90% Vote Yes: HSPBA Members stand together for better health care

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Dear PEA members,

90.1% of BC’s health science professionals have voted in favour of taking job action in support of efforts to negotiate a fair contract.

The HSPBA will return to the bargaining table in January with these results in hand. If the Employer continues to refuse to engage in serious discussions to meet our priorities, we will be prepared to escalate to job action.

While other public sector agreements struck in recent months have offered significant funding to tackle recruitment and retention, health science professionals have been offered much less — about $100 million less (when adjusted for membership) — even as workload and burnout are so severe that one in three health science professionals are thinking of quitting. Even the additional funding offered to other tables would be insufficient to solve the dire problems contributing to delays and gaps in BC’s health care system.

Members should know that this strong strike vote result does not mean that job action will be starting soon. The next step in this process is for your HSPBA bargaining committee to meet with the Employer in mid-January. Please keep an eye on your email inbox for an update in the New Year.

Priorities for a fair contract include:

  • reimbursement for professional fees
  • correcting outstanding issues with the classifications system premiums – for regular workers, for evening/night/weekend shifts, for workers in student supervision and preceptor roles, and correcting outstanding issues with the forensic pay premium
  • expanding the retention incentive reward workers who stay in the public system
  • correcting outstanding issues with the classifications system
  • maintaining our extended health and welfare benefits
  • professional development funding for 2026 and beyond

Health science professionals are represented by Health Sciences Association, Hospital Employees Union, BC General Employees Union, Professionals Employees Association, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The strike vote was open for members from December 4-17, 2025.

In solidarity,

Idil Farah
Labour Relations Officer

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