BY DENNIS BLATCHFORD, HSA PENSIONS AND BENEFITS ADVOCATE
Q: I have been following the Health Sciences Benefit Trust (JHSBT) for Health Science Professional Bargaining Association members, and am wondering if there is any news about benefits for community social services professionals. I understood there was a commitment to review benefit plans in my sector as well. Is that the case?
Recognition of diversity is now essential to the health of our society and the strength of organizations.
Today, leading institutions seek to understand the unique experience of their members in order to better represent and serve them.
HSA President Val Avery was invited to speak as a special guest at the Early Childhood Educators of BC conference in May.
HSA served as a sponsor for the conference and Avery took part in a panel discussion on building professionalism.
BY DENNIS BLATCHFORD
HSA PENSIONS AND BENEFITS ADVOCATE
I received HSA's recent clarification on payroll changes and the reference to members' long-term disability contributions now being directed to the new Joint Health Sciences Benefit Trust (JHSBT). Since the JHSBT is now receiving benefit contributions, I'm wondering what members might expect now.
The Community Social Services Employers Association and Community Social Services Barganining Association Committee has been working jointly to determine necessary wage adjustments, which are scheduled for April 1, 2017 and April 1, 2018. The wage grids for 2017, including the Economic Stability Dividend and General Wage Increase, will be released shortly.
The committee reviewed all 62 benchmarks and agreed to the following revisions.
Revised Benchmarks
(There are no changes to the grid levels)
Starting with the first pay period after February 1, 2017, most HSA members can expect a pay increase of 0.35% over and above the 5.5% increase rolling out over the life of the current contract.
BY VAL AVERY, PRESIDENT, HSA
We're hearing a lot of interesting things from members like you.
Over the summer, HSA circulated several surveys and invited members to participate in focus groups. Each explored different challenges and opportunities facing our union, and we'll be following up this fall with additional surveys, worksite visits and the annual regional meetings. It's all part of our commitment to giving members a greater say and a bigger role in charting our course.
Your elected HSA representatives and staff have been hard at work since the union's 45th convention in May. The upcoming regional meetings will be a good opportunity to provide updates on that work, and a chance for stewards and other activists to connect and discuss the issues in your region.
In preparation for those meetings, please take a few minutes to review some of the important work HSA has been involved in.
BY VAL AVERY, PRESIDENT
I am very proud of what we have achieved in the last 45 years.
I am especially proud of what we have been able to achieve in these last few years.
In the face of governments determined to squeeze our members for every penny, we have adapted, finding ways to achieve security in the face of sweeping change, wage growth in the face of austerity, and protection of hard-won benefits in the face of cuts.
