Rescheduled HSA Annual Convention headlines a busy fall of union activity and education

As the summer of 2020 wraps up, the union is gearing up for a busy fall of union meetings and education opportunities for members
 
The union’s 49^th annual convention, postponed from April 2-3 because of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been rescheduled to November 16-17. It will be conducted online.
 

HSA’s annual fall regional meetings have been scheduled for September and October 2020. Regional meetings are an excellent forum for HSA members to review the issues and activities of the past year, and discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

All meetings will be held online. Participants will be required to join meetings through a virtual platform.

While the meetings are open to all members in the Region, only eligible delegates will receive wage replacement for the day.

The dates have been set for HSA’s Annual Regional Meetings as British Columbia’s restart gets underway this summer. The meetings will be held through September and October, and will be held on a virtual platform. There will be no in-person Regional Meetings.

Each HSA chapter is entitled to at least one delegate to participate with voice and vote in the Regional Meeting. Election of additional delegates is conducted at local chapter meetings.

HSA members are invited to join a live and interactive telephone town hall event tomorrow evening – Thursday, June 25 at 7:00 pm (PST).

This is an opportunity for the union to update members on important information regarding COVID-19 policies and practices that affect your work, to report on the union’s plans for the coming months, and for members to ask questions and share information.

HSA’s annual convention, slated for April 1 – 3, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver, has been postponed indefinitely.

The decision to postpone was made last night on an emergency conference call meeting of the union’s Board of Directors. The union has weighed the risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic to the more than 400 delegates registered to attend, and the potential impact on the public health system.

Amid growing concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, and the need to take constructive steps to control contamination, the Board of Directors of Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA) has postponed indefinitely the union’s annual convention, slated for April 1-3, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver.

“This was a difficult call, but the right call for a union whose members are on the front lines of delivering care, as well as at risk to exposure,” said HSA President Val Avery.

Joe Sebastian will continue to represent HSA members in Region 4 on the union’s Board of Directors.

Sebastian was re-elected to serve a two-year term, representing HSA members in Region 4 from several worksites, including Vancouver General Hospital, Richmond Hospital, and UBC Hospital.

Mandi Ayers will return to represent HSA members in Region 10 on the HSA Board of Directors. Ayers was acclaimed after the deadline passed with no further nominations.

A medical laboratory technologist at Haida Gwaii Hospital, Ayers has served on the Board of Directors since April 2014 and has been involved in HSA her entire working career.  

She has been active in HSA for her whole working career of more than 30 years and is currently the union’s Vice-President, Chair of the union’s Resolutions Committee, and member of the Women’s Committee.

Cherylee Hylands will return to represent HSA members in Region 8 on the HSA Board of Directors. Hylands was acclaimed after the deadline passed with no further nominations.

Hylands is a cardiology technologist working at Penticton Regional Hospital and Kelowna General Hospital. She has served on the HSA Board of Directors since June 2018 and is currently a member of the union’s Committee on Equality and Social Action, and Education and Occupational Health and Safety Committees.
 
The two-year term expires at the conclusion of the 2022 HSA Convention.

Tara Chen will join the HSA Board of Directors to represent members in Region 6. Chen was acclaimed after the deadline for nomination for election to the board of directors passed with no further nominations.