tentative agreement, including two telephone town halls Dec. 1 and 2.
The vote will be held online starting Dec. 15 and ending Dec. 19.
- When does the ratification vote take place?
The ratification vote will be held online starting Monday, Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. and ending Friday, Dec. 19 at 12 noon.
- Is online voting the only way to vote?
Yes, voting will only be done online using Simply Voting and you will have a few days to cast your ballot. Your ballot cannot be transferred to anyone else.
A telephone voting option will be available for those who are unable to vote online. Details will be shared with members closer to voting dates.
- How secure is online voting?
HEU will be using Simply Voting as the online voting platform for this tentative agreement ratification vote. Simply Voting is a trusted, secure and confidential voting platform that has been frequently used by labour organizations, as well as the Labour Relations Board, to allow union members to vote securely and anonymously.
- Someone told me that if I don’t vote, it will count as a "yes". Is this true?
That is not the case. The only votes counted are those cast by eligible members. So if you want your voice heard, make sure you vote.
- What happens if we reject the offer?
Every HEU member can vote to accept or reject a tentative agreement. If the contract is rejected, then the bargaining committee and employer go back to the negotiating table to continue talks.
If members vote no, anything agreed to in the tentative agreement may or may not still be on the table when bargaining resumes. So, voting no means we risk losing some of the gains negotiated.
The information contained herein are for the use of HEU members only. The interpretation of the Facilities tentative agreement is provided on a without prejudice and precedent basis to any position that HEU/FBA may take in any arbitration process or other forum. Copyright 2025.
