Comox hospital cancels scans due to job action by technicians
December 6, 2012
Comox Valley Record
St. Joseph's General Hospital has cancelled about 70 diagnostic imaging scans on Dec. 7 due to medical imaging technicians' job action.
HSA in the news
Surgery, lab tests to be delayed by strike
December 6, 2012
Castlegar News
Hospital pharmacists and medical imaging technicians plan to go ahead with brief strikes Thursday and Friday as a mediator attempts to reach a settlement with 16,000 health science employees at hospitals and clinics across B.C.
Mediator Vince Ready was brought in Tuesday after negotiations that started in February failed to produce an agreement. The Health Employers Association of B.C. issued a statement Wednesday warning that the unions intend to go ahead with its first rotating strikes despite the mediation effort.
Health services workers strike
December 6, 2012
Nanaimo News Bulletin
Byline: Niomi Pearson
A two-day strike by health care workers at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and across the province will mean a delay in services for some residents.
After nine months of contract negotiations and serving strike notice to B.C. employers, the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) announced that job action will commence today and tomorrow (Dec. 6-7).
Health-sciences union workers at Cowichan hospital slow work to weekend levels
December 6, 2012
Cowichan News Leader Pictorial
Byline: Peter Rusland
Cowichanians whose long-awaited CT-scan dates are bumped by this week's hospital labour strife will be re-booked quickly, health brass promised Thursday.
"Those dates will be rescheduled as soon as possible; they wont go back to the bottom of the list," said Suzanne Germain of the Vancouver Island Health Authority.
Province backs down on flu shot edict
December 6, 2012
Trail Daily Times
By Jeff Nagel
Source: Surrey North Delta Leader
The province has granted a one-year reprieve from its directive that health workers wear a mask this flu season if they refuse to be vaccinated.
Those who don't comply won't be disciplined, deputy health minister Graham Whitmarsh said in a Nov. 30 letter to health authorities.
Mandatory flu shots for health workers delayed; Government temporarily backs away from its original plan
December 5, 2012
Alberni Valley Times
The B.C. government has temporarily backed away from a controversial plan to force thousands of provincial health workers to get a flu shot before they can work with patients.
Instead of forcing workers to wear a mask or have the mandatory flu vaccination, the B.C. Health Ministry said it will work towards voluntary compliance from workers in the first year of the program.
Mandatory flu shot policy suspended; Health workers urged to volunteer for needle
December 5, 2012
Vancouver SUn
By Terri Theodore, The Canadian Press
The province's health care workers objected to the mandatory vaccination program saying it was coercive and punitive.Photograph by: Jeff Mcintosh, The Canadian Press Files , The Canadian PressThe B.C. government has temporarily backed away from a controversial plan to force thousands of provincial health workers to get a flu shot before they can work with patients.
Health workers launch job action
December 5, 2012
24 Hours Vancouver
By CHRIS CAMPBELL, 24 HOURS
LABOUR Metro Vancouver patients can expect to wait longer for CT scans and MRIs as the Health Sciences Association announced rotating strikes for Thursday and Friday.
Medical imaging technologists will be operating at essential-service levels from midnight Thursday to midnight Friday, except those at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
"There may be additional waits," said union president Reid Johnson, adding the system is already bogged down by long wait times due to staff shortages.
Labour dispute causes VJH disruptions
December 5, 2012
Vernon Morning Star
There is going to be some disruption in services at Vernon Jubilee Hospital this week.
As part of an ongoing labour dispute, pharmacists will reduce their work to essential services Thursday. On Friday, medical imaging technologists who conduct X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds will reduce their work to essential service levels.
Flu shot rules relaxed; B.C. health-care workers have year to ease into new policy
December 5, 2012
Kamloops Daily News
By Mike Youds
The Daily News; Canadian Press
A decision to ease introduction of a policy requiring thousands of health-care workers to receive flu vaccinations is winning applause from some corners.
Instead of forcing workers to get flu shots, the Health Ministry says it will work toward getting compliance from workers in the first year of the program.