Health Sciences Suspend Job Action
Prince George, B.C. – The Health Sciences Professionals Bargaining Association has suspended its job action.
Last week, two days of job action had an impact province wide, with the Ministry of Health estimating 3,000 patients across B.C. had their procedures cancelled.
Those procedures include diagnostic imaging and surgeries. The Province says an additional 1,500 patients could not access services during the job action.
Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid says she is relieved to hear the job action has been suspended “I’ve worked side-by-side with these health-care professionals and have a huge respect for them and their work, but there is an appropriate process in place to deal with these issues and that is at the bargaining table.”
According to MacDiarmid, the wage increase offered the Health Sciences Professionals is a “fair” increase and is similar to agreements already signed with more than half of the health care workers in B.C.
She says she is encouraging the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association to work with the employer to reach a settlement.
Comments
Yes, thanks for making the health of 3000 people worse? Get real! It’s not right.
That is what happens when the BC Liberals don’t bargain in good faith. They are to blame for it ever getting to the point that strike action is required. You cannot keep forcing this Net Zero wage increase on workers forever.
This is what happens when the health system has become bloated with multiple levels of administration, management, and paper pushers. Taxpayers can’t afford to pay everyone what they want.
One of these days they will learn that it is easier to pull paper than push it. When that happens, the job will get done more effectively and quickly and as much as 20% of the work force will get laid off …
Administration, managers and paper pushers are not members of HSA. That group is made up of the people who actually manipulate spines, put blood in test tubes, press the buttons on X-ray machines, dispense medication, etc. I strongly doubt that reducing paperwork will have any effect on their employment since they are swamped working on actual patients most of the time. Laying off 20% of that particular work force would cripple hospital health care.
I think Gus was referring to top heavy administration. I could be wrong ,it happened once before.
Johnnybelt and Gus, you are so right.
I really think the NDP woulda done a lot worse.
And Boomer: ONLY ONCE?? WOW!LOL
The wish that most Canadians have about health care is that waiting times for procedures be reduced. In order to do that, BC has to be able to attract and retain health care professionals, including members of the Health Sciences Association. Not giving the HSA members a decent contract is only going to make these wait times worse because these critical professionals are in high demand all over the country. What will keep them here if they can go elsewhere and get treated more respectfully?
I think Gus was referring to top heavy administration. I could be wrong ,it happened once before.
oops
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