HSA in the news

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,"...

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...

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...

Globe and Mail By Rod Mickleburgh VANCOUVER -- The province's health-care workers are hailing a last- minute reprieve in a landmark policy by public health officials that would have forced them to receive a flu shot or wear a surgical mask during their shifts. Staff who refused to comply with the policy - the first of its kind in Canada...

Canadian Press BC07 - (BC-Flu-Prevention) VANCOUVER. The head of the Health Sciences Association says his union is pleased the government has backed away from forcing its members to get a flu shot. Reid Johnson says members are encouraged to have flu vaccinations, but they don't want to be forced into something that involves their privacy. TAG: Instead of forcing workers...

Canadian Press VANCOUVER - The B.C. government has temporarily backed away from its mandatory flu vaccination policy for thousands of provincial health care workers. Instead of forcing workers to get flu shots, the Health Ministry says it will work towards getting compliance from workers in the first year of the program. In a letter to B.C.'s health authority chief executive...

The Daily News (Kamloops) Pressing for a wage hike, members of the Health Sciences Association of British Columbia are set to begin rotating strikes at hospitals across the province. The strikes begin Thursday when pharmacy services at hospitals, including Royal Inland Hospital, will be reduced to essential service levels from 9 a.m. to midnight. There will be no picket lines...

Canadian Press Members of the BC Health Sciences Association say they will begin strike action this week after months of inaction at the bargaining table. Hospital pharmacists will reduce their work to essential services this Wednesday and, on Friday, medical imaging techs will do the same. Association president Reid Johnson says members are frustrated after eight months of negotiations with...

Canadian Press Negotiations resume today for members of the B-C Health Sciences Association who are planning job action at health care facilities later this week to press their contract demands. The action begins Thursday -- a day later than first planned -- when pharmacists go to essential service levels, followed by medical imaging techs on Friday. Association president Reid Johnson...

Harbour City Star By Darrell Bellaart Health officials have been told to address a shortage of specialists who help critically ill patients with breathing difficulties at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. WorkSafe B.C. ruled the Vancouver Island Health Authority must provide a plan to stop scheduling respiratory therapists to work shifts as long as 24 hours. A Work-Safe inspector toured NRGH...