2009: News Archive

Members of the Nurses' Bargaining Association, including registered psychiatric nurses who are members of the Health Sciences Association, have overwhelmingly ratified an extension of the provincial collective agreement. The overall margin was 96 per cent in favour. The retention and recruitment agreement provides labour market adjustments of three per cent on April 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011. These market...

HSA President Reid Johnson will join with BC Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair and HEU members in a rally and march to support hospital housekeepers currently in contract discussions with their employers Aramark, Sodexo and Compass. HSA members are invited to demonstrate their support at the rally and march as follows: Date: Thursday, April 9th Time: 4 p.m....

The BC Health Coalition is urging the provincial government to investigate recent charges by a Kelowna surgeon that private surgical companies are illegally billing patients for publicly insured cataract surgeries across the province. In a March 24th letter to the Health Minister, Dr. Francois Theriault cited a BC College of Physicians and Surgeons report that 4,482 cataract extractions were performed...

The Report: April 2009 vol.30 num.1 ith the complicity and assistance of the provincial government, workers compensation in BC has been steadily eroded and curtailed. HSA sponsored a team of compensation experts to investigate reductions that have occurred between 2002 and 2008. Their report, soon to be published, revealed a need for immediate action. Why do elected Members of the...

The Report: April 2009 vol.30 num.1 I work in a transition house in a very small community. One of our clients has a partner who was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. He is now out on bail. He followed my co-worker to the local grocery store and said that if the client did not drop the assault charges...

The Report: April 2009 vol.30 num.1 by LAURA BUSHEIKIN fter more than 25 years as a registered psychiatric nurse, Val Barker is not shy about pointing out that her profession hasnt always got the respect it deserved. But shes even more keen to explain that things have improved for RPNs over the years ... thanks in part to decisive representation...

user The Report: April 2009 vol.30 num.1 by LAURA BUSHEIKIN he words Northern British Columbia conjure up images of vast, sparsely populated landscapes; long harsh winters of ice, snow, cold, and howling winds; isolated communities with few amenities; tough, self-reliant people; and a strong First Nations presence. For Sarah Moreau, a social worker at Prince George Regional Hospital (PGRH), these...

The Report: April 2009 vol.30 num.1 by REID JOHNSON ount me in. Three simple words that express the need to get involved. And the three simple words that the BC Federation of Labour has chosen as its slogan for an intensive campaign to encourage union members to get involved in this springs provincial election campaign. Whether its the 25,000 jobs...

HSA is one of several unions, community organizations, churches and others endorsing this weekend's Grand March For Housing organized by the Citywide Housing Coalition. March participants will send a message to candidates in the upcoming provincial election that ending homelessness is a key to developing healthy communities. Join the march this Saturday, April 4 at one of these starting points...

Ambulance paramedics across B.C. will be in a legal strike position effective Wednesday, April 1, 2009. The members of CUPE 873 are going on strike to support their position at the bargaining table that would lead to wage equity with other emergency service workers. As part of the paramedics job action, picket lines may be erected at facilities where HSA...