July 29 2002
The Eleventh Public Service Nurses collective agreement has been ratified by the membership. UPN members voted 98.6% in favor while BCNU members accepted by 93%. The contract now has to be ratified by the Treasury Board. There is no set time by when the new salaries must show up on pay, nor how long the Employer has to pay retroactivity. Arbitrators in other contracts have found that 90 days is a reasonable time.
The Employer has advised that Willow Clinic in New Westminster will be closing. Willow is the last vestiges of Woodlands, and houses the dangerous and hard to handle residents. The Government says the closure is not imminent, and they will make the final decision in three months. There will be a replacement facility, but no details on how large, or who will operate it.
Burnaby Mental Health Services is to transfer to the Cascade Building, on the grounds of the Burnaby General Hospital. The move is targeted for October, but the Employer admits that is optimistic. The program will retain the same management, programs, clients, staff, etc., and it will not become part of the general hospital nor will it be absorbed by them. The Employer says the bargaining units will not change, and UPN and BCGEU members will retain their Unions.
The Labour Relations Board has ruled that for the purposes of Bill 29, layoffs, and bumping, the employer is the Health Authority and not the individual (local) employers listed in the collective agreements. The Board recognized this was impractical for the large Health Authorities, and have given the NBA and HEABC until July 31st to try to come up with appropriate seniority lists.
The dispute over the health sector members who have been reclassified but not correctly paid current and/or retroactive salaries is scheduled for October 21st and 22nd (Stephen Kelleher). Those dozen members over which there is still disagreement over the correct classification have been referred to a reclassification arbitration (Vince Ready). No date has been set.
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