Health care shortages and workers' rights must be addressed in wake of historic Supreme Court ruling
Vancouver (10 Jan. 2008) - The British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) and other health unions resume meetings today with provincial officials and health employers to discuss the implementation of last summer's historic Supreme Court of Canada ruling invalidating key portions of Bill 29.
The Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) will hold talks today and Thursday followed by further meetings in the week of Jan. 14-21 involving the Community Health Association (CSA) and the Health Sciences Bargaining Association (HSBA).
Six months remain before unconstitutional sections of Bill 29 are erased from the law books and the B.C. government of Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell is required to enact legislation bringing the province into compliance with the court's ruling.
The talks took a turn for the worse in late December when it was announced that B.C.'s health authorities are setting up a new province-wide shared services organization that will consider further contracting out of so-called "non-clinical" services in health care.
Privatization
The new Health Authority Shared Services (HASS) organization - run by the health ministry and B.C.'s six health authorities - is targeting payroll, information technology, purchasing and other services in the health sector for centralization and possible privatization.
Despite the fact that plans for the new organization were in the works for at least eight months, government representatives did not to disclose this to health unions, despite repeated requests for information as talks took place.
The B.C. government adopted the secretive approach even though the court's decision was critical of the government for its lack of consultation with workers.
The unions have focused on achieving a solution that will improve health care by addressing skills shortages, securing workers' constitutional rights and providing redress for union members whose rights were denied by unconstitutional portions of Bill 29. NUPGE
More information:
- B.C. health care unions open talks on Supreme Court ruling
Supreme Court Decision:
- Supreme Court of Canada affirms labour rights are human rights
- Complete Text: Supreme Court of Canada decision
- NUPGE labour rights page
Additional reports:
- HSABC welcomes talks on Supreme Court ruling
- Campbell Liberals ignoring Supreme Court ruling
- James Clancy: much work remains after Supreme Court ruling
- Labour rights are human rights: NUPGE Convention 2007
- BCGEU outlines impact of ruling for workers
- UN agency condemns violations by B.C. Liberals
- B.C. unions lose provincial court challenge
- B.C. unions will appeal to Supreme Court of Canada
- Full Text: Court of Appeal of British Columbia
(Published as n10ja08a.htm)
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