HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION
The union delivering modern health care
HSA strongly recommends its members vote YES
Why are some other unions in the bargaining association recommending their members vote no?
The context – a strategic forward-thinking deal in a tough bargaining climate
This deal was negotiated under an extremely strict net-zero mandate imposed by the provincial government.
We don’t like the mandate. We don’t agree with the mandate. It is fundamentally unfair and irrational to negotiate wage increases for one group of health care professionals (nurses) and then turn around and impose a mandate that prevents other health care professionals from receiving equal treatment.
But that’s what the government did. And almost all of the other public sector unions negotiating under this
mandate have already reached deals with net-zero increases.
There was no way for the health sciences professionals bargaining association to break the mandate in this round
of bargaining.
So, we negotiated a forward-thinking deal that lays the groundwork on the key priorities identified by HSA
members and sets the stage for bargaining in 2012.
The deal includes many real and substantial improvements. Depending on your situation, you may be able to access:
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An extra $85 a year in vision care ($170 improvement every 2 years)
$900 a year for psychologist services,
potentially hundreds of dollars for the removal of the dual dental restriction,
upwards of $350 a year for contraceptive coverage,
days off without using a vacation leave under the new special leave provisions,
funding for professional development,
service and seniority accrual while you take on management/supervisor responsibilities outside the bargaining unit
And yes, we had to pay for these things. Unfortunately that’s what net-zero means. We paid by delaying the accrual of an extra day of vacation by one-year, by changing the definition of general supervision on an interim
basis, and by suspending the requirement to have a chief health science professional also on an interim basis.
These moves were necessary and worth the price because they come with a strategy to move forward in 2012 and
in further rounds of bargaining.
HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION
The union delivering modern health care
We know that the employer will be targeting benefits. They want members to pay a share of the premiums and
they want to eliminate benefits for part timers. Under this agreement, we have strategically raised the floor
on our benefits package – to match the benefits received by the nurses’. We will take this more comprehensive
(and more expensive) benefit package into future rounds of bargaining, giving us leverage on this issue that we
wouldn’t have otherwise.
We know that the value of our classification system is gradually eroded as restructurings occur that don’t fit within our system. So we’ve negotiated a classification review that includes as a key priority moving all of the Grade
I’s to the Grade II rate. That’s not happening right now because it costs money which wasn’t available under the
government mandate. But this deal includes a plan to move that objective forward.
We know that privatization, contracting out, and health care restructuring are constant themes in health care.
This deal includes vastly increased options for members if displacements occur. That’s a key element of preparing
for the future.
Ultimately we know that success in bargaining in this political climate depends on raising the profile of our
members. This deal sets the stage for that as well through professional development and increased recognition of
the value of our members taking on leadership positions in health care.
The lead union, HSA, and the second largest union in the association, the BCGEU, are recommending “yes”.
So why does CUPE say no?
CUPE and some other unions are focusing on the negative aspects of this deal in isolation. They are not looking
at the big picture.
That’s because they don’t have to.
They are free to just say no, without having to offer any alternatives or plan for future rounds of bargaining.
HSA is the lead union in the health science professionals bargaining association and it’s our responsibility to negotiate the very best deal we can (and we have done that – this deal stretches the limits of the net-zero mandate
as far as they will go) and then to consider the alternatives – a strike or possibly a roll-over.
We don’t think it makes sense to take a strike vote when most of the other public sector unions have already
negotiated net-zero agreements. We’d be trying to take down the government alone. The CUPE ambulance paramedics provide a recent example of how successful that strategy is.
And a roll-over agreement leaves us going into 2012 having made no progress at all. No new benefits (and no
HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION
The union delivering modern health care
plan to deal with them), no classification review (and no process to deal with those issues), no improvement to
special leave, no job security provisions, and no progress on professional development and leadership.
CUPE doesn’t have a realistic alternative to this deal. That’s because there is no better deal available under the
government mandate.
Some of the specifics
Grade I/Grade II
CUPE says that HSA is misleading it members into believing that all Grade I positions will become Grade II immediately. This is an unfair and unfounded allegation.
The parties have agreed that creating a full scope working level professional (Grades I and II) by moving the
Grade I’s up to Grade II, is an important priority that will be implemented subject to funding. This is not happening right way. It is part of the comprehensive classification review that has yet to occur.
But CUPE is wrong to dismiss this as a meaningless commitment. Remember, the employer has a longstanding
goal to flatten our classification system. Agreement that the priority is to collapse the first two levels up rather
than down, is significant; it’s an important step in the long term plan of rationalizing and improving our classification system.
Benefits
Some CUPE members have been arguing that the benefit improvements don’t have enough value to offset the
vacation freeze, particularly since the benefits don’t come into effect until January 2012.
There is significant monetary value for members in the new benefit package: $170 vision improvement, $900 in
brand new coverage for psychologist services, contraceptive coverage (easily $350 a year).
And, once those benefits are in place, they become the status quo from which bargaining is done. That value
stays in the collective agreement.
The freeze on vacation accrual is for one-year. After that, the increments continue at the normal pace. Members
will reach the maximum after 30 years instead of the current 29.
Special leave
CUPE says that the reduction in special leave banks from 180 to 144 hours is a negative in this deal.
HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION
The union delivering modern health care
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
There are so many obstacles built into the current special leave language that most members are never able to access that time; it wouldn’t matter if there were a 1000 hours in the bank.
Under the new language, members will be able to access special leave to care for an immediate family member
with a serious illness. They’ll be able to access their special leave bank and not have to dip into their vacation.
Disability Management
CUPE says this is a negative because ill and injured members are required to participate.
Again, this is a disappointing response to what is actually an innovative and exciting improvement.
The new Enhanced Disability Management Program will be jointly governed -- the union and the employee will
be full partners in developing comprehensive case management plans designed to keep members in the workplace or return them to the workplace as soon as possible. Our members don’t need or want the option of refusing to return to work when they are able to do so.
The most important priority of the program is to support members in their recovery and return to work. But
keep in mind as well that HSA members pay 30% of their LTD premiums. It is in everyone’s interest to make sure
that members get the support they need to return to work if at all possible.
HSA members with questions about the proposed agreement are welcome to visit the website at www.hsabc.org for
more information, and to email your questions and comments to the union at contract@hsabc.org