HSA Equity Summit

HSA is planning our union’s first ever Equity Summit to be held on February 19, 2025 – an opportunity to connect, learn and dream about what a more equitable working world could look like. If you’re a person who experiences marginalization, and/or share concerns about how the systems and structures of our world unfairly treat people based on social groups like race, gender, ability, class and more, the Equity Summit is for you.

The Equity Summit's theme will be Solidarity: Stronger Together. Discrimination hurts all of us, and everyone benefits when we work together in solidarity to build a better world. Programming will be a mix of speakers to inspire you and provide insights on human rights and equity from lived experiences, and will include keynote speaker Len Pierre.

The Equity Summit will be held at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and attendees should expect to be present from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

If you are interested in attending the Equity Summit, please apply here. The application deadline is Sunday, December 8 at 4:00 pm Pacific time.

Space is limited to 75 members, and we are prioritizing members based on:

  • Diversity of lived experience of systemic marginalization
  • Regional diversity
  • Occupational diversity

Knowledge of and/or experience with the union is valued but not required. If this is your first union event, you will be welcome.

Full applications will be viewed by staff support and then anonymized for review and selection by members of the Equity Summit Advisory Group. You name, contact information, and worksite will not be shown to committee members.

As per HSA policy, wage replacement, travel, and meal per diems will be provided. You will need to ensure you request the time off from your Employer once you are selected as an attendee. You will be provided with wage replacement for the equity summit if it is on your scheduled workday. If the meeting is on your day off, you are entitled to bank your time as paid union leave to be taken at a later date.

Note: If you are on Long Term Disability, any wages claimed or earned because of attending any workshop or union event must be reported to your LTD benefit provider. If these earnings are not part of an approved rehabilitation or return to work plan, they will likely be deducted from your disability benefits. This applies whether you take the payment right away or bank it. You also have the option of attending the event without claiming wages, and this will have no impact on your LTD benefit payments.