2015: News Archive

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2015 BY LAURA BUSHEIKIN "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." This quote by anthropologist Margaret Mead nicely sums up the motivation social worker Easter Tocol brings to her work with the HSA constituency liaison program. This program trains and...

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2015 HSA health science professionals dominated the field at the 2015 Providence Health Care research challenge The research challenge, now in its fifth year, supports evidence-based innovation to improve patient care. It provides point of care health care workers with no formal research experience an opportunity to conduct research to inform their work in patient care...

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2015 BY DENNIS BLATCHFORD, HSA PENSIONS AND BENEFITS ADVOCATE Q: I took a maternity leave in 2014. When I received my annual member benefit statement from the Municipal Pension Plan in June, I noticed there were no contributions made to my pension account even though the collective agreement says the employer will continue to make payments...

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2015 BY DAVID DURNING, HSA OHS OFFICER Recent amendments to the Workers Compensation Act are meant to improve workplace health and safety and to provide stronger tools to WorkSafeBC officers for enforcing the Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. Bill 9 received Royal Assent on May 14, 2015 and makes a number of changes...

Earlier this summer, unions belonging to the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association reached a settlement agreement in principle with respect to outstanding grievances about 37.5 hour work week process at Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. As a result of this agreement in principle, schedules will not change, but grievors will receive one of two different possible settlements: A bank of three...

Celebrate Labour Day in your community Campbell River Courtenay DLC PicnicHalbe Hall8369 North Island HwyBlack Creek BCMonday, September 712:00 noon - 4:00 pmContact: Campbell River Courtenay DLC250-287-3854 East Kootenay DLC PicnicRotary ParkCranbrook BCMonday, September 711:00 am - 4:00 pmContact: East Kootenay DLC250-426-2670 @email Fraser Valley LC and United Way PicnicMill Lake Park(Bevan Street Entrance)Abbotsford BCMonday, September 711:00 am - 2:30...

HSA RPNs are encouraged to register for an upcoming one-day conference on violence in the health care sector September 16 presented by ProActive ReSolutions and WorkSafeBC.The conference, to be held in Vancouver at SFU – Harbour Centre, will focus on strengthening understanding of warning signs and risk factors for a wide range of violent behavior, and learning about best practices...

On Sunday, October 4th, HSA members will once again participate in the 2015 Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Run for the Cure and we encourage you to join an HSA team today by clicking on the link below. Eighty-five per cent of HSA members are women and thousands of HSA members play a role in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of...

Just last week we were alerted to another instance of violence in the workplace. Another RPN was assaulted on the job. These situations are all too common. But violence in the workplace does not need to be inevitable. We know that workplace violence can be prevented with proper planning, protocols and procedures that involve meaningful input from frontline health care...

Over the last month the employer and HSA, on behalf of the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA), have met with members at the PHSA lab sites to review the employer’s draft organizational chart and to discuss the impact on members of the PHSA lab redesign. The union and the employer have encouraged employees to provide written comments and concerns...