News & Updates

BL10050 The BC Labour Relations Board has ruled that two hundred Biomedical Engineering Technologists working in BC hospitals are appropriately represented by HSA.This follows a previous ruling by the LRB that designated Biomedical Engineering Technologists as paramedical professionals, but did not resolve the issue of union representation. HSA holds the paramedical professional certification at all of the hospitals where Biomedical...

EB05-08 Last chance to apply for fundingParamedical Bargaining Association members are eligible to apply for Education Leave Funding.The one million dollar Education Leave Fund, a provision of the 2001 - 2004 Paramedical Professional Collective Agreement, provided financial assistance to health science professionals to attend educational programs for professional advancement and career enhancement. This was one-time funding and insufficient funds remain...

Front-line providers not allowed to tellThe gag order on front-line health care workers at St. Pauls Hospital is not an isolated case, says Health Sciences Association President Cindy Stewart.-Health care providers are afraid to speak out about the deteriorating conditions in the health care system. Conditions for patients are getting worse, and the health care professionals are under a gag...

An agency of the United Nations has again condemned the Campbell Liberal government for violating workers human rights by contravening international labour standards that Canadian governments are supposed to uphold.In a highly critical report released recently, the International Labour Organization(ILO) uses blunt language to condemn the BC government for clear violations offreedom of association principles. It also put pressure on...

Delegates to the 34 th annual convention of the Health Sciences Association of BC have re-elected Cindy Stewart, a physiotherapist from Vernon, as their president for another two years. Stewart defeated challenger Derrick Hoyt, a lab technologist from Victoria.Stewart has been President of HSA since 1993. The union represents more than 12,000 health care and social services professional across BC...

Burnaby, April 8-9, 2005The Health Sciences Association of BC will hold its annual convention at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, 6083 McKay Ave., Burnaby. About 300 delegates, observers and staff are expected to attend.Convention delegates will debate resolutions ranging from internal union to political action and social justice issues.The convention will be called to order at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, April...

The Report: April / May 2005 vol.26 num.2 by CINDY STEWART he statistics are staggering. In Canada, on average, 900 workers die at work every year. Thats more than two deaths every day. Usually, its a number you read in the newspaper, or a story you hear on the radio on your way to work. But for HSA members earlier...

The Report: April / May 2005 vol.26 num.2 by KATHY McLENNAN I work in a position covered by the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association collective agreement. My employer told me that my union has approved the job description for my position and the salary structure has been established for it. I think my position is not properly classified. What can I...

The Report: April / May 2005 vol.26 num.2 by CAROLE PEARSON ix years in Brazil taught me a lot," says Jenny Stevens, a retired Mission physiotherapist. -It gave me insight into how wrong a health program can go, particularly when its multilayered as that one was." She is alarmed to see BCs health care system heading along a similar route...

The Report: April / May 2005 vol.26 num.2 by DAN KEETON hen you look around the health care field, youd be hard pressed to find a more specialized combination of skills than that held by Gerald Yu, a Health Records Administrator who oversees the collection and management of clinical data for the Fraser Health Authority. Gerald Yu Health Records Administrator...