News & Updates

Frontline community social service workers and agencies help build safe, healthy, and caring communities across BC. During difficult periods, or when a crisis arises, community-based social services are available to help individuals and families deal with life's challenges.But chronic underfunding to BC's community social service agencies over the past decade has resulted in cuts to vital programs and services and...

The BC Liberal government still has the ability to prevent a crisis in our public education system; withdraw Bill 22 and return to the bargaining table without condition and with the help of a professional mediator. See full statement from BC Federation of Labour officers.

Bending over microscopes, scanning with an ultrasound transducer, positioning patients, entering patient data: health and community social service professionals are at high risk of repetitive strain injuries. On February 29 -- Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day ... HSA encourages you to assess your work station and environment, as well as your daily work flow and workload. Are you taking your...

HSA is proud to support Pink Shirt Day in BC on February 29, and encourages members to show our solidarity by wearing pink on Wednesday. The Pink Shirt Day initiative, originating in support for bullied youth, has grown to encompass concerns regarding violence in society as a whole. In particular, awareness is growing about bullying in workplaces. HSA advocates for...

On Thursday, February 23, Education Minister George Abbott announced he was instructing his staff to unilaterally draft legislation that would impose a contract on BCs teachers. This legislation is expected as early as Monday. Premier Clark claims that there is a crisis, that there is no way forward, and that legislation will end the dispute and restore normalcy to our...

Bargaining for a new collective agreement for BCs 17,000 health science professionals got underway today in Vancouver. HSA is the lead union in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association. (HSPBA) -Health science professionals are looking for fairness and respect: fair, respectful, and meaningful collective bargaining; and fair recognition of the role health science professionals play in the modern health care...

The Tyee Years at bottom of public sector pay built anger, a strike is likely, say union leaders. By Tom Sandborn, TheTyee.ca Rally in Victoria last spring: CUPE BC community social service workers sent message of resolve to BC Liberals in May. Community social services workers earn so little that one out of three "have to take extra jobs to...

Nanaimo News Bulletin Hospital pharmacists are worried patient health could be at risk as a result of wage rollbacks of up to 14 per cent, by creating more vacancies and heavier workloads. A wage increase initiated in 2006 will be eliminated March 31 when the contract expires between the Health Employers Association of B.C. and the Health Sciences Association of...

HSA and Interior Health Authority (IHA) have arrived at a Labour Adjustment Plan that reduces the negative impact on members caused by the IHAs wholesale restructuring of lab services. Under the restructured system, 52 members will be affected. There are 58 positions available for those members.Negotiated by HSA labour relations staff Dave Martin and Dan Parent, with input and consultation...

Daily Courier (Kelowna / Vernon) On Jan. 6, the Health Employers Association of B.C. suddenly announced a unilateral 9-14 per cent wage rollback for B.C.'s hospital pharmacists. The rollback is certain to aggravate an ongoing staffing shortage in B.C.'s hospital pharmacies, putting all British Columbians at risk. For years, hospitals across B.C. have been suffering critical recruitment and retention problems...