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HSA Convention 2023 Report
More than 300 delegates gathered in Vancouver to set the union’s course for the coming year at HSA’s 52nd annual convention this past spring.
Prior to adjournment of the HSA Annual Convention on April 21, 2023, delegates referred a number of resolutions to the Board of Directors for consideration at the board’s first regular meeting following convention, which was held June 14 and 15, and continued on July 7, 2023
In addition to debating resolutions submitted by chapters from around the province, delegates heard from guest speakers who addressed a range of issues important to the work of union members.
Resolutions
This year, 167 resolutions were submitted from chapters and union committees. 18 were deemed out of order as they did not meet the criteria as defined by policy. The committee amalgamated nine into two composite resolutions, and identified a number of duplicated resolutions. Three extraordinary resolutions were also brought forward by delegates. In total, 129 resolutions were on the agenda for the convention delegates to debate.
During the convention, delegates voted to support 54 resolutions, and defeat 14. 61 did not make it to a vote by delegates and were referred to the Board of Directors for decision.
The Board of Directors met over three days in June and July and voted on each of the referred resolutions. Board members were informed by the committee’s rationales, feedback from delegates, and perspectives raised in the course of the board’s own discussion of each of the resolutions.
A report on the progress of the union’s work on resolutions approved by delegates will be made available in early 2024.
Some resolutions of interest to members include:
- a change to the constitution to limit the term of office for Board of Directors to three two-year terms;
- the creation of a Young Workers’ Committee;
- a number of recommendations related to continuing activist education;
- direction to review the union’s practice of collecting dues on overtime earnings; and
- a resolution calling for a change to the union’s constitution to change from a delegated election of the President to an at-large election, giving every member an opportunity to vote for President. This resolution, which also called for electronic voting to facilitate voting by all members in the election of President, will be considered by the union’s Constitution and Policy Committee to put forward constitutional changes for delegates to the 2024 convention to vote on.
Guest Speakers
Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress, Bert Blundon, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees, and Hermender Singh Kailley, Secretary-Treasurer of the BC Federation of Labour each brought greetings to the delegates and discussed the need for continued solidarity across around the world, across the country, and locally to continue to press for income fairness, equity rights, social equality, and workers’ rights – including the need to address climate change.
Dorothy Cucw-la7 Christian, Associate Director of Indigenous Policy and Pedagogy at Simon Fraser University, gave a moving presentation focused on the experience of Indigenous Peoples and the responsibility of all of society to actively listen to the stories of Indigenous Peoples. She spoke to the violence committed against Indigenous communities, in particular to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit Peoples and the importance of moving to concrete action and change.
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Hon. Adrian Dix, the province’s Minister of Health, spoke to delegates about the government’s recognition of the crisis in staffing in health care and social services, and about a comprehensive health human resources strategy to make up ground in the aftermath of previous governments’ failure to look ahead and prepare for the health care needs of British Columbians in the 2020s. Minister Dix also generously extended his time at convention to hear from delegates about frustrations related to employer delay in paying retroactive wages and improved wages which were ratified in December 2022. Delegates had opportunity to speak directly to the minister about the delays, and he committed to make it a priority to address the delays by employers.
Delegates also heard from Hon. Jennifer Whiteside, BC’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions on the province’s efforts on addressing the poisoned drug emergency, and Hon. Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, who spoke to the work of the provincial government on labour issues, including the introduction of single-step union certification, which makes it easier to join a union without employer interference.
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Convention delegates honoured Marg Beddis, a fierce advocate for occupational health and safety, in awarding her posthumously the David Bland Award, given annually to recognize HSA members who have championed a local occupational health and safety issue, with their leadership making a difference in the lives of their colleagues.
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Beddis, who died in September after a short illness, was a dietitian at the Jim Pattison Surgical Outpatient Centre in Surrey, and a long-time activist and advocate for Health and Safety, locally, regionally, and provincially.
When she became ill, she was an OHS steward at her worksite, as a member of the Fraser Health regional violence prevention committee, co-chair of the Fraser Health Psychological Health and Safety Committee, and a member-at-large representing Region 7 on HSA’s provincial OHS Committee. She also served as a Constituency Liaison, raising awareness about HSA and it’s members issues with her local MLA.
At the local level Marg was a champion for many OHS causes over the years.
Marg led the fight to allow HSA members time off for JOHS committee duties. She was instrumental in forcing the employer to change practice and implement proper PPE for workers in the sterile processing department and continued that work to achieve improved ventilation for these workers.
When the new outpatient facility opened, Marg, a charter member of the JOHS committee, immediately recognized ergonomic issues caused by computers that were resulting in significant number of wrist injuries. Through Marg’s efforts workstations were modified and corrected, eliminating the hazards.
Marg was dedicated to the occupational health and safety of her HSA colleagues, and indeed all workers. She served to mentor, to educate, and to lead.
She was also a strong proponent of continuing education – be it professional development, education and learning about political and social issues, or personal development.
She understood that, fundamentally, change and progress is not possible without curiosity and education.
To mark her many contributions to the union, President Kane Tse announced that in addition to recognizing her contributions to Occupational Health and Safety by naming her this year’s recipient of the David Bland Award, HSA’s Board of Directors established the Marg Beddis Scholarship to support a member to participate in OHS or political action programming at the annual CLC week-long winter school. Marg’s partner, Paul Dayfoot, was in attendance and thanked delegates for their recognition Marg’s contributions to HSA.
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Elections
Two elections were conducted during convention.
The first was for President. Incumbent Kane Tse, first elected in 2021, was challenged by Region 4 member Hannah Allen, who was nominated from the floor of convention. Tse was elected by a vote of 269 to 97.
An election was also held for members of the Trial Committee, which adjudicates internal disputes between members brought against as defined by the provisions of the Complaints and Disputes Resolution procedure of the HSA Constitution.
Members elected to the trial committee are:
- Mark Tazumi, Region 1
- Freda Otieno, Region 9
- Jeff Lee, Region 4
- Candis Johnson, Region 10
- Allen Peters, Region 8
- Laura Greenwood, Region 4
- Lola Saidmuradova, Region 3
Convention 2023 opened with an appeal of decisions of the union’s Trial Committee to impose sanctions on two members. The complaints were heard by the Trial Committee in 2022, and, as provided for under Article 15 of the HSA Constitution, those members had an opportunity to appeal the decisions of the Trial Committee to the Convention. The members both appealed. At the convention, the Trial Committee presented its position on both decisions. The members who had appealed the decision of the committee declined to participate in the process at convention.
Delegates voted to uphold the sanctions imposed by the Trial Committee, which are:
- Jas Giddha of Surrey is prohibited from holding any elected or appointed position within the union for a period of 6 years, ending December 29, 2028.
- Joseph Sebastian of Vancouver is prohibited from holding any elected or appointed position within the union for a period of 10 years, ending July 11, 2032.
Convention entertainment advisory group to be struck
The return to an in-person convention was an opportunity for members from across the province to reconnect while doing union business, and to enjoy time together. An evening banquet brought together members in a social setting. During the evening, a complaint was made about an entertainer’s material, which exposed some areas for improvement in the union’s process for responding to issues of concern that arise outside of the regular business of convention.
President Kane Tse apologized to convention delegates for the content, some of which was racist and disrespectful, and undertook to strike a working group comprised of members to provide input on entertainment for future social events at HSA conventions.
In addition, following convention, he met with the members who raised concerns during the event to address the frustrations they experienced in attempting to address their complaint that evening, and committed to a review of the union’s ombudsperson policy and practice, which is underway.