New contract in effect for community health members!

The new collective agreement for UFCW 1518 members working in community health went into effect this week. The agreement brings in yearly wage increases of two percent over the next three years, in addition to enhanced benefits, provisions for improved scheduling and measures to address staff retention.

UFCW 1518 represents about 2,000 of the 16,000 home support workers who ratified the three-year contract with health employers across the province last June.

This follows last week’s announcement that most of the issues around $40 million in low wage redress funding, one of the major gains of the last round of bargaining, had been resolved. According to the Community Health Bargaining Association (CBA), a coordinated multi-union group to which UFCW 1518 belongs, and the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) the outstanding items will be dealt with by June 30.

“Because of the care our community health workers provide, many seniors and other vulnerable people are able to remain living independently in their own homes. It is a critical service and an essential part of our health care system,” said President Kim Novak.  “With this collective agreement, our members will be more fairly compensated for the important work they do, moving closer to wage parity with other health care workers.”

Highlights of the agreement include: wage increases of six per cent over three years for all workers; improvement of employment security provisions; creation of task force to investigate guaranteed hours and other issues, and additional funding for the Enhanced Disability Management Program.

Please click here for the summary document.