Unionized workers at Selkirk Place in Victoria have reached a tentative three-year deal with their employer.
Union spokesman Neil Monckton said the deal between the Hospital Employees’ Union, which represents more than 250 workers at the facility, and Retirement Concepts includes “modest” increases in wages and benefits for workers.
HEU represents registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, care aides, and housekeeping, dietary, laundry and secretarial staff at the facility, home to more than 200 seniors.
The workers have been without a contract since September 2015. Bargaining began in March, and the employer made a mediation request on Sept. 8.
Workers had voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action, Monckton said.
There will be a ratification vote before the end of the month, he said. “There’s some concern surrounding benefit cuts for new employees, but these current workers haven’t had a wage increase in eight years and they are due, so that will likely influence their vote.”
Retirement Concepts could not be reached for comment.
Selkirk Place is a six-storey apartment-style residence on the Selkirk waterfront near the Gorge. It has 25 publicly subsidized units and 16 private-pay units. There is a complex-care facility on the same site.
Island Health spokeswoman Kellie Hudson has said that funded long-term care sites are independent entities and Island Health is not involved with their labour negotiations.
