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Community Health employers tabled an enormous shopping list of concession demands on January 22. Lowlights include:

  • a 17% wage rollback

  • no wage protection

  • a claw-back of the 3% facilities wage comparability fund

  • 50-50 cost-sharing of benefits premiums

  • a significant decrease in benefits coverage

  • cuts in vacation entitlement

  • a six-day rollback of sick pay entitlement

  • a 25% cut in short-term sick benefits

The Health Employers Association of B.C. told Community negotiators that employers think workers’ wages should be lowered and pegged to rates for non-union health employees, and workers in other provinces.

“HEABC’s race to the bottom will hurt our clients and our members,” says HEU secretary-business manager Chris Allnutt.

“Health employers want to take us back to the darkest days of community health delivery,” Allnutt added. “HEU and our union partners have better ideas that will improve client care and retain skilled, experienced workers.”

The Association of Unions in Community Health tabled proposals which include:

  • an extensive employment security proposal

  • improvements to health and welfare benefits

  • home support hours of work language

  • improved health and safety clauses