December 19, 2006	Printable PDF format: 42 kb
Tentative agreement reached after tough weekend bargaining

After a series of long meetings that stretched into the early morning hours, a tentative agreement has now been reached between the Public Service Nurses Bargaining Association (PSNBA) and the Public Service Employers represented by the Public Service Agency of B.C. (PSABC).

Some of the contract highlights are as follows:

• Wage Increases

• January 1/07     3%
• January 1/08     3.5%
• January 1/09     3.5%
• January 1/10     4.2%

• Shift Differential

• Increase of 5¢ per hour in each year of the agreement.

• Recruitment and Retention Incentive Adjustment

• In combination with the evening shift differential an additional 30¢ per hour worked, the total of the two not to exceed $1.50 per hour.
• In combination with the night shift differential an additional $1.65 per hour worked, the total of the two not to exceed $2.95 per hour.
• Weekend supplemental payment of $1.50 per hour over and above any other premiums for work between 2300 Friday and 2300 Sunday.

• Signing Bonus

• $3,600 for full-time employees on staff as of December 31, 2006 provided they worked full-time between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006.
• Part-time, auxiliary and full-time staff who have not worked the full year will have their bonus prorated based on straight time hours worked.
• Employees who are on WCB, Maternity/Paternity leave, STIIP or went off on LTD after January 1, 2005 will also receive bonus moneys based on FTE at time of going off.
• Employees who went off on LTD prior to January 1, 2005 will also receive a flat rate bonus of $1,500.

In addition to these highlights there are many other language and monetary improvements to the contract that will be explained in detail when the contract voting packages are sent out in the New Year.
Ballots will be sent out on January 3, 2007 and voting will take place to January 31, 2007. The Bargaining Committee recommends this contract to the membership.
For those who wish to obtain more detailed information on this proposed contract, there will be a number of information meetings held on the Lower Mainland or Victoria during early to mid-January. Please check your union website for times, dates and locations.

For further information, please call your union office.