Health-care employees in the community-health sector today ratified a new two-year labour agreement under government's 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate.

The agreement provides for modest wage increases, offset by savings found within existing budgets, totalling three per cent over a two-year period for employees represented by the Community Bargaining Association.

"I am pleased that community health employees voted in support of the agreement," said Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid. "The support of this agreement is welcome news for frontline health workers and patients alike. These health workers are an integral part of our health-care system, and this agreement reflects the desire of community health-care workers and employers to continue to provide the highest standard of care for British Columbians."

The agreement between the Health Employers Association of B.C. and the Community Bargaining Association covers over 15,000 community health employees, including home-support workers who help the elderly in their homes, alcohol and drug counsellors, staff at adult-day centres and child-development centres and those working in mental-health group homes.

The agreement is retroactive to April 1, 2012 and expires March 31, 2014.

"These agreements show the significant progress that is being made under the 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate," said Finance Minister Michael de Jong. "More than half of unionized employees are now covered under negotiated settlements, despite the tough fiscal environment.

"This mandate provides the opportunity for employers and unions to find creative solutions, and this means no two settlements are going to be alike. We are going to see unique settlements in every sector and with each employer."

Agreements with four of five health-sector bargaining associations have now been reached, covering over 95,000 employees in the sector. In addition to the Community Bargaining Association, agreements have also been reached with the Nurses' Bargaining Association and the Facilities Bargaining Association, which both included three-per-cent increases, as well as the four-year settlement with the PAR-BC medical residents, which has two years of net zero followed by a 2.8-per-cent increase under Cooperative Gains.

The 2012 Cooperative Gains Mandate applies to all public-sector employers whose collective agreements expire on or after Dec. 31, 2011. The mandate gives public-sector employers the flexibility to find savings from existing budgets to fund modest wage increases in a way that does not add pressure to the government's bottom line, does not add costs for taxpayers or ratepayers, and does not sacrifice services to British Columbians.

Media Contact:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)