December 30 2002
Public Service Nurses will be going to a six step x 18 month increment scale on January 1st. The other option was nine annual increments. The Negotiating Committee chose the 6x18 scale because it meant members would get to the top salary six months earlier. For members with nine or more years service, there will be no change. They will go right to Step 6. Members who received credit for previous experience receive 12 months credit for each step on the scale they had been given credit for, e.g. if they were given credit for previous experience and placed on Step 3, then they would count that as 24 months credit.
For members not yet with nine years service, they should calculate how many months of service they have and divide by 18, e.g six years and three months service = 75 months, divided by 18, means the person will go on Step 4 and will have three months credit towards their next increment.
Still not resolved with PSERC is what happens with nurses who were given credit on the old salary grid just prior to the eight step increment scale coming in on July 1st.
The Government earlier in the year announced that nursing services in Corrections was being privatized. The Corrections Branch approved the Early Retirement Incentive Program and/or the Early Departure Program, but it was done without authority, and PSERC cancelled it. BCNU will look into what if anything can be done on behalf of both Unions.
UPN was advised that concerns over a change in the Public Service payroll was premature, and we would get up to date information in the new year when plans are finalized.
The Ministry recently issued two communiques. One was that nurses were being transferred to community based regional Child and Family Development Authorities on April 1, 2003, and a second saying that they were not. PSERC confirmed that there will be no transfer on April 1st.