Health care aides, lab assistants and cleaners at BC healthcare facilities reach new work agreement

VICTORIA – Unions representing health care aides, lab assistants and cleaners have reached a new collective agreement with healthcare employers in British Columbia

The BC government said in a statement that the Facilities Bargaining Association, which represents about 60,000 people providing health services across the province, has ratified a new contract.

It says the association of nine unions is led by the Hospital Employees Union, which represents around 93% of healthcare workers covered by the agreement.

Other workers in the unit include health records clerks, dietary staff, nursing unit assistants, and trades and maintenance workers.

The new three-year contract will see wages increase by 3.24% in the first year, 5.5% in the second and 2% in the third.

Additionally, the first year will see a fixed hourly wage increase of 25 cents and the next two years may see cost of living adjustments up to a maximum of 6.75% and 3%, respectively.

Other parts of the agreement include promoting Indigenous-focused anti-racism initiatives, preserving flexibility, and collaborating on recruitment and retention strategies.

“These negotiations are intended to provide a fair and reasonable offer to public sector workers that includes significant inflation protection, while ensuring the government has the resources to continue investing in building a stronger province for all,” the government said in a statement.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on October 13, 2022.

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