Unions representing roughly 67,000 health facility workers have secured a tentative deal for a new collective bargaining agreement that includes wage increases and redress for past pay cuts.
Like the recent deal with the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) for public service workers, this agreement between the Health Employers Association of B.C. and the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) includes a general wage increase of three per cent per year for four years.
In addition, this agreement also includes a $60.5 million wage restoration fund for workers whose pay was cut in 2004, as well as targeted increases for shift premiums.
Adjustments from the restoration fund will be distributed over the course of the four-year agreement.
“The FBA significantly advanced efforts to restore wages that were unjustifiably rolled back in 2004 by the B.C. Liberals – so that pay for hospital and long-term care workers keeps up with employees doing similar jobs across B.C.’s public sector,” Hospital Employees’ Union President Lynn Bueckert said in a news release.
The Hospital Employees’ Union represents 95 per cent of the members in this bargaining unit, with the rest split between eight other unions, including the BCGEU.
The framework for this deal was agreed to in August.
Workers included in the facilities bargaining unit include those in jobs such as care aides, maintenance workers, IT staff and administrators.