B.C. health-care workers ratify deal
Last Updated: Friday, March 19, 2010 | 4:56 PM PT
The Canadian Press
Health-care workers in B.C., who make up the bulk of hospital staff, have ratified a two-year-contract. (CBC)Health-care workers in B.C. have voted 77 per cent in favour of a new contract.
The two-year deal included no overall wage increases for the 48,000 workers, but there were some targeted wage hikes in specific areas where educational requirements and responsibilities have increased, the Hospital Employees Union (HEU) said in a news release Friday.
Wages were also increased in job categories where hospitals have had difficulty either recruiting or retaining workers, but no details on any of the increases were made public.
The HEU represents about 90 percent of the workers covered in the new agreement. Ten other unions were also involved, including the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union and the International Union of Operating Engineers.
The union said the agreement protected base wages and extended health benefits, seniority rights and severance provisions, as well as providing extra money for retraining.
The deal will give workers more certainty and stability in a health-care system that continues to be buffeted by cuts and restructuring, HEU spokeswoman Judy Darcy said.
It covers about 270 different jobs ranging from nursing, pharmacy and information technology to trades, maintenance and housekeeping.
The contract expires March 31, 2012.
