With the ratification of all health care union contracts, there is certainty for people working in healthcare for the next two years. All six of the unions that are key pillars of our organization have (or will soon have) new collective agreements and all of those agreements have investments in workplace health and safety – the kind of work SWITCH BC was created to support provincewide.

As we come out of the period of significant stressors and unknowns, it is especially exciting to see the new collective agreements recognize how vital people working in healthcare are – to our health, our families’ health, and our communities.

SWITCH BC is honoured to be included in collective agreements, and to have the support of health care unions, employers, and the Ministry of Health. There is a great deal of work to do collectively in the system to reduce injury rates in healthcare, now twice the provincial average, to reduce violence in the workplace where health care teams are four times more likely to face violence than a police officer in B.C., and to better support psychological safety in healthcare workplaces.   We have 300,000+ excellent reasons to do that work for the 300,000+ people working in healthcare.

Congratulations to all parties who negotiated these deals; that work is incredibly challenging. Collaboration is key to creating positive change in the sector whether that’s at the bargaining table or in a busy emergency department. People power healthcare.

We have the will – unions, employers, and physicians all working together at SWITCH BC. Let’s keep finding the ways to improve occupational health and safety.

Please take some time to look over the collective agreements that can be found Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC)