HSA in the news

Times Colonist (Victoria) Workers who care for the disabled, counsel battered women and provide support to sexual-assault victims walked off the job at 13 agencies in Greater Victoria Thursday to push for higher wages. It was the largest job action since 15,000 community social-service workers across the province began a series of rotating strikes Oct. 16. The 10 unions that...

Westside Weekly Laboratory services are running normally this week, Interior Health says. Unionized health-care workers have decided not to withdraw their services to back contract demands. Members of the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association had threatened to walk off the job, leaving only emergency service levels in place at IH labs. But health science professionals called off upcoming rotating strikes...

Times Colonist (Victoria) Workers from 13 community social services agencies will be off the job today in the largest job action since rotating strikes began two months ago. The workers will be at Centennial Square between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with a rally at noon. Agencies targeted for job action include Victoria Women's Transition House Society, Community Living Victoria...

Nanaimo News Bulletin Instead of picketing group homes, social services workers in Nanaimo opted to back their demand for better wages by giving away coats, blankets and coffee Thursday. The job action happened at Diana Krall Plaza downtown, where Hospital Employees' Union and Health Sciences Association members gave away clothing, cookies, hot chocolate and coffee to people in need. "We're...

South Delta Leader The union representing health science professionals in B.C. has called off job action that cancelled or postponed some medical procedures at Delta Hospital last week, but workers remain without a contract with the province. The Health Sciences Association of B.C. (HSABC) triggered a job action across the province last Thursday and Friday, despite the fact both sides...

The Delta Optimist Delta Hospital was targeted for job action last Friday Patients scheduled for medical imaging procedures were notified their appointments had been cancelled. The Health Sciences Association (HSA), represented by the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA), last week said rotating strikes at various facilities would take place on Thursday and Friday. This occurred despite health science professionals...

Times Colonist (Victoria) Expect to see some Greater Victoria firefighters wearing surgical masks this flu season. Greater Victoria fire chiefs have endorsed a policy patterned after one used by the B.C. Ambulance Service, in which members who choose not to get flu shots are required to wear surgical masks when attending to ill people, the elderly or when entering patient...

Campbell River Courier-Islander Car horns were blaring on Dogwood Street on Monday, not because of the traffic lights but in support for the community social services workers who staged a one day walk out and picket line at Dogwood and 3rd Avenue. Cherie Dobbie, Chair of the local BC Government Employees Union said that community social services workers such as...

The Globe and Mail By Rod Mickleburgh In a reaction perhaps unique in labour annals, negotiators for the Health Sciences Association are so outraged by the provincial governments last contract offer that they have called off their latest round of job action. The unusual strategy was prompted by a proposal that the union charged was riddled with concessions, classification rollbacks...

Times Colonist (Victoria) This week's anticipated cancellation of medical procedures in Vancouver Island hospitals was called off Sunday, but the dispute between health professionals and their employers continues. After three days of talks overseen by veteran labour mediator Vince Ready, members of the Health Sciences Association of B.C. charged Sunday that they are being goaded into a strike by the...