News & Updates

The Report: April 2010 vol.31 num.2 BY LAURA BUSHEIKIN SHEILA KERR DIDNT NEED the services of a career counsellor to choose her professional path. In fact, she never even had time to wonder what she wanted to be when she grew up. At the age of 14, her life experience led her to a volunteer position at the Living Positive...

The Report: April 2010 vol.31 num.2 BY CAROL RIVIERE DO BCS POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ANY IDEA who HSA is and what we do? Will they weigh our concerns in balance with those of many other groups who vie for the attention and support of the MLAs who craft the laws we all live by? Thanks to a dedicated group of...

The Report: April 2010 vol.31 num.2 BY CAROLE RIVIERE MORE THAN A THIRD of Canadian seniors receiving public pensions live on less than $11,000 a year: well below the poverty line. HSA member Brigid Kemp has first-hand knowledge about the hardship represented by this number and the urgent need for pension reform. She has worked for several years with the...

The Report: April 2010 vol.31 num.2 ITS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THE BC GOVERNMENT WON AN ELECTION PROMISING TO PROTECT HEALTH CARE. INSTEAD, THEY MADE $360 MILLION IN CUTS. HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE CUTS ANNOUNCED TO DATE, AND THERE IS STILL MORE TO COME. MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS cut funding for Atlas Youth Supported Recovery in Terrace...

HSA members who work in a supervisory role will have the opportunity to attend a one-day workshop in Vancouver at the HSA office. Monday, May 31, 2010 Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Supervisors have particular concerns and needs and sometimes feel -caught in the middle". One of the goals of the "Supervisors in the Union" workshop is to resolve apparent conflicts...

HSA members in Region 6 have elected Anita Bardal, a medical radiation technologist at St. Pauls Hospital, as their representative on the unions Board of Directors. The other candidates for election were James Lyons, a medical radiation technologist at Mount St. Joseph Hospital, and Mo Norton, a program support clerk at North Shore Community Health Services.Anita has been an HSA...

No new contractHSA has learned that members may be hearing rumours that a tentative collective agreement has been reached between the unions and employers in the community social services sector. -These are just rumours," said HSA President Reid Johnson. -Last fall, negotiations were undertaken, but the talks collapsed December 17. While there have been informal discussions, there is no bargaining...

On June 4, 2010 WorkSafeBC's Health Care Services is hosting the 6th Annual Health Care Professional Conference at the West building of the new Vancouver Convention Centre — one of the citys most breathtaking venues. The conference, geared towards clinical and physical rehabilitation providers, as well as other health care professionals, promises a full day of top-notch presentations by field...

Reminder for Victoria-area members: Members on the island are invited to participate in the -Walk for Community Social Services" planned for Victoria on March 27. The walk celebrates the vital role of community social services. City: Victoria, BC Date: Saturday, March 27 Time: Gather at Centennial Square at 10:30am; wrap-up BBQ at noon A poster and pre-registration information are attached...

OHSAH to Publish Research on Nurses Working Overtime A new OHSAH study, led by the Statistics and Evaluations team's Occupational Hygienist Sharla Drebit, shows that full time Registered Nurses are working an increasing amount of overtime hours each year. The highest number of these hours are in the Emergency, Intensive Care and General Medical departments which are therefore contributing the...