FAQ: WCMI 2024-2028 Tentative Collective Agreement

This is a four-year agreement with minimum pay increases totaling 8.75% and the potential of up to 22.75% to 29.75% depending on profession.

This agreement is retroactive to April 1, 2024 when it comes to your wages. This means that all hours worked after April 1, 2024 will be eligible for the wage increase. This increase will depend on your profession – all HSA members at WCMI will receive a 2% wage increase except for Reception – they will receive a $1.00 per hour increase.

Beginning September 1, 2024 the Stabilization Fund quarterly payments will begin. This means hours worked from September 1, 2024 through November 30, 2024 will be added up and subject to a 14% (21% for mammo) lump sum payment in December 2024. This process will continue for the following periods:

• December 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025 with lump sum payments expected in March 2025.
• March 1, 2025 to May 31, 2025 with lump sum payments expected in June 2025.
• June 1, 2025 to August 31, 2025 with lump sum payments expected in September 2025.

It is important to note that the Stabilization Fund quarterly payments are currently scheduled only for September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025. The Stabilization Fund is a unique situation which is intended to buy time for the government to consider modifying the funding model for imaging clinics like WCMI. Whatever increases in funding come from the new model will be rolled in to wages – however there is no guarantee of what amount will be rolled in to wages. In the case that the new funding structure does not result in a permanent increase in wages of 14% (21% for mammo), then the HSA and WCMI will have the option to enter in to a Wage Reopener effective March 31, 2026.

In the second year, there is a 2% general increase on all classifications effective April 1, 2025.

In the third year, there is a 2.25% general increase on all classifications effective April 1, 2026.

In the fourth year, there is a 2.5% general increase on all classifications effective April 1, 2027.

Private imaging clinics in BC have raised concerns to the government regarding their current funding structure – the MSP Fee Schedule. As a result, the Ministry of Health has committed to reviewing and potentially altering the funding structure of private clinics in BC. While they do so, the Ministry of Health has created a one-time, temporary Stabilization Fund that will effectively increase payments on all scans by 14% for the period of September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025.

It is intended that this temporary program will buy time for the government to review the way that private imaging clinics are funded and implement a new funding structure in 2025.

There is a commitment in this agreement that whatever funding structure follows the Stabilization Fund will be rolled in to wages – whether it is 14% or something less. In the case it is less than 14%, the parties have negotiated a wage reopener effective March 31, 2026. Importantly, it’s worth noting that there is a potential 7 month gap between the anticipated end of the Stabilization Fund and the possibility of Wage Reopener.

A wage reopener is something that can be put in a Collective Agreement that allows either the union or employer to reopen the collective agreement – only with respect to wages – before the end of the agreement. In this situation, the wage reopener would be triggered in case the 14% increase in wages is not rolled in to a permanent wage increase.

For example: if the new funding structure only increases by 10%, then the 10% will be rolled in to permanent wages and wages may be renegotiated effective March 31, 2026.