News & Updates

Amendments to BC paid sick leave end exclusion of some union workers Following a strong push by advocates for workers’ rights, including HSA, the BC government made changes to the Employment Standards Act effective Jan. 1, 2022 to provide five paid sick leave days for all working British Columbians. A feature in the legislation, however, excluded some workers covered by...

This year, HSA will be offering a video stream of the proceedings of Convention 2022 to allow all HSA members the opportunity to tune in to observe registered delegates debate resolutions forwarded from HSA chapters across the province, and set the union’s course for the coming year at the union’s 51st annual convention being held April 28-30 at the Hyatt...

HSA members have elected Heath McLeod to serve a two-year term on the union’s board of directors representing Region 8, which includes a number of worksites in Kelowna, Kamloops, and Thompson-Okanagan. A diagnostic medical sonographer at Penticton Regional Hospital, he has been active as an HSA steward since 2010, including the past seven years as chief steward. He has represented...

HSA members have elected Alexandra Thomson to serve a two-year term on the union’s board of directors representing Region 4, which includes a number of worksites in the Lower Mainland including Vancouver, UBC, and Richmond Hospitals, GF Strong, and Dogwood Lodge. A neurophysiology technologist at Vancouver General Hospital, Thomson has been active in the union and served in various union...

Communications and Conflict Resolution Workshop DATE: June 1, 2022 TIME: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm LOCATION: HSA Office - 180 East Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC Workshop Description: HSA is pleased to have Kerry Palmer facilitate this one-day course to assist members in their day-to-day interactions with their HSA colleagues and the patients/clients. Communication is the cornerstone of a healthy...

Sex Work and Human Trafficking An HSA Virtual Diversity Workshop HSA is pleased to offer this one-day virtual workshop facilitated by Kerry Porth and Alison Clancey from Living in Community. DATE: June 7, 2022 TIME: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm LOCATION: Virtual – WebEx details to follow Workshop Description: Curriculum for Change: Effectively Responding to the Needs of Sex Workers...

With HSA’s Annual Convention just over a month away, resolutions submitted by HSA chapters from around the province and reviewed and approved by the union’s Resolutions Committee are now available for review on the HSA website. Delegates elected to the in-person convention set for April 28-30 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver will receive a hard copy of the...

Date: May 26, 2022 Time: 9 am to 4:30 pm Location: HSA Office, 180 East Columbia Street, New Westminster Each year in Canada, one in five people will experience a mental health problem or illness. Over a lifetime that number increases to 1 in 3. The cost of mental health problems or illness costs our economy more than 51 billion...

Dates: May 9-10, 2022 Lo cation: HSA Office, 180 East Columbia Street, New Westminster Workshop participants will discuss: rights and responsibilities of safety stewards role of the Workers’ Compensation Board occupational health and safety regulations, policies and guidelines hazard identification incident investigations worksite inspections role of a steward/worker rep on the joint occupational health & safety committee violence in the...

Decolonization – Level 2 Communication and Land Acknowledgement An HSA Diversity Workshop HSA is pleased to offer one of two options for this workshop: DATES: Thursday, August 11, 2022 - Virtual via WebEx Tuesday, August 16, 2022 - In-person at HSA Office TIME: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm LOCATION: HSA Head Office – 180 East Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC...