Nurses

Fraser Health Authority announced last week that it is reducing the number of Registered Psychiatric Nurses and RNs caring for seniors in residential care. FHA is laying off approximately a dozen Registered Psychiatric Nurses, among more than 100 nurses to be laid off in FHA-owned and -operated facilities. The FHA layoffs affect RPNs and RNs at these sites: • Maple...

(VANCOUVER) - Reid Johnson, President of the Health Sciences Association, and Debra McPherson, President of the BC Nurses Union, are calling on WorkSafe BC to immediately order VIHA to protect staff at Eric Martin Pavilion, the mental health facility at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. The demand for action follows a series of violent assaults on staff by a patient...

In 2009, the Nurses Bargaining Association launched the Retroactive Portability of Seniority Initiative. The most common reason for denial of claims was that nurses remained casual at the first work site, making them ineligible to port their seniority. Many of these nurses remained casual on the advice of union stewards and labour relations officers. Due to this fact, the NBA...

The Health Sciences Association of BC, the union that represents more 15,000 health science professionals who deliver the diagnostic, clinical and rehabilitation services in BCs hospitals and communities, is sounding the alarm about the provincial governments broken promise to protect health care services. In an intensive province-wide radio campaign, HSA blows the whistle on the cuts to health services...

Following the protocol issued by BCs Medical Health Officer, beginning next week health care workers will be offered vaccination against the H1N1 virus. This includes all HSA members who work with vulnerable populations. HSA encourages members to participate in the H1N1 vaccination program. When you receive your H1N1 vaccination, you will also be offered vaccination against seasonal flu. Members should...

Please be advised that Compass has now locked out union members working at retail food service locations in the Fraser Health Authority. While picket locations do not impede other union members from going to work, the B.C. Federation of Labour and the United Steelworkers Local 2009 are asking union members to not use any of these food services while management...

One-time only opportunity to apply for portability of previous seniority credits In early 2008, the Nurses Bargaining Association was able to bargain a modification to portability of seniority for employees covered by the nurses provincial collective agreement. HSA was at the table representing our registered psychiatric nurse members. The collective agreement will be modified so that regular employees will receive...

Health care workers providing direct care ... in the same room or in close contact ... to SRI patients are advised to wear properly fit-tested N-95 respirators The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is urging health care workers and members of the public to take note of concerns raised by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)...

Members of the Nurses' Bargaining Association, including registered psychiatric nurses who are members of the Health Sciences Association, have overwhelmingly ratified an extension of the provincial collective agreement. The overall margin was 96 per cent in favour. The retention and recruitment agreement provides labour market adjustments of three per cent on April 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011. These market...

Ambulance paramedics across B.C. will be in a legal strike position effective Wednesday, April 1, 2009. The members of CUPE 873 are going on strike to support their position at the bargaining table that would lead to wage equity with other emergency service workers. As part of the paramedics job action, picket lines may be erected at facilities where HSA...