Media Release

An agency of the United Nations has again condemned the Campbell Liberal government for violating workers human rights by contravening international labour standards that Canadian governments are supposed to uphold.In a highly critical report released recently, the International Labour Organization(ILO) uses blunt language to condemn the BC government for clear violations offreedom of association principles. It also put pressure on...

Delegates to the 34 th annual convention of the Health Sciences Association of BC have re-elected Cindy Stewart, a physiotherapist from Vernon, as their president for another two years. Stewart defeated challenger Derrick Hoyt, a lab technologist from Victoria.Stewart has been President of HSA since 1993. The union represents more than 12,000 health care and social services professional across BC...

Burnaby, April 8-9, 2005The Health Sciences Association of BC will hold its annual convention at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, 6083 McKay Ave., Burnaby. About 300 delegates, observers and staff are expected to attend.Convention delegates will debate resolutions ranging from internal union to political action and social justice issues.The convention will be called to order at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, April...

Subject: HSA Reacts to Government Announcement on Health WorkersThe Health Sciences Association says today's government announcement that it will expand a program to track health and safety incidents is not enough to ensure health care workers are safe in their workplaces."Today's announcement to complete a system to track health and safety incidents by computer is a fine project, but it...

Without an adequate supply of skilled health professionals to operate medical equipment, Canadians access to critical medical imaging technologies will continue to be hampered, says Cindy Stewart, Co-Chair of the Canadian Health Professionals Secretariat (CHPS) and President of the Health Sciences Association of BC (HSABC/NUPGE).Stewarts comments follow the release of a report today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information...

The Health Sciences Association of BC has donated $10,000 to Oxfam Canada's Tsunami Relief Fund to assist with relief efforts in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami that hit Southeast Asia on Boxing Day. The donation brings the total contribution of National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)-affiliated unions across Canada to date to almost $150,000."This donation is being...

The decision by the Fraser Health Authority to send patients to private MRI clinics shows that the BC government has failed to plan for long-term health care needs, says Cindy Stewart, President of the Health Sciences Association of BC.While Stewart acknowledges the health authority is trying to resolve an immediate problem, she says that a long-term strategy is required to...

NUPGE among groups defending public medicare at historic summitOttawa - Defenders of public medicare, including the National Union of Public and General Employees, and HSA President Cindy Stewart rallied Monday as Prime Minister Paul Martin and the first ministers began a three-day historic summit on the future of health care in Canada.Their message to the country's top leaders can be...

Ottawa - An organization representing 60,000 diagnostic, clinical, rehabilitation, pharmacy and other health science professionals today called on Canada's First Ministers to take immediate action to address the growing shortage of health professionals in Canada."The solution to reducing wait times begins with ensuring an adequate and stable supply of health professionals," says Cindy Stewart, Co-chair of the Canadian Health Professionals...

Most citizens disagree with Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's demand that Ottawa give provinces money with no strings attached Ottawa - On the eve of the First Ministers meeting on health care, a strong majority of Canadians in every region ... including Alberta ... disagree with Alberta premier Ralph Kleins opposition to conditions being imposed on new federal health care funding...