Health Science Professionals

The deadline for expressions of interest to act as union representatives playing an active role in ensuring members realize the greatest benefit from the recently agreed to Enhanced Disability Management Program has been extended to June 30, 2011. The extension is as a result of the excellent response to the initial call for representatives, and several requests for opportunities to...

In the last contract talks, many health science professionals called attention to a serious issue: because of being required to be on call and work call-backs, staff are being forced to work with dangerously little rest between shifts. As part of the new collective agreement, the employer and unions committed to a working group to address these issues. The working...

In the recently negotiated collective agreement covering health science professionals working in hospitals and communities around the province, a $450,000 professional development fund was established for use by members over the term of the collective agreement.Following ratification of the agreement, a joint committee of the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) was established...

As of April 1, 2011, new language came into effect in the HSPBA and NBA collective agreements with respect to an Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) designed to facilitate an employee-centred, pro-active, appropriate and customized disability management program for employees with occupational and non-occupational illness/injury. As a workplace based program, successful implementation of the EDMP requires designated union representatives who...

On May 2nd, HSA members will help elect a new federal government. Members are encouraged to vote for candidates who support public services, and the people who deliver them. Election Day: Monday May 2Voting times: 7:00 am ... 7:00 pm (Pacific Time)7:30 am ... 7:30 pm (Mountain Time) Advance VotingYou may also vote on one of the following Advance Voting...

Consolidations: an overviewLast spring, Lower Mainland health employers issued a notice to HSA members working in diagnostic imaging: services throughout the Lower Mainland would be consolidated region-wide. The employers said their objective was to reduce the diagnostic imaging budget by 10 per cent. Employers have since announced plans to consolidate five other service areas, with the aim of cutting up...

Fraser Health Authority and union representatives are set to resume negotiations concerning the employers plans to consolidate hospital and community-based pharmacy services across the Lower Mainland. The discussions will focus on the development of a labour adjustment plan that deals with issues such as employment transfer and a consolidated seniority list for all pharmacists in the Lower Mainland.The consolidation plan...

Since January 10 of this year, the union has met with Providence on three occasions to negotiate a labour adjustment agreement. Three more meetings are scheduled. The intent of these meetings is to negotiate a labour adjustment agreement that mitigates the impacts of the employers proposed consolidation structure for our members working in Health Information Management. HSA is concerned that...

NEWS RELEASE: Yesterday, Royal Inland Hospital announced a radical cut in outpatient x-ray services, with no consultation with the community. The hospitals x-ray technologists are raising the alarm that Royal Inland Hospital is putting patient services at risk. -Royal Inland announced yesterday that starting Sunday, patients should no longer come to the hospital for routine outpatient x-rays," said Reid Johnson...

Members of the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association have voted to accept the terms of collective agreement terms reached in late December. -There is no question that the frustration felt by the bargaining committee, which was forced to deal with a government-imposed ‘net-zero mandate, was also felt by health science professionals who voted on the tentative agreement," said HSA President...