Call for Nominations: At-Large Stewards for HSA RPNs

Nominations are now being accepted for steward-at-large to support HSA members covered by the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) collective agreement.

Under the terms of a memorandum of agreement for a pilot project reached between the bargaining association (NBA) and Health Employers’ Association of BC (HEABC), HSA is entitled to a total 1.0 FTE of steward-at-large steward representation for HSA members covered by the collective agreement.

Under the agreement, the elected steward-at-large must maintain at least a 0.2 FTE in their regular nursing position and provide steward support to members throughout their health authority, not just their home worksite.

Nominations are being accepted for three designated steward-at-large positions in the new year.

• Fraser Health Authority: 0.6 FTE
• Providence Health Care: 0.2FTE
• Vancouver Coastal Health Authority - 0.2 FTE

Any HSA member covered by the NBA collective agreement is eligible to run for the position. NBA steward-at-large will be compensated by the employer at their regular rate of pay.

HSA’s Board of Directors passed a motion November 16, 2023 to approve the steward-at-large structure, which is not contemplated in the union’s constitution.

Steward-at-large stewards do not attract HSA constitutional rights afforded to lead stewards, including, but not limited to, automatic delegate status at HSA convention. A designated NBA steward-at-large is encouraged to seek election as a delegate to the union’s annual convention through their local chapter delegate elections. Local chapter is defined as the worksite chapter in which they are employed.

Steward-at-large stewards will be elected in an online at-large election. HSA members covered by the NBA collective agreement are entitled to vote in the election for steward-at-large in the health authority where they work. If they work in more than one health authority, they are entitled to vote in each election. These same voters have the right of recall of the steward-at-large as outlined in Article 12, Section 3 of the HSA Constitution.

Deadline for nominations is Friday, January 26 at 5 p.m.