Provincial facilities workers across B.C. are poised to get a larger pay bump than other government workers as part of a deal to overcome a past pay cut.
The B.C. government announced the news on Thursday (Aug. 28) as part of a partial deal reached with the workers, most of whom are part of the Hospital Employees' Union and work in jobs such as care aides.
Those affected are part of the Facilities Bargaining Association, which represents 67,500 government employees from nine different unions. The vast majority, 95 per cent, are in the Hospital Employees' Union, while four per cent are members of the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU).
Affected workers include food service employees, cleaners, lab assistants and nursing assistants.
This framework agreement establishes that wage increases for these workers will exceed other bargaining units, and is meant to address the group's comparatively low pay that is at least partly due to a unilateral 15-per-cent wage cut imposed by the B.C. Liberal government in 2004.
"The pay cut in 2004 was unjustified," Health Minister Josie Osborne said in a news release. "Providing equitable treatment to the vital support workers in the health and social-services sectors helps ensure the best service delivery possible to people when they need it the most."
Negotiations on a full collective bargaining agreement between the workers and the government are still ongoing, as other non-wage-related matters have not fully been worked out. The size of the wage increase was not revealed.
The BCGEU released a statement on Thursday expressing "strong disappointment" in the amount of money agreed on in the deal. The agreement was negotiated between the province and the Hospital Employees' Union.
“The agreement is below inflation and undermines the very fight that public service workers across B.C. are taking on together for fair wages and respect at the bargaining table," BCGEU President Paul Finch said in a news release.
Many other bargaining units are currently negotiating with the government on new collective agreements. The main agreement between public service workers and the BCGEU is one of these, and those workers are voting this week on whether or not to authorize a strike.
"This announcement will not undercut the strength and solidarity of BCGEU members, and the wider labour movement currently engaged in bargaining," Finch said. "BCGEU members are united, and we are pressing forward to win a fair deal that respects the rising cost of living and the critical work our members do every day.”
Overall, there are more than 450,000 unionized public sector workers renegotiating agreements. Generally, each bargaining unit will get the same wage increase as the others, with this situation being an exception.
