HSA Political Action Fund support for upcoming local government elections

HSA members throughout the province who are running for office or working in BC’s upcoming local government elections may apply for financial support from HSA’s Political Action Fund as follows:
 
1. Members who are candidates may apply for up to 10 days of wage replacement and/or up to $200 to cover approved personal expenses incurred to run for office. 
 
2. Members who are working on a civic election campaign may apply for up to 2 days of wage replacement or banked time, but must confirm that they are donating at least 20 hours of their own unpaid time to work on the campaign.  One day may be used for campaign work on Election Day (Saturday November 15, 2014). Additional paid time may be approved by HSA’s Political Action Committee, for members in key campaign positions. 
 
Members may apply for support if they are running for, or working on campaigns to elect, any of the following positions: 
          1)       mayor
          2)       councillor
          3)       Board of Education trustee (school trustee)
          4)       regional district electoral area director
          5)       Islands Trust trustee or
          6)       elected park board commissioner.
 
Criteria
                                                                                                        
HSA is not affiliated with any political party.  HSA provides financial support to members to run for office or work on election campaigns, only where the candidate and the party or slate with which the candidate is running (if any) demonstrate support for all of the following:
 
a)       a positive role for the public sector
b)       the principles of the Canada Health Act
c)       free collective bargaining for public sector employees and
d)       progressive occupational health and safety legislation.
 
Training
 
Support is also available to assist members to attend training to equip them to run for office or work on election campaigns.  Please contact Carol Riviere at the HSA office for information about applying for this support.
 
Applications
 
Members applying for support to run or work in a local government election must complete this application and send their completed application to Carol Riviere at the HSA office. 
 
Members are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be considered in the order they are received, while funding remains available.  Early application may also assist members approved for leave to schedule this time off work. 
 
For further information, please contact HSA Communications Officer, Carol Riviere at @email.