HSPBA classification review to begin on September 22
Publish date: Wednesday, September 13, 2023
HSP - Health Science Professionals
Dear HSP members,
By September 22, all HSP members who work full or part-time under the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) will have the opportunity to help modernize the healthcare system, ensure that their role in the system is clearly recognized, and confirm that their job is classified and they are paid appropriately.
For over twenty years, previous governments refused to modernize the classification system. In the last round of bargaining, however, your union and the current government struck an agreement to complete the design and implementation of the new profile-based, redesigned classification system.
It’s going to make a big difference – improving recognition of the specialized work you do, recognizing advanced practice and supervisory/leadership work in the same manner for all health science professions, and proactively assigning you the right level of pay.
It’s going to take 15 minutes of your time, maybe less. Here’s how it’s going to work.
STEP ONE: MAKE SURE THE PEA HAS YOUR UP-TO-DATE PERSONAL E-MAIL
It’s true we say this a lot, but it really is key to this process.
This whole classification review process will result in all health science professionals covered by the HSPBA being assigned to a new classification profile – and that determines your wage.
Please ensure we have your personal email on file. Visit www.pea.org and log-in to review and update your contact details. Contact membership@pea.org for assistance with logging into the website.
STEP TWO: YOUR EMPLOYER WILL GIVE YOU YOUR CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION AND EMPLOYER-ASSIGNED CLASSIFICATION PROFILE
All Employers need to provide all members in full-time and part-time positions with these documents by no later than September 22.
Some members may have already received theirs. If you don’t receive anything by September 22, speak to your employer to request yours. If that doesn’t work, let the PEA know.
It’s important to note that only full and part-time employees will be included. If you work as a casual employee, you will not be part of the review and won’t receive these documents from the Employer.
STEP THREE: INFORMATION AND DISPUTE FORMS
We’ll be launching the classification information, including frequently asked questions, on our website soon. Once it’s up, you’ll be able to read about the process.
If you believe that your Job Description has been matched incorrectly or does not accurately reflect the work you do—and thus has been matched to the wrong Profile or Professional Grouping—there will soon be a form that you can fill out and e-mail to your manager with a copy to rbray@pea.org (You’ll have to do this as soon as possible and by no later than November 15.)
If you have questions in the meantime or would like to learn more, please contact me at rbray@pea.org
Thank you,
Rhiannon Bray
Labour Relations Officer
In this section
The PEA was formed in 1974, by a group of professionals working in the public sector. The story goes that the founders of the union mortgaged their houses to fund negotiations of the union’s first collective agreement.
Now, the PEA is BC’s union for professionals. We represent a wide range of professionals including lawyers, foresters, engineers, agrologists, teachers, veterinarians, fundraisers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists program managers, librarians and more.
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