Nearly 44 thousand workers at hospitals, clinics and long-term care homes have a tentative collective agreement after nine weeks of negotiations with the Health Employers Association of B-C. More than 90 per cent of employees covered by the three-year deal are members of the Hospital Employees Union, which says wage increases are included in the deal. Union spokeswoman Jennifer Whiteside says initiatives to tackle workplace injuries and restore protections against contracting out have also been negotiated. Employees belonging to nine other unions are part of the agreement that is yet to be ratified.