http://www.bcfederationist.com/

After a scheduled two-week break, negotiations for a new Facilities Collective Agreement have entered their fourth month.

The multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association says that talks are proceeding slowly, in part because health employers have limited authority to engage in bargaining under a strictly-controlled government negotiating mandate. Most other bargaining tables in the broader public sector are also reporting slow progress.

The main proposal from the Health Employers’ Association of B.C. last week was their position on merging collective agreements covering employees of the BC Ambulance Service into the Facilities Agreement. The BCAS was transferred into the health sector in 2010.

One significant stumbling block in talks is the lack of disclosure by health employers of information and other data related to issues such as the casual addendum, part-time employment, benefit costs and how employers intend to operationally integrate the ambulance service into the health sector.

“Collective bargaining does not take place in a vacuum. This information is fundamental to making progress bargaining table,” says Bonnie Pearson spokesperson for the FBA negotiating team.

At this point, all major non-monetary issues have been tabled by the FBA.

The two sides have yet to discuss monetary issues. Negotiations resume Wednesday.

The collective agreement covers a diverse health care team that includes workers in hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostic treatment centres as well as emergency health services and shared services such as logistics and supply operations.

More than 270 occupations are represented in the talks including care aides, licensed practical nurses, lab assistants, pharmacy technicians, admitting clerks, medical transcriptionists, trades and maintenance workers, sterile supply technicians, dietary staff and many others.

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e988e13c93cc37c65f18d13ac&id=4dfa199f35&e=2b5e2d8eef

 APRIL 16, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 FBA BARGAINING CONTINUES APRIL 17, 2012

 Negotiations for a new contract covering 43,000 health care workers continued this past week with detailed discussions on a number of non-monetary issues that have been tabled over the last several weeks.

The multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association will continue those discussions with the Health Employers Association of B.C. next week before breaking the week of April 23. Both sides have agreed to further bargaining sessions in May.

Neither side has yet tabled a compensation package covering wages and benefits, though the unions’ chief spokesperson Bonnie Pearson predicts that they will be difficult discussions.

“Under the so-called cooperative gains mandate, health employers claim they have very little room to provide compensation increases,” says Pearson.

“This has led to a lot of speculation and rumour about HEABC’s intentions but to this point, we have not received any demands on compensation or benefits from them. And we have yet to table our own proposals in these areas.”

Pearson says the FBA unions are hoping that HEABC will be prepared to focus on a number of outstanding non-monetary issues next week so that negotiators can begin to address compensation improvements.

More than 270 occupations are represented in the talks including care aides, licensed practical nurses, pharmacy technicians, admitting clerks, medical transcriptionists, trades and maintenance workers, sterile supply technicians, lab assistants, rehab assistants, dietary staff and many others.

International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Local 963

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 963 represents about 1000 members employed by the Vancouver School Board in the areas of facilities and student support. Contributions and participation in the union’s annual United Way campaign has steadily increased over the past several years. This is in addition to the IUOE workers’ participation in the VSB United Way workplace campaign. The union’s fundraising events include the popular annual United Way Breakfast. The IUOE 963 also supports labour education initiatives such as the CLC United Way Union Counselling program which provides peer support and referral services through the workplace.”

A word from Tim De Vivo, Business Manager of IUOE Local 963:

“Award recipients were asked to make a short acceptance speech:  I accepted the award on behalf of the membership and executive board, commenting that the IUOE is proud to do its part to assist the great work of the United Way.”

IUOE Local 882 congratulates Local 963 for receiving the United Way “Labour Award of Distinction” .

Here’s the website link to see the award photo received by IUOE Local 963 :     http://www.flickr.com/photos/36978292@N08/7030264613/in/photostream

Negotiations for a renewed Facilities collective agreement picked up this past week as health unions tabled a substantial number of non-monetary proposals.

And although the collective agreement expires March 31, talks will resume next week and the terms of conditions of the current agreement will continue to be in force.

The multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) has now tabled most of its non-monetary package including proposals on job security, environmental sustainability, health and safety, union rights and on a number of other issues.

The FBA has also tabled some proposals for the renewal of appendices to the collective agreement covering CUPE 873 and BCGEU members employed by the BC Ambulance Service.

HEU secretary-business manager Bonnie Pearson says that this week marked the first time that it seemed like the pace of negotiations was picking up.

“Our unions believed we would be much further ahead by the time the contract expired,” says Pearson. “But the very restrictive negotiating process that government has imposed on employers continues to hamper progress at the bargaining table.”

Pearson says that the FBA unions were supportive of the BCGEU’s decision to break off talks and seek a strike mandate for its members in the public service.

“We are in a different place right now and still have a number of issues to explore with the employer and we have not yet addressed monetary issues,” says Pearson. “So our talks will continue next week.”

The collective agreement covers a diverse health care team that includes workers in hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostic treatment centres as well as emergency health services and shared services such as logistics and supply operations.

More than 270 occupations are represented in the talks including care aides, licensed practical nurses, pharmacy technicians, OR booking clerks, medical transcriptionists, trades and maintenance workers, sterile supply technicians, pathology attendants, ophthalmic techs, housekeepers and many others.

HEU represents about 85 per cent of health care workers in the FBA. Another 14 per cent are represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 873, the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 882/882H. Eight other unions in the association represent one per cent of workers covered by the talks.

These are considerable savings that are available to any of our members through Union Savings @ http://www.unionsavings.ca   IUOE Local 882 members are encouraged to visit the Union Savings’ website.

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e988e13c93cc37c65f18d13ac&id=e414790322&e=2b5e2d8eef