Proposed wage hikes have 'uplifted' P.E.I.'s health support services workers, says union

After two years of negotiations, Health P.E.I. has reached an agreement on wages for support services staff that the union representing the workers is calling "historic." 

The new collective agreement involves about 1,300 workers across four Canadian Union of Public Employees local bodies. 

The agency's health support services employees work in hospitals, long-term care homes and addictions treatment centres doing jobs like cooking, housekeeping, carpentry, plumbing and sterilization. 

John MacKenzie, a service worker at Hillsborough Hospital and the chief shop steward for CUPE Local 805, said this was one of the most difficult rounds of bargaining with Health P.E.I. in his 22 years of experience at the negotiating table. 

"It's been very tough, it's been very emotional on our staff," MacKenzie told CBC News. 

"A lot of it had to do with staff retention and recognition during the COVID era, and wages [were] an issue."  

Increase to wages, shift premiums

The new agreement, which the workers have yet to approve in a vote, covers the period from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2026. The four local union shops will vote on whether to ratify the agreement on June 24. 

Highlights of the tentative agreement include: 

• General wage increases of 10.5 per cent over three years. 
• An increase of $5.50 an hour to base wages, effective April 1.
• Full-time commitment pay of $1.07 per hour worked (on a trial basis, expiring March 31, 2026).
• Service-retention premiums that include an additional two per cent after 10 years of service, and another two per cent after 15 years. 
• Increased shift premiums, including an additional $2.25 per hour for shift work and $3.50 per hour for weekend shifts. 

MacKenzie said the wage increases represent an extra $17,000 per year on an entry-level support service worker's pay. 

Just over a year ago, some of the CUPE health workers protested outside of the P.E.I. Legislature after negotiations broke down and the union asked for conciliation. 

Under P.E.I.'s Labour Act, conciliation is when a third party is requested by either side in labour talks "to confer with the parties... to assist them to conclude a collective agreement." 

At the time, CUPE representatives told then-premier Dennis King and Health Minister Mark McLane that union members were struggling to make ends meet, and would continue to do so until they got a fair wage increase.

Just for my own self, it's basically my mortgage payment.— John MacKenzie, hospital service worker

MacKenzie said the workers felt unseen by the government after Health P.E.I. offered other workers retention bonuses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

However, he said this new tentative agreement has "uplifted" the employees after a tough two years of negotiations. 

"It's tremendous because of the cost of living, but just for my own self, it's basically my mortgage payment," MacKenzie said. "It's an unbelievable moment for everybody, and we're kind of a little in shock over the increases."