News & Updates

BC teachers will conduct rotating strikes beginning next week to back demands for a fair contract that puts students first. The union has provided advance notice of their picket action in order to ensure parents are able to make alternative arrangements. For information about the picketing in your school district, see here: http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/Parents/RotatingStrikesMessageT… HSA members who encounter a picket line...

In this issue: Reminder - HSA OH&S Conference – June 16-17, 2014 BC health employers ’application to reduce frequency of N95 respirator fit-testing is denied Domestic violence survey: Can Work Be Safe When Home Isn’t? Have you recently evaluated the effectiveness of your JOHS committee? BC Injured Workers Forum – Working Together for Full Compensation. Have you been exposed to...

Unions are about more than decent jobs for workers. The labour movement also works to make workplaces safe for everyone. Yet, each year thousands of Canadians are killed or injured on the job or die from work-related diseases. In 2012, 979 Canadians died because of their work, but we know the numbers are higher because official figures only capture those...

Safety Week this year is from May 4 to 10. HSA chapters are encouraged to organize or participate in Safety Week activities planned for your sites. These events are usually organized by the facility Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees and provide a great opportunity to profile the role of your Committee in your workplace. There are many resources available...

This conference is open to any HSA member representing the union on a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee. Wage loss, travel and hotel costs will be covered according to HSA policies. On-line registration is open until midnight, Sunday, May 25 The proposed agenda is as follows: DAY 1: Monday, June 16th 8:30 a.m. Registration, Coffee and Pastries9:00 a.m. Conference...

HSA will be at the bargaining table May 15 to represent the interests of registered psychiatric nurses as the Nurses Bargaining Association kicks off contract talks. HSA will be represented at the table by Larry Bryan, an RPN at Haro Park Centre and a member of the Provincial Occupational Health, Safety and Violence Prevention Committee, and a member of the...

Delegates to HSA’s 43nd annual convention this past weekend elected Val Avery as president, and debated resolutions that continue building on the union’s founding. In her report to delegates, Avery ,a physiotherapist at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, said HSA members have an opportunity to regroup, build on the union’s capacity, and connect with members in their worksites. Avery first...

Work needed to complete files to include in expedited hearing process Employers who failed to follow a fair and negotiated process for a transition to the 37.5 hour work week will have to start over, thanks to a decision by arbitrators Vince Ready and Corinn Bell.A feature of the 2012 – 2014 negotiated collective agreements covering health care workers, including...

July 8 - 12, 2014U niversity of Victoria, Victoria, BC Together Women Win The Summer Institute for Union Women (SIUW) is a 4-day residential school designed to empower women as leaders in the labour movement through participatory education and community-building. See the BC Federation of Labour's website on the SIUW here for details of the program: http://siuw-2014.com/ The Western Regional...

Across Canada, April 28 has been designated the Day of Mourning, a time when workers, families, employers and others come together to remember those who have lost their lives to work-related incidents or occupational diseases. Please refer to this calendar for a complete list of Day of Mourning events around the province. The B.C. Federation of Labour, the New Westminster...