On October 24, 2021, both parties returned to negotiations and successfully reached the agreement, which has now been ratified by unionized workers. Vancouver, British Columbia, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LifeLabs is pleased to announce that a new three-year collective agreement with the British Columbia General Employees Union (BCGEU) has been ratified by our unionized employees in British Columbia. We would like to thank bcgeu for its partnership in the realization of this agreement. The collective agreement applies to members of 94 LifeLabs sites across B.C who work as couriers, phlebotomics, technical assistants, technologists and information specialists. The BCGEU says the agreement strongly addresses the wage gap between LifeLabs workers and public sector employees doing similar work. LifeLabs employees voted Thursday to ratify a new collective agreement that will include a 12 percent pay increase over three years. The new three-year agreement will enter into force from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2024. The British Columbia Union of General Employees issued a news release Friday morning, saying highlights of the agreement include wage improvements and a $1,250 signing bonus for all active employees. Pension plans, health insurance and sick leave have also been improved, as have health and safety policies and workload language to address staff shortages.
The agreement covers approximately 1,550 workers – couriers, phlebotomics, technical assistants, technologists and information specialists – at 94 LifeLabs locations in British Columbia. Highlights of the agreement include salary improvements with average increases of 12% over three years, including a signing bonus of $1,250 for all active employees, paid within 30 days of ratification. This represents a big step forward in closing the wage gap with those doing similar work in the public sector and achieving the goal of getting a larger percentage increase for low-income people. Members also benefit from an improved indexed pension plan, an increase in expanded health insurance, improved entitlement to sick leave and health and safety policies, and heavier workload language to address understaffing issues. Burnaby (November 15, 2021) – The majority of LifeLabs` 1,550 employees who .C. The General Union of Employees (BCGEU/NUPGE), voted on November 4, 2021 to ratify its collective agreement with its employer after concluding a provisional agreement on October 24, 2021. The new 3-year agreement will enter into force from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2024. LifeLabs workers, who briefly went on strike last month, voted in favor of a collective agreement. LifeLabs is Canada`s leading provider of solutions for laboratory diagnostic information and health connectivity, leveraging innovative and personalized digital tools that enable customers to live their best lives.
Our dedicated and talented team of more than 6,000 employees supports 20 million laboratory visits and performs more than 100 million laboratory tests each year. LifeLabs is 100% owned in Canada by OMERS Infrastructure, the infrastructure investment manager of one of Canada`s largest defined benefit pension plans. For more information, see www.lifelabs.com. “All B.C workers deserve respect and a salary that keeps pace with the high cost of living in this province, and in the end, that was the subject of this dispute. I would like to thank and congratulate all the members of the Bargaining Committee for the long hours they have invested in making this agreement a reality and for setting an example for all workers. Stephanie Smith, PRESIDENT of the BCGEU “After so many months of hard work in the negotiations, we are pleased that members are ratifying an agreement that values and respects their expertise. their contributions during the pandemic and their goal to better serve the public,” said Stephanie Smith, President of the BCGEU. “Thanks to their solidarity and the strength of our union, these members have demanded better, and we are very pleased with the progress they have made in this round of bargaining.” The union says workers will also receive a signing bonus of $1,250. November 05, 2021 12:40 ET | Source: LifeLabs LifeLabs We thank our employees for their continued commitment to our communities in British Columbia. We very much appreciate your service. The 1,550 members of the B.C.
The General Employees Union approved the three-year contract with average wage increases of 12%. We would also like to thank our customers and suppliers for their patience over the past few days. .