News & Updates
Questions and answers about consolidation
December 1, 2010
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 conversion of casual hours into 22 cross-site positions, which will see a reduction in the use of casuals.
Consolidation of Lower Mainland medical imaging to begin in 2011
December 1, 2010
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.
Here's what you need to know about WorksafeBC
December 1, 2010
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 path less travelled
December 1, 2010
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 are trained to work as retail pharmacists," says Nguyen. -I was only introduced to hospital work in my final year of school; by then most students had signed contracts with retail outlets."
Uncovering the secrets of the heart
December 1, 2010
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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.
Surprise me
December 1, 2010
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 spend a further $2 billion of your money on a tax cut he hoped would restore his popularity. Not what youd expect from someone planning to step aside a few days later.
Municipal Election Issues & Campaign Strategies Workshop
November 30, 2010
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 can be applied to internal union campaigns, issue-based campaigns, and election campaigns.
Bargaining continues for Health Science Professionals contract
November 26, 2010
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.
Scholarships and bursaries available for HSA members and their families
November 25, 2010
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.
CML tentative agreement: Union board of directors recommends voting -yes"
November 23, 2010
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 gains in all five years of the agreement.
• January 1, 2011: