July 02 2002
Negotiations between PSERC and the UPN and BCNU concluded on June 26th. The Nurses Bargaining Association negotiating committee is recommending acceptance. UPN has mailed details of the of the settlement and a ratification ballot to all members in the Public Service. If you are a member employed in the Public Service and do not receive a ballot, please contact the UPN office. Both UPN and BCNU will count the vote on the morning of July 26th.
The salary increase, based on the direct care nurse (Level 4) at the top step are:
April 1, 2002 - 2%
July 1, 2002 - 10%
January 1, 2003 - 9%
January 1, 2004 COLA, minimum 1.5%
This works out to a 24.1% increase over the three year life of the agreement for nurses at level 4 and level 9. Level 5 (first line supervisors) at the top step receive a 28.5% increase, so that in 2003 they will finally make more than a direct care nurse receiving in-charge pay. Level 7 (community nurses) salaries increased 26.3%.
The Public Service nurses contract follows the health sector and BCGEU by nine months, and so do the salary increases. Also, since the Government is not providing the employers with new money, PSERC refused to consider any retroactivity into the previous fiscal year. There were no concessions, and the Article 13 security language remained untouched. In the health sector, the Government had passed draconian legislation (Bill 29) which gutted their security provisions.
Whether it be coincidence or a trend, UPN has been involved in three grievances so far this year where the issue has been the member's dishonesty with the Employer. In each case, there was a work related incident involving a clinical matter, and the member was not truthful to either the Employer nor the Union when questioned. The end result was in two cases the initial penalty for the incident was less than the penalty for lying. The third case is pending. In addition, it has cost the Union (e.g. the other members) over $10,000 in legal and mediation fees, which could have been avoided if the member had only told the truth. In one instance, the mediator, to emphasize that a professional employee must not lie to their employers in clinical matters, actually increased the suspension by one day over what the Employer had offered.
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