Health contract rejected

By Dan Hilborn
Published May 24, 2006


Unionized employees at the Normanna rest home in Burnaby had their hopes of a new contract dashed last week when the Compass Group rejected the terms of a first collective agreement that was recommended by B.C. Labour Relations Board mediator Brian Foley.

"This is quite astonishing to us, and we're very disappointed," said Judy Darcy, secretary-business manager for the Hospital Employees' Union, the largest health-care union in B.C. "Both parties agreed in good faith to recommend this proposal to their principals, and then Compass refused to accept it.

"This is completely unreasonable and shows a callous disregard for our members' work and our seniors' care," said Darcy, who noted that the union has reached settlements with Compass's major competitors - Aramark and Sodexho.

"It's time for Compass to step up to the plate."

The union, which has been bargaining on behalf of 60 workers at both Normanna and the Evergreen care home in White Rock since last summer, had a unanimous strike vote in January, at which time the two sides agreed to go into mediation.

Union members voted 100 per cent in favour of the mediator's proposal on May 8 and 9.

Roselin Chandra, a six-year employee at Normanna, said she had her wages dropped from $21 an hour to $14 after the provincial government enacted Bill 29 in 2002, and she was looking forward to the modest pay raises and signing bonus offered in the mediator's settlement.

She was also upset by the fact that, during a company forum at Douglas College last month, employees were told Compass had reached its revenue targets and was looking forward to giving its workers pay raises.

"I'm very angry," Chandra said. "Compass doesn't want to pay a dime extra to increase our wages."

Under terms of the proposed settlement, workers who make $9.50 an hour would have had their pay raised to $11 this year and to $12 next year.

Other staff who earned $14.24 an hour would have their wages rise to $15.76 this year and $16.76 in 2007.

The rejected settlement also included a signing bonus of $800 for full-time regular employees, $500 for part-time workers and $250 for casuals.

Compass now has until May 20 to list its specific objections to the mediator's proposal, after which an arbitration hearing will be set and a final, binding decision will be passed down.

Ed Borkowski, the director of media relations for Compass in Toronto, said he could offer no comment about the settlement offer.

"While negotiations are ongoing, we don't speak about anything," Borkowski said.

"It wouldn't be fair to any of the parties involved. Once it's complete and there's an amicable resolution, which everyone hopes for, we can discuss the steps that took place."