LOOKING FOR CONTINUITY Members working for Chiron Health Services meet at the BCNU provincial office in May to plan their bargaining strategy. From left: BCNU President Gayle Duteil, Elaine Clado-Manacsa, Angela Merrick, Desiree O'Hern, Doug Anderson, Megan Rutledge, Teresa Botel, Heather Lima, George Lemyre, BCNU labour relations officer Lindsay Clement, Richard Berger and Carmalita Bond.
INDEPENDENT BARGAINING
BETWEEN EMPLOYERS BCNU IS WORKING TO PROTECT FUTURE EMPLOYMENT FOR CORRECTIONS CARE STAFF A GROUP OF BCNU MEMBERS looking to negotiate a new collective agreement with their independent employer have been left in limbo after the company lost its contract with Corrections BC where it supplies health care services to inmates at BC’s 10 correctional centres. The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) will be replacing Chiron Health Services Inc., a private company, on Oct. 1. The move from contracted care provision to the public health-care system effectively terminates the employment relationship for Chiron’s 335 professional employees. In the past, whenever Corrections BC changed private care contractors, the existing specialized workforce, along with its earned benefits, travelled with the new contract. But as it stands, the existing contract will simply expire on September 30. Needless to say, the change has left many Chiron members wondering if they’ll have a job come fall. BCNU has been in ongoing discussions with PHSA to establish ground rules for the transition that would recognize previous service and limit the new employer’s ability to cherry-pick the existing corrections workforce. But negotiations have been difficult and protracted because
BCNU has no current contractual relationship with PHSA covering this group of soon-to-be employees. Despite these challenges, talks with the health authority are ongoing and the following gains could potentially be negotiated: • Recognition of Chiron seniority for the purposes of applying for jobs within Correctional Health Services after October 1, 2017. • Placement of successful corrections hires on applicable wage schedules based on relevant experience levels. • Recognition and transfer of sick leave credits accrued prior to starting with PHSA. • Continuous enrolment in the Municipal Pension Plan (no service interruption). • Recognition of continuous service prior to starting with PHSA, adjusted to account for 37.5-hour work week. • No new waiting period for health and welfare benefits if completed at Chiron. • An appropriate orientation program for all new hires. • A probationary period of three months, as per Article 14 of the current Nurses’ Bargaining Association contract. • PHSA seniority (beginning October
1, 2017) for job applications outside of Chiron but within PHSA. At the same time BCNU continues to bargain with Chiron in pursuit of an appropriate severance package for any employees who are unsuccessful in getting jobs with PHSA, along with a fair wage increase for the period from April (when the Chiron contract expired) to September 30. Chiron employees took a legal strike vote on May 1 in order to send a clear message to their current employer that fair treatment and continuity of employment, seniority, wages and benefits were reasonable expectations for the corrections care workforce. Members voted 95 percent in favour of strike action, which could still come to pass if Chiron refuses to negotiate fairly. BCNU supports the idea of moving care provision into the public system in order to improve the continuity of inmate care, but not at the cost of victimizing the current highly skilled, seasoned workforce at Chiron. • NOTE: At the time of writing, BCNU was very close to reaching agreement with PHSA to secure “priority notice and consideration” by worksite for Chiron Health Services employees on all future job postings.
UPDATE MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2017
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