Nurses

A recent article in The Report contained incomplete information about tax deductions. The potential for deducting for LTD premiums only applies if you are on an accepted LTD claim. A member who is on an accepted LTD claim may be able to claim on their tax returns for LTD premiums they have previously paid. Whether they are eligible to do...

HSA members have reconfirmed that concessions on extended and dental benefits are not negotiable. After learning that government appears to be set to propose to save money by getting health care workers to pay for some of their health and dental benefits, HSA conducted an informal telephone survey of members on the weekend to alert members to this pending proposal...

The Report: February 2012 vol.33 num.1 Collective agreements covering the vast majority of HSA members working in health sciences and community social services expire on March 31, and HSAs negotiators have already begun work on the next agreements. HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS Bargaining for the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association was scheduled to begin February 27. HSA priorities for bargaining were...

Ensuring the safety of patients in BCs health care facilities is the priority for nurses, as they began bargaining this week for a new contract with the provinces health authorities. HSAs Registered Psychiatric Nurses are represented by Lions Gate RPN Val Barker and Senior Labour Relations Officer Pat Blomme. HSA President Reid Johnson said psychiatric nurses want to ensure they...

Representatives of the Provincial Nurses Bargaining Association ... including Registered Psychiatric Nurses represented by HSA ... are heading to the bargaining table this week. The constituent unions are meeting today. Bargaining with the employer begins January 24-25. More bargaining dates are set February 20-24. RPN & Lions Gate Hospital Chief Steward Val Barker will represent HSA RPNs, along with Senior...

HSA President Reid Johnson is not optimistic about media reports for a -new government mandate" for collective bargaining in 2012 after yesterdays Throne Speech from the BC government. -The government clearly signaled yesterday that its prepared to pay lip service to the women and men who deliver the public services, like health care, that British Columbians depend on. But there...

As of April 1, 2011, new language came into effect in the HSPBA and NBA collective agreements with respect to an Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) designed to facilitate an employee-centred, pro-active, appropriate and customized disability management program for employees with occupational and non-occupational illness/injury. As a workplace based program, successful implementation of the EDMP requires designated union representatives who...

Fraser Health Authority announced last week that it is reducing the number of Registered Psychiatric Nurses and RNs caring for seniors in residential care. FHA is laying off approximately a dozen Registered Psychiatric Nurses, among more than 100 nurses to be laid off in FHA-owned and -operated facilities. The FHA layoffs affect RPNs and RNs at these sites: • Maple...

(VANCOUVER) - Reid Johnson, President of the Health Sciences Association, and Debra McPherson, President of the BC Nurses Union, are calling on WorkSafe BC to immediately order VIHA to protect staff at Eric Martin Pavilion, the mental health facility at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. The demand for action follows a series of violent assaults on staff by a patient...

In 2009, the Nurses Bargaining Association launched the Retroactive Portability of Seniority Initiative. The most common reason for denial of claims was that nurses remained casual at the first work site, making them ineligible to port their seniority. Many of these nurses remained casual on the advice of union stewards and labour relations officers. Due to this fact, the NBA...