BC health care workers vote to strike

[grammafreddy]

http://www.castanet.net/news/BC/82795/B ... -to-strike

BC health care workers vote to strike
by The Canadian Press - Story: 82795
Nov 3, 2012 / 9:42 pm

Health-care workers representing 11 unions in British Columbia have voted 96 per cent in favour of a strike.

They include a diverse group of employees from licensed practical nurses, ambulance paramedics, pharmacy technicians and cleaners at hospitals, long-term care homes and emergency health services.

Most of the workers are members of the Hospital Employees Union, but some are also represented by the BC Government and Service Employees Union, the BC Nurses' Union and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 873.

Negotiations are being conducted by the Facilities Bargaining Association, and spokeswoman Bonnie Pearson said the vote sends a strong message by 46,000 people who didn't get a raise in their last two-year contract.

Pearson said the Health Employers Association and the government are aiming to claw back benefits to pay for a modest wage hike, but the association won't sign any such deal.

"They're looking for a 25-per-cent saving around the area of benefits, or equivalent, in the collective agreement and that is the difficulty in this sector," she said Saturday.

"Government has found settlements in other parts of the public sector that have not required unions and their members to give up substantial benefits or collective agreement protections."

Negotiations began in February, and the current contract expired on March 31.

[Sn0man]

http://www.castanet.net/news/BC/82795/BC-health-care-workers-vote-to-strike

BC health care workers vote to strike
by The Canadian Press - Story: 82795
Nov 3, 2012 / 9:42 pm

Health-care workers representing 11 unions in British Columbia have voted 96 per cent in favour of a strike.

They include a diverse group of employees from licensed practical nurses, ambulance paramedics, pharmacy technicians and cleaners at hospitals, long-term care homes and emergency health services.

Most of the workers are members of the Hospital Employees Union, but some are also represented by the BC Government and Service Employees Union, the BC Nurses' Union and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 873.

Negotiations are being conducted by the Facilities Bargaining Association, and spokeswoman Bonnie Pearson said the vote sends a strong message by 46,000 people who didn't get a raise in their last two-year contract.

Pearson said the Health Employers Association and the government are aiming to claw back benefits to pay for a modest wage hike, but the association won't sign any such deal.

"They're looking for a 25-per-cent saving around the area of benefits, or equivalent, in the collective agreement and that is the difficulty in this sector," she said Saturday.

"Government has found settlements in other parts of the public sector that have not required unions and their members to give up substantial benefits or collective agreement protections."

Negotiations began in February, and the current contract expired on March 31.

What else is new. Health care government employees go on strike once a year. It's pathetic.

[Jeckle]

Just a little perspective from one of "them". (me)
I make less per hour now than I did when I started almost 11 years ago.
We lost 15% of our wages back in 2003, and last contract we lost holiday days. Why do we have to keep going backwards?
Now they want us to pay for 25% of our benefits?
That is a huge loss, I doubt anyone would be happy to sign on to that.

[steven lloyd]

What else is new. Health care government employees go on strike once a year.

The last BC health care workers strike was in 2001 – two years before Campbell gutted their contracts.

B.C. health care workers begin strike action
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 3, 2001 | CBC News

Contract talks for 46,000 health care workers in British Columbia are resuming just as the employees begin strike action.

The Health Employers Association has invited the Hospital Employees Union back to the table. The talks are stalled over wages and pay equity.

Union spokesman Chris Allnut says the negotiations will not stop the limited job action workers are conducting under essential service rules.

The employees involved in the dispute include licensed practical nurses, care aides, food handlers, cleaners and hospital office staff.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/200 ... 10403.html

[steven lloyd]

Just a little perspective from one of "them". (me) I make less per hour now than I did when I started almost 11 years ago. We lost 15% of our wages back in 2003, and last contract we lost holiday days. Why do we have to keep going backwards? Now they want us to pay for 25% of our benefits? That is a huge loss, I doubt anyone would be happy to sign on to that.

Maybe Christy could “find” another $15 million to tell the public how “good” BC health care workers already have it,
and how it is “families first” around here.

[Captain Awesome]

Well, look at the bright side...Four percent of workers think everything is just fine!

[Jeckle]

The last BC health care workers strike was in 2001 – two years before Campbell gutted their contracts.

2004 was the last one, when 15% retroactive pay cut was forced upon us.
Contracting out was the main issue then.

[steven lloyd]

2004 was the last one, when 15% retroactive pay cut was forced upon us.

I stand corrected

[Jeckle]

Maybe Christy could “find” another $15 million to tell the public how “good” BC health care workers already have it,
and how it is “families first” around here.

Ikr.
We are just trying to flex a little muscle. Considering how the last strike ended, anyone involved in that doesn't really want to go out again. We also have friends and family on wait lists, nobody wants this to get to a point when surgeries are cancelled.
Hopefully this will get everyone back to the table and some realistic talks can happen.

[Jeckle]

I stand corrected

No worries.

This is not a fun time to be a government employee. The LPN's have left the HEU to join the BCNU. I believe careaids are next on the agenda.
Government unrest, union unrest.
I gotta find a different job. (the benefits are the only perk to this one...ironic, huh?)
lol

[steven lloyd]

Contracting out was the main issue then.

They say health care is a growing career field. They neglect to say it is becoming a low pay, low benefit, low security, high stress and high demand contract only career field. Will this ultimately affect the quality of health care in our province? Is cheaper always better?

We also have friends and family on wait lists, nobody wants this to get to a point when surgeries are cancelled.

Some people, such as most of our politicians, have options to receiving health care in BC.

[Sn0man]

The last BC health care workers strike was in 2001 – two years before Campbell gutted their contracts.

My mistake. I guess it's hard to keep track since some government sector is always going on strike.

Didn't realize wages had gone backwards though. Seems to be the way things are these days. I know I made more in 1999 than I do today, and prices of just about everything have at least doubled since then. So I suppose I can sympathize.

[steven lloyd]

This is not a fun time to be a government employee.

I'm good for four more years. We're back to buying our own pens and we always paid for our own coffee but at least I know our elected representatives have the money to spread the news about what a great job they're doing.

[gordon_as]

Agree ..... The government spends the taxpayer's money shamelessly promoting itself all the time. Politicians and their rich friends in management of businesses like BC Ferries , BC Hydro , ICBC have Obscene pensions and severance packages , and are paid way too much to begin with.
They offer nothing to the workers , or worse try to take away from what we already have , and they get away with it because they know they can force us to take it whether we like it or not. Sure , we can go on strike but then they will just legislate us back to work.. If we were demanding ridiculous increases similar to what "another" profession was last year , then I could understand it.

[keith1612]

these workers should wake up and clue in
the BC economy is poor.
personally i will laugh if they go back after the strike with a lower wage.
i was forced to drop my hourly rate $10 a hour to stay competitive and fuel and maintenance costs have just gone up this year.
its time these government workers remembered who really pays their wages.
i think the government should have every taxpayer at tax time fill out a form saying which unions deserve a raise and which do not.
let the people decide where their money is spent.