Q: What is the Lower Mainland Biomedical Engineering (LM BME) consolidation project?

The Canadian Labour Congress is giving away some great prizes to whoever comes up with the best ad about the basic unfairness that sees the tax burden shifted away from profitable corporations and onto ordinary working people as their governments cut services, eliminate programs and hike user fees to balance the books.

Clever, creative, ironic or with a sense of humour... whatever it takes. The best ad will be one that effectively shows why working Canadians should come together and demand a better deal.

Community Social Service workers are essential to building strong communities and making life better for families and individuals. Yet workers in this sector are often as invisible as the members of the society they support.

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has made a commitment to raise the profile of community social service workers.

Partners in the Horn of Africa is holding a fundraiser for -Hope for Children," Ethiopias leading charity improving the lives of women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. 

Date:    Thursday, November 17, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Place:    Vancouver Rowing Club, 450 Stanley Park Drive

Tickets:   $40.00

Guest Speaker: Yewoinshet Masresha  (6:30 p.m.)
Founder and Executive Director, Hope for Children, Ethiopia.  One of Africas most prominent feminists and an inspirational speaker.

Rallies, sit-ins, and occupations will be held in cities across the United States and Canada this Saturday in support of fair taxes.

In Vancouver, members of the labour movement will show our support by joining Occupy Vancouver events at 12:00 noon at the Vancouver Art Gallery with a march at 1:00 p.m. 

The B.C. Federation of Labour will gather at the Vancouver Art Gallery at 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 15, 2011 in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street Movements Call for good jobs, fair taxes and strong public services. 

HSA members are encouraged to support the BC Federation of Labour's show of solidarity.

More information: BC Fed News Release

www.occupyvancouver.com

HSA President Reid Johnson is not optimistic about media reports for a -new government mandate" for collective bargaining in 2012 after yesterdays Throne Speech from the BC government.

Hundreds of HSA members across the province participated in Sunday's Run for the Cure. HSA is a proud regional sponsor of the Run for the Cure. Send us your photos! If we use your photo on our website or in The Report magazine, we'll send you a gift package.

Send your photos to

Add your voice to the growing movement against the unfair server wage.

When Christy Clark increased the minimum wage, she included everyone but servers. It's not fair and it's open to abuse.

Under new legislation - restaurants can now pay servers less than minimum wage. 

When minimum wage is finally increased to $10.25 - servers will make $1.25 below the minimum wage.

HSAs board of directors has voted to support the relief efforts in the face of the severe drought in South Somalia, which has caused the deaths of tens of thousands, mostly children, and continues to affect over 10 million people.

The United Nations is currently mounting its largest relief effort ever to Eastern Africa in order to prevent the deaths of millions more.