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October 28, 1998
HEABC forces weekend overtime ban
Despite the deadline for a province-wide weekend overtime ban issued by the Nurses Bargaining Association, HEABC has refused to move on the three key no-cost language issues which nurses have identified they need in this contract.
As a result, at 3 p.m. on October 30, we will be implementing the overtime ban, lasting until 7 a.m. on November 2. Your worksite job action chair will have full details on the overtime ban.
Employer refusing to move on standard definition of a block
The nurses bargaining committee has moved from "one shift" to "the shifts between the regular days off" as the definition of a block of casual work, in an attempt to reach a compromise with health care employers.
HEABC however have only moved to "the shifts between the days off" for acute care nurses, and are insisting that unless long term care and community nurses can negotiate shorter definitions at the local level, the definition of a block in long term care and the community will be 30 days.
One of our big issues in this round of bargaining is eliminating the inequities in the provincial collective agreement which were created in the last set of negotiations by the merger of over 80 collective agreements. Nurses have consistently asked for equalization of contract language provisions, one standard for all nurses.
HEABC's proposal would create another huge inequity, one standard for acute care nurses and another standard for long term care and community nurses on casual call in. We cannot let the employer further attack our goal of equality in the collective agreement.
Employers have refused to move on regular status for client specific nurses HEABC have not moved from their position that all client specific nurses (who look after profoundly disabled children) are casual, regardless of whether they work regular full-time or part-time hours.
The Nurses Bargaining Association have identified 49 nurses who should have employment security and all the other benefits of regular status. HEABC have also refused to give client specific casual nurses call in by seniority.
Health Care Employers are refusing the union access to overtime information We have asked HEABC for regular information about the amount of overtime nurses are working and the number of casual employees, so that we can make informed proposals to resolve the workload issues.
HEABC have denied us access to this information, using a series of excuses. We have even offered to pay any extraordinary expenses in producing this data, however they have refused to give it to us. We have decided they are ashamed to let the public know how much overtime is being worked.
One Agreement which has been reached
One issue has successfully been resolved at the table in the last few days. Agreement has been reached that employers will be able to create more temporary positions and that casuals who post into temporary positions of more than four months, will receive the rights and benefits of a regular employee.
Priorities set for next few days
We have publicly announced that nurses are going ahead with the overtime ban. However we will call off the overtime ban, if HEABC resolve the three priority language issues before the ban goes into effect.
Once these issues are cleared from the table, we will tackle the major monetary issues which affect workload and our ability to deliver quality care.
We will continue bargaining on Thursday, Friday and right through the weekend. Reports will be issued as necessary to job action chairs so watch and listen for new information.
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