News & Updates

The Report: February / March 1999 vol.19 num.6 A group of national and community organizations released an AlternativeFederal Budget in late January that says vital measures are needed to resuscitateCanadas ailing health care system and improve the social and economic well-being ofCanadians. -Thirty years after Canadians built a publicly-funded, universalhealth care system, Medicare is in crisis," said Pat Armstrong, Director...

The Report: February / March 1999 vol.19 num.6 EDITOR'S NOTE: We are departing from our usual format this issue toreprint an article by Judith McCormack, the former chair of the Ontario Labour RelationsBoard, and a lawyer with Sack Goldblatt Mitchell in Toronto. Within the HSA membership a great many grievances arise out ofreorganizational initiatives taken by the employer or the...

British Columbia's 10,000 paramedical professionals will be urged to vote in favour of Mediator Brian Foley's report recommending terms of settlement for a collective agreement between the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association and the Health Employers' Association of BC.Cindy Stewart, President of the Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA) which represents approximately 90 per cent of paramedical professionals, says the bargaining...

Mediator Brian Foley has advised the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association that his report recommending terms of settlement for a collective agreement will not be released this afternoon as planned. Mr. Foley will release his report in one week, on Wednesday, January 27.In a letter to the unions and employers, Mr. Foley said that he requires more time to give due...

The Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association announced this afternoon that they will return to the bargaining table Friday, January 15. The announcement came in response to a request by Labour Minister Dale Lovick that the unions and employers return the table with Mediator Brian Foley."We have agreed to continue mediated talks," said Cindy Stewart, President of the Health Sciences Association of...

Paramedical professionals to begin job action Monday, January 11Mediated talks between the Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association and the Health Employers' Association of BC broke down this afternoon after the employer presented a revised proposal that fails to address the unions' key bargaining issues and still contains significant concession demands.More than 10,000 paramedical professionals will begin job action on Monday, January...

Unions say mediation has been a "complete waste of time"The Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association today announced that it will issue 72-hour strike notice to the Health Employers' Association of BC on Tuesday, January 5. Cindy Stewart, President of the Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA), says HEABC's intransigence at the bargaining table leaves the unions with no other choice."Our bargaining...

The Report: January 1999 vol.19 num.5 by CINDY STEWART The recent job action taken by HSA paramedical professionals clearlygave our bargaining team the momentum we needed to get a fair collective agreement. Byputting pressure on health employers, we were able to get the provincial governmentinvolved in our negotiations, forcing HEABC to address our issues seriously. But our job action strategy...

The Report: January 1999 vol.19 num.5 by JACKIE SPAIN About two years ago I was in the process of deciding whether I had theright skill set ... and indeed the determination, motivation and conviction ... tohold the position of HSA Regional Director for Region 9 (Kootenays). I was also at the point that I knew it was time to embark...

The Report: January 1999 vol.19 num.5 Welcome to new members at the Central Okanagan Child Development Association HSA extends a warm welcome to 63 new members at the Central OkanaganChild Development Association in Kelowna. Our new members at COCDA include physiotherapists, occupationaltherapists, speech / language pathologists, infant development consultants, preschoolteachers, clerical workers, and supported child care workers. The employer at...