Hospital Employees' Union

Hospital Employees' Union British Columbia's oldest and largest health care union, representing over 60,000 members. Please contact your steward or local executive.

Do you have questions about your collective agreement or workplace concerns? Our provincial and regional office contact information can be found here: http://www.heu.org/contact_us

The comments section of this page is open for all members of this group. We welcome your comments, ideas and concerns. Constructive and respectful discussion is encouraged. In order to maintain a positive, family-friendly environment in this community, that builds solidarity in the union and community, we reserve the right to moderate all comments according to the following guidelines:

Comments will be deleted if they involve sexist, racist, homophobic or otherwise hateful and abusive language; swearing; personal attacks; or disclosure of others’ personal private information. Comments deemed to be spam will be deleted. Try to keep it on topic. We do not allow for the promotion of candidates or slates in HEU elections. Repeat offenders of this policy may be blocked from this page. This HEU page is moderated by HEU communications staff.

Shop stewards are the backbone of HEU.✊ They’re often the first point of contact for members, answering questions, solvi...
12/22/2025

Shop stewards are the backbone of HEU.✊ They’re often the first point of contact for members, answering questions, solving problems and making sure collective agreements are enforced.

These members recently came together for the Introduction to Shop Stewarding workshop where they learned foundational skills to support and advocate for fellow members on the job.

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a shop steward, now’s the time! Applications are open now until January 11 for winter 2026 sessions.

🔗 Head to heu.org/workshops/sessions to see and apply for any of HEU's scheduled workshops.

There's nothing like coming together to celebrate the season! ❄️HEU members at St. Paul’s Hospital took a well-earned br...
12/21/2025

There's nothing like coming together to celebrate the season! ❄️

HEU members at St. Paul’s Hospital took a well-earned break to connect and celebrate all they’ve accomplished this year at their annual holiday party earlier this month. 💙

Is your local feeling festive? Send us your holiday party pictures to be featured on HEU's social media!

✉️ Email your pictures to members@heu.org.

The Madison/Lakeshore local holiday party marked the end of a great year and the start of an exciting new chapter. 🎉With...
12/20/2025

The Madison/Lakeshore local holiday party marked the end of a great year and the start of an exciting new chapter. 🎉

With the recent certification for CK Staffing Services Inc. workers, all staff at the Madison and Lakeshore care homes are now proud HEU members! 💙

Pictured here are some of those members being initiated into the union.

54.2% of Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members voted to ratify the agreement that was reached between the FBA ...
12/20/2025

54.2% of Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members voted to ratify the agreement that was reached between the FBA bargaining committee and the Health Employers Association of BC.

The agreement, which covers more than 67,500 Facilities workers across B.C., has a four-year term from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2029, and includes many gains for health care workers including:

📈 A 12% general wage increase over the contract term
💲 $60.5 million in funding toward wage restoration
🔄 A plan to bring long-term care and assisted living workers back into the FBA
👥 More supports for shop stewards
🛡️ Health and safety protections
🤝 Provisions for job sharing and other work-life enhancements
📝 Improvements to provisions and language to better reflect the diversity of our members

Thank you to all FBA members for your contributions. We couldn't have done it without you submitting bargaining proposals, attending meetings, supporting the bargaining committee and voting.

And a big thanks to HEU's Facilities bargaining committee members Landon Beggs, Chena Binns, MJ Brown, Tara Heller, Nikki Kowalchuk, Seema Loodu, Barbara Owen, Maryann Pyne, Monica Thiessen and Jesse Winfrey, for your tireless dedication to all FBA members in bargaining and beyond.

For members who work in the Facilities, Health Science Professionals and Community Health subsectors, the Provincial Rec...
12/18/2025

For members who work in the Facilities, Health Science Professionals and Community Health subsectors, the Provincial Recruitment and Retention Incentives (PRRI) program gets a third extension! 🎉

The B.C. Ministry of Health notified HEU this week that the program will continue until March 31, 2026, for the 76 communities it applies to across the province.

🔗 Learn more at heu.org/news/news/ministry-health-extends-program-attract-and-retain-health-care-workers-rural-communities

Today on International Migrants' Day, we honour the contributions of migrant workers and their families in B.C., Canada ...
12/18/2025

Today on International Migrants' Day, we honour the contributions of migrant workers and their families in B.C., Canada and across the world.

Migrants help build strong economies and resilient, vibrant communities. Yet they often work under precarious working conditions, for low wages, and in isolation, subject to exploitation and abuse. At a time when fear and intolerance against migrants is more pronounced than ever, we must recommit to fighting for migrants' rights, dignity and security.

HEU and the labour movement has been at the forefront of improving the lives and working conditions for migrant workers, defending their rights, demanding safer work environments, better wages, and citizenship regularization. If migrant workers are good enough to work Canada, then they are good enough to stay in Canada.

Here are some things you can do to take action:
✅Write a letter to Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, demanding the federal government take steps to protect migrant workers (https://cupe.ca/take-action-status-not-scapegoating-migrant-workers);
✅Learn about and get involved with groups that are defending migrants' rights such as: Migrant Rights Network (https://migrantrights.ca/), Migrant Resource Centre of Canada (https://migrantsresourcecentre.ca/), Migrant Workers Centre (mwcbc.ca) and Immigrant Workers' Centre (Montreal) (https://iwc-cti.ca/)
✅Add your name to HEU's campaign to keep health care workers in B.C. (https://www.heu.org/restore-pnp-spots)

Benefits improvements coming for Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members in 2026!Starting January 1, 2026, membe...
12/18/2025

Benefits improvements coming for Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members in 2026!

Starting January 1, 2026, members covered by the Joint Facilities Benefits Trust (JFBT) will see permanent improvements to extended health benefits — including better coverage for vision, hearing, preventative vaccines and more. Plus, the mental health and wellness program is extended until 2027!

This means lower costs and better access to care for 67,500 FBA members 💙

👉 Important to know:
Since 2017, the FBA no longer negotiates extended health care benefits for members. The only way your Pacific Blue Cross plan can be determined is through the trust, just as we are seeing today with these improvements.

What’s improving in 2026?
👓 Vision care increases to $500 every 24 months (up from $350)
👁️ One eye exam per year (up from $100)
🦻 Hearing aids increase to $2,000 every 48 months (up from $600)
👟 Custom-made orthopedic shoes and orthotics covered every three years (up from one pair per lifetime combined limit)
💉 A number of preventative vaccines now covered

🧠 Mental health & wellness support
The pilot program for mental health and wellness benefits is extended until December 31, 2027, covering a combined limit of up to $1,500 per person per year for a wide-range of registered counselling services in person or online.

These improvements are made possible through the JFBT, which manages FBA benefits with equal union and employer oversight.

🔗 Learn more at jfbt.ca

⏰ Only a couple days left for Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members to vote on the (FBA) tentative agreement!H...
12/17/2025

⏰ Only a couple days left for Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members to vote on the (FBA) tentative agreement!

Have you cast your vote yet?

Voting is a powerful step in the collective bargaining process, so make your voice heard and remind your coworkers that voting ends on Friday, December 19 at noon.

✉️ Find your ballot in your email and be sure to check your junk/spam folder if you don't see it.

December 17 is International Day to End Violence Against S*x Workers. On this day we stand in solidarity with s*x worker...
12/17/2025

December 17 is International Day to End Violence Against S*x Workers. On this day we stand in solidarity with s*x workers and call for an end to the violence, stigma, and discrimination they face worldwide. S*x work is work.

This day reminds us of the urgent need to address the systemic issues that leave s*x workers vulnerable to harm. It also honours the lives of those lost to violence and urges people to seek justice.

As a union committed to fighting for equity and human rights, we acknowledge that many of the systems that oppress s*x workers also affect other marginalized groups such as women, those who identify as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and people of colour.

HEU is committed to taking steps to educate ourselves and our members on how to advocate for the safety and dignity of all workers through inclusive language set in collective agreements, educational workshops and the work of our equity standing committees.

You can take action by:
🎯 Learning more about the experiences of s*x workers;
🎯 Supporting organizations that provide resources and advocacy for s*x workers; and
🎯 Challenging harmful stereotypes and standing against discrimination.

12/16/2025

In the early 2000s, thousands of long-term care and assisted living workers lost their union protections when their jobs were contracted out to private companies.

Now, thanks to the historic Framework agreement negotiated between the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), the Health Employers Association of BC and the health authorities, many of these workers will return to the FBA!

This isn’t just a big deal for long-term care and assisted living workers, it’s a win for all FBA members.

After casting your ballot in the Facilities tentative agreement ratification vote, you can view your voting receipt on S...
12/16/2025

After casting your ballot in the Facilities tentative agreement ratification vote, you can view your voting receipt on Simply Voting.

❗️ Important: Simply Voting stores receipts for every vote you’ve previously participated in. If you took part in a past ratification vote, that receipt may appear first.

To confirm your vote for the current tentative agreement, make sure you are viewing the receipt titled “FBA Collective Agreement – HEU Ratification Vote 2025.”

If you see that receipt, your vote has been recorded correctly.

12/15/2025

Voting on the tentative agreement for Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) members is now open!

The FBA bargaining committee and the HEU Provincial Executive have endorsed the tentative agreement and urge members to vote YES.

How to vote:
✉️ Check your email for your voting credentials.
🔗 Find the link to cast your vote using the secure and confidential voting platform, Simply Voting.
❗️ Please ensure that you read the voting instructions carefully.
✅ Once your vote is recorded, you will be sent a confirmation of your vote. Please ensure you are viewing the voting receipt titled “FBA Collective Agreement - HEU Ratification Vote 2025”.
✊ Check in with your fellow FBA members and encourage them to vote to make their voices heard.

The voting period will close at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time on December 19 and results will be announced later that day.

If you do not see an email from HEU via Simply Voting, first check your “spam” or “junk” folder. If you still do not see your email ballot, please email electionsofficer@heu.org or call the HEU Provincial Office at 1-800-909-4994 as soon as possible. HEU staff will help you get your ballot.

Address

5000 North Fraser Way
Burnaby, BC
V5J5M3

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+18006635813

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