Office of the Premier
Employees in the multi-union Community Bargaining Association have ratified an agreement reached with the Health Employers’ Association of BC.
This is the first agreement ratified under government’s Sustainable Services Negotiating Mandate, which focuses on improving services for people and ensuring fair and affordable compensation.
Approximately 16,000 employees, who support seniors, children and people with disabilities, are covered by the new collective agreement, which includes:
- a three-year term from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2022;
- general wage increases of 2% per year;
- changes to scheduling that improve continuity of care; and
- targeted funding of $40 million, to close existing wage gaps and address staff turnover between community health and facilities occupations.
The targeted funding will improve continuity of care for people who depend on private, group and residential community living homes, supported employment programs, child development centres, adult day programs, mental health centres, community service agencies and health authorities in communities throughout B.C.
The Sustainable Services Negotiating Mandate supports government’s commitment to improve the services people count on, make life more affordable and invest in sustainable economic growth. The mandate is consistent with B.C.’s commitment to balanced budgets and sound fiscal management, and builds on 2014 low-wage redress investments with continued funding to address the wage gap in community health and community social services, as well as conditional and modest funding that can be used to drive tangible service improvements for people in B.C.
Approximately 91,000 public-sector employees are covered by tentative or ratified agreements reached under B.C.’s Sustainable Services Negotiating Mandate.
Learn More:
Public-sector bargaining in British Columbia:
www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/employers/public-sector-employers/public-sector-bargaining
