Tentative deal reached for more than 60,000 B.C. health-care workers | Globalnews.ca

A “tentative” deal was reached late Thursday evening between nine unions representing 60,000 health-care workers and the provincial government.

Around 90 per cent of those workers are represented by the Hospital Employees’ Union.

HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard said the new three-year agreement provides for inflation-sensitive wage increases along with a number of measures to tackle staffing shortages and burnout.

“Protecting our members’ earnings against rising costs has been a key priority for our bargaining committee,” Brisard said in a release. “This settlement provides for inflation-sensitive wage increases and other compensation improvements that will help keep skilled, experienced workers in health care, and attract new workers to careers in our hospitals and care homes.

“We’ve secured major new investments in training and education and a commitment to hire thousands of new workers. This will provide our members with career mobility, reduced workloads and more secure work which is key to addressing the staffing crisis we face today.”

Full details of the deal will be provided to union members in advance of ratification votes, which still must be scheduled.

This deal comes after 65 days of talks that began last February.

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Patient waiting for days in Abbotsford Hospital ER

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