In spite of an agreement reached between HSA and other health care unions and the Ministry of Health last week, some members continue to get pressure to either produce evidence of vaccination against seasonal influenza, or wear a mask during the flu season, which was declared open December 1.

For members information, at the meeting held between the Ministry of Health, HSA, BCGEU and HEU November 30, the following agreement was reached:

While the policy remains on the books the mandatory provisions of it will not be enforced. This means:

The Report: December 2012 vol.33 num.4

NURSES NEW CONTRACT MAKES ACCESS TO MEDICATION HARDER

PENSIONS Q AND A BY DENNIS BLATCHFORD, HSA PENSION AND BENEFIT ADVOCATE

Q. As a new HSA member who falls under the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) contract, could you please explain to me what the -PharmaCare tie-in" is all about?

On the eve of the implementation of a new province-wide policy that threatened to fire health science professionals who refused to declare whether they had been vaccinated against seasonal flu, Health Sciences Association  has negotiated an agreement that sees the government back off on the policys punitive aspects.

The Nurses' Bargaining Association has voted almost 85 percent in favour of accepting the contract negotiated last month between the NBA and the Health Employers Association of BC.

In the vote, psychiatric nurses represented by HSA registered their significant concerns about the imposition of two-tiered benefits proposed as part of the new contract.

The contract has provisions to reduce heavy workload, improve patient care, add more RNs/RPNs, and increase earnings for nurses.

Health Sciences Association, on behalf of the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA), is calling for the withdrawal of a province-wide policy that threatens to fire health science professionals who refuse to declare whether they have been vaccinated against seasonal flu.

Health Sciences Association is conducting a ratification vote by HSA's Registered Psychiatric Nurses on the tentative agreement reached between the Nurses' Bargaining Association and HEABC.

HSA's board of directors urges HSA registered psychiatric nurses to vote "no" to the tentative agreement, as it introduces an element of two-tiered benefits, opening the door to an erosion of benefits for all nurses in the future. See the information package here.

Important information meetings about the tentative agreement reached between the Nurses Bargaining Association and Health Employers' Association of BC are being held as follows:

HSA's board of directors urges HSA registered psychiatric nurses to vote "no" to the tentative agreement, as it introduces an element of two-tiered benefits, opening the door to an erosion of benefits for all nurses in the future.

HSAs registered psychiatric nurses, covered by the Nurses Bargaining Association collective agreement, are invited to participate in one of two telephone town hall meetings scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday October 10.

To join the call, simply answer the phone, and you will be connected. Please ensure HSA has your personal / home phone number by emailing your full name and contact info to memberlist@hsabc.org ... or you can sign in at www.hsabc.org and update your information by logging in.

Highlights: Nurses Bargaining Association tentative agreement

Provisions to address workload issues come at the expense of BCs future nurses, and thats too high a price to pay, says HSA president Reid Johnson.

The unions board of directors is recommending HSA members, registered psychiatric nurses covered by the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) collective agreement, vote -NO" to the tentative collective agreement reached last week between the NBA and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC).