2010: News Archive

The Report: December 2010 vol.31 num.6 How are HSA members jobs being affected by the amalgamation? In total, approximately 80 positions throughout the Lower Mainland have been affected. The restructuring will result in an overall reduction of 40 supervisory positions. In addition, the opening of the Surrey Outpatient Centre will result in 30 new positions. The Employer is pursuing the...

The Report: December 2010 vol.31 num.6 HSA NEGOTIATES AGREEMENT ALLOWING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WITHOUT LAYOFFS EARLIER THIS YEAR, when Lower Mainland health authorities announced their intentions to consolidate medical imaging services, the potential for signficant layoffs and disruption in patient services was a major concern. -We wanted to protect our members and maintain quality services for our patients," said HSA President...

0 The Report: December 2010 vol.31 num.6 TILLY HISCOCK TAKES CARE OF HEARTS ... both literally and metaphorically. As a Pacemaker Technologist at Burnaby Hospital, she sees patients once or twice a year to make sure their pacemakers are functioning properly. So in a way, her job revolves around this life-saving battery-operated biomedical device that keeps hearts beating steadily. But...

The Report: December 2010 vol.31 num.6 LIKE MOST BRITISH COLUMBIANS, I was both surprised, and not surprised, by Gordon Campbells resignation. Surprised by the exact timing; only a week earlier. Mr. Campbell had re-arranged his cabinet, hired a new chief of staff and press secretary, and spent $250,000 of your money on a prime-time TV broadcast announcing he planned to...

The Report: December 2010 vol.31 num.6 WHEN TRINA NGUYEN ACCEPTED A POSITION as pharmacist at Surrey Memorial Hospital in 2006, she was definitely choosing the path less travelled ... at least, less travelled by recent graduates of university pharmacy programs. -Less than 10 per cent of pharmacy graduates go into hospitals. We are not trained for this in school; we...

The Report: December 2010 vol.31 num.6 DELEGATES TO THE 2010 HSA CONVENTION in Vancouver asked a number of questions about WorksafeBC. What are the most common injuries for HSA members and are we reducing the number of time loss incidents? The most common injuries are repetitive strain and injuries related to lifting or positing patients and clients. In most work...

HSA is offering Political Action Fund support for members to attend a Municipal Election Issues & Campaign Strategies workshop being offered by the Canadian Labour Congress. Dates: January 16-21, 2011Location: CLC Winter School, Harrison Hot Springs This workshop will discuss basic campaign fundamentals, messaging and communications, campaign tactics, media relations, and the process of creating a campaign plan. These skills...

The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association continues to meet with the Health Employers Association of BC to negotiate a new collective agreement. Two weeks ago, the union association served notice to the employer that a concessionary package is completely unacceptable to health science professionals. In the ensuing two weeks, discussions have continued. The unions are optimistic that HEABC and the...

HSA is offering scholarships and bursaries to all members and their children. We will be awarding ten scholarships for full-time studies, twenty bursaries for full-time studies, four bursaries for part-time studies, and two aboriginal scholarships. The criteria and details are set out on the application forms. To obtain a copy please see the HSA website. Completed application forms and transcripts...

HSAs bargaining team for CML Healthcare employees has reached a tentative agreement on a new contract providing significant gains. The union represents approximately 200 CML members on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. The unions board of directors is recommending acceptance of the agreement. Wage increasesThe contract commences January 1, 2011, and expires December 31, 2015. The contract contains significant...