News & Updates

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2018 Linda Bessant of Victoria, B.C. is the recipient of this 2018 David Bland Award. “I am humbled by the award,” said Bessant, but she is sobered by the tragic workplace accident that killed HSA member David Bland. “The award is given out unfortunately because someone lost their life, and as appreciative as I am to...

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2018 It’s be en nearly on e ye ar since the Cam pbell Riv er Sobering and Assessment Centre, operated by the Vancouver Island Mental Health Society, opened its doors to the public in July 2017. “We’ve been in continuous operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week since that time,” said HSA member and...

A second week of bargaining has wrapped up between the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC) in Vancouver. Talks are aimed at achieving a new collective agreement for members in community health. The CBA represents roughly 16,000 employees working in community health around B.C. The majority are represented by the BCGEU, which is...

The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) met again this week with the Community Social Services Employers’ Association (CSSEA) to resume negotiations and exchange non-monetary proposals. Now in the second week of bargaining, both groups are having meaningful discussions and making progress. See full information bulletin here.

In celebration of Mental Health Week taking place May 7-13, HSA has launched a new video that explores why team-based interdisciplinary care is essential to providing quality patient care within the field of mental health and addictions. “We need to see a person as a whole person,” says Kaye Robinson, a social worker at the Rapid Access Addictions Clinic at...

During the coming weeks, HSA members in Region 8 will have an opportunity to elect their representative on HSA's Board of Directors. The position was left vacant at the end of the recent HSA annual convention, as no member was nominated at the original call for nominations. After a second call for nominations in a byelection, the position closed with...

Periods are a fact of life. Monthly menstruation products are a necessity. And nobody should have to pick between feeding their family and being able to afford basic hygiene products. Yet far too many people – especially those living in poverty – simply can’t afford them. Between March 1 and 20, HSA participated in the Tampon Tuesday campaign in partnership...

HSA members in Region 10 have re-elected Mandi Ayers to serve a two-year term as their representative on the union’s Board of Directors. The term begins at the conclusion of the union’s annual convention on April 28, 2018. Ayers is a medical laboratory technologist at Bulkley Valley District Hospital in Smithers where she has worked for the past 30 years...

HSA members in Region 6 have re-elected Nancy Hay to serve a two-year term as their representative on the union’s Board of Directors. The term begins at the conclusion of the union’s annual convention on April 28, 2018. Hay is a social worker at St. Paul’s and Lions Gate Hospitals, and has chaired the union’s Political Action and Education committees...

Are you an HSA member with a passion for disability management and rehabilitation? Do you have strong organizational, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills? Are you employed with the Vancouver Island Health Authority? If so, consider applying to be an Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) regional representative. Under the direction of designated HSA staff, the HSA EDMP Regional Representative works as part...