[BC_Labour_E-NEWS] May 3 - correction

[bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net]

Dateline wrong on previous version...

BC LABOUR NEWS NETWORK
Electronic News from the B.C. Federation of Labour
May 3, 2004
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May 3, 2004 

BC Liberals Forced to Back Down
In response to escalating job action and broad support from private and
public sector unions, the BC Liberals yesterday backed down from their
hardline position on Bill 37.

Bill 37, passed by the BC Liberals April 29, imposed a contract that would
have allowed the Liberals to continue laying off workers and privatizing
health care services.  It also slashed wages by 15 percent and forced
workers to pay back wages retroactively from April 1.

The leaders of various unions, members of the HEU Executive and
representatives from other unions who are members of the Facilities
Sub-Sector Bargaining Association were involved in working out the solution.

"For the last four days, British Columbia has been in a growing state of
crisis," said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair.  "We reached
this point because the government has repeatedly used legislation to tear up
freely negotiated contracts, and taken away the livelihood of thousands of
women and men who work in our health care system."

The new two year agreement ensures:

*	There will be no retroactive pay cut
*	There will be an enhanced severance package, with additional funding
of $25 million
*	Future contracting out will be capped at 400 in the first year and
200 in the second.  This will give workers a measure of security and
dramatically curtail the privatization of health care.
*	If workers return to work on Monday, May 3 for their regularly
scheduled shift, there will be no discipline or recriminations against the
employee nor the union involved.
*	Any issues related to this agreement will be arbitrated by Vince
Ready.

"This wasn't a collective bargaining exercise," points out Sinclair.  "This
was about fighting back against a government that abused its legislative
majority to impose wages and working conditions."
"This deal saved thousands of jobs," said Sinclair.  "We also got the
employer to limit its plans to privatize public health care services.
That's a major victory for public health care and union members because the
government had very clearly stated they'd never do that."

Sinclair thanked the thousands of workers who marched and protested and
walked off the job.  "You led the fight.  You are the heroes in this battle.
We are very proud of what we have achieved by standing together, shoulder to
shoulder, in very difficult circumstances."


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