UPDATE MAGAZINE May/June 2015
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INDEPENDENT BARGAINING
FIRST CONTRACT Ayre Manor Lodge employees see improved wages, benefits and holidays
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#SAFEPATIENTCARE BCNU’s North East region held a mini rally during its March 27 regional meeting in Prince George. Members pictured, from left: University Hospital of Northern BC steward Victoria MacDonald, UHNBC steward Shannon Sluggett, UHNBC steward and Joint Occupational Health and Safety committee member Jen Coleman and UHNBC full-time steward Judi Dindayal.
MAKING NEWS MAKING HEALTH CARE LEADERSHIP AN ELECTION ISSUE
BCNU in the headlines
funding contribution. “The [Harper] government will not negotiate a When the federal governnew health care agreement ment announced cuts to between the federal and health care funding in 2011, provincial governments. many Canadians vowed to The private sector is lobbymake sure that voters would ing our governments, sucnot forget the cessfully it seems, decision. to allow it more Duncan Home access to our and Community public health care Centre nurse Ted system. This issue Gamble reminded needs to be at the people of the forefront of the Harper governfederal election, ment’s polices and I encourage when he wrote to all constituents Ted Gamble the Vancouver Sun to question all on the one-year the political party anniversary of the March 31, candidates on this issue,” 2014 expiry of the federalwrote the BCNU Pacif ic Rim provincial health accords region member in a letter that had secured Ottawa’s published April 2.
FIRST CONTRACT COVERING 65 BCNU members at Ayre Manor Lodge in Sooke was ratified on March 31 by 100 percent. The three-year agreement, retroactive to July 2014, improves wages, paid leave, and benefits, and establishes strong new language on bullying and harassment. Under the contract that has now been ratified by the Sooke Elderly Citizens Housing Society (SECHS), housekeepers, servers and prep cooks will receive a $1.00 per hour increase, while wages for all classifications will rise by 2.5 percent on July 1 and another 2 percent on July 1, 2016. Members will also receive a signing bonus of $250 for full-time, and $125 for part-time. Casuals who have worked more than five shifts since July 1, 2014 will receive $75. Statutory holidays have been increased from 10 to 12 per year, with Christmas paid as a super stat at twice regular pay. The contract also increases sick leave to up to eight days a year, accrued fully in January (under a former independent contract it had to be accrued month-by-month). BCNU was certified to bargain on behalf of all the workers on July 15, 2014. The four-member bargaining committee, led by BCNU negotiator Laura Anderson, showed patience and determination throughout long negotiations, which also included mediation. “I think members are really happy with the gains in this contract,” said bargaining committee member Janice Leask. “They like the harassment language, and the night shift are happy they’re going to get paid for their meal breaks.” Since 2008 Ayre Manor Lodge has provided 25 assisted living apartments and 32 residential complex care suites. The lodge was initially operated on contract by Beckley Farm Lodge Society, but SECHS assumed direct control in 2014 and BCNU now represents all classifications at the facility, including housekeepers, cooks, servers, care workers and nurses. update
GOOD DEAL Ayre Manor Lodge workers (from left) Anna Campbell, Terri McKinty, Linda Quigley and Janice Leask are happy with the first collective agreement they signed on March 31.