The Report

The Report: August / September 2000 vol.21 num.4 by JUDITH McCORMACK When an employee believes she has been unjustly disciplined, and the grievance is not resolved, who decides if the grievance gets referred to arbitration? What are some of the considerations? The daily diet of a union representative often includes deciding whether discipline grievances should be carried through to arbitration...

The Report: August / September 2000 vol.21 num.4 by DAN KEETON You might say that Karin Cleven takes her work home with her. After a busy day as a supervisor at SHARE Family & Community Services Society, Cleven plows her energies into securing permanent funding for individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome and their families. Clevens experience in counselling sparked her...

The Report: August / September 2000 vol.21 num.4 by YUKIE KURAHASHI Its time that health professionals in therapy, counselling, and rehabilitation receive recognition for the skills, training and expertise that they bring to their jobs. This expertise can often makes a real difference with respect to health outcomes and a patients quality of life. Thats the message HSA is sending...

The Report: August / September 2000 vol.21 num.4 by YUKIE KURAHASHI How far would you go to help cure lung diseases? How about 5000 kilometres, across North America? On a bike? Thats what Recreation Therapist Cindy Bouvet is doing right now, as this magazine goes to press. She is taking part in The Big Ride Across America, joining a group...

The Report: August / September 2000 vol.21 num.4 by YUKIE KURAHASHI When the Salvation Army decided to close Wiseman House last fall, HSA members acted quickly to secure assurances that the program would stay open until the spring. Labour Relations Officer Josef Rieder said this allowed the program to continue for a while, and also allowed our members to explore...

The Report: August / September 2000 vol.21 num.4 by YUKIE KURAHASHI Administrative SecretariesWithout the Administrative Secretaries, the HSA office would likely grind to a halt. Their daily efforts facilitate the work of the labour relations staff, and HSA members enjoy the result: consistent, quality service. Each of HSAs Administrative Secretaries balances a variety of duties, and supports the work of...

The Report: August / September 2000 vol.21 num.4 by CINDY STEWART The shortage of health professionals has reached a crisis point in many BC communities. This problem was recently highlighted in Prince Goerge where physicians and specialists have sounded the alarm about shortages in their field. However, as HSA members know, the problems are beyond the narrow perspective of any...

The Report: June / July 2000 vol.21 num.3 by RACHEL NOTLEY The Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare has approved $10,000 for HSA to continue research relating to on-call work. Last fall, HSA retained a PhD candidate from UBC to conduct a literature search on the issue of on-call work. Her findings showed that there were a variety of...

The Report: June / July 2000 vol.21 num.3 HSA Classifications staff are responsible for the myriad issues that flow from negotiating, implementing, and administrating the classifications systems of four master collective agreements: the Paramedical Professional Collective Agreement, the Nurses Collective Agreement, the Health Services and Support Community Subsector Agreement, and the Community Social Services Collective Agreement. The area has three...

The Report: June / July 2000 vol.21 num.3 Typically, when a dispute arises in the workplace, HSAs stewards are able to resolve the issue, either through discussion or through filing a grievance. Sometimes, in the case of a particularly difficult situation or one that involves regional issues, the steward consults a labour relations officer, who then works with the steward...