News & Updates
2015 Basic Steward Training and Basic OH&S Steward Training
December 2, 2014
Stewards play a vital role in the union. Particularly important is the steward's role in contract interpretation, organizing and the grievance procedure. In recognition of the need for educating new stewards in these areas, HSA is offering four 3-day Basic Steward Training workshops at the HSA office as follows -
Dates:January 19 – 21, 2015February 2 – 4, 2015February 16 – 18, 2015March 23 – 25, 2015
Location: HSA Office, 180 East Columbia Street, New Westminster
Scholarships and bursaries available for HSA members and their families
December 2, 2014
HSA is offering scholarships and bursaries to all members and their children. Ten scholarships will be awarded for full-time studies, twenty bursaries for full-time studies and four bursaries for part-time studies. Two aboriginal scholarships will be awarded to aboriginal students in BC.
Staff profile: Alka Kundi, labour relations officer
December 1, 2014
HSA REPORT, DECEMBER 2014
Name: Alka Kundi.
Nickname in high school: Well, my name is Alka, so the nicknames should be obvious. Alkaseltzer, Alcoholic and Alkatraz. In retrospect, I'm not sure if these were nicknames or if people were just making fun of me, but oh well.
Job title and department: Labour Relations Officer, Servicing.
Ebola: members say we're still not ready
November 28, 2014
HSA REPORT, DECEMBER 2014
By David Durning, HSA Senior OHS Officer
Over the years, Canadian workers have fought for and gained important workplace health and safety rights.
The diligent exercise of these rights is proven to be the most effective way of ensuring workplace hazards are controlled.
These rights, enshrined in legislation and regulation, are:
Congratulations to new leadership at BC Federation of Labour
November 28, 2014
Delegates to the 56th convention of the BC Federation of Labour have elected Irene Lanzinger as President. She is the first woman to ever hold the position.
Lanzinger was the Federation's secretary-treasurer for the past four years and is a past president of the BC Teachers' Federation. She is a high school math and science teacher in Vancouver.
Aaron Ekman was elected to the position of Secretary-Treasurer.
Ekman is the founding president of the North Central Labour Council and is a staff person with the BCGEU.
Province declares start of flu season; mask or vaccination policy in effect
November 28, 2014
Effective December 1, British Columbia will be in flu season, and HSA members who work in patient care areas in hospitals (ie, where patients are or are likely to be present) are reminded to be vaccinated against influenza or, alternatively, wear a protective mask during flu season.
Paperwork isn't pointless
November 27, 2014
HSA REPORT, DECEMBER 2014
Nu Lu was frustrated.
Taking RT to the streets
November 26, 2014
HSA REPORT, DECEMBER 2014
Professional recognition days, weeks and months come and go.
Posters go up on bulletin boards, posts go up on social media sites. Maybe there’s cupcakes. It’s a great chance to educate and celebrate the work that makes our health care and community social service systems work, but it’s getting harder to break through the noise and distractions of modern life.
That’s why a group of respiratory therapists decided to do something a little different for October’s RT Week.
A new home, with room to grow
November 26, 2014
HSA REPORT, DECEMBER 2014
By Val Avery, President
HSA's first office was a little place on Kingsway.
As the number of members grew steadily, so did the need to find new space. We soon moved to an office on Hastings at Boundary, staying there until 1994, when we moved to Metrotown. Only a few years later, in 1998, we moved to the offices many of you know on Joyce Street.
Now, it's time to move again.
Dr. Danielle Martin in Vancouver this week
November 25, 2014
HSA members are encouraged to take advantage of 3 opportunities to hear Dr. Danielle Martin speak in Vancouver this week.