November 7, 2008

As part of the ongoing review of benchmarks in the facilities subsector (p.107 of the Collective Agreement), the Union Benchmark Review Committee is seeking input for the second part of the review for the occupations listed below.

At sessions scheduled for early November, union members in the affected occupational groups will have an opportunity to participate in focused discussions on their benchmarks, as well as review changes to those benchmarks being proposed by health employers.

These sessions are open to all members of the Health Services and Support Facilities Subsector Collective Agreement (IUOE, HEU, BCGEU, IBEW, CSWU, USWA, BCNU, UBCJA, UAJAP&P, and IUPAT) who are members of the occupations listed below.

If you are matched to more than one benchmark you are welcome to attend the discussions for each of the benchmarks you are matched to.

The meetings will be held at:

The Conference Center, HEU Provincial Office
5000 North Fraser Way
Burnaby, BC
From 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

If you would like to ttend the meeting or pre-register for a conference call please contact: 

THE HEU OFFICE AT (604) 456-7120 or
EMAIL AT heu@heu.org
NO LATER THAN MONDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2008 AT 3:00 PM

**For out of town members who want to participate, you can do so by pre-registering for a conference call for the appropriate session (phone or email for details).

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2008 FROM 6:00 – 8:00

**Boiler Operator (Benchmark 13001, Page 4-1)
**Supervising Boiler Operator (Benchmark 13002, Page 4-2)
**Power Engineer 4 (Benchmark 13003, Page 4-3)
**Supervising Power Engineering 4 (Benchmark 13004, Page 4-4)
**Chief Power Engineer 4 (Benchmark 13005, Page 4-5)
**Power Engineer 3 (Benchmark 13006, Page 4-6)
**Supervising Power Engineer 3 (Benchmark 13007, Page 4-7)
**Chief Power Engineer 3 (Benchmark 13008, Page 4-8)
**Power Engineer 2 (Benchmark 13009, Page 4-9)
**Supervising Power Engineer 2 (Benchmark 13010, Page 4-10)
**Chief Power Engineer 2 (Benchmark 13011, Page 4-11)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2008 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM

**Maintenance Supervisor I (Benchmark 13401, Page 6-1)
**Maintenance Supervisor II (Benchmark 13402, Page 6-2)
**Maintenance Supervisor III (Benchmark 13403, Page 6-3)
**Maintenance Supervisor IV (Benchmark 13404, Page 6-4)

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2008 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM

**Maintenance Worker I (Benchmark 13101, Page 5-1)
**Maintenance Worker II (Benchmark 13102, Page 5-2)
**Maintenance Worker III (Benchmark 13103, Page 5-3)**Maintenance Worker IV, Charge (Benchmark 13104, Page 5-4)
**Maintenance Worker IV, Plant System Repairs (Benchmark 13105, Page 5-5)
**Radiographic Processor maintainer (Benchmark 13106, Page 5-5.1) 
**Maintenance Worker V (Benchmark 13107, Page 5-6)

November 7, 2008

 After discussions and negotations that began in May 2007, members of the joint union and employer trades classification committee have agreed to revise 17 of 24 benchmarks, as well as create two new benchmarks in the trades job family.

Effective December 1, 2008, positions within the trades classification will be reviewed and adjusted to match updated or new benchmarks.

This process has brought 20-year-old trades benchmarks in line with today’s modern health care institutions and equipment.

In addition to the 17 revisions, the refrigeration mechanic and air condition mechanic have been combined into a single benchmark called refrigeration/ air conditioning (R/AC) mechanic.  And the head refrigeration mechanic and the head air conditioning mechanic have been combined ino the head refrigeration/ air conditioning (R/AC) mechanic.

Both parties have also agreed to create two new benchmarks, millwright and head millwright, and to delete three benchmarks, plasterer and head plasterer, as well as head laundry mechanic.

More than six years after imposing a law that rewrote collective agreements, the BC Liberals have tabled a bill to implement last year’s historic Supreme Court of Canada ruling that struck down key provisions of Bill 29 – the Health and Social Services Delivery Improvement Act, as unconstitutional.

The Legislation introduced today amends Bill 29 by removing provisions the Court ruled violated workers’ right to freedom of association under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a result, health care and community social service workers will no longer be prohibited by legislation from negotiating contracting-out language at the bargaining table.

Spokesperson for the Facilites Bargaining Association, Judy Darcy says today’s legislation closes particularly dark chapter for workers’ rights and health care in B.C. during which 9,000 workers lost their jobs and more than $750 million in health services were privatized.

“Bill 29′s” legacy has been the dismantling of the health care team, the loss of public control over many critical health services, and economic hardship for thousands of working families,” says Darcy.

“Today’s legislation, along with the Bill 29 settlement package reached with government and health employers this past January, delivers long overdue justice to health care workers and will result in improvements in health care delivery to the public.”

The $75 million settlement package reached by the multi-union Facilites Bargaining Association (representing 40,000 workers in B.C. hospitals and long-term care facilities) includes a $70 million compensation and training package for workers impacted by Bill 29 in the past, $5 million to re-train workers affected by any future contracting out, and expanded rights and protections going forward.

In the future, unions must be consulted and given the opportunity to recommend alternatives to contracting out, including in cases where currently contracted-out services are re-tendered. Laid-off workers will also have the right to apply for a job vacancy in another region of the province.

Today’s legislation will also amend Bill 94 – the Health Sector Partnerships Agreement Act (2003), by removing provisions that are similar to the unconstitutional provisions of Bill 29. Bill 94 affects many health care public-private partnerships and their sub-contractors.

Bill 29 was passed by the B.C. legislature on January 28, 2002. B.C.’s health unions challenged the constitionality of the legislation in a five-year court battle. The Supreme Court of Canada handed down its ruling on June 8, 2007 and gave the B.C. government one-year to deal with the repercussions.

February 11, 2008

Working alone and combating violence in the workplace are concerns for many workers in British Columbia, and definitely for IUOE members.  It’s important that health and community social services workers-and their employers- know about changes to WorkSafeBC regulations governing these areas so that our workplaces can be made safer.

“Working alone” will be safer with regulation changes

Motivated by the killing of Maple Ridge gas attendant Grant Depatie in 2005, there are new regulations protecting employees who work alone or in isolation – and these pertain to all B.C. workers and all sectors.

Now, new language defines “to work alone or in isolation” as working in circumstances where assistance would not be readily available to the worker in case of emergency or in case the worker is injured or in ill health.

For IUOE members who work alone, the combination of the new and current regulations means that the employer, after taking every practicable step to minimize risk(s), must tell the worker what hazards remain. And the employer must develop a written procedure in consultation with the worker and the Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) committee. While this will not eliminate working alone, particulary in the community health and community social services sectors, we can use these changes to encourage employers to minimize the practice.

Workers will be better informed about potentially violent situations.

Health care workers know that the facilities where they work are among the most dangerous job sites in the province, especially when it comes to incidents of abuse and violence.

Under a new regulation, disclosure of workplace hazards, including potentially abusive or violent, the employer must tell the worker.

There are several other WorkSafeBC regulation changes dealing with “new” and “young” workers, chemical and biological agents, and fume hoods in laboratories that went into effect on or before February, 1 2008.

To read more about all the changes, check out the WorkSafeBC website.

As the Vancouver Island Health Authority prepares to introduce its new care delivery model for all directly administered residential care facilities, the union is concerned that changes will not result in significant improvements to long-term care delivery.

The new model, to be implemented February 8, involves some increases in hours of direct care per resident, per day, and new schedules for some care staff.

Contrary to VIHA’S public statments that the new model will improve “quality and consistency of care,”staffing level increases, where they exist, are minimal.

And while the model provides for one day of employer-paid education for care staff, there are no substantial initiatives to address workload challenges that continue to be on the rise.

Over the last several years, long-term facilities have seen a significant increase in the acuity levels of their residents, “but even though many residents are older and sicker when they enter a care facility, staffing levels have not risen to meet the challenging and complex needs of today’s resident population.

Our seniors have a right to quality care, and that means government and their health authorities must ensure there are appropraite numbers of staff available to meet residents’ needs. The union is also concerned that the privatization of support services has resulted in lower staffing levels in housekeeping and food services which generates more work for the direct care staff.

FEBRUARY 7, 2008 

LINK TO 882H TAB ON THE HEADING BAR

FOR

FULL DETAILS ON BILL 29 SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

Plans hatched in secret despite government’s obligation to share information with health union in wake of Supreme Court of Canada decision on Bill 29.

The B.C. government and its six health authorities today announced a new bureaucracy whose sweeping mandate includes centralizing a number of health services and may prompt a new wave of privatization.

But even though these plans have been in the works for the last eight months, government representatives chose not to disclose them to health unions until this week, despite repeated requests for the information during talks on the implementation of last June’s Supreme Court of Canada decision on Bill 29.

The failure of the B.C. government to consult with health unions on issues that affect their members’ collective bargaining rights was central to the ruling which struck down key sections of the 2002 law.

Bill 29 rewrote health care collective agreements and resulted in the layoff of thousands of workers (mostly women) to make way for privatization.

In its decision, the Court established collective bargaining as a right protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  As a result of this decision, there is an obligation by government to engage in meaningful consultations and good faith negotiations.

The secrecy leading up to today’s announcement shows that the B.C. government has learned little from the Court or from 5 years of failed privatization experiments.

The new Health Authority Shared Services organization – run by the health ministry and B.C.’s six health authorities – is targeting payroll, information technology, purchasing and other services for centralization and possible privatization.  The result could be the transfer of confidential employee information to private corporations.

October 25, 2007

Documents related to $650 million in health privatization deals kept under wraps; Government says reports or evaluations of cost effectiveness don’t exist.

The FBA has filed more than a dozen freedom of information (FOI) requests for documents related to the awarding of commercial contracts by B.C.’s health authorities worth an estimated $650 million.

The FBA filed the FOI requests after government refused to release the information during ongoing talks on the implementation of last June’s Supreme Court of Canada ruling that struck down key sections of Bill 29.  The 2002 legislation gutted health care contracts, clearing the way for the privatization of services and thousands of layoffs.

Health unions first asked for the commercial contracts on October 4.  Government representatives said on October 23 that they would only consider giving access to the commercial contracts if union representatives signed restrictive confidentiality agreements - and only then if corporate contractors consented to releasing the information.

The FBA is of the opinion that the government is stalling.

In its June 8 ruling, the Court was especially critical of government’s failure to hold meaningful consultations with unions before passing Bill 29.  The Court cited government’s failure to produce evidence supporting its actions, or to consider alternatives.

But despite both the Court’s direction to engage in good faith bargaining – and a precedent-setting decision by B.C.’s  information and privacy commissioner that forced one health authority to release full details of a $100 million cleaning contract – government representatives have so far refused to publicly disclose privatization contract details.

And in response to a specific request by health unions for “reports or evaluations” of the cost effectiveness of contracting out an estimated $750 million of services, government responded that the documents do not exist.

The FBA says that government’s unwillingness to release information on Bill 29 privatization deals runs counter to the direction set out by the Supreme Court this past summer.

The lucrative privatization deals to provide cleaning, dietary, laundry and security services at B.C. hospitals resulted in concerns about service quality, the loss of thousands of health care jobs, and lowered wages throughout the sector.

The FBA filed FOI requests on Tuesday for the following contracts as well as for the business cases and other materials prepared by health authorities to justify contracting out.

The Facilities Bargaining Association has held six days of talks with government and health employer representatives since October 2.  The Supreme Court suspended its June 8 declaration for one year in order to give the B.C. government an opportunity to deal with the repercussions of its ruling.

HEALTHCARE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM

FACILITIES BARGAINING ASSOCIATION

WHAT IS EIP?

EIP, the Early Intervention Program, is a collaborative program to assist regular employees who are ill or injured return to work.

THE EIP TEAM

• You

• Your Employer

• Your Union

• Your doctor and other healthcare providers

• The EIP Early Intervention Coordinator (EIC)

• The EIP Medical Case Manager (MCM)

The EIP team works together to design a customized return to work plan for you based on your medical condition, your requirements for returning to work, your skills and potentially your employer’s ability to accommodate your return to work.

WHO IS THE EIC?

The EIC (Early Intervention Coordinator) is part of a team of health professionals at the EIP provider, the Healthcare Benefit Trust (HBT).

The EIC is responsible for coordinating your return to work plan by:

• Contacting you, explaining the program, and assessing your need for EIP.

WHO IS THE MCM?

The MCM (Medical Case Manager) is a Registered Nurse and/ or an Occupational Health Nurse.  As a member of the EIP team, the MCM provides a planned approach to managing cases by:

• Reviewing your medical care plan and your response to treatment.

• Referring you to medical providers and/ or rehabilitation service providers for treatment as required.

• Developing a customized plan that will accommodate your limitations and capabilities.

• Working with your employer to accommodate your return to work.

• Following up with you to ensure your return to work is successful.

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

Getting Started

• If you have been ill or injured for 6 scheduled shifts or 10 calendar days, whichever occurs first, your employer will refer your name to the EIC.

• The EIC will contact you to discuss EIP and determine if the program can assist you.

 Data Collection

• Once you are in the program, you and your doctor will be required to complete a confidential Occupational Fitness Assessment (OFA) form that provides information relating to your illness or injury and an assessment of your anticipated return to work.

Plan Development

• The MCM, in consultation with you and other representatives from your EIP team, will assess your situation and recommend a plan tailored to your individual circumstances.

• Your plan may include ensuring that you receive prompt medical care, such as referrals to medical specialists when appropriate.

• Your plan may include integrating you back into your workplace with graduated or modified duties.

• Your plan may include the provisions of job accommodation by your employer at your workplace.

Implementation & Follow Up

• Once your plan is approved by your healthcare provider, it will be put into action.

• The MCM will monitor your progress and make adjustments to the plan as needed to ensure that your return to work is successful.

WHAT AM I REQUIRED TO DO?

This program is included in your collective agreement.  You are strongly encouraged to work with the MCM, your employer, your union and your healthcare provider to facilitate your return to work.  Employees may self-refer to EIP.

HOW DOES MY UNION ASSIST ME?

Your union acts as your representative on the EIP team and advocates on your behalf for successful early return to work/ accommodation plans.

Your EIP union representative reviews progress reports on your return to work plan and maintains a dialogue with other EIP team members throughout the process.

WHAT ABOUT THE PRIVACY OF MY INFORMATION?

HBT is an independent service provider that is bound by the BC Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).  As such, information that is provided to the EIC and MCM is considered strictly confidential.

For Further Information

Please Contact

Your IUOE Representative at:

www.iuoe882.com

• Lower Mainland:     604-294-5266

• Toll Free (in BC):     1-888-668-1606

Take a look around the site. Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion of things you might want to see.

We are looking at getting a photo album added, so at some point we will be requesting pictures from your work sites, union mtg’s, shop stewards classes etc.