Region 8 Regional Director Election

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Candidates

Two candidates have been nominated to represent Region 8 members on HSA's Board of Directors: Tiger Ye and Caroline Widgiz.

Each candidate has submitted a candidate statement, which you can read by clicking on the candidate's name below:

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With humility, I acknowledge that I live on the stolen lands of the Syilx people. The region I hope to represent also includes the territories of the Nlaka’pamux, Secwépemc, Tsilhqot’in, and Dakelh peoples.

To everyone in Region 8, I’m asking for your vote to serve as your Regional Director. You deserve representation that is transparent, tactful, and non-relenting—grounded in the real challenges we face.

In my roles as your steward and as your representative on the Resolutions and HSPBA Bargaining Committees, I carry with me the grievances and hardships I have witnessed and that you’ve shared. They motivate me daily. I’ve had the opportunity to visit worksites across our region and hear directly from you about the challenges you face. You are not alone.

Our health care system and public services are under severe strain. Job postings go unfilled. Our siblings are expected to shoulder the work of multiple vacant positions without approved overtime—often seeing unsafe numbers of patients—while others are forced into secondments and diversions without appropriate reimbursement, and excessive overtime without adequate off-duty hours. Many members, exhausted by chronic short staffing, are led to believe that relying on for-profit agency workers—who are compensated at multiples of our highest earned wage grids—is an acceptable solution. Members are also not recognized for their specialization or for taking on additional duties, such as supervising trainees and assistants, or performing work that requires postgraduate training. Meanwhile, patient wait times continue to grow, workplace violence and exposure to harmful substances are increasing, and both rural and urban sites are being pushed to reduce or shut down essential services.

These challenges hit us where it matters most: in the care we provide and the respect we deserve. After decades of wage erosion, our employers and government can’t keep hiding behind “uncertainty.” It’s time to reinvest in essential frontline workers—us.

Through my union work, I’ve faced conflict and roadblocks, but I’ve learned, grown, and stayed committed. I work alongside like-minded members to direct HSA action. I will fight to keep our membership strong, prevent further erosion of our bargaining power, and represent Region 8 with a clear, direct voice.
 

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Dear Fellow HSA members,

I am honoured to announce that I am reoffering for the position of Region 8 Director, and I am excited to share a bit about myself and my vision for our union.

With over two decades of experience as a medical laboratory technologist, I have worked in rural, mid-size and urban centers. I am currently working at VJH. My journey within HSA spans various roles and committees, including lead steward where I directly assisted members with grievances, as a member-at-large contributing to the Resolutions and Women’s committees and most recently as your current Regional Director.

My commitment to our Union extends beyond the workplace, as I have represented HSA as a labour council delegate on both the EKDLC and the NOLC. I’ve had the honour of being a delegate to NUPGE and BC Federation of Labour Conventions. These experiences have not only broadened my understanding of labour issues but have also strengthened my network within HSA and beyond.

If elected as your Region 8 Director, my goal is to foster unity, pride, and solidarity among our members. I want to hear your stories, understand your concerns, and be your unwavering advocate. Together, we can ensure that our region feels empowered, respected, and supported in the vital work that we do. 

I am committed to continuing to promote transparency, inclusivity, and effective communication within our union. My door will always be open to listen to your ideas, address your needs, and work collaboratively to achieve our shared goals.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve you again, and I humbly ask for your support in this endeavour. Together, let’s continue to build a stronger, more vibrant Union for all.

In solidarity,

Caroline Widgiz (she/her/hers) 

@email

All Candidates Meetings

HSA will host all-candidates’ meetings in regions where more than one candidate is nominated. The meetings will be online and will be held in the evening between Februrary 18 and March 6, 2026.

A recording of the meeting will be posted here for members who were unable to attend.

Voting Information

Voting will be online only, and conducted from March 16 to March 30, 2026. To ensure you are able to vote, please click here to update your personal contact information.

Please add Simply Voting to your safe senders list to ensure your voting instructions are not caught in your spam filter. All emails related to the vote will originate from @email and from one of the following domains: simplyvoting.com or o3.email.simplyvoting.com

Position Details

This is an excellent opportunity for members to serve on the HSA Board of Directors, contribute to the leadership of the union, and to represent the interests of other members. HSA’s Board of Directors comprises 10 Regional Directors elected by members from their region, and the President, who is elected every two years during the union’s annual convention.

To be eligible to run for the Board of Directors, a nominee must have been a member of HSA for at least one year immediately prior to election, be in good standing, and be nominated in writing by two members in the region they are seeking to represent. The term of office is two years. Regional Directors may serve for up to three consecutive terms.

Responsible for the overall governance of the union, board members participate in Board of Director meetings, held at least quarterly in person – when possible – at the union office in New Westminster. Directors chair or participate on HSA’s governance committees, which meet at least two times a year.  They serve as HSA representatives to events and external meetings, chair annual Regional Meetings, and report to members in their region regularly. While the union provides wage replacement at Regional Directors’ regular rate of pay for shifts missed due to participation in meetings related to their role on the Board of Directors, as well as reimbursement for associated travel, accommodation, and dependent care costs, Regional Directors also devote considerable volunteer time to the position to allow for material review, responding to emails, and periodic evening meetings held by telephone or online.

The successful candidate will assume the position immediately upon election and serve until the conclusion of the union’s spring 2028 convention.

Other Information

Members in Region 8 may receive email messages from candidates for the position; under HSA policy, candidates are entitled to contact HSA members by e-mail for the purpose of campaigning in the election.

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