Further to earlier communications and engagement, the following is an update on transition work underway to best support employers as they move from CSSEA to HEABC.
Government engagement
Since the last general information meeting, PSEC Secretariat has responded to concerns about the government's approach to consultation on this initiative, as well as the inclusion of women's transition housing agencies in the transfer to the health sector. PSEC will continue to support CSSEA and HEABC through the transition.
Contact details
CSSEA has provided HEABC with contact information for all supportive housing employers to facilitate effective communication.
This information has also been shared between supportive housing employers to support collaboration on key matters.
Servicing Representative – CSSEA to HEABC
Employers should continue reaching out to their CSSEA representative for any labour relations questions related to the current collective agreement. HEABC anticipates assigning each employer an HEABC representative by mid-September to support transition-related matters and questions regarding the new collective agreement, effective April 1, 2026.
HEABC and CSSEA remain committed to ongoing support between organizations to ensure important matters are handled in a timely and effective manner.
Outstanding Compensation and Employee Turnover Reports
We ask all members who have not yet completed the report to do so at their earliest convenience. If you have any questions or need assistance completing the report, please contact research@cssea.bc.ca.
Transition Materials
HEABC and CSSEA are working together to create educational materials that capture the differences between collective agreements. In addition, the compensation and classification teams are working on job evaluation matters to minimize the work that employers will need to do during this transition. HEABC will provide updates on these initiatives in the coming months.
Transition Negotiations
As outlined in a presentation earlier this summer, HEABC is forming a five-member consultation committee to provide input on behalf of supportive housing employers during the negotiation of the main transition agreement. The committee will meet virtually, and HEABC anticipates approximately three hours of meetings each month through the fall and into early 2026.
Employers interested in joining this committee, please email Paul.Todd@heabc.bc.ca by 4 pm on September 5th. In addition to this committee, HEABC will consult with employers more broadly as necessary. It will also provide written updates on important developments during the negotiations.
HEABC Bargaining Representative
HEABC is currently engaged in collective bargaining. In recognition that supportive housing employers will be applying the Community Support Subsector Collective Agreement (CBA) to a significant number of employees, HEABC will add one supportive housing representative to the CBA employer caucus. This group currently consists of Health Authority and Affiliate representatives. Bargaining representatives are usually senior leaders who can take a system-wide perspective on a wide range of issues.
The supportive housing representative will attend bargaining session virtually and in-person starting in mid-September. The time commitment is likely to be significant. If you would like to learn more and to obtain an application for this role, please contact Paul Todd at the email above. The deadline for applications is 4 pm on September 5th.
Essential Services
With the passage of the order-in-council in July, supportive housing employer members officially became members of HEABC. As a result, HEABC will need to transition the essential service plans from CSSEA to HEABC. At this time, no action is required from employers, and established plans will not be changed. HEABC and CSSEA are working to transfer all necessary information. For the few employers who have not finalized plans, HEABC will reach out directly in the coming weeks to discuss next steps.
Common Site Picketing
Recently, the BC General Employees Union (BCGEU) announced that bargaining with the Public Service Agency had reached an impasse. As a result, BCGEU is taking a strike vote with the result of the vote anticipated at the end of August. The result of the vote and subsequent action taken by BCGEU do not apply to the unions and members in the health sector; however, HEABC members with worksites co-located with services provided by the public service may be impacted by strike activity.
If your operations are co-located with any government services, please contact your CSSEA representative who will coordinate with HEABC.
Timing overall
The parties have successfully negotiated an April 1, 2026 effective date of the collective agreement; this will allow for further engagement on key issues and the opportunity to build solutions in support of this critical sector.
We thank you for your valuable input and ongoing engagement as these matters progress.