2014: News Archive

THE REPORT, OCTOBER 2014 As a member of HSA, you're practicing smart investment strategies every day. Every two weeks, you invest in your future through your pension plan. You're not spending that money on another latte. You do not have all your eggs in one basket. In fact, you have a diversified real estate portfolio – and it's a great...

BY DAVID DURNING, HSA OHS OFFICER HSA’s Occupational Health and Safety Conference held in June provided a great opportunity for OHS activists to connect with each other, share information and plan for the future. Keynote speakers Dr. Joti Samra and Al Bieksa contributed significantly to a two-day event designed to provide tools, resources and planning opportunities for nearly 100 HSA...

HSA REPORT OCTOBER 2014 My name is Mike Pond. I'm five years sober this week and your union helped save my life. When I received my Masters in Social Work in 1995, I thought my days as a psychiatric nurse were behind me. But life has a way of throwing us curve balls. After two decades of successfully helping clients...

Stewards play a vital role in the union. Particularly important is the steward's role in contract interpretation, organizing and the grievance procedure. In recognition of the need for educating new stewards in these areas, HSA is offering a 3-day Basic Steward Training workshop at the HSA office this fall: Dates: November 3, 4 and 5 Location: HSA Office, 300 –...

HSA President Val Avery at announcement with BC Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair and BCGEU President Stephanie Smith Health Sciences Association of BC has committed a $170,000 interest-free loan to the BC Teachers’ Federation to support teachers on strike for a better public education system for BC’s children. The loan is part of the $8 million pledged by BC’s...

BC public sector unions are sending a message to the Premier that they stand in solidarity with BC teachers and are urging her to accept the proposal for binding arbitration. “The Premier is attempting to use other settlements in the public sector to create a divide among workers in the province,” said Jim Sinclair, President of the B.C. Federation of...

During the last round of HSPBA/HEABC collective bargaining, the parties agreed to create a joint union/employer committee to identify and address recruitment and retention challenges in health science professions that are experiencing shortages, or other recruitment and retention issues. At its first meeting on June 13, 2014, the Committee agreed on a process to collect and share the data required...

Did you know that some health authority staff like youth counsellors are not allowed to text their patients? Is there any other way to communicate with a young person? That's just one of the eye-opening facts revealed by health science professionals working in BC's struggling mental health system. Hoping to make positive change and tell the story of from the...

Vancouver – A new Insights West poll commissioned by the B.C. Federation of Labour (BCFED) shows that parents support BC’s teachers 2-to-1 in the current dispute with the BC Liberal Government, and agree with teachers on key issues at the heart of the ongoing negotiations. “As we head into September, this poll clearly tells us that British Columbians are on...

Approaching retirement or want information about your pension plan? The Municipal Pension Plan is offering seminars this fall. The seminars Your Pension, Your Future(1½ hours), for new and mid-career plan members. Thinking About Retiring(2 hours), for members within five years of retirement. All plan members, including those receiving long-term disability benefits, are welcome. To view the schedule or register Go...