Community Health Services and Support

In response to health care policy announcements released today by the BC United Party and the BC Conservative Party, the following statement is being issued by Kane Tse, President of the Health Sciences Association of BC. Health Sciences Association of BC is the union representing more than 22,000 specialized professionals working in BC’s health care and community social services system...

June 14, 2024 Update: Pacific Blue cross has informed members that Pacific Blue Cross will be postponing the upcoming AGM, originally scheduled for June 19, 2024, to a later date, yet to be determined. This includes all associated processes, including the Directors Election. HSA members have fought hard for our extended health benefits, and to access them we rely on...

New incentives aimed at tackling retention and recruitment are now under development for members covered by the Community Bargaining Association collective agreement. The Community Bargaining Association today announced that they are in talks with the provincial government to finalize details of programs that would increase incentives for members living and working in rural and remote communities, and deliver tuition credits...

Negotiated inflation-protection measures will trigger full 3.0% increase British Columbia inflation data released this week confirms that the maximum wage protections in the 2022-2025 CBA collective agreement will be triggered, and members will receive the full 3.0% wage increase starting April 1, 2024. For most members, this brings the total general wage increase for the three years of the agreement...

HEABC, Ministry of Health reveal security breach involving up to 240,000 health care employees’ e-mail addresses and other personal information. The Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) CEO Michael McMillan and Minister of Health Adrian Dix announced this afternoon a significant cybersecurity breach affecting health care employees’ personal information occurred on HEABC servers in June this year. HEABC said it...

The program head for sonography at BCIT is inviting working technologists to apply for a one-year advanced program to re-train into cardiac sonography. Pre-requisites for the program include: Two-year diploma in Cardiology Technology, Medical Radiography, Nuclear Medicine, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or General Sonography and: Active professional certification from the registering body (e.g. CSCT, CAMRT, Sonography Canada, ARDMS) Learn more about...

Health Sciences Association of BC has contracted Viewpoints Research to conduct the annual survey to learn about member priorities and concerns as the union assesses ongoing issues arising from shortages, patient wait times and excessive workload. Viewpoints Research an industry leader with 30 years of experience conducting research for unions and other progressive organizations. Using an experienced third-party professional research...

HSA members working in medical imaging throughout the Lower Mainland received notice yesterday of a region-wide plan to move their services back to the original four health authorities. For the last 13 years, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has overseen the consolidated operations of Lower Mainland Diagnostic Imaging services within the four different health authorities in the Lower Mainland. HSA learned...

The member unions of the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) have voted by 94 per cent to ratify a new three-year collective agreement with the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC). Pay increases are retroactive to April 1, 2022, and the remainder of the collective agreement comes into effect immediately. The agreement will be effective until March 31, 2025. The...

Health Sciences Association, the union representing over 20,000 specialized health and community social service professionals in communities across BC, today welcomed new investments to rebuild a health care workforce depleted by three years of pandemic workload. “A crisis of serious proportions demands a serious response,” said Kane Tse, HSA President. “Today’s announcement of $995 million to support the provincial health...