Essential Service Training

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DATES:           October 23, 2024
TIME:               9:00 am to 4:30 pm (PST)
LOCATION:   Virtual (details to follow)

As preparations are underway for negotiations for new collective agreements in the Health Science Professional Bargaining Association, Nurses’ Bargaining Association, and Community Bargaining Association collective agreements, HSA has scheduled education sessions for stewards to support the negotiation of essential service levels.
 
The setting of essential services levels is required by law where a labour dispute has the potential to threaten the health, safety, and welfare of British Columbians. Essential services are minimum levels of service that must be maintained during a strike or lockout. The Labour Relations Board can only designate services as essential and set minimum staffing levels in response to a labour dispute. It has no authority to designate services as essential or set minimum staffing levels in response to a natural disaster or pandemic.
 
Stewards play a key role when HSA is negotiating essential service levels.  This one-day training is available for Lead Stewards or their designate to learn and begin planning for upcoming essential service negotiations. 
 
Stewards supporting members covered by the HSPBA, NBA and CBA are invited to participate in one of the following dates. Each of the three days will include the same information, and stewards may only attend one session.

  • October 23
  • October 24
  • October 31

Stewards will spend the first part of the day with Sharon Geoghegan, Assistant Membership Services  Co-ordiantor, Tara Locke, Labour Relations Officer and learning about essential services including:

  • What are essential services and why do we need to negotiate them?
  • How do we negotiate essential services and what is the steward role?
  • Overview of what occurs during job action.

In the afternoon, stewards will be tasked with connecting with HSA members in each of the departments at their chapters to develop a list of primary contacts.  These contacts will be necessary to support the work of setting essential services levels.
 
Prior to the training dates, HSA Labour Relations Officers (LROs) will be negotiating Job Action Headquarters for your facilities. Stewards may be contacted to discuss proposed locations and equipment needs.
 
Register early, space is limited.
 
Stewards who are interested in this workshop are asked to complete a registration application by logging into My Events Registration using the prompts provided. Workshops are listed under Other Events. Please call the HSA office at 604.517.0994 or 1.800.663.6119 if you do not know your HSA member ID number.

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